Acceptance ✨ Guided Meditation for Better Sleep

[00:00:09] [SPEAKER_02]: Hey there, Sleep Waivers!

[00:00:11] [SPEAKER_02]: Carissa here.

[00:00:12] [SPEAKER_02]: I've got a good one for you tonight.

[00:00:14] [SPEAKER_02]: We're meditating on acceptance and how it can help you to sleep better at night.

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[00:01:05] [SPEAKER_02]: Now, acceptance.

[00:01:08] [SPEAKER_02]: Acceptance can be a tricky thing.

[00:01:11] [SPEAKER_02]: Often, when something happens that I don't like, I find myself shifting towards resignation

[00:01:17] [SPEAKER_02]: and saying, well, I guess this is just what I have to do, or otherwise feeling

[00:01:23] [SPEAKER_02]: like I have no choices.

[00:01:25] [SPEAKER_02]: That, however, can be a deeply disempowering place to be and is sure to keep us up

[00:01:32] [SPEAKER_02]: at night.

[00:01:33] [SPEAKER_02]: We all want to feel like we have some agency over our lives and our choices,

[00:01:38] [SPEAKER_02]: and we do, but it might not always be in the way we expect.

[00:01:43] [SPEAKER_02]: When I learned I'd need chemotherapy for breast cancer a few months ago, I had a hard

[00:01:48] [SPEAKER_02]: time coming to a place of acceptance.

[00:01:51] [SPEAKER_02]: I'd just had a very intense surgery to eradicate the cancer, and it was caught

[00:01:56] [SPEAKER_02]: early and it was tiny and it hadn't spread, and there were so many reasons why I felt

[00:02:02] [SPEAKER_02]: I could talk myself out of the fate my doctor recommended.

[00:02:07] [SPEAKER_02]: I then came to that place of resignation.

[00:02:10] [SPEAKER_02]: I thought it would make me feel better, but I only had more internal angst and felt

[00:02:15] [SPEAKER_02]: like I was giving up some of my own autonomy over my body.

[00:02:20] [SPEAKER_02]: At last, I came to a place of acceptance, and I did that by focusing on my feelings.

[00:02:26] [SPEAKER_02]: I felt a sense of relief when I knew I was doing everything I could to regain my health.

[00:02:32] [SPEAKER_02]: I accepted that my very skilled and knowledgeable doctor had compelling reasons

[00:02:38] [SPEAKER_02]: for her recommendation.

[00:02:40] [SPEAKER_02]: I accepted that while it would likely be unpleasant, that I was lucky in so many

[00:02:46] [SPEAKER_02]: ways and would make it through this.

[00:02:49] [SPEAKER_02]: And I did.

[00:02:50] [SPEAKER_02]: If you are struggling to come to a place of acceptance within your own heart tonight,

[00:02:56] [SPEAKER_02]: this deep meditation my husband Billy Gill has created for us will help you to let go

[00:03:02] [SPEAKER_02]: and find some inner peace and quiet.

[00:03:15] [SPEAKER_01]: Make sure that you are comfortable in your bed and find a stillness that you can maintain

[00:03:21] [SPEAKER_01]: for a while.

[00:03:25] [SPEAKER_01]: Take a few minutes to allow for any necessary adjustments.

[00:03:32] [SPEAKER_01]: There is no need to rush into relaxation.

[00:03:38] [SPEAKER_01]: Imagine that you are able to inhale through the soles of your feet

[00:03:45] [SPEAKER_01]: and exhale through the crown of your head, inhaling through the crown of your head.

[00:03:56] [SPEAKER_01]: This time, exhale through the soles of your feet

[00:04:01] [SPEAKER_01]: and again, inhaling through the soles of your feet,

[00:04:07] [SPEAKER_01]: allowing for a natural pause at the top of the inhale,

[00:04:12] [SPEAKER_01]: then exhaling through the crown of your head, again a natural pause,

[00:04:23] [SPEAKER_01]: followed by the next inhale through the crown of the head.

