Setting Intentions for Personal Growth ✨ Guided Sleep Meditation

[00:00:10] [SPEAKER_00]: It's Carissa here with another great meditation to help you sleep.

[00:00:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Tonight we're focusing on how setting intentions can help you sleep better at night and also

[00:00:19] [SPEAKER_00]: open you up to new possibilities during the day.

[00:00:22] [SPEAKER_00]: Before we dive in though, I wanted to say a huge thank you to a listener named Justin.

[00:00:28] [SPEAKER_00]: He reached out to let me know that he had tried everything he could think of to get

[00:00:33] [SPEAKER_00]: more than 3-4 hours of sleep a night, but nothing was helping.

[00:00:38] [SPEAKER_00]: He then found Sleep Wave and loves the combination of the thought-provoking topics and the soothing

[00:00:43] [SPEAKER_00]: nature of the podcast.

[00:00:45] [SPEAKER_00]: His sleep is finally improving.

[00:00:48] [SPEAKER_00]: We are so glad to hear our little podcast is helping you, Justin.

[00:00:51] [SPEAKER_00]: Wishing you continued peaceful sleep.

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[00:01:28] [SPEAKER_00]: So, I've had a lot going on lately that has made me revisit the importance of setting

[00:01:34] [SPEAKER_00]: intentions.

[00:01:35] [SPEAKER_00]: This week, my husband Billy and I are in the midst of buying a house.

[00:01:40] [SPEAKER_00]: We've been planning to move from our current home for some time, but we're thinking next

[00:01:44] [SPEAKER_00]: year would be better than this one since I'm still in the midst of recovering from cancer

[00:01:49] [SPEAKER_00]: treatment.

[00:01:50] [SPEAKER_00]: But sometimes life has other plans, and one thing led to another, and we are deep in the

[00:01:56] [SPEAKER_00]: process right now.

[00:01:58] [SPEAKER_00]: No one is more surprised by this turn of events than me, and I find that it's bringing up

[00:02:03] [SPEAKER_00]: all kinds of emotions.

[00:02:06] [SPEAKER_00]: I feel sadness at leaving my current home and neighborhood, and I also feel excitement

[00:02:12] [SPEAKER_00]: about what's to come.

[00:02:14] [SPEAKER_00]: The tug toward the bittersweet has been strong though.

[00:02:19] [SPEAKER_00]: This is the only home my son has known since we moved here when he was just four months

[00:02:24] [SPEAKER_00]: old.

[00:02:25] [SPEAKER_00]: He took his first steps here.

[00:02:27] [SPEAKER_00]: We truly became a family here.

[00:02:30] [SPEAKER_00]: We had some of our most joyful and most painful days in this house, and it has been a wonderful

[00:02:37] [SPEAKER_00]: container for all of that.

[00:02:39] [SPEAKER_00]: But as it does, change is calling and I am finding it essential to line up with it.

[00:02:47] [SPEAKER_00]: I have always loved the practice of setting intentions, and I find it particularly useful

[00:02:52] [SPEAKER_00]: when going through times of transition.

[00:02:56] [SPEAKER_00]: The other night we sat down and made lists of all of our intentions around this new home.

[00:03:02] [SPEAKER_00]: In such an intense process, it was a wonderfully grounding thing to slow down and get really

[00:03:09] [SPEAKER_00]: focused on how we want to feel and what we want to create in this next chapter.

[00:03:16] [SPEAKER_00]: Whether or not you are in the midst of a transition in your own life, I encourage you to sit down

[00:03:22] [SPEAKER_00]: sometime this week and make a list of five to ten things you want to welcome into your life.

[00:03:29] [SPEAKER_00]: Set a time period, be it by the end of 2024 or by a year from now, whatever feels right.

[00:03:37] [SPEAKER_00]: Then say thank you for each intention as if it's already done.

