Navigating Change ✨ Sleep Meditation to Calm Anxiety

[00:00:09] [SPEAKER_00]: Hey guys, how have you been doing? Sleeping well? With tonight's meditation, I got you.

[00:00:16] [SPEAKER_00]: Tonight we're talking change and how to get comfortable with it. Here's hoping tonight's

[00:00:20] [SPEAKER_00]: episode helps you and has you sleeping like a baby. If it does, please leave a review.

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[00:01:02] [SPEAKER_00]: Now, change. There are few things harder in life than feeling out of control of a situation.

[00:01:09] [SPEAKER_00]: When things change, especially if they change swiftly, it can leave us feeling disoriented

[00:01:14] [SPEAKER_00]: or adrift. And these feelings will almost always follow us into the night and leave us

[00:01:20] [SPEAKER_00]: wide awake, staring at the ceiling as our thoughts swirl. I don't know about you,

[00:01:25] [SPEAKER_00]: but when this happens to me, I almost never find the solution at night. And in fact,

[00:01:29] [SPEAKER_00]: it often makes me feel worse to have unresolved stuff on my mind when I lay down at night.

[00:01:35] [SPEAKER_00]: So, what can we do to re-anchor ourselves? There are countless ways, of course. Deep

[00:01:41] [SPEAKER_00]: breathing is great. I like long walks in nature to digest unresolved thoughts. Talking to a good

[00:01:47] [SPEAKER_00]: friend or therapist is helpful too. But if you're stuck in your head at night and feeling out

[00:01:53] [SPEAKER_00]: of control of a situation or trying to navigate some change in your life, these might be harder

[00:01:58] [SPEAKER_00]: to do. In fact, this happened to me last night. My sweet three-year-old had a bad dream and found

[00:02:05] [SPEAKER_00]: his way into our bed in the night and getting him settled took a minute. By the time he was sleeping,

[00:02:11] [SPEAKER_00]: I was wide awake and some unresolved stuff from the day was piling up in my mind.

[00:02:16] [SPEAKER_00]: I tossed, I turned, I tried to breathe deep, but it wasn't working. My mind was too busy.

[00:02:23] [SPEAKER_00]: So, I did the thing that I'm going to invite you to do tonight.

[00:02:27] [SPEAKER_00]: I meditated. I felt into my body and thanked each part, bottom to top. I said thank you in my mind

[00:02:35] [SPEAKER_00]: to my feet, legs, hips, abdomen, chest, shoulders, arms, neck, head. Then I breathed into each energy

[00:02:46] [SPEAKER_00]: center, sometimes called jokras, and before long, I was out. Meditating is so wonderful for sleep

[00:02:54] [SPEAKER_00]: because it anchors you in the now. Not what happened earlier or what's going to happen,

[00:03:01] [SPEAKER_00]: but only what's happening now. It also helps us ground into our bodies, which takes some pressure

[00:03:08] [SPEAKER_00]: off the mind. And when the mind can relax, the body can too. When we feel like events are out

[00:03:26] [SPEAKER_00]: of our control, it can leave us feeling lost, confused and with a heightened level of stress

[00:03:32] [SPEAKER_00]: in our bodies. And when we feel stressed, it's pretty hard to sleep. So let's work to reduce that

[00:03:38] [SPEAKER_00]: stress in your body and your mind and help you feel more equipped to deal with what the universe

[00:03:43] [SPEAKER_00]: has in store for tomorrow by sleeping better tonight. Let's begin by lying down on your bed

[00:03:50] [SPEAKER_00]: in a comfortable position. Lay your head on top of something soft like a cushion or a pillow

[00:03:59] [SPEAKER_00]: and make sure that you have a blanket and can feel the comfort of your mattress beneath your body.

[00:04:11] [SPEAKER_00]: Wiggle your shoulders and spine until they feel perfectly aligned. Stretch out your legs

[00:04:23] [SPEAKER_00]: and allow them to gently fall to the sides. Allow your arms to hang down by the sides of

[00:04:34] [SPEAKER_00]: torso and give your fingers and toes a gentle wiggle. Then relax them and allow them to settle

[00:04:44] [SPEAKER_00]: where they naturally fall. Settle your eyes. Gently lower your eyelids or close your eyes completely.

[00:04:59] [SPEAKER_00]: Allow your body to relax, relinquish control of your muscles. Give in and release.

