Fall Back Asleep: The Dream Compass

As a former insomniac, I know how hard it can be to wake up in the middle of the night. But with this guided sleep meditation, "The Dream Compass," you may fall back asleep fast. Let a few relaxing breaths and the soothing imagery of a moonlit path lead you to a bed that floats among the stars, returning you to slumber with ease. It's time to get back to sleep and dream away.

Transcript

There's nothing more frustrating than waking too soon,

But rest assured that you will easily fall back asleep with tonight's guided sleep meditation,

The dream compass.

The sooner you close your eyes and snuggle,

Finding comfort once more,

The sooner we will get you back to the realm of slumber.

Let the words of this journey wrap around you like a fluffy blanket,

Still warm from the dryer,

As you breathe in the softness of the night.

Your body so easily surrenders as every part of you deserves and yearns for peace,

And will find it here,

In the sanctuary of your room and mind.

Trust your instincts.

Your body has an innate ability to self-soothe and meet your sleepy needs.

The imagery throughout this journey will help you reconnect with your nurturing powers.

The more you listen,

The more your sleep cycle may improve,

As you remember how to slow down and give in to the gentle,

Loving tug of sleep.

I'd like to welcome you to Michelle's Meditation Sanctuary.

I am Michelle,

A former insomniac who understands how hard it is when sleep is interrupted or delayed.

I invite you to think of me as a nurturing ally.

Let my voice be a voice of safety and trust as you revel in the sanctuary of your room and mind.

My intention is to help you slow down.

Relieve yourself of any pressure or anxiety so you may revel in this nightly vacation.

Approach sleep as the holiday you have more than earned.

No matter how much sleep you have,

You will awaken refreshed and feeling good.

You are doing so well and should appreciate yourself for showing up and taking the steps to get back to sleep.

I aim to offer comfort and dreamy visualizations,

But even as I guide you,

I understand that you know what you need more than anyone.

So please feel free to take creative control and change any detail you like.

There is no right or wrong way to do this.

Simply follow what feels good to you without judgment or overthinking it.

Most importantly,

Be kind to yourself right now.

It can be so frustrating and sometimes we awaken too soon and it creates a silly pattern in our brain that repeats,

But we are going to work on this with a sense of trust.

You will soon find it so easy to get back to sleep as you listen that it won't be a bother anymore.

You will correct your sleep cycle with gentleness.

At times,

My words may lead you to the airy and fluid realm between wakefulness and sleep.

In this special in-between world,

You may feel more relaxed than you have in some time as you float the waves of sound that will deliver you to the shores of sleep.

Other times,

You may prefer to tune me out and drift on the silent lulls between words that invite a sense of space.

You may fall asleep whenever you like,

Because you are the designer,

The dreamer,

And the visionary for everything that unfolds.

But right now,

The greatest priority is helping you feel the best you can.

It's good to gauge where you are,

So envision a scale before you in the shape of a crescent moon.

At the tippy-top,

The scale reads 100,

And at the very bottom of this moon is zero.

The number zero at the bottom measures the deepest your relaxation may go.

Your eyes follow the illuminated numbers along the curve of the silvery,

Opal moon.

The numbers hover and glow.

Throughout this dreamy practice,

You may come back to this moon scale to see how much more relaxed you become.

As we proceed,

But right now,

Make a mental note of where you're at.

See the number and feel in your body the position.

Without judgment or criticism,

You freely and happily accept where you are on the spectrum of relaxation.

Because this knowledge is empowering you.

It inspires you to know how much deeper you can go.

It becomes a fun activity,

A sleepy,

Easy quest,

As we explore imagery that makes you feel more comfortable and at ease.

As you come to recognize your current state of being,

Pay attention to all the items in the sanctuary of your room that offer you comfort.

Your mind can't help but gravitate to every soft element.

Revel in your bedding.

Your blanket is more than a source of comfort.

It creates a layer of protection between you and the outside world,

Creating a soothing cocoon where fears and anxieties do not stand a chance.

Feel the safety.

Feel the serenity.

Sense the dial on the crescent moon scale,

Gliding down,

Down,

Down,

As you are even more relaxed.

Relaxed.

If your mind wanders to places of distraction,

As a mind is known to do,

Allow my voice and your breathing to anchor you.

Feel free to let out a sigh,

A sigh,

An action to back your intention for letting go.

Think to yourself,

Goodnight thoughts,

As you blow away each and every one that dares to bother you when sleep is your priority.

When you are ready,

Inhale deeply,

Taking in the pristine night air that warms through your nose.

Your body so kindly prepares it for your lungs.

Expand and take up every delicious bit of space that is yours to now claim.

Feel a yawn creeping in,

Allow it,

And transform it into an audible sigh,

Once more surrendering,

Letting go.