[00:04:28] [SPEAKER_01]: Pause.

[00:04:31] [SPEAKER_01]: Exhaling through the soles of the feet, continue breathing in this way for a few cycles

[00:04:39] [SPEAKER_01]: of breath.

[00:04:42] [SPEAKER_01]: Inhale through the soles of the feet, take your time, slow the breath down,

[00:04:51] [SPEAKER_01]: exhale through the crown of the head.

[00:04:56] [SPEAKER_01]: Pause.

[00:04:59] [SPEAKER_01]: Inhale through the crown of the head, again pause.

[00:05:08] [SPEAKER_01]: Exhale through the soles of the feet,

[00:05:13] [SPEAKER_01]: and so on.

[00:05:16] [SPEAKER_01]: Continue for several more cycles on your own.

[00:06:49] [SPEAKER_01]: Acceptance begins with acknowledging what is.

[00:06:54] [SPEAKER_01]: Take a moment to accept what is.

[00:07:00] [SPEAKER_01]: The way things are, right in this moment,

[00:07:05] [SPEAKER_01]: is a consequence of what has happened already.

[00:07:11] [SPEAKER_01]: Just like what will be in the future follows from what is here now,

[00:07:20] [SPEAKER_01]: it's the basic law of cause and effect.

[00:07:25] [SPEAKER_01]: Today's weather is influenced by yesterday's,

[00:07:29] [SPEAKER_01]: and tomorrow's weather is influenced by today's.

[00:07:38] [SPEAKER_01]: What has already happened is beyond your reach.

[00:07:45] [SPEAKER_01]: Unfortunately, when life presents some situation that we find unpleasant or painful,

[00:07:56] [SPEAKER_01]: the circumstances that created that situation have already come and gone,

[00:08:03] [SPEAKER_01]: so we are left with only the consequences.

[00:08:10] [SPEAKER_01]: Instead of becoming angry or frustrated,

[00:08:15] [SPEAKER_01]: take time to simply observe things as they are,

[00:08:20] [SPEAKER_01]: even for a brief moment, without judging them as good or bad.

[00:08:29] [SPEAKER_01]: You will eventually make a judgment it's very difficult not to,

[00:08:34] [SPEAKER_01]: but for now, practice the art of discernment between what is and what ought to be.

[00:08:43] [SPEAKER_01]: There is a difference.

[00:08:48] [SPEAKER_01]: In a court, the jury determines what the facts are in the case.

[00:08:55] [SPEAKER_01]: When the jury reaches a verdict about what has happened,

[00:09:00] [SPEAKER_01]: it is up to the judge to evaluate how good or bad the actions were.

[00:09:08] [SPEAKER_01]: In our minds, we should be able to separate the inner judge from the inner jury.

[00:09:16] [SPEAKER_01]: This means that before we can know the right or wrong way to go,

[00:09:22] [SPEAKER_01]: we must first determine the facts.

[00:09:26] [SPEAKER_01]: Before we can know what ought to be, we must first know what is.

[00:09:33] [SPEAKER_01]: If you confuse your inner judge with your inner jury,

[00:09:39] [SPEAKER_01]: you may decide to judge a situation before you truly understand what is happening.

[00:09:47] [SPEAKER_01]: How can you know what ought if you don't really know what is?

[00:09:55] [SPEAKER_01]: You must first accept what is because it already is.

[00:10:03] [SPEAKER_01]: Take time to be with what is and practice acceptance.

[00:10:11] [SPEAKER_01]: Pushing forcefully against what is won't help you understand it better.

[00:10:18] [SPEAKER_01]: In fact, you may be more likely to make errors in assessing what is.

[00:10:27] [SPEAKER_01]: If you are wrong about what is, then you may also be wrong about whether it is good or bad.

[00:10:39] [SPEAKER_01]: When you encounter some difficulty, slow down.