[00:05:18] [SPEAKER_00]: Take a deep breath in for the start of the practice and then gently exhale.

[00:05:34] [SPEAKER_00]: Bring your awareness to your body. Notice all of the sensations that are there right now.

[00:05:47] [SPEAKER_00]: We're not looking for anything in particular, just having the experience of lying here with

[00:05:55] [SPEAKER_00]: awareness. If you notice any tension in your body, breathe into that area. Breathe out and let it go.

[00:06:15] [SPEAKER_00]: Is there tension anywhere else in your body?

[00:06:20] [SPEAKER_00]: Note its shape, what it feels like. Bring awareness to that sensation. Breathe into it.

[00:06:40] [SPEAKER_00]: Give it space. You are allowed to acknowledge it. You are allowed to make space for it.

[00:06:59] [SPEAKER_00]: You are okay. You are safe. Breathe into it and breathe out. Focus on your thoughts.

[00:07:31] [SPEAKER_00]: Is your mind busy or is it quiet today? Settle into the breath. Bring awareness to any tension

[00:07:48] [SPEAKER_00]: or thoughts in your head. Breathe in and give it space. As you breathe out,

[00:08:01] [SPEAKER_00]: visualize that thought exiting your body through your nose or out through your mouth. Breathe in,

[00:08:18] [SPEAKER_00]: breathe out. Recognize when you get distracted. Catch it and bring your awareness back to the

[00:09:32] [SPEAKER_00]: body. Breathe in, breathe out. Allow the distraction to float away. Allow the breath

[00:09:53] [SPEAKER_00]: to settle each time distraction creeps in. Remind yourself that this meditation is just about

[00:10:06] [SPEAKER_00]: you being with your breath and being with your body. With no agenda, you have nothing to achieve

[00:10:17] [SPEAKER_00]: except peace of mind and stillness. Allow that possibility to settle. Sometimes it can feel

[00:11:33] [SPEAKER_00]: scary to let go, to relinquish control we like being in control. It makes us feel safe

[00:11:45] [SPEAKER_00]: and like nothing can penetrate our security, we hold the keys. When we are in control,

[00:11:54] [SPEAKER_00]: we feel safe but we are only truly safe when we trust. We must trust ourselves

[00:12:06] [SPEAKER_00]: and the choices we make. We must trust that everything will work out exactly how it's meant to.

[00:12:21] [SPEAKER_00]: So what do we do when life throws us a curveball? How do we cope and stay stable and content

[00:12:30] [SPEAKER_00]: when all that we know and are used to is jeopardized? Inevitably in life,

[00:12:38] [SPEAKER_00]: we will encounter things that are out of our control, things that fall outside of our plans.

[00:12:48] [SPEAKER_00]: But the trick is how to not let these curveballs and changes harm you and your internal world.

[00:13:00] [SPEAKER_00]: Our emotions are always temporary but they're also always valid. So how can we navigate

[00:13:10] [SPEAKER_00]: our emotions and bring them to a place of calm and understanding when they feel out of control?

[00:13:19] [SPEAKER_00]: Let's begin by simply focusing on the breath. I want you to take a deep breath in through your nose,

[00:13:29] [SPEAKER_00]: feeling its flow all the way through your body and down into the pit of your stomach

[00:13:38] [SPEAKER_00]: and then sigh it all out. Push all negativity out of your body as you do so.

[00:13:47] [SPEAKER_00]: Breathe in and sigh out your tension and negativity. When we are anxious, overwhelmed,

[00:14:30] [SPEAKER_00]: and upset, the best thing to do is focus on our breathing to bring our body and mind back

[00:14:38] [SPEAKER_00]: to a neutral place. It may seem simple but it works wonders.

[00:14:46] [SPEAKER_00]: We are going to breathe using the four seven eight technique. Breathe in for a count of four,

[00:14:55] [SPEAKER_00]: one, two, three, four. Hold the breath for seven, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven.

[00:15:10] [SPEAKER_00]: And gently breathe out for eight seconds. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

[00:15:21] [SPEAKER_00]: Let's do that again. Breathe in one, two, three, four. Hold one, two, three, four, five, six, seven.

