Welcome Back to Keep Inspiration Alive
Today we will be discussing Sleep Meditation - Can I Tame My Monkey Mind for Deeper Sleep?
I am Mr. Michael Adams
I am a depression and PTSD survivor
Former Addict of narcotics and alcohol
Borderline Atheist
Found God through a spiritual awakening
Now Entrepreneur
Here to serve humanity
21 Day Meditation Challenge
The day goes by fast (I hear you). As we go through our day, our monkey mind tells us a lot of stories as we piece together each day. Notice that mind chatter, always putting something together to help make sense of all the things we need to get accomplished that day, to help keep us on track? Once we do or do not get all those things done, we sigh a sound of relief as the day is now done. Now all that chatter will stop, right?
Oh crap, now our monkey mind is telling us stories about tomorrow and all the things we need to do or catch up on. Monkey mind!!! Why are you always chattering? I need to sleep. Calm down monkey mind, for the love of God calm down.
Right?
How do we shut that thing up, so we can sleep?!
Well... Coming at that monkey from anger or frustration will make that chimp paranoid and tell us a bunch of lies. We have too much to do. We will never get it done. We are a failure. You know those chatters that keep us up longer in a state of worry and frustration.
We must change perspectives.
Love your monkey with compassion.
Monkey Mind Hack
You may be thinking to yourself right about now, "you want me to just love my monkey?" Ya, easier said than done. You obviously do not know MY monkey. (Did that thought just go through your head?) We can get around this by giving your monkey mind a banana and make that chimp happy before sleep.
Here is how you can do it.
Sit at the edge of your bed, with your feet flat on the floor. Tell yourself three amazing things that happened that day and then two ways you could have made it better. It would be a bonus would be if you write it in a journal. Now sit up straight with your spine fully erect, head and spine in alignment. Put your awareness on your breath, and slow your breath rate down. Scan your body for any tension it may be carrying, and just continue to breathe into each tension points throughout the body.
Pray
To God, Allah, Jesus, Krishna, the Universe, Nature, your Higher Self, A loved one who has passed away. Whatever resonates with you most. Just Mentally Pray.
Pray with gratitude and love in your heart, and you can even smile a bit in meditation to help activate those chemicals naturally.
Create a bubble of love and compassion outwards.
Pray for your family, friends, and loved ones. Pray for their abundance, health, and safety. Then expand that bubble to your neighbors and city where you reside. Expand that bubble to your country, then expand to the world, and all that inhabit it. Bring your awareness back to you, and finish your payer with yourself. Be grateful for another day on this planet. Pray to wake up tomorrow. Pray for wisdom to get you through.
End your Meditation
Place your hand in prayer form next to your heart, as this will help seal in all those chemicals your body just produced and will help keep the monkey calm and happy. Say thank you out loud (just loud enough that you feel the vibrations of your voice)
AUM
PEACE
AMEN
Lay down in your bed and get comfortable, and create a slow mental chant of just saying Thank You over and over. Or if you want to say two or three things to be thankful for, that is good as well. Just do not go over three, as it will start to add a slight bit of stress to the mind, and could activate the chimp again. So be aware.
Thank You
Thank You
Thank You
With all things in life, take what works and throw out the rest.
So, you can get some rest.
It is my wish and my blessing that your monkey and you sleep well tonight.
