Sarah couldn’t fall asleep. It was past ten and she was practically wide awake. I’d been upstairs twice to talk to her but nothing was working.
She told me that when she can’t sleep she closes her eyes and pictures miles of blank paper and stacks of art supplies and then imagines herself drawing on the paper, and drawing and drawing and drawing.
I thought that was pretty good.
Me, I lie on my back in the most comfortable way I can; no hair in my face or twisted knickers. I breathe deeply in through my nose. I picture each breath as a healing breath, full of good things which nourish my mind and body, such as love, good fortune and good health. I picture my breath as something fresh and cool and crisp. Almost blue. There is power in its coolness.
Watching my breath is like watching a bucket of water douse a fire in slow motion.
Outgoing breath is the fire. I told Sarah that outgoing breath is releasing the bad stuff in my body. It is hot and steamy, sticky residue of mad or hurt feelings, bad luck, germs and illness. It contains sickness of the blood and heart and mind, and with every single breath there is a tiny bit less of it in my body. Every breath sends The Bad far far away bit by bit.
Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.
And then I fall asleep. It works every time.
When I am worrying about something I imagine myself with a mop or a vacuum in hand, and running the mop over my worries as if they were a stain on the floor. After a bit of scrubbing they start to disappear. It might sound corny but this has always worked for me.
What about you? Are you a good sleeper? Or a restless one? How do you get to sleep?