[00:15:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Breathe out one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Good work. Let's go again. Breathe in for

[00:15:50] [SPEAKER_00]: four, hold for seven. Gently release for eight. Breathe in for four, hold for seven. Breathe out

[00:16:23] [SPEAKER_00]: for eight. One last time. Breathe in for four, hold for seven. Breathe out for eight. Whenever you

[00:16:56] [SPEAKER_00]: feel overwhelmed or if you ever feel you are beginning to lose control, the four seven eight

[00:17:04] [SPEAKER_00]: technique is effective for re-centering yourself and calming your breath and mind.

[00:17:14] [SPEAKER_00]: So what is it that you are holding on to? What is it that is causing you pain?

[00:17:23] [SPEAKER_00]: What are you afraid to let go of? And what is it you are afraid to let in?

[00:17:32] [SPEAKER_00]: Every day is full of so many possibilities. To live the same day or the same year over and

[00:17:42] [SPEAKER_00]: over again would be dull. We would never grow, we would never change, things would never get

[00:17:52] [SPEAKER_00]: better or more exciting. If we never experienced change, loss and disappointment,

[00:18:01] [SPEAKER_00]: then we would never appreciate the good things that come into our life. So when things are

[00:18:10] [SPEAKER_00]: feeling out of your control, that is a sign that change is coming. And change is a positive thing

[00:18:19] [SPEAKER_00]: even if it doesn't feel like it right now. You are about to go on a journey of growth and enlightenment.

[00:18:37] [SPEAKER_00]: You are about to progress onto the next level of your being. You and your life

[00:18:46] [SPEAKER_00]: are about to go through a transformation. Embrace it with open arms. You will become more

[00:18:58] [SPEAKER_00]: powerful. You will be more mentally equipped to handle whatever comes your way.

[00:19:11] [SPEAKER_00]: You will grow as a person. Growth is not always comfortable, but it is always worth it.

[00:20:24] [SPEAKER_00]: So how do we deal with this sense of loss of control when it happens?

[00:20:31] [SPEAKER_00]: How do we navigate our way through change to feel safe, secure and back on track to having peace of mind?

[00:20:45] [SPEAKER_00]: It may seem counterintuitive, but the best thing we can do when things feel out of our control

[00:20:53] [SPEAKER_00]: is to let them go. Let go. Accept that there are things within your grasp that you can amend

[00:21:05] [SPEAKER_00]: and change, but there will sometimes be things out of your reach. Allow yourself to sit with those

[00:21:18] [SPEAKER_00]: things, sit with it, acknowledge that you cannot change it, and then set it free. Set yourself

[00:21:38] [SPEAKER_00]: free. When you are stressed, you think that everything has to be fixed right now,

[00:22:48] [SPEAKER_00]: but it doesn't. Things have a way of working themselves out. Just breathe, acknowledge your stress,

[00:23:04] [SPEAKER_00]: and just breathe. Breathe through it. Breathe in, cut thoughts, and breathe out, and release your

[00:23:25] [SPEAKER_00]: stress. Change is good. Change is exciting. Change is full of new prospects. We can only embrace

[00:24:01] [SPEAKER_00]: change by going with the flow and seeing where we end up. Imagine that you are floating down a

[00:25:10] [SPEAKER_00]: narrow stream on your back. You cannot see where the stream is taking you, but it holds you up

[00:25:22] [SPEAKER_00]: and carries you with its current so steadily and carefully, transporting you downstream.

[00:25:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Your body feels weightless, and you feel the warm water rippling against your skin.

[00:25:49] [SPEAKER_00]: You trust that the stream is taking you to a new place, carrying you to safety.

[00:26:00] [SPEAKER_00]: The stream could take you anywhere, and every eventuality is full of possibility.

[00:26:08] [SPEAKER_00]: Enjoy. Our choices are ours to make. Our futures lie in the palm of our hands,

[00:27:22] [SPEAKER_00]: but sometimes we have to go with the flow and venture off course to find a better route.

[00:27:33] [SPEAKER_00]: If you don't go with the flow of the stream every now and then,

[00:27:38] [SPEAKER_00]: you will never discover what is to be found along the way. Return your attention to what is real.

