Two NEW Tips to Get a Good Night’s Sleep – for Life
Sleeping with Sheep by Sammydavisdog
First, get help for snoring, sinus congestion and stress. Then use the untapped power of your own mind to enhance your sleep quality and more:
1. Upledger’s CranioSacral Therapy , a gentle holistic bodywork technique, will release and heal the deep structural tensions and imbalances that contribute to poor sleep, as well as reducing and relaxing habitual stress patterns. This includes relieving snoring and sinus congestion. It also relieves deep chronic stress patterns and balances your body for better sleep quality. Find a therapist in your area with at least five courses in the CST track. Additional coursework in the brain curriculum track are also helpful:
http://www.upledger.com/findapractitioner.asp
2. Magic Nights book techniques to further help maximize sleep by using your own brain, your intention to consciously choose how you want to sleep and how you want to feel when you awaken. It’s a simple and fun mental protocol or visualization that can be done by anyone – even children. You can read parts of the book at Amazon.com by clicking ‘Look Inside’:
http://www.amazon.com/Magic-Nights-Treasure-Possibility-Sleeping/dp/0615442129
About Sleep in General
Anyone who has done even the littlest bit of investigation on good sleep knows that there are only a few approaches to help sleep issues out there. You’ll find a ‘sleep’ tab in many major health sites: Huffington Post even has one in their healthy living section:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/sleep/
There is a lot of medical research; a lot of big words and fancy labels, as well as common sense advice. The point these places make is that if you have difficulty with your sleep, it can either cause health problems, be a symptom of health problems, or exacerbate them in a vicious cycle. Sleep is important.
One article: http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21228442.400-hijack-your-own-dreams-to-improve-your-skills.html
Treatment up until now:
There are a lot of ‘sleep clinics’ which are testament to the fact that so many people have difficulty sleeping and their are not many great solutions. After bigger health issues, such as heart problems, are ruled out or managed, the client undergoes lots of testing, and is then offered a few limited options. the CPAP machine, perhaps a targeted drug or surgery as a last resort. These treatments are frequently bandaids on top of a much more complex challenge that involves so many systems – the entire chest, neck and head structure, the brain regulatory mechanisms and overall health and stress levels.
One sleep center: http://www.rwjuh.edu/medical_services/sleep_disorders_center.html?gclid=CNzh0Lqs4a0CFYPc4AodXH3QlQ
How are these two tips new?
They address healing the structure and stress in a new way, and then empower by tapping into our own brain and immune system’s ability to heal, given the right guidance and support. CranioSacral Therapy has been around since the 1970’s, but has never been directly marketed as a solution to sleep challenges. I hope to change that. From a therapist’s perspective, the treatment is easy. I’ll describe my experience treating snoring in another post for you.
When I describe the sleep programming I do every night to others, it is so out of their realm of assumption that it takes a while to get beyond the blank look. “When I lay me down to sleep…” but brain research is just beginning to see how our thoughts before sleep can help us learn and process, and how our thoughts affect our dreams as well. Luckily, the technique is easy, fast and – most important – fun. There is no need to wait for science to figure it out before taking advantage of all that time and brain power – and begin saving on medical bills. All it takes is a belief that we are all capable of more, and a little persistence to understand the effects and how it can work for you.
Have a Magic Night!
The Journey for the Inner Child
Me at about five. I was really happy. Seriously.
Over time, I have discovered just how powerful my inner child is. Her attitudes and decisions about ‘how life is’ have seemingly locked my life into certain streams of experience and have blocked off other perhaps more enjoyable streams of goodness from flowing into it.
Periodically I will go inside myself in a meditative state and envision visiting with her. I want to find out how she feels right now, and be there to offer my help in healing some of the fear and sadness that remains with her from her childhood experiences.
When I do visit her, it is with utmost respect and honoring of her being. She contains wonderful gifts, intelligence and talent. She is incredibly strong, powerful and has survived physically and emotionally what I can only describe as a hell. And once or twice in her young life, when the opportunity arose to go to heaven, she was refused and told to return to earth. She came back here, but under protest. But she was not sent back empty handed. Rather than just one guardian angel, she returnd with at least eight large helping angels. So with these experiences, at a very young age she developed a trust and faith in the unseen, but still retained her fear of all people on this earth.