[00:10:45] [SPEAKER_01]: Breathe.

[00:10:49] [SPEAKER_01]: Return to your breath as your inhale enters through the soles of the feet.

[00:10:58] [SPEAKER_01]: Slow, deep, even breathing.

[00:11:06] [SPEAKER_01]: Exhale through the crown of your head.

[00:11:11] [SPEAKER_01]: Pause.

[00:11:15] [SPEAKER_01]: Inhale through the crown of your head.

[00:11:21] [SPEAKER_01]: Pause.

[00:11:24] [SPEAKER_01]: Exhale through the soles of the feet.

[00:11:30] [SPEAKER_01]: In the same way, continue these cycles of breath.

[00:11:36] [SPEAKER_01]: Twice more.

[00:12:21] [SPEAKER_01]: Imagine yourself crossing a stream in winter.

[00:12:27] [SPEAKER_01]: The water is icy cold and yet you need to cross to the other side.

[00:12:36] [SPEAKER_01]: You find a tall stick to use as you cross,

[00:12:42] [SPEAKER_01]: stepping from stone to stone.

[00:12:47] [SPEAKER_01]: Some of the stones are solidly placed in the stream, but some are unsteady.

[00:12:58] [SPEAKER_01]: Using your stick, you check each stone.

[00:13:04] [SPEAKER_01]: There is no need to say this stone should not be here,

[00:13:10] [SPEAKER_01]: or this stone should be more steady,

[00:13:14] [SPEAKER_01]: or the water is too cold.

[00:13:19] [SPEAKER_01]: You accept what is and choose each step carefully.

[00:13:30] [SPEAKER_01]: In the tricky places, you slow down even more,

[00:13:36] [SPEAKER_01]: taking care not to become hasty as you approach the far side of the stream.

[00:13:45] [SPEAKER_01]: You've made it this far.

[00:13:48] [SPEAKER_01]: Finally, you arrive on the other side and you look back,

[00:13:55] [SPEAKER_01]: completely satisfied that you were able to cross without slipping.

[00:14:05] [SPEAKER_01]: Calmly, you turn and continue to your destination.

[00:14:12] [SPEAKER_01]: Up ahead, you see a cabin covered in snow.

[00:14:18] [SPEAKER_01]: You walk toward the cabin.

[00:14:21] [SPEAKER_01]: The snow crunching beneath your feet.

[00:14:28] [SPEAKER_01]: See a soft, warm glow from within.

[00:14:35] [SPEAKER_01]: You move through the snow toward the cabin, closer and closer.

[00:14:47] [SPEAKER_01]: It's quiet and peaceful as the snow flies down from above.

[00:14:57] [SPEAKER_01]: The soft, clicking sound of the snow accumulating on the earth below.

[00:15:08] [SPEAKER_01]: The air is cold but refreshing.

[00:15:16] [SPEAKER_01]: The smoke billowing from the chimney of the cabin invites you in to get warm.

[00:15:29] [SPEAKER_01]: Go into the cabin.

[00:15:33] [SPEAKER_01]: You immediately feel your body relax as you feel the temperature change from the icy cold air

[00:15:42] [SPEAKER_01]: on your skin.

[00:15:45] [SPEAKER_01]: A fire blazing in the fireplace welcomes you.

[00:15:56] [SPEAKER_01]: You shut the door gently behind you and hang up your winter coat.

[00:16:07] [SPEAKER_01]: Go and sit beside the fire.

[00:16:19] [SPEAKER_01]: Outside, an owl is calling in the distance.

[00:16:31] [SPEAKER_01]: The wind rustles in the pine trees.

[00:16:40] [SPEAKER_01]: Inside, the cozy warmth of the fire nourishes you, comforts you.

[00:16:54] [SPEAKER_01]: You are home.

[00:17:01] [SPEAKER_01]: You notice that you are content.

[00:17:06] [SPEAKER_01]: And at peace, there is no thought of gaining anything at all.