[00:28:50] [SPEAKER_00]: Your breath and the body. If anything has arisen in your mind, ask yourself,

[00:29:03] [SPEAKER_00]: is this within my control or out of my control? If it is in your control, then you know that it

[00:29:14] [SPEAKER_00]: can be dealt with tomorrow. It can wait and it can be fixed tomorrow. Set it free. If it is

[00:29:39] [SPEAKER_00]: our reaction, then we can move our reactivity and refuse our flight or flight mode and respond in a

[00:29:46] [SPEAKER_00]: more productive way. Take an easy deep breath in and exhale. Settle in. Remember that nothing is

[00:30:06] [SPEAKER_00]: certain. Nothing is definite. Settle in to the breath. Notice the way your stomach expands

[00:30:24] [SPEAKER_00]: and contracts as you breathe. We regain control when the silence. Our brain doesn't like silence,

[00:31:40] [SPEAKER_00]: and it will fight to fill the void, but settle in. Accept and be gentle with yourself. It is okay.

[00:31:59] [SPEAKER_00]: You are okay. Things will sometimes be out of your control.

[00:34:09] [SPEAKER_00]: It is important that we learn to accept this. You are not in danger. Things will always work

[00:34:25] [SPEAKER_00]: themselves out. We can only help ourselves and make things feel better when we trust. Acceptance

[00:36:49] [SPEAKER_00]: is the first step to healing. What is it you are trying to hold on to?

[00:36:58] [SPEAKER_00]: What is it that is heading for change? Why are you trying to resist the change? Does what

[00:37:14] [SPEAKER_00]: you are trying to hold on to serve you anymore visualize in your mind what you feel like

[00:37:27] [SPEAKER_00]: you are losing? I want you to repeat these words in your mind while visualizing.

[00:37:44] [SPEAKER_00]: Repeat after me. Thank you for all you have taught me. I love you for all you have given me.

[00:38:06] [SPEAKER_00]: I forgive you for any pain you have caused me. Now I let you go with peace and acceptance.

[00:38:34] [SPEAKER_00]: This may be emotional, and that is okay. The process of healing is often hard,

[00:38:43] [SPEAKER_00]: but it is essential in order for us to move forward with peace and acceptance.

[00:38:52] [SPEAKER_00]: Repeat these words in your mind as many times as you need.

[00:38:59] [SPEAKER_00]: As you say them, visualize what you are holding on to, and visualize letting it go.

[00:39:12] [SPEAKER_00]: Repeat these words in your mind. Thank you. I love you. I forgive you.

[00:39:27] [SPEAKER_00]: I let you go. Thank you. I love you. I forgive you. I let you go. Thank you. I love you.

[00:40:03] [SPEAKER_00]: I forgive you. I let you go. Let's return to the breath.

[00:41:19] [SPEAKER_00]: Take note of your body. Have you built up tension anywhere?

[00:41:27] [SPEAKER_00]: Is your brow tense? Are your hands or feet clenched? Can you feel tension manifesting anywhere?

[00:41:42] [SPEAKER_00]: Bring awareness to the area. Breathe into the space and release. Breathe into your tension

[00:42:05] [SPEAKER_00]: and release. You may not feel like you are totally letting go and accepting it,

[00:42:17] [SPEAKER_00]: but with practice, you can. With practice, you can sit with change in a new way.

[00:42:31] [SPEAKER_00]: A more open-minded, accepting way. Visualize a healing light emanating from your heart.

[00:43:45] [SPEAKER_00]: The light is a soft purple color, and it beats slowly in time with your heart.

[00:43:58] [SPEAKER_00]: The healing light pulsates bright and dim. Bright and dim. Bright and dim.

[00:44:16] [SPEAKER_00]: The healing light is repairing your heart. It is embracing your heart.

[00:44:29] [SPEAKER_00]: It is soothing your heart. Your heart is melting away into the light,

[00:44:42] [SPEAKER_00]: and with every pulse of purple light, your pain is being melted

[00:44:49] [SPEAKER_00]: and then evaporated away and out of your body. Your heart feels warm and filled with light.

[00:45:10] [SPEAKER_00]: Feel your heart grow lighter as the purple glowing continues to pulsate bright and dim.

[00:45:23] [SPEAKER_00]: Bright and dim. Bright until there is no light left, and all hurt has been pulled out of your heart

[00:45:40] [SPEAKER_00]: and out into the air. Focus on your breath. All that is real is the breath. Focus on the

[00:47:57] [SPEAKER_00]: physical act of breathing in and exhaling out. Let the simple process of breathing, noticing,

[00:48:15] [SPEAKER_00]: and settling be enough for you. There is nothing else you need right now.

[00:48:43] [SPEAKER_00]: There is nothing else you need to do. Simply breathe, breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out.