Take It Easy For Better Sleep ✨ Sleep Meditation

[00:00:00] Hi, I'm Karissa Vacker and welcome back to Sleep Wave, a podcast where we let waves of

[00:00:17] relaxation wash over you through original sleep meditations created to help you fall

[00:00:22] asleep tonight.

[00:00:24] And don't worry if you don't hear the end of an episode, I encourage you to drift off

[00:00:28] whenever you're ready.

[00:00:30] Before we get started on tonight's episode, I'd like to say thanks again for all of the

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[00:00:41] Tonight's shout out goes to Corgi Lover.

[00:00:43] They used to struggle to stay awake through the day since sleep was such a struggle at

[00:00:47] night, but since listening to Sleep Wave they fall asleep easily and no longer have exhaustion

[00:00:52] during the day.

[00:00:53] That's what we're here for.

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[00:02:03] There is so much to be done today.

[00:02:07] As a working mom with a type A personality, it's easy to put a lot of pressure on myself

[00:02:12] to do a lot and do it well.

[00:02:15] I want to feed my family home cooked nutritious meals.

[00:02:18] I want to run around outside with my son, playing in the sandbox and creating towns

[00:02:23] on our driveway with sidewalk chalk.

[00:02:26] I want to excel at work and create something impactful for everyone who hires me.

[00:02:31] I want to be a good wife, sister and friend and daughter.

[00:02:36] And oh yeah, at some point I want to take care of myself too.

[00:02:40] The way I used to function was to run around and try to do all of those things and in the

[00:02:45] process would get stuck in a cycle of overwhelm.

[00:02:49] I habitually would anticipate how hard things would be.

[00:02:54] But a few months ago I decided I no longer wanted to live that way.

[00:02:58] What if I could bring more ease to life?

[00:03:02] For me, this starts quite simply by changing my mindset from expecting something to be

[00:03:07] challenging to expecting it to be easy.

[00:03:11] For example, I have a big project at work this week, something that in the past would have

[00:03:16] stressed me out and created a lot of tension within me.

[00:03:20] But when I remembered that I don't do overwhelm anymore, I started to contemplate how I could

[00:03:26] make this easy.

[00:03:28] I repeated the mantra, this will be easy and enjoyable as I did some prep work on it.

[00:03:34] My mind started to open up to creative ideas that hadn't previously occurred to me and

[00:03:40] I started to feel lighter about the whole thing.

[00:03:43] I started to trust myself more.

[00:03:46] Now I'm really looking forward to it instead of feeling tension or overwhelm about it.

[00:03:53] This sense of ease can be applied to anything we do.

[00:03:57] I was feeling a little low energy today, but wanted to squeeze in a workout and so

[00:04:01] when asking myself how it could be easy, I turned on my favorite playlist and went on

[00:04:07] a walk instead of doing strength training as I had planned.

[00:04:11] It was more aligned with my energy level and my body's needs today.

[00:04:16] How can you bring more ease to your life?

[00:04:19] I encourage you to approach your week with a sense of ease and lightness.

[00:04:24] This creates more allowing and less tension, bringing more flow to your day.

[00:04:30] This will also translate to better sleep, since creating a habit of bringing more ease

[00:04:34] into your day will also bring more ease into your nights.

[00:04:40] Now let's allow simplicity and flow into our lives and into ourselves as we rest.

[00:04:47] Get cozy as we meditate together to Taking it Easy for Better Sleep by Billy Gill.

[00:05:04] When people hear the word yoga, they usually think of yoga postures.

[00:05:08] But in perhaps the most widely known yoga text, the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, the author devotes

[00:05:14] very few words to the practice of yoga postures.

[00:05:18] Instead, it mostly concerns itself with the nature of the mind.

[00:05:23] However, those few words he does mention about yoga postures teach us a lot about how to

[00:05:29] live skillfully without adding unnecessary strain in our daily activities.

[00:05:36] When you do a yoga pose, you are doing an action just as when you go to the grocery

[00:05:40] store or the workplace or prepare a meal for your family.

[00:05:45] As with all of these actions, your state of mind affects what you do and how you do it.

[00:05:52] If there is mental tension, there will be physical tension.

[00:05:56] Tension interferes with the work, complicating what is simple.

[00:06:02] Patanjali says that yoga postures should be sthira and sukha.

[00:06:07] Sthira means steady or stable.

[00:06:10] Sukha means easy or comfortable.

[00:06:14] By cultivating a stability and ease, you are changing the quality of your mind, which is

[00:06:21] much closer to the real meaning of yoga than the postures themselves.

[00:06:26] Patanjali then goes on to explain how one may attain stability and ease in the yoga

[00:06:31] postures.

[00:06:33] He says that by relaxing effort and meditating on anatta, which means endless or infinite,

[00:06:40] the posture is mastered.

