When you can't sleep When the minutes tick past and then the hours when it feels like everyone in the world is asleep, but you You'll do anything for sleep People will try almost anything They'll take melatonin Magnesium Valerian root CBD And sometimes everything all at once They'll listen to brown noise Pink noise White noise Whale songs Rearrange the entire bedroom Buy new pillows new sheets anything everything Whatever might work I understand that desperation I've been there And amongst all the things we can try to escape the waking world and find sleep I think this meditation we're going to do tonight is one of the most effective It's a chakra meditation Moving through seven points in your body Releasing tension and visualizing spinning wheels of colored light And I know that might sound mystical or strange But here's why I think it works so well It gives your racing mind something specific to focus on So Instead of thinking about whatever it was you were thinking about before you clicked play on this episode Your mind has a different job to do But it's a gentle repetitive and soothing job And as you move your attention through your body from the base of your spine to the crown of your head Tension releases You're addressing both the physical tension you're holding and the mental restlessness That's keeping you awake The visualization is rhythmic almost hypnotic The colors are soothing to imagine And this practice has been refined over centuries for a reason It works But before we get started Make sure you're somewhere safe to fall asleep Hopefully that's your bed And if this episode helps you sleep, please take a moment to rate or review the show It truly helps keep this podcast going And I read every single review And I reply when the platform lets me I even appreciate the ones that tell me i'm talking too fast or too slow When it comes to constructive criticism, I'll take it all and now Let's begin Take a moment to get comfortable Adjust your pillows so your head is supported just right Pull your blankets up or push them down Whatever feels best to you And let your body settle into the mattress Find that position where nothing needs adjusting Where you could stay like this for hours Take a slow deep breath in Let it fill your lungs And then exhale slowly Even slower than you breathe in That long exhale is what signals to your body that it's time to relax Time to rest let's do that one more time Breathe in deeply And then exhale slowly Letting all that air flow out Feel your body softening with each breath And then continue breathing this way As we begin the meditation We'll start with the base of your spine And this is where we hold our sense of safety and groundedness And that makes sense doesn't it This is your foundation Literally the base that supports your whole body Bring your attention there now To the base of your spine And feel the weight of your body resting on the bed Notice how solid and secure that feels And now visualize a spinning wheel of red light at the base of your spine See it in your mind's eye glowing And then warm and bright spinning gently Feel its warmth spreading through your lower body Grounding you Connecting you to the earth beneath you This is where we hold our feelings of stability Whether we feel secure Or anxious Grounded or unmoored Watch the red light spinning Steady and strong When this area is tense We might feel unsettled Worried about basic needs But now As the red light glows and spins You feel safe and stable And then move your attention to your lower abdomen A few inches below your navel This is where we hold our emotions our creativity Our capacity for pleasure and connection It's why we say we have butterflies here when we're nervous Or feel gut reactions to things This area is deeply connected to how we feel Place your hand there if you'd like Feel it rise and fall with your breath and now Visualize a spinning wheel of orange light Flowing warmly just below your navel With each breath this orange light grows brighter And more vibrant Sometimes we hold emotional stress here Worry Anxiety Unexpressed feelings With each exhale Imagine releasing any emotional tension you've been carrying Watch the orange light Flowing Warm and alive This is the part of you that feels joy That creates Peace That connects with others Let it be soft And open And at peace Move your attention now to your upper abdomen Just below your ribs This is where we hold our sense of personal power and confidence This area responds directly to how we feel about ourselves And our place in the world now visualize a spinning wheel of golden yellow light Glowing like the sun Right in your solar plexus See it spinning bright and warm radiating confidence And strength with each breath This golden light grows more brilliant many of us hold tension here Especially if we felt powerless Or if we're angry Or frustrated But as the golden light spins Breathe into this area Feel the warmth spreading Watch the golden light spinning powerful And calm when this area is relaxed We feel confident Capable At ease with who we are Let that feeling of ease Spread through you now And then bring your attention to your chest Right over your heart this is where we hold our capacity for love compassion And connection Both to others and to ourselves It's no accident that we put our hand here when we're moved Or that heartbreak Literally feels like pain in our chest Notice your chest now Are your shoulders curled forward? Protecting your heart let them drop And open Feel your chest expand as you breathe in And now visualize a spinning wheel of green light glowing like spring leaves Right above your heart see it spinning gently Radiating warmth and compassion with each breath this green light grows brighter Expanding outward in soft waves This is where we hold our ability to give and receive love to feel empathy And to forgive Including forgiving ourselves When