Time To Switch Off

We all need a bit of help going to bed from time to time. Try out this 10-minute meditation designed to help you drift away and get some rest. I'll talk you through everything you need to do so for some switch this on as you switch off.

Transcript

Hey,

Good evening.

It's Doug here.

This is your 10 minute meditation to help you get to sleep.

Now you've probably opened up this meditation on an app on your phone.

And just like apps on our phone,

Sometimes we can have too many tabs open in the background and as a result,

Just like they slow down our phone or make it act a bit weird,

Those thoughts that operate in the background can do the same to us.

They can use up energy that is unnecessary.

So tonight's meditation is going to be about closing all those apps,

Clearing the cache of the mind,

Giving us a bit more clarity and a bit more space to relax and get to sleep.

So it's important before we get started that we reflect in our body the process we want to achieve.

That's to say that in order to sleep,

We have to lie in a sleepy way.

So start by dealing with the hardware,

Your body.

Make sure you're in a comfortable position,

Supported by pillows and the bed below you.

Make sure you're not too hot or not too cold.

And bring the eyes to close.

And start to breathe deeply as if you were sleeping.

Make sure your arms are relaxed in a nice,

Comfortable position.

And just make sure there's no tension in your body.

And just relax.

And just make sure there's no tension in the body still.

Take a moment just to scan the body and feel any places that may be tense.

And as you recognize any of these places,

With the next exhale just let it go as you relax.

Great job.

So now with the hardware all dealt with,

Let's deal with the software.

Now just as you did there using each exhale to relax the body,

We're now going to use your exhale to relax the mind.

Quite often we'll spend all day trying to remember something and when we finally go to bed we remember all the things we should have done,

Should have said or things that needed dealing with.

And it's not that these things aren't important but rather it's that right now these are not the things we need to deal with.

We need to focus on getting our sleep so we can deal with all those things tomorrow.

So this next drill we'll do together is not one of putting our head in the sand or running away from the issues that we need to deal with.

But rather regrouping our energy so we have the energy to deal with them when the time is right.

So as you lie there in that comfortable position,

Safe,

Warm,

Supported,

Bring some attention to your breath.

Notice how your breath is feeling.

In a very simple way just notice where you feel your breath.

This will be your safe place.

This is where we rest our mind,

Where no thought in particular comes to our mind.

But as you lie there,

If any thoughts do come into your mind,

Things you have to do,

Things that are plaguing your mind,

These open tabs that we spoke about,

Then I want you to first notice them.

Acknowledge the thought.

Acknowledge that you're having a thought.

Now is this the urge to get taken away by it?

To what that thought means and starting to plan the action that you'll take to deal with it?

And instead,

Just acknowledging this thought,

Take a deep breath in and then as you exhale,

Letting that thought disappear like the tension in your body.

Clearing that thought just for a moment,

Letting that thought disappear like the tension in your body.

Clearing that thought just for a moment,

You can now rest your mind back on your breath and where you feel it.

Or if you notice another thought comes into your mind,

We can repeat the process.

Acknowledging the thought,

Paying attention to it.

But not getting lost in it.

Realizing this is a valid thought,

But it's simply just that.

A thought.

Something that's been generated by your mind.

That doesn't need dealing with right now.

So as you inhale,

Acknowledge and give thanks to having this thought.

And then as you exhale,

Letting that thought disappear into the ether.

Letting it drift away.

And then as you exhale,

Letting that thought disappear into the ether,

Letting it drift away.

Once again,

You can rest your mind on that lovely feeling of breathing in that comfortable bed of yours.

Or even the feelings of being in that bed.

Allowing any thoughts that want to come up,

To come up.

And each time they do,

Just repeating this process of noticing this thought,

Acknowledging it.

But not getting lost in it.

Instead,

Exhaling it out your body,

Just as you do with that next breath.

Closing those open apps.

Giving you more ability to rest.

As we do so,

We're not ignoring these thoughts,

The importance of them or their existence.

But rather letting them go.

And choosing to be restful instead.

Knowing we'll come back to them in good time.

But right now,

It's enough that we're warm,

Supported and at rest.

In this way we don't fight with the thoughts,

But rather we see them,

Acknowledge them.

And we're not ignoring them.

In this way we don't fight with the thoughts,

But rather we see them,

Acknowledge them.

And let them go on just as easily as they came in.

Sleep well.

Reviews

Very peaceful! This guided meditation has helped me to release a difficult day and shift my awareness to love and peace. After the recording ended, I remained still in meditation, and I saw a gathering of light beings around a campfire. A woman was dancing, and she invited me to join. It was a visual opportunity to release all negative energy of the day from my physical body, so that new life can flow more freely. Such a beautiful experience! Thanks so much, Doug!

I like this technique, I will practice it. Your voice is relaxing too. Thank you for sharing 🙏 Good night!!

You didn't even need background music!! Really helped me tonight thank you so much 😁

This is a helpful meditation when preparing for sleep. I found it calming and peaceful. 🧡🧡🧡🧡

The computer analogy worked great for me, I was out before the end. Great voice too.

Great guidance, nice and soothing in effect. Thanks

Fell asleep by the end of it!