Book Club Meeting, Final Chapter: Sleeping

Sleep. It’s vital to our survival; to the healing of our bodies and our minds. For something so natural, so innate, it’s a shame to think that some of us have such trouble falling asleep.

Our minds seem to chatter on and on throughout the day, and they oftentimes can’t seem to stop, even when the time has come to rest our eyes. Our heads are filled with tasks and worries, and this never-ending chatter interferes with what could be the most peaceful time of our day.

Sleeping_1

The final chapter of Thich Nhat Hanh’s Making Space teaches us how to practice deep relaxation. It’s quite a simple technique, and it can actually be done at any time of day or night – whether alone or in a group. All it requires is focus.

The idea is to practice deep, full breaths as we move our attention throughout our body, smiling at each different part, and thanking it for all it does for us. We oftentimes take these different parts of our body for granted, not realizing that we often mistreat them with the unnecessary toxins we expose them to, whether physical or energetic. And even still, these body parts continue to do everything they can to allow us to stay alive. Let’s thank them for that.

Sleeping_2

Nhat Hanh suggests to first think about our eyes, and to smile to them. “Still having healthy eyes is a condition for happiness,” he says. “Allow your eyes to relax. Let go of the tension in all the tiny muscles around your eyes. Send love and gratitude to your eyes.”

He then gives us the following phrases to say silently to ourselves:

Sleeping_3

We can then move our attention to our mouths, our ears, our hearts, our lungs, our feet, repeating the same phrase with each new body part. As each moment passes, we will find ourselves feeling lighter, freer, calmer.

Sleeping_4

Practicing deep relaxation every day is vital to living the life we deserve to live – one that’s calm, joyful, healthy, and filled with ease and love.

Sleeping_5

This book has been such a wonderful guide to infusing meditation practices into everyday life. For me, I think the most powerful takeaway has been self-awareness. I’ve become much more aware of my personal tendencies to escape from the present moment, and flee to a place filled with worry and fear. And now, when I catch myself in such a state, I can easily come back to a lesson I’ve learned from this book – stopping… breathing… inviting the bell – and come home to myself, right where I belong.

Thank you all for following along with these posts each week, and a gigantic thank you to the great Thich Nhat Hanh for making his profound wisdom so readily available to us within this book.

Sleeping_6

+ For those of you who’ve been following along, what has been your greatest takeaway from this book?

This post is a part of our Book Club series, featuring Making Space: Creating a Home Meditation Practice by Thich Nhat Hanh.

Follow Brigette on Instagram, and have a look at her blog and Etsy shop!

0 0 vote
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
7 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
9 years ago

I cannot agree you more, freepeople! Great post!

http://www.safran-bolu.com

9 years ago

This has been a beautiful series- please do more like it! I’ve so enjoyed learning how to make space, in the most simple ways in my life. Simply wonderful.

Warm Regards,
Alexandra
http://www.littlewildheart.com

paige
9 years ago

this has by far been my favorite book in the fp book club! i was really able to settle in and connect with each chapter of this book. i have become so much more aware of my surroundings and my body. i cannot WAIT for the next book!!!!

9 years ago

This is such a nice post! Your writing style is so refreshing and nice:)x
AllysDays.blogspot.com

9 years ago

I think that the greatest take away for me is to have daily reminders to stop and be in the miraculous moment of the now. I’ve been so incredibly busy lately, that I tend to lose my centered self when I rush around from one “to do” to the next…

The Weaver Of Words…..give me 15 words and I’ll tell you a tale
http://www.averyfairytale.wordpress.com

9 years ago

Beautiful interior design! How serene!

9 years ago

“For me, I think the most powerful takeaway has been self-awareness. I’ve become much more aware of my personal tendencies to escape from the present moment, and flee to a place filled with worry and fear.”

I think this is something I struggle with quite often. I’m a college student, a writer, and a musician, and sometimes things pile up. It’s easy to forget the here and now and get trapped in that anxious space in your brain that is an ever-forming list of things to get done. Spend more time in the now, appreciating….
Great post. Great message.

Warm Regards,
Alyssa