Hi,
I'm Paula and it's an honor to have you here with me on this journey to live lighter and sleep better.
Today we're going to talk about a behavior that's common in children but that may also work for adults.
For me,
It certainly helps.
Maybe it will help you too.
Many children use a transitional object to sleep.
They hold a stuffed animal or a cloth and this object provides a sense of security and calm enough for them to fall asleep.
But isn't that just a child thing?
Perhaps.
Or maybe it's time for you to revisit your inner child and start doing again things you did naturally when you were a child that were very helpful.
If you're open to this,
You can try and at that time hold the cloth,
The end of the sheet,
The bread spread,
Anything.
For me,
This simple gesture helps me calm down and sleep.
Who knows,
It might work for you.
You only know if you're willing to give it a try.
I invite you to try at least once if you want to.
And for our practice today,
I have another invitation.
How about visiting your inner child?
So let's go.
Sit in a comfortable position for you or lie down if you prefer.
If it's okay with you,
Close your eyes.
Or keep them looking soft without fixing on anything.
And maybe take a few long,
Deep and very slow breaths.
Inhale slowly and deeply.
And exhale perhaps even more slowly and deep.
Do this for a few breaths.
If your mind wanders,
Just gently bring it back to your breath.
Now move your attention to your body and do a brief body scan and see if there are areas of tension that you can relax.
Now allow the image of you as a child to come into your memory.
It can be a memory.
It can be an image.
You can even use a photograph if it's difficult for you to visualize.
Don't worry too much about the visualization itself.
The important thing is just to focus on you as you were as a child.
When you get in touch with your inner child,
Stay with it for a while.
And perhaps see if there's anything you would like to ask that child.
Maybe there's something you would like to say to that child.
Stay in touch with your inner child,
Perhaps in a dialogue for as long as it's comfortable for you.
And when you feel ready,
Slowly bring your attention back to your body,
To the contact of your body with the surface you are on right now.
Come back to the present moment.
Notice the sounds around you.
And if you want,
Open your eyes.
Or continue sleeping with your inner child and take the innocence of being a child again into your night and your day.
Namaste.
