Hello there,
And good evening.
My name is Bill,
And I know exactly how it feels to be troubled by the events going on in the news.
It is so common for the day's news to keep us awake,
Our minds swirling with anxiety and worry,
With new things popping up day after day,
Which has a detrimental effect on not just our sleep,
But also our mental and physical well-being.
So,
It's with this in mind that I welcome you to tonight's sleep meditation entitled Releasing the News,
A meditation designed to help you release thoughts about current events in the news and drift off to a peaceful night's sleep.
Now,
Before we begin,
Settle into a position where you will be as comfortable as possible,
Whether it's lying down,
Sitting,
Or standing.
Relax your neck and shoulders,
Resting your arms by your side.
Close your eyes and take in a deep,
Calming breath.
Breathe in and out slowly.
Allow the day's events to gently fade away.
There is nothing else you need to do right now,
Except allow yourself this time of rest.
Let's take three more slow,
Deep breaths.
Inhale deeply through your nose,
Filling your lungs completely,
And breathe out through your mouth.
Again,
Inhale peace and exhale tension.
One last time,
A slow,
Gentle inhale,
And a long,
Releasing exhale.
Good.
Now,
Return your breath to its natural,
Easy rhythm.
Feel the gentle rise and fall of your belly.
The rhythm of your breathing is your anchor to the present moment.
Bring your awareness now to your body.
We'll start at your feet.
Feel your feet and all ten toes.
Let each one of them become heavy and soft.
Send a wave of relaxation up through your ankles and calves.
Notice any tension being held here,
And with a gentle breath,
Allow the muscles to release it.
Let this wave of calm move into your knees,
Your thighs,
And your hips.
Allow your legs to feel completely supported and weighted against your body,
Your chair,
Or the wall.
Move your attention to your lower back and abdomen.
Soften your stomach and relax the muscles in your lower back.
Now,
Bring your awareness up to your chest and your upper back.
And as you breathe,
Breathe in the air of calm and peace.
With each exhale,
Imagine the weight of responsibility and worry softening and sinking away from your shoulders.
And let your shoulders drop heavy and wide.
Feel the relaxation flow down your arms to your elbows,
Your forearms,
And your hands.
Your hands may even feel tingling or warm as they become completely still.
Finally,
Bring your awareness to your neck and head.
Relax your jaw and let your teeth part slightly.
Soften your tongue.
Smooth out your forehead and the area around your eyes.
Good.
Your whole body is now deeply relaxed,
Heavy,
And still.
And now that your body is relaxed,
Let's tend to the mind.
Visualize yourself surrounded by a warm,
Soft bubble of protective light.
This is your personal sphere of safety,
Silence,
And peace.
The material of this bubble is impenetrable.
It is designed to keep out anything that does not serve your rest.
Any concerns,
Any tasks,
Any memories of the day,
Especially any stressful thoughts about the news or current events,
Are outside this bubble.
Imagine that every time a thought about a headline,
A political figure,
Or a world problem arises,
It simply bounces gently off the surface of your bubble.
It cannot enter,
And it cannot disturb you.
You are safe here.
You are resting here.
And for the next few hours,
The world outside,
With all its needs and demands,
Can wait.
It is not your problem to solve tonight.
Your only responsibility is to yourself and to your own rest.
Just rest in this feeling of being completely protected and shielded from the noise of the outside world.
If your mind continues to loop or latch onto a specific headline or debate,
Imagine yourself sitting peacefully on the bank of a slow,
Wide river.
This river is carrying the day's current events.
As a thought about the news appears in your mind,
Gently place it onto a leaf or a small boat floating on the river's surface.
Give it the name news or headline,
And then just watch it.
Watch as the river's gentle current carries that thought,
That leaf,
That small boat,
Slowly out of your sight.
It's not gone forever,
But it is moving away from you,
Downriver.
You don't need to struggle with it or fight with it.
You simply acknowledge it and release it to the current.
Another headline appears.
Place it on a leaf and watch it float away.
A feeling of frustration about a world event?
Place that feeling on a boat and watch that boat drift away.
For you see,
You are not the river.
You are the observer.
You are safe,
Sitting on the peaceful bank,
Watching the river of news flow past you and away,
Leaving you untouched.
Now,
Allow all visualization to fade.
Come back to the feel of your body.
Notice the gentle weight of your limbs.
You are sinking deeper and deeper into a state of profound relaxation.
Allow your mind to become spacious and quiet,
Like a still,
Dark lake.
The surface of the lake is calm and the water deep.
Repeat these quiet affirmations silently to yourself.
I am safe.
The world can wait until morning.
I am choosing rest now.
Feel yourself drifting,
Floating,
Sinking.
Your thoughts are becoming fuzzy,
Less distinct,
And the sounds are fading.
You are entering a state of complete rest.
Allow yourself to let go completely,
For there is nothing to hold on to tonight.
You are moving into a deep,
Peaceful,
And restorative sleep.
Enjoy your bubble and sweet dreams.