[00:17:24] [SPEAKER_01]: There is nothing to change.

[00:17:33] [SPEAKER_01]: You are content with everything as it is.

[00:17:44] [SPEAKER_01]: You listen to the crackle of the fire and feel the warm glow on your face.

[00:17:58] [SPEAKER_01]: Sit beside the fire and meditate here and now.

[00:18:10] [SPEAKER_01]: In the present moment, there is nothing to add, nothing to subtract.

[00:18:20] [SPEAKER_01]: No thought of gain, excepting what is.

[00:18:31] [SPEAKER_01]: In order to see clearly, suspending any judgment for now, delay the impulse

[00:18:49] [SPEAKER_01]: to push or pull on the present moment.

[00:18:58] [SPEAKER_01]: You are here, in this room, meditating by a fire.

[00:19:13] [SPEAKER_01]: See yourself, see yourself, see yourself, resting in this pure observation.

[00:19:34] [SPEAKER_01]: See yourself as the seer.

[00:20:21] [SPEAKER_01]: From time to time, thoughts will appear.

[00:20:27] [SPEAKER_01]: As soon as they arrive, say to yourself, I am not this thought.

[00:20:41] [SPEAKER_01]: See yourself as the witness for now.

[00:20:50] [SPEAKER_01]: As you sit by the fire in deep meditation,

[00:20:56] [SPEAKER_01]: the light of the fire dances before your awareness.

[00:21:12] [SPEAKER_01]: There is no need to change it, simply allowing the flames to flicker freely as they will.

[00:21:33] [SPEAKER_01]: Let go of the desire to push on your experience.

[00:21:44] [SPEAKER_01]: You are the seer.

[00:21:53] [SPEAKER_01]: See what you see with a sense of pure observation,

[00:22:07] [SPEAKER_01]: suspending judgment for the time being.

[00:22:16] [SPEAKER_01]: Before you can understand what ought to be, you must see what is.

[00:22:32] [SPEAKER_01]: As you relax and breathe in through the soles of your feet, pause

[00:22:44] [SPEAKER_01]: and breathe out through the crown of your head.

[00:22:51] [SPEAKER_01]: Pause. Breathe in through the crown of the head. Breathe out through the soles of the feet.

[00:23:12] [SPEAKER_01]: Become aware of your physical body.

[00:23:16] [SPEAKER_01]: Lying in bed, feel the physical body.

[00:23:27] [SPEAKER_01]: Where it touches the bed, feet, legs, hips, shoulders, arms, head.

[00:23:52] [SPEAKER_01]: You are lying in your bed, totally relaxed, totally content,

[00:24:07] [SPEAKER_01]: and at peace with what is. Remain in this contentment,

[00:24:21] [SPEAKER_01]: this peaceful place of pure appreciation of what is.

[00:24:37] [SPEAKER_01]: Whatever you perceive dances before your awareness like a flame.

[00:24:55] [SPEAKER_01]: Allow yourself to be as you are here.

[00:25:08] [SPEAKER_01]: No wish to change what is.

[00:25:15] [SPEAKER_01]: From this place of appreciation and peace and contentment,

[00:25:25] [SPEAKER_01]: you are falling deeply into sleep.

[00:25:35] [SPEAKER_01]: You are softly allowing your breath to flow in through the soles of your feet.

[00:25:45] [SPEAKER_01]: Natural pause.

[00:25:48] [SPEAKER_01]: Out through the crown of the head. In through the crown of your head.

[00:26:06] [SPEAKER_01]: Out through the soles of your feet.

[00:26:12] [SPEAKER_01]: Go on breathing in this way. See what is.

[00:26:27] [SPEAKER_01]: And see yourself as the seer.

[00:26:43] [SPEAKER_01]: Slowly allowing sleep to come on its own.

[00:26:51] [SPEAKER_01]: You are the seer. Sleep comes on its own.

[00:27:05] [SPEAKER_01]: Continue breathing the body.