Comments on: TS: Deep Restful Sleep, Energy, and Eckhart Tolle’s Teachings (With Guest Brendon Lumgair)

By: Greg

Greg — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 09:04:06 +0000

Hi Lila. So glad to hear that you are enjoying the podcasts! From what you have described, I would highly recommend cultivating a meditation practice before going to bed. We have a free inner-body meditation on this site if you are looking for a place to start.

There are lots of guided meditations available online and several that are specifically for those who experience difficulties sleeping. I would recommend you check out Meditation Oasis. Let us know if you find a program that works for you!

All the best on your journey.

Greg

By: Lila

Lila — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 15:49:03 +0000

I just found your website. I have listened to some of your podcasts and I loved them. Thank you so much for this audio. I have always had sleep problems. Now I’m dealing with them differently. My lack of sleep have even prevented me from traveling or spending nights in places other than my house or especially other than my own room. I’m originally from Algeria and the last time I went to see my family was in 2008, but because I have had only 4 hour sleep nights for 20 days, I’m now scared to come back and see my family because of that. I didn’t enjoy my stay at all because of the lack of sleep. I will try to listen to this audio some other time. Thanks again a lot!

By: Greg

Greg — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 02:59:34 +0000

Hi Dave,

Thanks for sharing your situation with the community! Funny how being angry about not being able to fall asleep feeds that which keeps us from being able to fall asleep!! Yes, surrendering to what is is a subtle process – and by keeping to the process and not focusing on the result – will allow the “result” to occur more organically. I also highly recommend meditation before going to be to withdraw energy from the mind. All the best on your journey!

Terry,

Thanks for your comments! “Peaceful watching” sounds like a great spiritual practice. Keep it up!!

By: Terry Lyle

Terry Lyle — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 20:09:45 +0000

Dave,
I really liked your comment “surrendering to what is is such a subtle process”. It’s so true. We struggle to change what is and then suffer the pain that comes with that futile process. Then we try to force ourselves to surrender…it never works that way does it? But, by just watching what’s happening, things are not so painful as they had seemed. I “struggled” with sleepness nights for many many years. Once I learned to simply observe what was going on instead of wishing for something different, my nights became so much more peaceful. I still, on occaision, lay awake at night but I no longer fight it. It’s a time of peaceful watching (even when my mind is having a free-for-all) and I use it to slip into meditation (when I am aware enough to do so). My nights are bliss compared to years ago. All because of that “subtle process” of surrendering to what is.

By: dave perry

dave perry — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 21:32:00 +0000

It’s great to read something about sleeping problems on a site dedicated to the teachings of Eckart Tolle. I struggle with getting to sleep before going to work. If I think of how not fighting what is, in the moment, applies to my situation I can see that I’m really angry at not being able to fall asleep, so, deeply resistant, in other words. I find it so difficult to accept that I’m not sleeping.
Surrendering to what is is such a subtle process. A very, very, gentle subtle decision made from within.

By: Richard Shelmerdine

Richard Shelmerdine — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 23:47:30 +0000

Hey Terry, It’s near the latest article called “Awareness Meditation”. It’s the most recent article and you’ll find it on the homepage. It’s just near the bottom of the article in the “appreciation” section. It’s really brief but I do have a lot of Eckhart Tolle centric material. I’ve just experienced things that are undescribable following his teachings.

By: Terry Lyle

Terry Lyle — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 23:39:46 +0000

Hi Richard!
Please give us a link. I went to your blog but couldn’t find the post you mention. I also read through some of your other posts and think that I will visit again.
I hope that these responses of yours are a sign that you are moving beyond being silent. I found some insightful comments on your blog that are worth sharing.

By: Richard Shelmerdine

Richard Shelmerdine — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:39:53 +0000

Since I started meditating for 1 hour per day I have had such beautifully deep and restful sleep. It’s been amazing. I wake up and feel as if I’ve slept for a hundred years! I connect with source and get true rest. I wrote about it on my most recent post. I won’t post a link. Love what you’re doing here guys, I’m one of the silent listeners. Keep it up, you’re appreciated!

By: Greg

Greg — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 23:48:15 +0000

Hi Terry,

Thanks so much for sharing your experience.

I have found that as I grow in presence power that my dream state is where my ego and pain-body like to wreak havoc. I have also focused my conscious attention on my dreams so I can shine the light of consciousness on these powerful stories I am forced to live.

I highly encourage everyone to bring a greater degree of awareness to your dream time if you are experiencing disturbing or negative dreams.

Thanks again Terry!

Greg

By: Brendon Lumgair

Brendon Lumgair — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 17:32:47 +0000

@Terry Lyle – Thank you for the wonderful feedback and for sharing your own experience of the practice.

By: Terry Lyle

Terry Lyle — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 01:04:31 +0000

Thanks for this very helpful seminar. I have spent many years struggling with peaceful sleep. In the past I’ve spent many nights pacing and anguishing until dawn.
After I started my meditation practice in 2007, I’ve discovered some very amazing things when it comes to sleep. Brendon, you really hit the nail on the head with your comments about releasing your thoughts and focusing on the inner body.
The meditation program I use came with a cd that you played while you were going to sleep. It was simply the sounds of waves crashing on the shore. A very peaceful sound. That really helped to ease the path into sleep.
I discovered later on that I didn’t need the cd as I came to be able to focus on the inner body or my breath at will. Even now, if I wake in the night (as Brendon describes), I can easily slip into a mindful meditation by focusing on my breath, my inner body, the sounds (or lack of) around me, etc. The sound of ny wife’s breath is particularly relaxing.
No more endless mind chatter that leads me into the depths of despair. I actually look forward to those wakeful times because I can use them for practice. I’m up the next day as refreshed as if I had slept the whole night through.
I want to share a couple of interesting experiences about sleeping and dreaming. I was plaqued by some very disturbing dreams riddled with fear. Recently, after three years of meditation, I began to focus on my dreamstate. Before I went to sleep, I reminded myself that my dreams were “my dreams”. That they were created only to serve me for good. That I am in control of my dreams. I could change my dreams if I chose to.
On one occasion I was conciously aware that I was dreaming a very disturbing dream. Things were just going from bad to worse. I was aware that this was not what I wanted my dream to be. All of a sudden “i” spoke up in my dream and said “Damn it! This is my dream and it will go the way I want it to!” Beleive it or not, the rest of the night was a joy.
Another time I was dreaming a very recurrent dream where there are these “things” that cling to me and I struggle to remove them (resist them). Difficult to describe in real terms. But, During one of these episodes, I realized I was watching the dream happen, and said to myself, “Stop resisting. Let what is happening be okay. You are creating this fear. Let it go.”

I literally felt myself relax in that dream and the “clinging things” simply fell away. I seldom have bad dreams anymore and when I do I seem to be there to deal with them.

Sleep is a real pleasure these days.