[00:06:42] If you've ever attempted a yoga pose, you know that it requires some effort.

[00:06:47] In order to master the pose, though, that effort must be relaxed.

[00:06:53] Yet it is not enough to merely relax effort in the pose.

[00:06:57] It must be done while simultaneously uniting the mind with that dimension of infinity or

[00:07:03] endlessness.

[00:07:04] In other words, when you meditate on infinity of the universe, you must eventually come

[00:07:11] to the realization that you are not separate from it.

[00:07:15] By meditating on that, the practitioner partakes of the totality of the universe and relaxes

[00:07:22] the tension that comes with any feelings of separateness.

[00:07:27] Just as a water droplet merges with the ocean as it falls from a rain cloud, the master surrenders

[00:07:34] their action back into the source of their being.

[00:07:38] By remaining mindful of that surrender, we naturally relax.

[00:07:44] The ego thinks it must strive hard and stand out.

[00:07:49] In yoga, the ego is the very thing that we relax.

[00:07:54] The pose improves drastically when we cease devoting a huge portion of our energy to

[00:07:59] maintaining that separateness.

[00:08:03] Sukha means easy, but more specifically, Su means good and Ka means space.

[00:08:11] A good space refers to a wheel that has its hub placed right in the center and therefore

[00:08:18] yields a smooth ride.

[00:08:20] By cultivating a good space, we have a smoother ride.

[00:08:26] Tonight's sleep meditation is devoted to the easiness that comes from finding a good

[00:08:32] space inside yourself and allowing your actions to flow from that place of ease.

[00:08:39] First, we must locate the center in order to act from that good space.

[00:08:46] As we meditate on the infinite, it is a circle whose center is everywhere and whose circumference

[00:08:54] is nowhere.

[00:08:57] Settle into a cozy position that allows you to release any unnecessary tension.

[00:09:08] Take a deep breath in through your nose and exhale through your mouth.

[00:09:18] Begin to notice the natural rhythm of your breath.

[00:09:22] Again, inhale deeply, filling your lungs with cool, refreshing air.

[00:09:30] Exhale slowly through your mouth, letting go of the day's stresses and worries.

[00:09:39] With each breath, feel yourself sinking deeper into relaxation, letting go of any tension

[00:09:47] in your body.

[00:09:51] Once more, breathe in through the nostrils.

[00:09:56] Open the mouth and breathe out.

[00:10:02] Continue to breathe mindfully through the nose on both the inhale and the exhale.

[00:10:11] Tune into your facial expression.

[00:10:14] Allow a soft Mona Lisa smile to appear on the face.

[00:10:20] It's very subtle, almost like you think something is funny.

[00:10:26] Imagine that you are smiling inwardly toward yourself and receive the positivity of the

[00:10:33] smile in every cell of your body.

[00:10:37] Feel yourself shift into an attitude of ease and comfort and release.

[00:10:48] Imagine yourself in a space of perfect tranquility.

[00:10:53] Here, you are surrounded by a soft, warm light that represents ease and stability.

[00:11:05] This light envelops you, providing comfort and safety.

[00:11:12] As you breathe in, visualize this light entering your body, filling every cell with calm and

[00:11:21] ease.

[00:11:22] As you breathe out, release any remaining stress or negativity.

[00:11:31] Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out.

[00:13:58] Feel the steadiness and ease within you as you settle into a state of deep relaxation.

[00:14:09] In a yoga pose, the calm sense of steadiness and stability comes from a firm connection

[00:14:17] to the ground.

[00:14:19] But in a more internal sense, the ground refers to the pelvic muscles that form the base of

[00:14:26] your torso.

[00:14:29] They correspond to the root chakra, which is called muladhara, the root support.

[00:14:39] Visualize a four-petaled lotus flower with deep red petals deep within the core of your

[00:14:46] pelvis.

[00:14:50] Stay with this visualization and sense the stability and groundedness at the bottom of

[00:14:57] the exhale.

[00:15:01] The inhale rises from this lotus flower as the torso expands radiantly upward and outward

[00:15:10] into the chest.

[00:15:14] Even as the inhale reaches its zenith, stay with the image of the red lotus flower as

[00:15:21] the root support.

[00:15:26] The symbolism of this flower reminds you that your roots are always in the infinite.

[00:15:35] Even as you move in the world of finitude, try to keep one foot always rooted in infinity,

[00:15:42] a circle whose center is everywhere and whose circumference is nowhere.

[00:15:51] Breathe in, breathe out.

[00:15:58] Breathe in, breathe out.

[00:16:06] Breathe in, breathe out.

[00:16:16] Watching the belly rise and fall with each breath.

[00:16:23] Inhale, navel rising, exhale, navel falling.

[00:16:37] Exhale, navel falling.

[00:16:41] Inhale, navel rising.

[00:16:44] Exhale, navel falling.

