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Hello Elizabeth, here the host of The Sleepy Bookshelf, another sleep-inducing podcast from the Slumber Studios Network.
I'm just dropping by here to let you know that I'm starting a brand new book on The Sleepy Bookshelf right now.
This season I'll be reading Rainbow Valley by L.M.
Montgomery, the next book in our Anne of Green Gables saga.
If you're interested, just search The Sleepy Bookshelf in your favourite podcast player and go to the most recent episodes to find this new season.
I hope to see you there, to put down your worries from the day and pick up a good book.
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Welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax, and we get sleepy.
I'm your host, Thomas.
Thanks so much for joining us.
This meditation is primarily designed to be used during a flight.
It was written by Anne and will be read by Elizabeth, who I'll hand over to very shortly.
I know that flying can be stressful, First, there's the airport, a busy, often chaotic place.
And on the plane itself.
There are usually a lot of people and it's not always the most comfortable place to be.
So it makes sense that you might be experiencing feelings of anxiety or stress right now.
But even in situations like these, it is possible to achieve a state of calm, and this meditation will help you do just that.
So, as you settle into your seat, I'll leave it to Elizabeth to guide you through this meditation.
For now, keep your eyes open, taking a moment to get comfortable.
You might like to get a small pillow or roll up a piece of clothing or a blanket and place it behind the curve of your back for extra support.
Or you can place your blanket on your lap if you need a little extra warmth.
If you have a window seat, perhaps you'd like to close the shade.
You could also try adjusting the airflow above you.
Do anything that will help you feel as comfortable as possible.
As we go through the meditation.
Feel free to shift position or move around if you ever need to readjust anything.
Once you feel settled, take a look around you. and notice your surroundings.
Sometimes, when the mind is in an agitated state, it can be helpful to give it a task to do.
Something tangible to bring the mind into the present moment.
So your task for now is to identify objects of different colors in your environment.
I'll lead you through it.
Let's begin with finding the color red somewhere in your surroundings.
Perhaps it's the color of someone's clothes or part of the airline logo.
Where do you see the color red?
Maybe you find it quickly or maybe it's taking a bit more time.
If you find the color quickly, try to look for another thing that's red.
Next, move on to the color orange.
Some colors may be trickier to find and if that's the case, you can be generous with how you define orange.
Where can you find orange?
Again, feel free to look for another orange object if you find the first one quickly.
Next, search for yellow.
It might be a yellow book or rays of sunlight coming in through the window.
Where is yellow?
Up next is green.
Find something within your field of vision that's green.
Maybe someone's watching a show on their tablet and there's a character wearing green.
Or check the pocket of the seat in front of you.
Perhaps there's a green design on the magazine inside it.
Take a moment to find green.
Now look for the color blue.
Maybe the seats themselves are a shade of blue.
Or the carpet that lies along the length of the plane?
Or perhaps it's the armrest.
Where do you see the color blue?
And finally, search for a shade of purple somewhere around you.
Remember, if you find it easily, go ahead and try to find another thing that's purple.
Now when you feel ready, softly close your eyes.
Then bring your attention to your mind.
Notice what, if anything, has changed in your mental state since you first began this meditation.
To continue with the theme of calming the mind and body, we'll now move on to a breathing technique.
It's called three-part breath.
It's a useful deep breathing technique that works well, especially when we're feeling tense or worried.
Imagine that your breath is divided into three parts.
The first is the lowest part of your belly, from your hip bones to your belly button.
If you like, you can put one of your hands there now before we start the technique.
Notice how this part of your body moves with your breath.
The second part is your rib cage.
Unlike the low belly which goes up and down with the breath, the rib cage moves out to the sides as you inhale and then back as you exhale.
This helps to accommodate the movement of the diaphragm as the breath flows in and out.
You can place a hand above your ribcage now as you breathe naturally and feel how it moves.
The third part is the chest.
Like the belly, it moves up and down as the breath flows in and out.
Again, feel free to place your hand there.
Notice what the chest feels like, moving up and down as the lungs fill and empty.
Now we've explored the three parts of the breath the low belly, the ribcage and the chest let's integrate them.
For the technique of the three-part breath, I'll walk you through the things to pay attention to first, and then you'll have a chance to try it.