[00:03:42] [SPEAKER_00]: Say thank you for how much I love my new home, or thank you for the amazing friendships I

[00:03:50] [SPEAKER_00]: have, or thank you for how much I'm thriving in my career, etc.

[00:03:57] [SPEAKER_00]: Make a note in your calendar for when your time period is over and go back and look at

[00:04:02] [SPEAKER_00]: your list to see what has come to pass.

[00:04:06] [SPEAKER_00]: Setting intentions is also so powerful to do before sleep.

[00:04:11] [SPEAKER_00]: In sleep we truly let go and open up to possibilities.

[00:04:16] [SPEAKER_00]: In the meditation Billy has created for us tonight, we'll get focused on what we want

[00:04:21] [SPEAKER_00]: to welcome in before releasing these intentions as we sleep, trusting our desires will come

[00:04:28] [SPEAKER_00]: to us in perfect timing.

[00:04:40] [SPEAKER_00]: During the time just before sleep, the conscious mind relaxes and the subconscious mind becomes

[00:04:47] [SPEAKER_00]: more active.

[00:04:49] [SPEAKER_00]: In this state, deep beliefs, habits, and patterns can be more easily influenced.

[00:04:59] [SPEAKER_00]: When you take time to set intentions before sleep, you can plant seeds of change directly

[00:05:08] [SPEAKER_00]: into this fertile ground, leading to subtle shifts in mindset and behavior over time that

[00:05:16] [SPEAKER_00]: gradually build into significant growth.

[00:05:20] [SPEAKER_00]: The enhanced power of visualization that arises as your brain moves progressively through

[00:05:27] [SPEAKER_00]: the stages of sleep brings clarity as you are able to see the scenarios of your intentions

[00:05:34] [SPEAKER_00]: coming to pass.

[00:05:38] [SPEAKER_00]: You can attune yourself to the feelings that these visions inspire and understand your

[00:05:45] [SPEAKER_00]: goals more intimately.

[00:05:49] [SPEAKER_00]: As you mentally rehearse what you hope will come to pass, you reinforce neural pathways

[00:05:56] [SPEAKER_00]: that increase the likelihood that your actions in waking life will align with your intentions.

[00:06:07] [SPEAKER_00]: Find your way to a comfortable and relaxed position that you can maintain for some time.

[00:06:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Allow yourself to make any adjustments, and when you have found that comfortable stillness,

[00:06:22] [SPEAKER_00]: try to be still.

[00:06:25] [SPEAKER_00]: Try to avoid fidgeting or making any unconscious movements.

[00:06:30] [SPEAKER_00]: If you need to move at any time, feel free to do so, just make sure they are conscious

[00:06:37] [SPEAKER_00]: movements.

[00:06:39] [SPEAKER_00]: Unconscious movements will distract and diffuse your awareness.

[00:06:45] [SPEAKER_00]: Stillness is the essence of concentration.

[00:06:52] [SPEAKER_00]: Inhale deeply, gathering any tension that you may be holding onto, and as you breathe

[00:07:02] [SPEAKER_00]: out through your mouth, release that tension in a whoosh.

[00:07:09] [SPEAKER_00]: Notice the brief pause at the bottom of the breath, and feel free to linger in that stillness

[00:07:18] [SPEAKER_00]: for as long as you like.

[00:07:21] [SPEAKER_00]: When the need for another inhale rolls around, simply yield to the need for a new breath,

[00:07:28] [SPEAKER_00]: making space in your chest for the air to simply fall inward, providing fresh oxygen

[00:07:36] [SPEAKER_00]: to your cells.

[00:07:40] [SPEAKER_00]: Notice a brief pause at the top of the inhale, as the essence of the breath is absorbed by

[00:07:48] [SPEAKER_00]: the lungs.

[00:07:50] [SPEAKER_00]: Again, open the mouth and exhale anything that you don't need.

[00:08:00] [SPEAKER_00]: Complete the exhale, never straining, emptying the lungs so that you may receive the next

[00:08:08] [SPEAKER_00]: nourishing inhale.

