Opening Up To Change ✨ Rewind Sleep Meditation

[00:00:10] Good evening, Sleep Wave. I'm your host, Karissa, and tonight I have such a healing meditation for you. Before we get into meditation zone, though, I wanted to say a heartfelt thanks for all the great reviews lately. If you are loving the show, it really helps when you share a review about it so more folks can find us.

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[00:00:56] If you love Sleep Wave and find yourself looking for something else to listen to between episodes, let me introduce you to Sleep Escape. Sleep Escape is a beautifully crafted sleep meditation podcast designed to help you relax and drift off effortlessly. With hypnotic meditations, soothing soundscapes, and calming narration, each episode is carefully designed with your sleep in mind. Hosted by a friend of the pod, Tyler.

[00:01:23] And the best part? Sleep Escape offers a variety of episodes to fit your needs, whether you want a short wind-down before bed, or hours of affirmations to keep you in deep sleep through the night. So if you're looking for another show to enhance your bedtime routine, search for Sleep Escape in your favorite podcast player. Sweet dreams.

[00:01:50] Do you ever feel like the way you're living now is the way things will always be? While we all know logically that we will grow and change and our lives will too, I often find it's easy to lose sight of that. I am a creature of habit and routine, and sometimes I just feel fixed in place. Not stuck exactly, just like I'm living the same life more or less, day in and day out.

[00:02:19] Which is not a bad thing. I generally like my life quite a lot, and I also feel like I derive a sense of safety and security out of a predictable routine. That said, I know intellectually that being open to adventure and change, having a flexible outlook on my day and life in general, is actually healthier for my brain.

[00:02:42] My feet want to walk the same old path day to day, but when I switch it up, my brain actually becomes more engaged with what's around me. I become almost effortlessly present. You know that feeling of excitement or of being refreshed that you get when you're on vacation somewhere new? I love discovering a delicious cafe or seeing incredible architecture or strolling in a park or museum I've never visited before.

[00:03:10] It's so easy to be present and open on vacation because we expect the newness. We are not in our day-to-day habits of going to work or school, getting the house chores done, or taking care of the kids. We are pushing pause on regular life to explore and just be. But adding some of that into your regular, everyday life can be deeply nourishing for your soul.

[00:03:36] It's a practice I am trying to put into place precisely because of my inherent resistance to it. It's tough for me to allow myself permission to go outside of my normal routine from day to day. But when I do, I often feel enlivened and uplifted. It also helps me to remember that life is ever-changing, which opens me up to presence and gratitude for all this moment has to offer. And when you are open to that, you are open to new ideas.

[00:04:06] You give yourself space to evolve. Maybe there is something you want to do or create or become in your life. Giving yourself this space could allow it the breathing room to begin to manifest. Or it could just bring a little more joy into your life, which is always worth it. Tonight we are going to meditate on the fixed and the fluid parts of ourselves, honoring both and allowing more flow to be present.

[00:04:34] This is Opening Up to Change. By Billy Gill Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy is an epic poem written in the early 14th century and is considered one of the greatest works of world literature.

[00:05:02] The poem follows the journey of the narrator, Dante himself, as he travels through the afterlife. Dante finds himself lost in a dark forest, symbolizing spiritual confusion and moral crisis. He is guided by the Roman poet Virgil as he encounters historical and mythological figures as well as contemporary political figures.

[00:05:27] The poets finally emerge and the first part of the poem ends with the lines, The stars here represent hope, redemption, and the promise of a new beginning.

[00:05:54] Dante and Virgil then ascend Mount Purgatory, the mountain with seven terraces. Here, souls undergo a process of purification before ascending to heaven. Along the way, Dante encounters penchant souls and witnesses their struggles and triumphs. Finally, in Paradiso, Dante journeys through the celestial spheres of heaven, guided by his beloved Beatrice.

[00:06:21] He encounters angels, saints, and other blessed souls experiencing the glory of divine presence. Each sphere represents a different virtue, leading Dante closer to the ultimate vision of the divine mystery. The poem ends with Dante's mystical vision of the divine, a transcendent experience that defies human comprehension.

[00:06:46] The poem is rich in symbolism, allegory, and meaning, reflecting the psychological and spiritual truths about the human condition. It is a timeless masterpiece that continues to inspire readers with its beauty, complexity, and spiritual insight. Tonight's sleep meditation draws on a particular moment in the second part of the poem, Purgatorio,

[00:07:13] when the character of Sordello, the 13th century troubadour and poet from Mantua, Italy, encounters Dante and Virgil as they are climbing Mount Purgatory. Sordello is depicted as a figure of wisdom and nobility, admired for his poetic talent and virtue. He offers them hospitality and guidance, and serves as a mentor to Dante as he ascends the mountain.

[00:07:40] Virgil, Dante's guide and companion through the inferno, explains that he resides in a place where the lamentations have not the sound of wailing, but our sighs. It is a place whose inhabitants live without hope. Virgil asks Sordello if he can show them where to begin their ascent up the mountain. What Sordello says next may seem insignificant, but it's symbolic of a deep spiritual insight.

[00:08:09] He answered, As Sordello responds to Virgil, he embodies the opposite of hopelessness. No fixed place has been assigned to him, and he is free to climb the mountain. Just as Dante and Virgil beheld the stars when they emerged from the underworld,

[00:08:36] a vision of hope shining in the darkness, the freedom to climb this mountain serves as a powerful symbol of the soul's capacity for growth, renewal, and redemption. While Dante's is a vision of the afterlife, the insights he's sharing are relevant to our worldly existence. Sometimes we feel hopeless, as though our situation will keep us eternally bound to a mode of being that,

[00:09:04] though not exactly torture, lacks the sense of awe and wonder that life properly lived has to offer. Relax into a peaceful and comfortable position. Take a slow, deep breath in through your nostrils. And when you feel ready, exhale through your mouth.

