Guided Sleep Meditation for a busy mind (with background music)

Do you have trouble sleeping? Do you worry a lot? This guided sleep meditation will help you relax.

Transcript

This is a meditation from Lyndon van der Lij from the van der Lij practice in Zwolle.

This meditation is for people that feel they don't get enough sleep or rest.

You can help yourself to fall into a nice and easy sleep and sleep deeper.

You can use this to go to sleep when you're in bed at night but also when you're up at night and find it hard to relax or just in between to have a moment for yourself.

That's why you won't hear a timer at the end of this meditation because it's good to give yourself time to gradually sink into sleep.

First make sure that you're lying as comfortably as possible in your favorite sleeping position with nothing that pinches or tickles and nothing that hinders you.

Take your time to make sure that you're not going to be disturbed in any way.

You can even tell yourself in your mind I will surrender to this sense of calmness in this moment when there are no musts or shoulds and everything goes.

There are no duties you don't have to do anything.

There are no duties you don't have to do anything.

You can choose to do nothing just let go and let it happen.

Just listen to my voice and even if you do not hear everything I say that's fine.

Just the sound of my voice lets you go deeper and deeper into calmness and then take your time to pay attention to your breathing as that is always an easy way to get some more rest.

Just breathe in deeply and contentedly through your nose and hold your breath for a few seconds and then slowly exhale through your mouth.

Now you're actually telling your nervous system to relax.

So very deep and contented in through your nose hold your breath and slowly out through your mouth.

Now with each breath you can imagine yourself sinking a little deeper into the surface on which you're lying down.

Every time you exhale let yourself sink deeper.

As if your body is melting a pleasant feeling.

Your body can start to feel a bit heavier or a bit lighter just feel.

Just feel how nice it is lying down like this.

Taking this moment for yourself.

And it's quite common to slip in and out of that sleepy state just let it happen.

And ask nothing of yourself it's all right.

And if you can't do anything else to make you feel even more comfortable just let yourself sink deeper into the surface.

And if you can't do anything else to make you feel even more comfortable then you can decide to stay quiet now if you want.

To postpone movements until later.

You can always do that at a later time but only if you want to.

This is your time to relax and take care of yourself your moment.

Very good.

And while you feel that you're relaxing more and more and are in a position that is as pleasant as possible.

You can also adopt a pleasant attitude towards yourself an attitude of kindness.

Of patience.

As if you're about to listen to someone you find very interesting.

Just the intention to be patient and kind to yourself.

And while you're so kind and patient towards yourself you can ask yourself silently.

What is it right now that stops me to completely relax?

You may be worrying about something a concern may come up or a difficult situation.

Then you can just notice oh yes that's a tricky thing.

And in your mind you can picture a lot of things that you might not be able to do.

You're just worrying and in your mind you can picture a large moving box.

And you just put that worry that concern into that big box and when you're done close the box.

And on the box you write a word that describes exactly what that concern is about.

After that you slide the box far away from you.

And just notice what that does for you to look at it from a distance.

You can feel how it actually provides some distance.

And then ask yourself again.

What else keeps me from relaxing peacefully?

And whatever comes to mind put that in a box again.

And just close the box.

Write down what is in it.

And put it next to the other box far away from you.

And now take your time to ask yourself whether there are more worries or difficult things.

And now you can just relax.

What else keeps you from having worries or difficult things?

If there's more that stops you from being completely carefree.

Feel whether you want to put more things into boxes.

And if there's more feel free to pause this meditation and take all the time you need.

And when you're ready.

Now is the time to think of something nice.

Something you're thankful for or happy with.

What you might even want more of tomorrow.

It may be more than one thing.

Perhaps everything that went well today.

Everything you did well today.

Because it's nice to go to bed with a positive feeling.

It's just an excellent moment to think about the things you're grateful for today.

It may be something very small.

Like that you have such a nice bed.

Or that someone said something funny.

Or something completely different.

There must be things like these that make you feel good.

Something completely different.

There must be things like these that make you feel happy or grateful.

And these thoughts they help you to get a nice and contented feeling.

Just feel how soothing that can actually be.

Being grateful for what went well today.

And you can take that with you while relaxing more and more.

And then perhaps you can think of what you would like to achieve with this meditation.

Whether you would like to have a nice and deep rest.

Or perhaps you want to wake up fit tomorrow.

What would you like?

What do you prefer?

And then think of a sentence something like I can find rest every night.