So, for now, just listen, and then we'll do it together.
Ideally, for this breathing technique, try to breathe in and out of your nose.
To begin, start inhaling slowly and fill up the low belly with air.
Feel it expand.
Next, pay attention to the ribcage and sense the outward movement it makes.
Notice the breath moving upwards like a plane into the sky as the chest fills with air.
And then, when it feels right, exhale out of your nose and release all three of those areas at the same time.
Feel your chest, ribcage, and belly relax and soften.
Now let's do it together.
If my guiding pace is too fast or too slow for you, please adjust accordingly.
You shouldn't ever feel uncomfortable.
This is your breath and your meditation.
Place your hands wherever feels comfortable, perhaps at your low belly or on your lap.
Now inhale slowly, feeling the belly expand now the ribcage now moving upwards, and when you're ready exhale, Releasing all three of those areas at the same time.
Good.
Take a few natural breaths before we move into the next one.
Notice how each breath feels.
Let's continue.
Now, inhale deeply.
Feel the belly rise, the ribcage expand side to side, and the chest fill.
Then exhale.
Release it all.
Feel your body sigh with ease.
And then take a few natural breaths in and out of your nose.
When you breathe deeply in this way, you're telling the body, I'm safe right now.
Everything is okay.
And as you breathe deeply, it's hard to feel worried or unsettled at the same time.
Now let's return to the three-part breath.
Inhale deeply.
Sense the belly rising, the ribcage expanding, and the chest filling.
Then release the breath slowly.
Feel everything relaxing.
If it feels okay for you, Let's move straight into the next three-part breath.
Inhale.
Belly.
Ribcage.
Chest.
And exhale and slowly release.
Let everything Inhale, belly, ribcage, chest.
And exhale, slowly release.
Inhale, breathing deeply into the belly, the ribcage and the chest, and exhale, release everything and feel your body soften.
Continue on your own for several more breaths.
Even though you're inhaling deeply, see if you can make the breath feel effortless.
Thank you. feel free to continue the deep breathing technique as we continue the meditation.
Or, if you'd prefer, you can continue to your natural breath, which will likely be deeper than before.
Now let's focus on the present moment.
Notice what this moment is made up of.
The sounds, for example.
Perhaps you can hear the whirring of the plane engines, The faint sounds of people chatting to one another.
Or someone laughing or snoring.
This moment is also made up of sensations that you're feeling.
The feeling of your hips pressing into the seat.
Your arm hugging the armrest.
And the feeling of your breath moving through the belly, the ribcage and the chest.
Let's practice being here.
The mind may want to take you over there to a worry, a fear, a tension, or an annoyance.
We'll practice kindly opposing it by coming back here to what you are experiencing in this very moment, like sounds and sensations.
Now, try to become aware of a stressor or tension.
It could be a thought an emotion or something uncomfortable in your body.
You might like to take a deeper breath in as you acknowledge the fear, worry or tension.
And then, as you exhale, imagine breathing it out, imagine that the stressor is literally going far away.
You're up here in this plane and that stressor is way down there outside of the plane, somewhere far.
Next, breathe in any other stresses, tensions, or problems that you're aware of.
Breathe each one in, first acknowledging their presence, and then exhale, sending them out of the plane.
Imagine them drifting off, far away.
You're getting closer and closer to having nothing but presence and calm within.
If you need to, You can always pick up these thoughts later when you land.
But for now, allow yourself this time to enjoy being free from a sense of the past and future.
You are here, and the stressors are down there.
For the next few moments, continue this practice, noticing how, when the stresses arise, they can be breathed out.
Any problems or worries are outside of the plane, over there, and you are right.
Let the sense of calm and ease grow and keep the focus here while the past and future remain way over there.
An airplane gives us the amazing ability to go anywhere in the world.
In the same way, you have the power to move your attention wherever you'd like.
You can choose to think about the future, to experiences you plan to have once you get to your destination.
Or you can think about the past, memories of past moments while on a holiday or a business trip.
And you can also choose to bring your attention to the present moment.
So, for the rest of your flight, breathe and relax and continue choosing to place your attention here on this beautiful, simple moment and all that it's made up of.
Thanks for listening, and have a good flight.
Thanks for watching! you Thank you. you Thank you.