When I visit her, I go to help her pull down at least one more wall of defense against this world and everyone in it. I go with the purpose of helping her find a new way to let more love in and out. First, I will ask her the purpose of the wall or defensive posture she has chosen. Then I ask her if there might be a better way to achieve that goal that is for both of our highest good now. Without fail and usually very quickly, she comes up with a perfect answer for both of us. I had but to ask.
I have gone to my inner child time and again. I have taken the time to visit with her on holidays and in quiet times. Then one night I decided to take her with me on my Magic Nights journey. Trusting in her wisdom, and our collective higher wisdom, I merely asked that we experience and receive what was for our highest good in the moment.
In the morning, I went within, returned to my Magic Nights ship and sat down with her. I asked if she had anything to share with me. She quickly told me that on her magic nights journey she had had a wonderful time. When I looked at her, instead of being dressed in her usual flimsy nightgown, she now had a dress of gold and jewels and she also had a present for me. I decided that it was a very good night for both of us. I shall remember to take her out again until her heart is full and her delight is satisfied. She certainly deserves it.
Have We Forgotten How to Play Like Children?
As adults, most of us would probably say, Yes.
Time to Play ..Yuppi .. by Yogendra Joshi
And we might think “it’s irresponsible” and “I don’t have time“. But what have we lost? What would the world look like to us if we could all tap into our un-choreographed creative essence. Would we be able to again find the joy in simple things and allow ourselves to flow more harmoniously within our daily lives, no matter what they look like on the outside?
Doesn’t this sound like a wonderful place to live from?
I’ve been told my site looks like a children’s book. But that’s fine by me. It conveys that sense of adventure and magic that setting my intention each night has given my life. And that’s what I want to pass along.
Most of us, as adults with busy and responsible lives, have forgotten how to play. We’ve forgotten that feeling of pure, innocent, un’adult’erated freedom, creativity and joy. It’s a dim memory, seemingly forbidden to us except in that rare moment when our inner child seeps out in a doodle, or wanders off the beaten path, where our actions and thoughts are unintentionally unrehearsed.
But should it be – just a memory? Should we wait until retirement to feel like we can play again?
No time, too stressed out, too much responsibility…
- If you do have some time during the day, buy a box of crayons, for yourself – to play with color without being an ‘artist’.
- Or find somewhere to indulge in improvisatory movement and dance – play with movement without choreography, without steps to learn or people to impress. A Group Motion workshop is a great example of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywJtHiG8zNk
- And whether you play during the day or not, remember to claim your time asleep to play more:
Because there are a number of hours – at least six to eight for most of us – that are ours alone. Our time asleep; no TV, no responsibility, no to do list, no big brother watching. It’s a physical necessity, a vacation from the day, and a time to recharge.
We all have more control over this ‘me time’ than we realize. There’s no need to have scientific proof before using our own brain’s power.
All you need is the tiniest willingness to use your imagination, claim your ‘me time’, and the tried and tested technique in Magic Nights.
Start with the words to help you to sleep better. Then, along with getting better sleep, take charge of your power within and ask for something more:
Ask for a Spa Night: relax through a night at the best and most perfect and beautiful healing spa in the whole wide universe for you right now.
Or go to a Yoga Temple: dance through a peaceful, balancing and healing night at the most perfect and beautiful Yoga temple in the whole wide universe for you right now.
The possibilities are only limited by your imagination.
Learn again to play, dance and have fun. Imagine how you want to feel in the morning and decide the words to describe where you would go to help you feel that way. Decide who you would like to invite to take along with you. Then put on your Captain’s uniform, take the wheel of your nighttime ship and sail away…
Have a Magic Night!
Katie Hawn, DC
Magic Nights Movie: Scene 1
Pirate's Cafe by Greenasian
The tavern was quiet and cool that morning.
A strange gust of morning air rattled the door on its hinges, then it broke free and swung wide. Then as suddenly as the light came in, it was taken away. Her broad captain’s hat scattered it into a million colors as she rode the current in. Her boots came to rest on the well-worn, well-polished broad plank floors. A gentle shove from her gloved hand closed the door, letting the air settle. She pulled off her hat. Bob, the barkeep, smiled at her and nodded as he drew a fancy canister of the finest coffee off the shelf. Kate pushed back her finely constructed brocade coat as she slid into a booth. The garment wasn’t the latest fashion, but suited her well in that subtly colorful, broken-in-just-right way that she preferred. Her repast, however, was always top quality and Bob knew that well as he assembled her tray of coffee, thick cream and a fresh hot roll and jam. He glanced over to her table. A glint of gold caught his eye. She was holding a small golden ball in her hand, turning it over in the strong sunlight that shone in the window. Bob’s interest was piqued. He strode over with the breakfast tray and slid them down in front of her.
