Trouble sleeping??
Many, many people have insomnia, difficulty staying asleep, or interrupted sleep. While sometimes these problems can be physical (breathing difficulties, physical pain, etc.), they are more often mental, meaning a racing mind. When a thought comes into the mind, especially a stressful or unpleasant thought, it can be processed over and over until it becomes something completely different from the original thought. Usually it is turned into the worst possible scenario.
How do you prevent or stop this? Completely quieting the mind is difficult even for advanced meditators, however, distracting the mind from these unpleasant thoughts, or creating periods of quietness in the mind is much more simple. To start, focus on your breathing. Placing your attention on your breath will prevent thoughts from creeping into the mind. If a thought is to arise in the mind, try to acknowledge it and let it pass. Try not to hold onto the thought, and not to allow the mind to carry it away. Return your attention to your breathing or perhaps to a word that can be your ‘mantra’, a word that you can repeat over and over in your mind. This process can be repeated (and will need to be repeated) to keep the mind clear. Over time this practice will become easier, and the periods of quiet in the mind will become longer. Try this technique next time you are having difficulty falling asleep!