this area is tight We feel closed off Defensive Alone breathe into your chest And let that area be soft and open You are worthy of love You are capable of compassion Move your attention to your throat. This is where we hold our voice Our truth Our ability to express ourselves Think about how your throat tightens when you're about to cry Or when you want to say something But you hold back This area is all about communication And authenticity Swallow gently and notice your throat And then visualize a spinning wheel of blue light Bright and clear like a summer sky Right at your throat See it spinning smoothly Flowing with clarity With each breath This blue light becomes more luminous Let your breath move more easily and freely watch the blue light spinning Clear And true When this area is open we can speak our truth Express our needs Communicate clearly Bring your attention to the space between your eyebrows Right in the center of your forehead This is where we hold our intuition Our vision Our insight Our ability to see clearly It's why we say we see the light when we understand something Or why we furrow our brows when we're confused Or trying to figure something out Let the muscles of your forehead completely Relax Let your eyebrows soften Now visualize a spinning wheel of deep indigo light Right between your eyebrows See it spinning slowly Glowing with quiet wisdom with each breath this indigo light becomes deeper Brighter Many of us furrow our brows constantly Holding tension here without realizing it But as the indigo light spins Feel your forehead becoming smooth And peaceful This is the part of you that knows things That Has wisdom That can see patterns and truth When this area is tense We feel confused Uncertain Clouded When it's relaxed We feel clear and trusting of our own judgment Let your forehead be smooth And peaceful And finally Bring your attention to the crown of your head This is where we hold our sense of connection to something larger than ourselves Whether that's nature The universe Other people Or simply the sense that we're part of something bigger Feel the crown of your head now Visualize a spinning wheel of violet light Luminous And ethereal Like the most beautiful sunset That Right at the top of your head See it spinning gently Glowing with peaceful radiance With each breath this violet light expands upward and outward Connecting you to everything above and around you Imagine any tension there just lifting away Floating up and dissipating into the violet light This is the part of you that understands you're not alone That you're connected to the world around you Watch the violet light spinning Peaceful and infinite When this area feels open We feel peaceful Connected Part of something meaningful Let that feeling of connection settle over you now Now Your whole body is now relaxed From the base of your spine to the crown of your head You've released tension and connected with different aspects of yourself Your foundation Your emotions your confidence Your capacity for love Your voice Your clarity Your sense of connection All of these are relaxed and at peace Unblocked Open free Life is challenging sometimes Isn't it? The smallest things can shift our emotional state a negative comment from someone The energy of a difficult person An unexpected event That throws us off balance And when these things happen, we don't just feel it in our minds We feel it in our bodies tension builds Layering on top of itself Until we're carrying the weight of days Or weeks Or months in our muscles and in our breathing But something as simple as this meditation can set it. All right Can release what needs to be released Can open What needs to be open? It can restore you to yourself Your body feels lighter your shoulders have dropped Your jaw is loose Your breathing is slow and deep And effortless this is what it feels like to be unblocked Unblocked To have nothing standing between you And rest And tomorrow morning when you wake You'll feel like this, too that sense of ease That lightness You'll move through your day differently More grounded More centered More Yourself Because you've taken this time tonight To release what doesn't serve you To reconnect with what matters. You're so much more relaxed about sleep now. You understand that you don't have to force it or chase it or worry about it. Just breathe. Just let go. Feel your breath now. Notice how it moves in and out of your body. You're not controlling it - it's just happening, naturally. Air flowing in, filling your lungs. Air flowing out, releasing everything you don't need. In and out. Feel the warm air leaving your body, carrying away any last bits of tension, any remaining worry, any thoughts that might try to pull you back from sleep. With each exhale, you sink deeper. Deeper into the mattress. Deeper into relaxation. Deeper toward sleep. Your body knows exactly what to do. It's already slowing your heart rate, relaxing your muscles, preparing you for the restoration that sleep brings. You are so heavy now. Your arms are heavy, resting wherever they've fallen. Your legs are heavy, completely relaxed. Your head is heavy against your pillow. Everything is heavy and still and peaceful. You are safe here. In this bed. In this moment. In this body that has carried you through the day and is now ready to rest. You've done everything you needed to do today. Everything else can wait until tomorrow. Right now, there is only this - this breath, this softness, this peaceful descent into sleep. Let yourself go now. Let sleep come. It's already so close. You can feel it at the edges of your consciousness, warm and welcoming, ready to hold you through the night. Breathe in. And breathe out.  Each breath carries you closer. Each exhale lets you sink deeper. You are relaxed. You are peaceful. Let yourself drift into the darkness, into the quiet, into the deep and restorative rest your body needs.