[00:08:11] [SPEAKER_00]: Once more, breathing in this way, taking in the energy that is all around you on the in-breath,

[00:08:21] [SPEAKER_00]: and offering your awareness as you exhale through the mouth.

[00:08:31] [SPEAKER_00]: Let your breath move freely in and out through the nostrils.

[00:08:40] [SPEAKER_00]: Let your lungs set the rhythm.

[00:08:44] [SPEAKER_00]: Continue on at your own pace for a few moments, as waves of relaxation wash over you.

[00:10:55] [SPEAKER_00]: Your mind is less cluttered with daily distractions, making you more open and receptive to new

[00:11:04] [SPEAKER_00]: ideas and intentions.

[00:11:09] [SPEAKER_00]: An intention is a guiding principle or aim that directs your actions, thoughts, and energy

[00:11:18] [SPEAKER_00]: toward a specific outcome or way of being.

[00:11:25] [SPEAKER_00]: It's about setting a direction for your life or a specific situation, focusing on what

[00:11:34] [SPEAKER_00]: you want to achieve or embody.

[00:11:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Intentions are often used to align your actions with your values and goals.

[00:11:51] [SPEAKER_00]: An example might be, I intend to be more patient with myself and others, or I intend to bring

[00:12:02] [SPEAKER_00]: more mindfulness into my daily life.

[00:12:08] [SPEAKER_00]: Bringing your full awareness to your intentions, full of feeling and conviction, take a moment

[00:12:17] [SPEAKER_00]: to form an intention in simple language about what you would like to see come true in your

[00:12:25] [SPEAKER_00]: life.

[00:12:31] [SPEAKER_00]: Create your intention now.

[00:12:34] [SPEAKER_00]: I'll give you a few moments.

[00:12:46] [SPEAKER_00]: Once you have it, mentally repeat this intention silently to yourself three times.

[00:13:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Tune your awareness into the feeling of warmth.

[00:13:21] [SPEAKER_00]: Let your belly rise and fall, and continue to breathe gently as you imagine the warmth

[00:13:31] [SPEAKER_00]: of the sun on your skin.

[00:13:37] [SPEAKER_00]: Feel its golden rays touching your body, filling you with light and energy.

[00:13:47] [SPEAKER_00]: Each inhale draws in the sun's radiant warmth, and with each exhale, let go of any doubts

[00:14:00] [SPEAKER_00]: that you will reach your goal.

[00:14:03] [SPEAKER_00]: This is a special time of alignment, a moment when the universe supports your growth and

[00:14:12] [SPEAKER_00]: transformation.

[00:16:15] [SPEAKER_00]: The sun is the source of life, providing the energy that sustains all living beings.

[00:16:27] [SPEAKER_00]: In personal terms, it represents the vital energy and life force within you.

[00:16:36] [SPEAKER_00]: Fueling your actions, decisions, and growth.

[00:16:47] [SPEAKER_00]: Visualize the sun's light as more intense and empowering than usual.

[00:16:56] [SPEAKER_00]: The animal symbolism for the sun is that of a lion, with its solar face and radiant potency.

[00:17:07] [SPEAKER_00]: The confidence and self-assuredness of a lion reflects its steadfast inner strength.

[00:17:21] [SPEAKER_00]: Tune into the area between your navel and your heart.

[00:17:28] [SPEAKER_00]: This is the solar plexus, so named because of the network of nerves and vessels that

[00:17:39] [SPEAKER_00]: radiate from a central point, resembling the rays of the sun.

[00:17:48] [SPEAKER_00]: The symbolic significance of this area is as the center of personal power and energy

[00:17:58] [SPEAKER_00]: in the body.

[00:18:01] [SPEAKER_00]: It is believed to be the seat of your personal will, courage, and the ability to take action

[00:18:11] [SPEAKER_00]: on your own.

[00:18:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Allow your awareness to gently favor this area, simply favoring the sensations and awareness

[00:18:29] [SPEAKER_00]: at the level of the solar plexus.