[00:16:48] Now, gently shift your awareness to the relaxing of effort.

[00:16:58] With each breath, allow any tension in your muscles to dissolve.

[00:17:08] Let go of any effort that feels unnecessary,

[00:17:13] inviting a sense of ease and natural flow into your being.

[00:17:19] Trust that you are supported and that you can let go of striving.

[00:17:26] Breathe in, breathe out.

[00:17:33] Breathe in, breathe in, breathe out.

[00:17:49] Continue at your own pace, feeling how supported you are.

[00:17:58] Allow it to be easy.

[00:18:00] As you continue to breathe, bring the mind to the image of the infinite circle.

[00:21:10] This circle has no circumference, a symbol of boundlessness,

[00:21:17] and its center is everywhere, a symbol of the omnipresence of peace and ease.

[00:21:27] Visualize yourself at the center of this infinite circle,

[00:21:33] embraced by ease and relaxation as you surrender deeply into the source of your own consciousness.

[00:21:43] Breathe in, breathe.

[00:22:57] See yourself at the center of infinite peace and tranquility.

[00:23:04] Know that ease and steadiness are your natural state.

[00:23:12] Imagine the soft, warm light expanding, filling not just your body but your entire space.

[00:23:24] This light represents the infinite circle whose center is everywhere and circumference is nowhere.

[00:23:34] Feel yourself enveloped in this infinite, comforting presence.

[00:23:43] Bring your awareness to your feet and toes.

[00:24:53] Notice any sensations you feel. Let them relax completely.

[00:25:00] Imagine a warm, soothing light enveloping your feet, releasing any tension.

[00:25:11] With each breath, feel this light spreading, bringing ease and comfort.

[00:25:23] Breathe in, move your awareness up to your ankles and calves.

[00:26:41] Feel any areas of tightness or discomfort.

[00:26:47] Allow the warm light to flow into these areas, soothing and relaxing your muscles.

[00:26:55] As you breathe out, let go of any tension, inviting steadiness and ease.

[00:27:05] Breathe in, shift your focus to your knees and thighs.

[00:28:24] Notice any sensations or areas of tension.

[00:28:30] Envision the warm light surrounding your knees and thighs, releasing any stress or discomfort.

[00:28:41] Feel your muscles soften and relax, becoming steady and comfortable.

[00:29:59] Bring your attention to your hips and pelvis.

[00:30:04] This area holds a lot of tension.

[00:30:08] Allow the warm light to gently flow into your hips and pelvis, dissolving any tightness.

[00:30:19] As you breathe out, let go of any tension, feeling a deep sense of ease and stability.

[00:30:30] Breathe in, breathe out.

[00:30:36] Move your awareness to your lower back and abdomen.

[00:31:45] Notice how this area feels.

[00:31:49] Imagine the warm light enveloping your lower back and abdomen, bringing comfort and relaxation.

[00:32:01] With each exhale, release any tension, inviting ease and steadiness.

[00:32:10] Breathe in, shift your focus to your upper back and chest.

[00:33:24] Feel any areas of tightness or discomfort.

[00:33:29] Allow the warm light to flow into your upper back and chest, soothing and relaxing your muscles.

[00:33:40] As you breathe out, let go of any tension, inviting a sense of ease and openness.

[00:33:50] Breathe in, breathe out.

[00:33:56] Now, bring your attention to your shoulders and arms.

[00:35:05] Notice any sensations or areas of tension.

[00:35:11] Envision the warm light surrounding your shoulders and arms, releasing any stress or discomfort.

[00:35:22] Feel your muscles soften and relax, becoming steady and calm.

[00:36:41] Move your awareness to your hands and fingers.

[00:36:46] Wiggle your fingers gently, and then let them relax completely.

[00:36:52] Imagine the warm light enveloping your hands, releasing any tension.

[00:37:03] With each breath, feel this light spreading, bringing ease and comfort.

[00:38:21] Shift your focus to your neck and throat.

[00:38:26] Notice any areas of tightness or discomfort.

[00:38:31] Allow the warm light to gently flow into your neck, soothing and relaxing your muscles.

[00:38:44] As you breathe out, let go of any tension, inviting ease and steadiness.

[00:38:58] Breathe in, breathe out.

[00:40:01] Bring your attention to your face and head.

[00:40:06] Notice any areas of tension.

[00:40:10] Envision the warm light surrounding your face and head, releasing any stress or discomfort.

[00:40:20] Feel your facial muscles soften and relax, becoming steady and comfortable.

[00:40:28] Breathe in, breathe out.

[00:40:35] Take another deep breath in.

[00:41:40] As you exhale, feel yourself letting go even more.

[00:41:48] Allow yourself to be fully present in this moment, knowing that ease is always available to you.

[00:42:00] Embrace the peace within you, and know that you are always capable of inviting more ease into your life.

[00:42:11] Sleep, sleep.