A Practice To Help You Sleep

Sleep is so important. When we are well-rested, we can embrace life and handle stress better than when we are tired. Let's dive into this meditation together.

*Gratitude to Marina Raye for sharing her music track “Awakening Dream” from the album Liquid Silk.

Transcript

Welcome.

Welcome to this guided meditation.

A meditation crafted with love and care to help you fall asleep.

You might be listening to this guided meditation because you're awake in the middle of the night or you may just be getting ready to dive in to a wonderfully deep night's sleep.

Either way,

This meditation will guide you gently into a restful sleep.

So get yourself settled.

Pull the covers up so you're cozy and warm and take a nice,

Soft and gentle breath,

Breathing in and out through your nose.

Feel your bed supporting you from underneath and surrender.

Surrender to being held.

Take a moment now and feel how you're being held,

How you're being cradled.

That's right.

So now we're going to release any tension that you might be holding,

That might be causing an obstruction or interference with the restful and nourishing sleep that is calling to you,

That is waiting for you.

So I'd like you to take your fingers and squeeze them together into fists,

Taking a deep breath.

And then as you let go,

Releasing your hands,

Feeling the tension as it melts away.

It melts away just like butter melting in the sun on a warm day,

Breathing and letting go.

Noticing with the warm light of your attention.

If you might be feeling any sensations in the palms of your hands,

In whatever they might be,

Pulsing,

Tingling,

Warmth or coolness,

These sensations are a signal to drop down and down and relax.

Relax gently into the sweetness of nourishing sleep,

Sensing that your body is relaxing.

And as your body relaxes,

Your mind can let go and you can begin to surrender into a deep relaxing sleep.

Now taking another very gentle breath and allow your eyes to settle,

To rest into their sockets.

And all you need to do is breathe,

Breathe and let go.

Now gently rest your attention on the eyelids,

Noticing that perhaps they're feeling heavy and heavier.

It's almost as if they are glued shut.

Welcome the darkness,

This peaceful darkness,

The darkness behind your closed eyes.

See if it's possible to rest into darkness,

To feel the peace,

To reside in the silence within,

Sinking down and down.

And you might notice how heavy your body is feeling,

So you can let go,

Let go of any thoughts,

Any tensions.

And perhaps there have been times when sleep has escaped you and right now sleep is coming to you.

Sleep is wrapping you in its arms like the softest blanket.

So you can just notice that if there are any thoughts,

Any thoughts at all that are in the way of you gently drifting off into a nourishing sleep,

You can imagine that you have a trap door in your mind and you can open it up and all those thoughts,

Any thoughts that might be interfering,

Can be set free.

You are releasing any thoughts that are keeping you from sleeping.

It's as if a bird who had been living in a cage noticed that the door had been left open and took that moment to fly out and fly away,

Traveling out and out into the deep sky until finally it disappears.

Any thoughts can fly away,

Leaving your mind,

Your body,

And your heart quiet and in a state of peace.

And just by breathing,

Your whole body,

Mind,

And being are becoming more quiet,

Softer,

And peaceful.

So what if you take another gentle breath,

Sensing the rise and fall of your chest,

Trusting that breath creates space,

Space for you,

Space for peace,

Space for you to dive into deep,

Deep sleep.

It doesn't matter if you are hearing or understanding any of the words that are being spoken because these words are reaching a place deep inside,

Deep,

Deep inside.

There's nothing for you to do so you can relax your mind and trust that everything,

Everything that is essential for you is being heard at the deepest levels of your body and being.

They are receiving the message,

The message that it is time to fall into a deep,

Nourishing,

And peaceful sleep.

And you can trust,

Yes,

You can trust that this message is traveling to every cell and fiber of your body and your being.

Your breathing,

Relaxing,

And drifting off into a deep,

Deep,

Nourishing sleep.

Because it's safe,

You can trust that it's safe to sleep,

That you,

You are held,

You are held,

And you will awaken in the morning,

Feeling refreshed,

Nourished,

And revitalized.

And each time you listen to this meditative practice,

You are creating new pathways in your mind,

In your body,

In your being.

And it will get easier and easier over the coming days and weeks and months and even years to drift off into a peaceful,

Deeply nourishing sleep.

So trust,

You are held,

You are held,

You are loved.

It's safe to sleep,

Sleep deeply,

Sleep deeply.

Sweet dreams,

Sweet dreams.

Thank you.

Reviews

This is my go-to when I wake up in the middle of the night. She has helped me so many, many, many times. Love this meditation. 💕

Your voice is very calming. My loved one is dealing with insomnia. I will share this meditation with her. I think it will be helpful. Thank you.

Very soothing and relaxing.lovely background music soothing.ur voice melted me down to sleep.will revisit again xx😊🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼💕💗

New pathways to a better sleep. I'll listen again tomorrow.

Beautiful soothing end to the day. Thank you. 🙏🏻

Beautiful pace and words, that helped me to return to sleep. Thank you.

Nice

A lovely meditation that helped me to fall asleep 😴. Thank you 🙏

So soothing, thank you

This is my absolute favourite sleep meditation. It has never failed to help me get to sleep, even on those nights where I really haven't been able to shut off... super grateful. Thank you so much xx 💤🥰🕉

Thank you Padma for an easy drift into a deliciously deep and calm sleep. This is the greatest gift anyone can receive!

Perfect practice for drifting into sleep! Just the right length to fully let the body relax and mind to quiet so sleep is possible. Of course your choice of images and grounded voice are always lovely to listen too. Beautiful music. Thankyou so much for this Padma!🌑🌙🌎🌿🦋🦄🧚‍♂️

Unbelievably relaxing 😌 Your voice and meditation technique are superbly effective.

I fell asleep before finishing! Perfect, thanks!

Wonderfully relaxing. Thank you. Many blessings 💙x

Works every time!

I fell asleep again within minutes but woke with a start from a noise outside.
I have bookmarked this to use again and again.
Thank you

This meditation was so calming and healing...I fell asleep within a few moments and stayed asleep. Thank you.