[00:18:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Breathe in, breathe out.

[00:18:43] [SPEAKER_00]: Breathe in, breathe out.

[00:19:00] [SPEAKER_00]: Allow this vitality, courage, and confidence to infuse you and inspire you in the certainty

[00:19:14] [SPEAKER_00]: of your success.

[00:19:21] [SPEAKER_00]: The sun's energy is cleansing and powerful, making space for new intentions and growth.

[00:19:34] [SPEAKER_00]: It sheds light on what is not authentically you, and clears a path for you to pursue what

[00:19:44] [SPEAKER_00]: truly matters.

[00:19:47] [SPEAKER_00]: Breathe in, breathe out.

[00:19:55] [SPEAKER_00]: Breathe in, breathe out.

[00:21:13] [SPEAKER_00]: With your body relaxed and your mind clear, focus on your intentions for personal growth.

[00:21:26] [SPEAKER_00]: What areas of your life are ready for transformation?

[00:21:30] [SPEAKER_00]: It could be your relationships, career, health, or personal development.

[00:21:44] [SPEAKER_00]: Picture the sun rising on the horizon, its golden light illuminating a new day.

[00:21:56] [SPEAKER_00]: See this light shining on the seeds of your intentions, planted in the fertile soil of

[00:22:06] [SPEAKER_00]: your mind.

[00:22:10] [SPEAKER_00]: With each breath, imagine the sun's warmth nurturing these seeds, helping them grow strong

[00:22:21] [SPEAKER_00]: and vibrant.

[00:22:25] [SPEAKER_00]: Feel the sun's energy as a gateway, an opening that aligns perfectly with your deepest desires.

[00:22:36] [SPEAKER_00]: As you imbue your intentions with the full force of your character, you are stepping

[00:22:45] [SPEAKER_00]: through an energetic portal, embracing a time of powerful transformation.

[00:22:54] [SPEAKER_00]: Breathe in, breathe out.

[00:23:03] [SPEAKER_00]: Breathe in, breathe out.

[00:23:11] [SPEAKER_00]: Breathe in, breathe out.

[00:24:18] [SPEAKER_00]: As the day transitions to night, imagine the sun setting while its light gives way to the

[00:24:29] [SPEAKER_00]: serene and infinite night sky.

[00:24:34] [SPEAKER_00]: The stars begin to appear.

[00:24:38] [SPEAKER_00]: Each one is a symbol of the dreams and possibilities that lie ahead.

[00:24:48] [SPEAKER_00]: The stars return to their various charted courses.

[00:24:53] [SPEAKER_00]: Each in their season, the completion of these cycles brings new beginnings, and with them,

[00:25:04] [SPEAKER_00]: opportunities for renewal, rebirth, and regeneration.

[00:25:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Breathe deeply, and with each inhale, draw in the calming energy of the night.

[00:25:27] [SPEAKER_00]: Exhale, letting go of any remaining tension or fear, allowing yourself to drift deeper

[00:25:40] [SPEAKER_00]: into relaxation.

[00:25:44] [SPEAKER_00]: Breathe in, breathe out.

[00:25:52] [SPEAKER_00]: Breathe in, breathe out.

[00:26:00] [SPEAKER_00]: Breathe in, breathe out.

[00:28:09] [SPEAKER_00]: Visualize yourself lying under a sky full of stars.

[00:28:17] [SPEAKER_00]: Imagine that as each one shines brightly down on you, they are guiding you on your journey

[00:28:26] [SPEAKER_00]: of growth.

[00:28:29] [SPEAKER_00]: Among them, imagine a particularly bright star.

[00:28:38] [SPEAKER_00]: This single star is the one that leads you toward your highest self.

[00:28:48] [SPEAKER_00]: This guiding star, full of ancient wisdom, represents the untapped potential that is

[00:28:59] [SPEAKER_00]: within you.