Or I'm fit and energetic throughout the day.

Find your own sentence.

And if you've found the right one.

Just repeat it a few times.

And if you've found the right one.

Just repeat it a couple of times in silence to yourself.

You can do that now.

And give yourself time to imagine what it will look like when you achieve what you want.

And make a clear picture of it.

And see it in front of you.

Imagine how it feels to be so well rested.

Where do you feel that in your body?

How great is it when it worked?

What do you do?

How does that feel?

And then realize how wonderful it is that you're already creating this just by wanting it.

And being grateful that it's going to work.

That is actually a very peaceful feeling.

There's nothing you have to do.

Just wish for something and feel gratitude.

And the more you allow yourself to be in that resting state.

The more enjoyable it will be.

Comfortably loose and at ease.

Peaceful.

And while you continue to relax more and more.

You can very consciously remind your body with each breath that it's okay to totally unwind.

To totally relax.

To take a breath again.

Nice and deep.

Now bring your attention to your feet.

Experience whether your feet feel warm or cool.

And feel the heels.

Your soles.

Your toes.

And go onto your ankles.

Just feel that they're here.

And your lower legs.

Your calves and knees.

And your knees.

Your calves and your shins.

Feel whether they are relaxed or not.

You just need to allow for them to be even more relaxed.

And then through your knees.

Do they feel tense or are they okay?

And then your upper legs.

Your thighs.

Feel exactly where your upper legs may contact with the surface on which you're lying and where they don't.

And whether your upper legs are heavier than your lower legs.

And feel the weight of your upper legs.

And whether your upper legs are heavier than your lower legs.

Or the other way around.

And then very easily move your thoughts onto your pelvis and your hips.

Do your muscles feel tight here?

Or do they feel loose?

And you don't even have to change anything if you don't want to.

But if you want to,

You can just allow your pelvis to relax.

You can even tell your buttocks that they may relax.

And this way you can become more aware of your body and your stomach.

Your lower abdomen.

Your abdominal muscles.

They may loosen up a bit more.

Just let it go.

Let it loose.

Then your chest.

Does it feel spacious?

Or can it use some more space?

Feel what is necessary.

Maybe just another deep breath and letting go.

And onto your back.

Does it feel calm or not?

Do all the little muscles in your back strain themselves as you become aware of your back?

Or are they peaceful and relaxed?

Is the top of your back more at ease than the bottom half?

Or the other way around?

Feel the vertebrae and the spine.

Feel the back.

Feel the back.

Feel the vertebrae and the spine.

And then your shoulders.

Just let them hang.

Are they nice and loose or not?

Imagine all the bones and the muscles.

The tendons in your shoulders.

They just don't have to do anything anymore.

They're done for today.

Then onto your armpits.

Your upper arms.

The top and bottom.

Through your elbows.

And now a peaceful feeling can spread through your arms.

To your forearms.

Where the muscles relax and relax.

To your forearms.

Where the muscles relax themselves naturally.

The calmness which spreads itself down your arms.

To your wrists.

Through your hands.

Into your fingers.

Your thumbs.

Index fingers.

Middle fingers.

Ring fingers.

Little fingers.

All your fingertips.

Just enjoy it.

Your arms from your shoulders to your fingertips so loose and heavy.

Easy and limp as a ragdoll.

And finally,

Your neck.

Feel if your neck can loosen up a little bit more.

And your head.

Feel whether your head can sink into the pillow even deeper.

Relax all the muscles in your forehead.

So that your forehead is smoother and softer.

And then your temples.

The area around your eyes.

All the tiny muscles there.

Nice and loose.

Your cheekbones and your cheeks.

Your left cheek.

Your right cheek.

Your nose.

Even your nose bridge.

And your nostrils.

And your jaw may just hang loosely.

Even your tongue may relax in your mouth.

Then your upper lip.

Your lower lip may relax and then your chin.

And your chin.

Your lower lip may relax and then your chin.

And if you find your thoughts occasionally just wandering off,

That's fine.

You can let these thoughts go in a friendly and patient way.

It's fine that they come.

It's fine that they go again.

And you don't have to do anything with them.

But it may help to imagine that your thoughts,

Which may come without you calling for them,

Are like clouds drifting by.

Those clouds you see coming.

And going again.

And you don't have to pay attention to them.

You don't have to let them drag you along.

If a thought comes to mind,

You just see,

Ah,

A thought.

A little cloud.

And then you let it pass by.

As if,

As if you are the blue sky.