[00:09:36] Again, inhale through your nose, sipping just a little more breath in at the top of the inhale. Exhale, then exhale slowly through your mouth. Notice the natural pause at the bottom of the exhale. Once more, breathe in through the nose.

[00:10:03] In your own time, exhale through your mouth. Continue to allow the breath to flow smoothly and steadily, in and out through the nose. Watching your belly rise and fall with each breath.

[00:10:30] The navel rising on the inhale. And falling on the exhale. Go on. Paying attention to the movement of the breath at the level of the navel. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in.

[00:11:00] Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. Continue at your own pace for some time.

[00:13:16] Imagine a time in your life when you have felt lost or stuck. Visualize yourself in a dark forest, which represents this time of confusion. You look up through the canopy, and you see the twinkling stars shining down upon you, offering a glimmer of hope and guidance.

[00:13:42] As you take a step forward, envision yourself emerging from the depths of the forest into a clearing bathed in moonlight. Here, the stars above shine brightly, illuminating the path ahead with their gentle glow.

[00:14:11] These stars represent the promise of redemption and the possibility of a new beginning. Feel a sense of relief and wonder wash over you as you gaze upon the celestial canopy above. Allow the sight of the stars to fill you with hope, comfort,

[00:14:38] and reassurance that you are never alone on your journey. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in.

[00:15:07] Continue on.

[00:17:10] Now see yourself climbing a mountain. The climb may be steep and arduous, but recognize that you are free to climb and that you are not fixed in place.

[00:17:44] Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe in.

[00:20:09] With each step you take, feel yourself drawing closer to the summit of the mountain, where the promise of renewal and redemption awaits. Perhaps there are thoughts or feelings that linger from your past that no longer serve you. Allow yourself to let go of anything holding you back

[00:20:33] and embrace the boundless possibilities that lie ahead. Your soul's evolution is taking place as you journey upward. You are free to climb as high as you can toward the stars, toward a vision of divine grace. Acknowledge with a sense of gratitude that you are not fixed in place.

[00:21:02] Breathe in. Breathe out.

[00:23:26] Feel yourself growing more and more relaxed with every breath. Inhale. Inhale. Navel rising. Navel falling. In rising. Navel falling. Inhale. Navel rising.

[00:23:56] Exhale. Navel falling. Allow your awareness to travel from location to location as I guide you through the rotation of your consciousness from point to point throughout the body. Feel your mind's ability to move freely and easily to each physical location.

[00:24:23] Don't worry if you aren't able to move your awareness to each point. Just use your intention and awareness. With practice, this will become easier and easier. Bring your awareness to your right hand. Second finger. Third finger. Fourth finger.

[00:24:59] The wrist. The lower arm. The elbow. The upper arm. The shoulder. The armpit. The right waist. The right hip. The right thigh. The kneecap. The calf muscle. The ankle. The heel. The sole of the right foot. The top of the foot.

[00:25:29] The big toe. Second toe. Third toe. Fourth toe. Fifth toe. Become aware of the left hand thumb. Second finger. Third finger. Fourth finger. Fifth finger. Palm of the hand.

[00:25:59] The wrist. The lower arm. The elbow. The upper arm. The shoulder. The armpit. The left waist. The left hip. The left thigh. The kneecap. The calf muscle. The calf muscle. The heel. The sole of the left foot.

[00:26:28] The top of the foot. The big toe. Second toe. Third toe. Fourth toe. Fifth toe. The back. The back. Become aware of the right shoulder blade. The left shoulder blade. The right buttock. The left buttock. The spine.

[00:26:55] The whole back together. Now go to the top of the head. The forehead. Both sides of the head. The right eyebrow. The left eyebrow. The space between the eyebrows. The right eyelid. The left eyelid.

[00:27:26] The right eye. Right ear. The left ear. The right cheek. The left cheek. The nose. The tip of the nose. The upper lip. The lower lip. The chin. The throat.

[00:27:56] The right chest. The left chest. The middle of the chest. The navel. The abdomen. The whole of the right leg. The whole of the left leg. The back. The back. Both legs together. The whole of the right arm.

[00:28:23] The whole of the right arm. Both arms together. The whole of the back. Spine. Shoulder blades. The whole of the front. Chest. Chest. The whole of the back and front. Together.

[00:28:52] The whole of the head. The whole body together. Body togetherness.

[00:31:28] No movement. The whole body long. The whole body. Lying on the bed. Your body is lying on the bed. See your body lying perfectly still on the bed. In this room.

[00:31:58] Visualize this image in your mind.

[00:33:03] Even in our darkest moments. There is always hope. And the promise of a brighter tomorrow. Still. When we realize that we are not fixed in place. We are able to put one foot in front of the other. And ascend the mountain of our own spiritual evolution. We free ourselves from the feeling of helplessness.

[00:33:33] And hopelessness. There is a moment when we can no longer climb on our own. And we must surrender to a divine, transcendent vision. Until then. There is power in us to move through the journey of growth. Renewal. Purification. And redemption.

[00:34:04] As you surrender into sleep. Know that you are walking your authentic path. The doubts you may feel from time to time. Are part of the journey too. And as you move through these moments. Remember. Again and again. To gaze upward into the night sky. And behold the star.