And that beautiful,

Gleaming crescent moon dial goes even lower.

You are even more relaxed.

Every breath dials you down to the greatest sense of serenity and repose.

Inhale,

Feeling how your muscles are softer,

Sense the ease with which to expand and take up space.

Your body becomes lighter,

Ready to float through a nocturnal world of peace.

Yawn once more,

And with this last conscious exhale that becomes a sigh,

You feel a wave of release from the crown of your head,

Over your face and neck,

Down your spine and over your torso,

Over your hips,

Legs,

And feet.

And wrapping around your foot soles,

Your entire body is now softening,

Yielding to the gentle changes in the air.

Your nerves and muscles are so smooth and elastic,

And as knots and tension dissolve,

Your breath resumes an easy,

Sleepy pace that requires no effort or thought from you.

So sink into the comforts of your bed,

And enjoy the journey about to unfold.

Imagine standing at the edge of a moonlit path,

Ready to enter an ancient forest,

Known as a place of healing.

The conifers and white birch trees take on the nocturnal blues and purples of the night sky.

In this dreamy world,

You wear flowing attire that helps you move with grace,

Gliding through the night air with the ease of a dove in flight.

Your feet are bare,

And you feel the soft,

Damp earth beneath you.

You feel grounded and rooted in the serenity of these woods.

And in your hand,

You discover an antique gold compass with ornate embossed scrolls,

And a celestial scene with a moon and stars.

The tactile sensation is so pleasing.

This compass was designed to perfectly fit in the palm of your hand.

You run your finger across the design that showcases the patina of time.

The faceplate glows softly in an iridescent lavender hue.

The needle points toward tranquility,

Guiding you to the first stop on this journey.

You follow its guidance to the grassy path ahead that glistens with dew,

Illuminated by the ethereal light of a crescent moon.

Each step you take is met with the cool,

Silky blades of grass running between your toes and cushioning each step.

The wind blows so softly,

Causing the feathery,

Taller grasses to kiss your ankles.

You inhale the calming scent of healing eucalyptus trees that line the path,

Their leaves rustling gently in the breeze.

This is your journey into peace,

A sacred,

Quiet place where sleep beckons with open arms.

The mist that hugs the ground rises slowly,

Swirling around your ankles as you move forward.

You watch as it glows in lunar light,

Wrapping around you protectively.

Insisting you are now part of this tranquil forest.

As you walk,

The dream compass in your hand remains steady,

Its soft lavender glow guiding you deeper into this magical landscape.

It's the kind of forest where one might imagine fairies lovingly keeping watch from branches overhead.

Delighted you have arrived.

The moonlight reflects off the shimmering dew like a crystal garden.

Everything takes on an iridescent sheen.

The hemlock trees sway gently,

Their feathery branches like guardian wings watching over your journey.

The variations of night shades are romantic and soothing.

The lustrous silver moon,

The deep navy indigo gradient of the sky,

And the wisps of periwinkle that linger on the horizon.

Each color brings a soulful,

Tranquil feeling.

The night becomes inspiring.

The path between the trees widens into a clearing.

A canopy bed sits in the center.

On a carpet of wildflowers.

It's unlike any bed you've seen before.

Elegant,

Yet rustic,

With hand-carved posts made of mahogany wood.

A bed skirt wraps around the frame with embossed flowers that blend seamlessly with the wildflowers below.

Pillowing sheer fabrics of ivory and midnight blue bring an ethereal quality as they dance in the night breeze,

Reflecting the moonlight.

The bed glows.

You feel a sense of longing and curiosity,

Wondering what it might feel like to settle in this bed.

Half a dozen pillows are piled high,

Covered in cotton percale linens in your favorite color,

With a satin finish that reflects the lunar light as well.

Nestled front and center is a velvet pillow with your name embroidered in a beautiful script.

As you approach,

The dream compass pulses softly,

Gently signaling you've arrived at the place where all tension dissolves and sleep becomes effortless.

You walk closer to the billowing fabric that dances in the moonlight,

Casting wispy shadows on the forest floor.

You reach out and brush your fingers against the luxurious linen,

Feeling the texture beneath your fingertips.

As you pull back the covers and settle into the bed,

You feel the coolness of the sheets against your skin,

The perfect temperature to invite deep relaxation.

The moment you lay down,

The bed cradles you,

Contouring around every nook and curve in your body with perfect,

Comforting support.

You sink deeper into the mattress,

Your body growing heavy,

Giving into the night.

You know you are nearing sleep.

You feel it deep in your bones,

The tug of it becoming hard to resist.

The sheer canopy above sways gently,

The midnight blue fabric reflecting the night sky,

While the ivory fabric replicates the light of the stars and moon.

The dream compass now guides you to blissful surrender,

The next stop on your sleepy journey.