She leaned back in the booth and turned the ball over in her hands. Small drops of gold seemed to ooze from the ball and the liquid was coating her fingers. “Hi, Bob” she said. “Morning to ye Dr. Kate.” Bob casually replied. “What have you brought back this time?” Kate put the ball deep inside her inside vest pocket and wiped her fingers on the fresh cloth napkin as she drew it across her lap. “I visited with a financial advisor last night.” she replied as she patted the place where the gold ball was hidden. “I don’t know what it does, but I know it feels good. Helps me relax just enough.” Kate took a sip of her coffee.
Bob, ever the practical one, asked “How do I get one?” Kate didn’t answer.
Instead, she reached into her satchel and pulled out a fountain pen and a thick leather-bound journal. Inscribed on the cover was “Magic Nights – Captain’s Log”. Bob, intrigued, reached a hand over to try to get it. Kate just scowled and slid it away from his rough fingers.
She flipped through the pages until she found an empty space. Kate raised her pen. Bob, in protest. cajoled her. “Ah, you know, I’m not such a good reader. Just tell me what to do.” Kate took a piece of the fresh bread, spooned a bit of jam on it and took a bite. Bob sat down and waited. Kate looked up at him. “You sure?” A strange glistening ray of sunlight sliced through the window. They both winced. It was followed by another swirling gust of wind which rattled the shutters. Bob’s face betrayed a hint of fear. Kate just observed. “Strange weather we’re having.” she stated.
The door blew open again and a few townspeople hurried in, escaping the unpredictable elements. Bob’s young barmaid swept into the room and tended to them, giving Bob a sidelong glance. Bob stood, but waited for Kate’s response. She looked up at him pointedly. “Do you believe our brains and the universe out there are capable of more than we know?” Bob, ever practical, hesitated, but stood firm. “Maybe.” He finally said. She rubbed the tips of her gold-dusted fingers together. Bob took notice. She sighed. “I guess it’s time enough. Okay. Tomorrow. Now go, take care of your people.” Kate smiled pleasantly at him. Bob turned on his heel, but repeated his request “Just tell me what to do.” Kate watched him walk away, then looked back down at her book. She picked up her coffee and her pen and began to write.
Through the window, the daylight was somehow brighter and had a quickness to it, a glistening that made people nervous, as if bad weather were surely coming. Townspeople hurried by, worried, with their small bundles. Many shops were open, but some were vacant or abandoned. Things had been hard for quite some time and everyone was suffering, though they tried hard to make everything look the same as it had always been. But things weren’t the same. On one end of the street, the town crier was crying out news of storms and earthquakes in other regions. On the other end of town someone was on a soapbox trying to tell the truth of corruption, but was getting heckled. The wind and the earth shifted, throwing people off balance slightly. But they regained their footing, kept on their brave faces and made their way through.
Kate’s pen wrote, then paused, then wrote again. Over to the side was a piece of paper ripped out of the back of the book. Scribbled on it was an address, “Mariner’s Cove, Slip B” and a time, “sunset.”
How to Sleep Your Way to Success
Its all about changing your mind.
Changing your mind from what is – meaning what society tells you to think – to feeling the possibilities in our infinite, abundant universe. And using those feelings to launch yourself forward into a feeling of success, no matter where you are and what you are doing.
Joy by Tigr
That’s the first step. Feel it. One night at a time.
What you think about before you go to bed matters. It’s what your brain processes and learns during the night. So find the feeling of how it would be to have what you want, find the words that describe it.
Say to your mind, your soul and the universe – “teach me how to feel….” successful / like a million bucks / free / peaceful / powerful / present, and happy.
Don’t think about what it should look like, or how you would get there. Let the universe rearrange itself at your command to bring you the circumstances and opportunities to move you forward.
So that you can move forward into that new feeling, that new life, one step at a time, one night at a time.
During the day, listen for clues and release the old hurts as they arise. Honor every step. Because the journey may seem long, possibly tortuous. But hindsight will reveal why the steps you took were the right ones.
Your joy will grow, deep within. And as it does, the universe, and everyone around you, will smile with you.
Isn’t that success, after all?