Perhaps sometimes you may wish that there was an off button for your mind.
An overly busy mind can halt us in many ways throughout our lives.
And one of the main things a busy mind interrupts for millions of people around the world is a good night's sleep.
Why is this so?
To answer this let's relax your mind just a little bit right now.
Imagine your mind is represented by a river with waters that sometimes flow by slowly when there is a lack of rain or sometimes very quickly depending on the weather and the time of year.
Your mind is the river,
Your thoughts are the water.
How quickly is your river of the mind flowing right now?
How fast are the thoughts represented by water flowing in the river?
Just watch this flow as if you are sitting on the riverbank enjoying it.
Good.
Now just allow for the seasons to pass and the weather to change and watch your river change along with it.
The seasons represent your overall happiness in your life.
Are you achieving any desires you set for yourself?
Seasons change but each one of them can be viewed as beautiful.
Seasons can be tough or they can be mild and enjoyable.
The waters of the river represent your thoughts.
When you focus your thoughts on your goals and desires your river slows and becomes crystal clear.
The birds and the wildlife are able to see the fish that they will catch to feed themselves and their offspring.
The fish can find sources of foods because the waters have slowed down enough to allow for bits of plants to settle on the water and soften and live bugs can land on the water for them to catch.
Now for a moment imagine a storm of thoughts is coming for your river.
See the waters rise and the animals scurry.
The fish hide in safer areas and there are no bugs flying around.
It is only rushing by a little faster now.
Yet the storm is building.
The more thoughts you let into your mind the more the waters rush by.
It becomes now a threatening river so quickly that you cannot sit on the bank watching your river any longer and observing the beauty.
You must seek shelter from the storm.
The storm of thoughts has taken the ability to observe away from you.
It takes a little while for a storm of thoughts to pass and even longer for the after-effects of the storm to come.
The waters continue to rush at high speeds for several days or so.
This is what happens when you allow a storm of thinking to enter your mind.
It disrupts you for some time until the waters can naturally settle.
We want to always remain on the bank of our river observing abundant nature and clear calm waters.
We know sleep is necessary and rejuvenating so why do so many people suffer to achieve restful sleep?
Because they do not take charge of their busy mind moving it from worry to relaxation.
Like I mentioned before allowing a busy mind to go free is like never training a great horse.
The mind needs you to be in control and needs you to train it how to work for you.
A calmer state of mind allows for you to not only sleep better but also eliminates anxiety,
Increases focus,
Treats depression,
Stops repetitive thinking,
Improves your memory,
Betters your relationships,
Satisfies the body and increases emotional intelligence.
The key to attaining all these things is actually very simple and natural for all of us.
The key is to bring into our mind the awareness of all physical sensations and bring into your mind your emotions and bringing into your mind your thoughts.
This is meditative and simply doesn't allow for bothersome thoughts to have any power over you.
Your ability to feel things is much more powerful than a busy mind.
Your ability to create and ponder new ideas and a new self-image is more powerful than a noisy mind.
All a noisy mind is good at is distracting you.
It doesn't achieve anything.
It doesn't build on any new ideas.
It doesn't emotionally connect with others around you.
In fact an overloaded and out of control mind acts to disconnect you from others and from yourself.
A bustling mind is tiring yet it doesn't allow for you to rest.
Giving up control of your mind is like feeding your child nothing but bread and sugar and lollies.
They are going to lose control because of the unhealthy information they are taking into their system.
Let's put our mind into the being mode right now by bringing in some positive affirmations.
Repeat this in your mind after me.
Thoughts are only thoughts.
I live in the present not in the past or in the future.
I draw from my past when I need to plan for my future but I always live in the present moment.
I take notice of my body often throughout the day easing and relaxing my body by doing so.
I take notice of my surroundings to ease my mind.
When thoughts begin to swirl in my mind I have compassion for them and acknowledge them knowing they are simply thoughts.
My thoughts come and go.
Everyone's thoughts come and go.
I am no different.
When I watch my thoughts like the waters of a river I never get caught in a thought.
I am just a witness.
Stopping my thoughts is impossible instead I observe them arriving and leaving.
Instead of jumping into thoughts emotionally I observe which thoughts I want to cultivate more of.
I know which thoughts I put my energy to is what I create for myself.
By taking the time to practice these methods I really feel a difference.
I have the patience to retrain my mind.
I retrain my mind so I can get rest when I need it.
I have patience when I'm training my mind just as I would have patience training the most magnificent horse.
I am kind to myself with this new way of being.
I am kind to others and I never allow overthinking in the form of judgment to cloud my relationships.
I am persistent because I know the rewards are well worth the effort.
I see benefits right from the very start of my practice.
Good.
Now remember that each day you practice mindfulness techniques the more restful and deep sleep you will receive each night.
Just relax down even more now letting your body make any last adjustments it needs so you get the most restful sleep tonight and every night of your life.
Good night.
You you you