Your eyes are starting to feel tired,

And they close for just a moment.

You feel the bed begin to lift,

Rising slowly off the ground.

You are weightless now,

Floating gently upward,

Carried by the bed,

As it moves effortlessly through the clearing in the trees.

You open your eyes and see the dream compass glowing faintly,

Its needle pointing toward the stars.

You are guided higher and higher through the mist,

Through the leaves of the eucalyptus trees,

And into the clouds.

The air around you is cool,

Refreshing,

And filled with the scent of night-blooming jasmine.

The canopy continues to undulate gently and slowly,

As you float amongst the clouds.

The infinite night sky stretches out endlessly above you.

Your inner child is delighted as you arrive in a state of blissful surrender.

You are light.

The heavy worries of the world no longer exist in this peaceful realm.

As the bed floats higher,

The crescent moon feels within reach.

Its soft light casts a calming glow over the sea of clouds beneath you.

The scenery reminds you of the crescent moon scale that you revisit once more.

You discover your state of relaxation is the lowest it has been all night,

Making it clear that soon you will fall back asleep.

Deeply inhaling,

You feel a sense of release.

Exhaling with relief in how beautiful and easy this journey has been.

The dream compass guides you toward slumber now,

And the crescent moon scale confirms you are almost there.

Each breath,

Each moment in this floating sanctuary brings you closer to the deep,

Restful sleep you seek.

You trust the dream compass completely and set it beside you.

Now,

Nothing more is required of you as the compass leads you deeper into this realm of peace and restoration.

How wonderful it is to be transported from the safety of this floating bed.

Above you,

The stars twinkle.

The perfect canvas for all the wishes you may have.

You continue to drift,

Moving effortlessly between the stars and clouds.

Carried by the floating bed,

The cool night air brushes gently against your skin,

Soothing every part of your body.

The misty clouds occasionally meet your skin.

Feeling like the softest,

Cool silk.

Caressing you as you drift deeper into this dreamscape.

You find it harder to pay attention.

You're so very tired.

Your eyes feel so heavy that you gently close them.

Lost in a resonating feeling of trust,

The bed begins to lower,

Descending gently through the clouds.

You're being carried back to the comfort of your own room,

Your own personal haven where sleep awaits.

The stars fade,

The moonlight softens,

And the cool night air gives way to the familiar warmth of your bed.

As you are returned home,

You sense the familiar smells,

Sounds,

And tactile impressions.

So tired,

You continue to surrender.

The dream compass now leads you to the land of sleep and dreams.

It begins to dim very slowly,

Mirroring the sleepy waves in your mind.

You welcome the tug of the sleepy tide,

Feeling serene,

Safe,

And sound.

The crescent moon scale has now tipped completely to zero.

As you revel in the deepest sense of relaxation you may experience,

Your body is heavy,

Sinking deeper into the mattress while your mind is light,

Drifting effortlessly toward sleep.

The dream compass has guided you on a beautiful journey,

Making it so easy to fall back asleep.

As you let go of any thoughts,

Any lingering tension,

And surrender completely to the peaceful night,

Your eyelids grow heavier,

Your breath becomes slower,

And your body feels as though it is melting into the bed.

Every part of you is relaxed,

Your toes,

Your legs,

Your hips,

Your chest,

Your arms,

Your neck,

And finally,

Your head.

Every muscle is soft,

Every joint loose.

As you drift deeper and deeper,

Falling back to sleep,

You are floating now,

Weightless in a sea of dreams.

Carried by the dream compass,

Guided by the soft light of the crescent moon,

With each breath,

You sink further into the soothing embrace of sleep.

Full night forest air still lingers in your mind,

The scent of eucalyptus and lavender wrapping around you like a blanket of calm.

You are safe,

You are at peace,

And sleep is only moments away.

And as you drift down into sleep,

You let go of my voice,

Letting it fade into the background as the dream compass continues to guide you.

I am going to count you down,

Releasing you from any part of you that remains conscious so you may fully immerse yourself in a sleepy nest.

10,

9,

7,

It's time to dream away.

Reviews

Exactly what I needed to get back to sleep at 3 am! Thank you

Thank you, Michelle 🙏🏻🙏🏻Fell back asleep almost immediately, no clue what you talked about, and got almost 2 hours of sleep: yay🙏🏻🌟😀🌟🙏🏻

I actually used this to fall asleep and I was sound asleep in minutes! I will definitely try this for those nights of insomnia. Thank you and Happy 2025!! 💜

Thank you 🙏 kindly Michelle for this practice. I woke at 4 am and took the opportunity to try this! Put me to sleep 💤 quickly & didn’t wake until 8 am. Grateful for you! 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗

This worked because I fell back to sleep. I will be repeating this when needed. Thank you, Michelle.