[00:29:01] [SPEAKER_00]: There is more in you than you can comprehend.

[00:29:09] [SPEAKER_00]: How much more there is, is only knowable when you trust in the intentions that have made

[00:29:18] [SPEAKER_00]: themselves known to you.

[00:29:24] [SPEAKER_00]: Under the inky black sky, let your breath rise and fall at the level of the navel.

[00:29:36] [SPEAKER_00]: Inhale, navel rising.

[00:29:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Exhale, name falling.

[00:29:47] [SPEAKER_00]: Inhale, navel rising.

[00:29:51] [SPEAKER_00]: Exhale, navel falling.

[00:29:57] [SPEAKER_00]: Inhale, navel rising.

[00:30:02] [SPEAKER_00]: Exhale, navel falling.

[00:30:08] [SPEAKER_00]: Try to stay with this one single star in the firmament of your mind.

[00:30:19] [SPEAKER_00]: The single star is symbolic of the mind's ability to aim.

[00:30:29] [SPEAKER_00]: To be guided by a star is to stay true to a course and to see things through to completion,

[00:30:39] [SPEAKER_00]: not only when distractions tempt you away from your path,

[00:30:45] [SPEAKER_00]: but especially when distractions tempt you away from your path.

[00:30:52] [SPEAKER_00]: Continue to see the single star in your mind's unpointed concentration.

[00:31:03] [SPEAKER_00]: Many people mistake distraction for boredom.

[00:31:10] [SPEAKER_00]: Boredom is merely distraction from the present moment.

[00:31:18] [SPEAKER_00]: The feeling of being bored is a reluctance to focus on the present moment,

[00:31:26] [SPEAKER_00]: which is endlessly fascinating and requires such skill to maintain.

[00:31:34] [SPEAKER_00]: One single star in the night sky.

[00:31:43] [SPEAKER_00]: Stay with that image for some time.

[00:34:49] [SPEAKER_00]: Your mind is focused, calm, and steady in this state of concentration.

[00:34:59] [SPEAKER_00]: One pointed concentration becomes all pointed awareness.

[00:35:08] [SPEAKER_00]: This is the transition from concentration to meditation.

[00:35:16] [SPEAKER_00]: You become absorbed in the present moment, and the feeling of disconnection dissolves into oneness.

[00:35:29] [SPEAKER_00]: That unity is where past, present, future all exist within one another.

[00:35:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Whatever vision you have of yourself that you want to experience in the present moment,

[00:35:51] [SPEAKER_00]: you may call forth from the past or from the future into the present moment's reality.

[00:36:06] [SPEAKER_00]: Breathe in, breathe out.

[00:36:13] [SPEAKER_00]: Breathe in, breathe out.

[00:37:31] [SPEAKER_00]: Develop an awareness of your whole body, from the top of the head to the tips of the toes.

[00:37:42] [SPEAKER_00]: Awareness of the physical body as a whole.

[00:37:50] [SPEAKER_00]: The body as a whole.

[00:37:54] [SPEAKER_00]: The whole body.

[00:41:46] [SPEAKER_00]: Visualize yourself lying on your bed in this room,

[00:41:52] [SPEAKER_00]: totally relaxed and at peace as you move deeper and deeper through the layers of your consciousness.

[00:42:09] [SPEAKER_00]: Return to the intention that you set for yourself, calling forth your deepest desires and highest potential.

[00:42:24] [SPEAKER_00]: Mentally repeat the intention three times, silently in your mind.

[00:42:47] [SPEAKER_00]: Allow the energy of the stars to fill you with a sense of peace and possibility,

[00:42:56] [SPEAKER_00]: knowing that you are on a path of continuous growth and evolution.

[00:43:04] [SPEAKER_00]: Feel the soothing night sky wrapping around you like a comforting blanket.

[00:43:16] [SPEAKER_00]: The stars above twinkle softly, watching over you as you drift into sleep.

[00:43:30] [SPEAKER_00]: Sleep.