My Blissful Journey ~ Sleep & Meditation

I've been blogging here and there about my experiments with music and sleep.  It seems to be working.  In a round about way I had been pairing that with my own form of meditation.  I, for one, believe there is not a right or a wrong way to meditate.  I think it can be any form of prayer, it can be deep breathing, it can be yoga, it can be reading something positive and bright, it can be a walk in the woods or on the beach, it can be listening to music, or just that zone you get in before you fall asleep.

It took me a while to accept that.  I thought for years that I wasn't meditating correctly.  But that is like saying that someone isn't 'christian enough' or 'female enough' or 'pretty enough'.  Who are the meditation police?  We can't let anyone tell us we are doing something wrong if its improving our lives, right?

As for me - and what I have been doing LATELY - based on the first chart in this post is - for my ENVIRONMENT is my living room.  I actually sleep on my sofa.  I have for years.  I know it's not the best for my Sciatica, sleep, or back, but the dogs will not have it any other way.  That AND - DH goes to work at 4am. I rather get what sleep I can that be up and down and up and down every hour.  BUT ANYWAYS...my environment is my living room with low light and meditative beats on my iPad from YouTube.  I usually have Riley sleeping by my feet, Cricket sleeping on my lap or in the boat of my legs, and Paco sleeping above my head.  I know...it doesn't sound real comfortable but I finally have a system and so do they! LOL - Then for the 'set the intention' part - my intention is to get to sleep, stay asleep, and feel refreshed when I sleep.  I try and focus on healing any aches and pains I have, too.  For posture - I lay flat on my back - most of the time with my arms to the side and slightly above my head.  Sometimes under the blanket because I like to be warm at all times - or tucked under my pillow.  And as for Posture - I think a photo will explain it better but I've been sleeping in the Reclining Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana).

So before when I was saying that Cricket usually sleeps on my lap or in the 'boat' by 'boat' I mean inside my leg area.  These sleeping choices could not be further from what I have been doing my ENTIRE LIFE.  Prior to this experiment I was sleeping in a ball - was a side sleeper - and had to have blankets over my ears - no matter how warm the weather was - and my arms hugging something - usually a pillow.

I have noticed that this has been helping my Sciatica on many days.  I have gotten used to sleeping this way - the thing that seemed to seal the deal was pairing all of this with Binaural Beats and Meditative Music!