And those clouds,

Those little clouds are just there.

And it's fine.

They're fine,

But you don't have to do anything with them.

Because you're the sky,

The blue sky,

Calm and vast.

And the rest of the outside world pulls itself away from you more and more.

All the sounds from outside go in one ear and out the other.

They're part of this experience of relaxation and ease and calmness.

Noises from outside and thoughts are so unimportant and insignificant that they just drift by.

With you hardly noticing them.

And you are so calm and grand and vast.

That you become heavier and heavier.

Your arms become heavy.

Your arms become heavier and heavier.

Your legs get heavy and just heavier.

Your whole body seems to be getting heavier and heavier.

And it's such a pleasant feeling.

And the heavier you get,

The more you relax.

And while you're sinking into relaxation more and more,

You feel that the day is done.

That you may allow yourself to let go of the day.

That you may allow yourself to let go of the day.

And all that occupied your thoughts.

Letting go of all thoughts,

Let them just drift by.

All that you normally want and demand of yourself,

Let it go.

All the sounds from outside,

Just let them go.

Relax yourself because for now there are no duties.

There are no have to's.

Just relaxation,

Just lying down.

Just as relaxed as you can be for this moment.

No need for more,

Nor less.

Your subconscious knows exactly how much rest and relaxation and comfort is good for this moment.

Just let it lead you.

Let it go.

Let it go.

Now you can try and see if you can feel that heaviness in your entire body at the same time.

From your toes,

To your fingertips,

To the tip of your head being aware of your body.

And how nice and heavy it's feeling.

With each breath,

Imagine your whole body moving along with your breathing.

Just feel.

Just feel how your body is getting softer and easier and very,

Very heavy.

Focus on your breathing.

Notice how that doesn't take any effort.

How your breathing calms you down more and more.

How it's found its own rhythm.

And gradually calms you down even more.

Into a deep and peaceful tranquility.

Just effortless.

In the silence you can find that you are being breathed.

That your breath becomes lighter and quieter.

Naturally.

Without effort.

You don't have to do anything.

It just happens very easily.

Notice what happens when you breathe in.

And breathe out.

And that there's some space between those two.

Between your in and your out breath.

And feel how much rest that little space in between gives.

And then after breathing out,

Again.

That serenity and silence.

Very natural and so effortless.

Now let's try counting those breaths effortlessly together.

Let's try that for two breaths.

Just breathe in.

And breathe out again.

That's one.

Now in.

Now in.

Out again.

That's two.

Very good.

Now in a moment,

Not now,

But in a moment.

You can start over again by yourself.

Try counting up to ten.

And if you're at ten,

You start over again.

And if your mind wanders for a while,

Or you lose count,

That's perfectly okay.

You just start over at one.

While everything becomes softer and heavier and easier.

Let's start.

Breathe in.

And out.

One.

Go on.

In.

Out.

Two.

Completely calm.

Very good.

Just go on.

Very easy.

Thank you.

Reviews

Thank you for the lovely meditation..
Blessing with love

soo relaxing. definitely listening to this again when im really ready for bed!! finding it difficult to stay awake right now..

Thank you for this meditation, this is the best meditation I have found to help me fall asleep. Do you plan to do any more meditations in English?

Anything that helps me shut my mind down for the night deserves all the ✨!

You lost me to dreamland at about the five minute mark. Beautiful words, beautiful message, and beautiful voice. Thank you.

It worked, I fell asleep! Thank you 🙏🏻

So peaceful! Thank you!!

I listened to this a few times now before going to sleep, but still have no idea what happens after the first five minutes, as I fall asleep right away. Great!

So beautifully relaxing. I think I slept. I just know it was quite soothing!!!

Very helpful meditation/guidance! 😊 Thank You

🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻Hartstikke bedankt! Heb er hoegenaamd geen idee van hoeveel ik van de recording heb kunnen beluisteren, dus het heeft gewerkt. Jey, bedankt!🙏🏻🦋😇💙🌅🌟✨💫

Very nice! Like the explanations and directions, thank you!

Slept well. Thank you.

Thank you, that was not quite what I expected but it was effective.

I tots knocked out, thanks. :)

Thank you was wonderful I don't even know how long I lasted .

Really spoke to me...got me back to sleep.

Lovely! Put in me a very relaxed space! Thank you!

My new favorite... So relaxing and kind, I fell asleep effortlessly at the end...I thought her voice was very easy to understand and the music was just enough.