Table of Contents
Foreword Thich Nhat Hanh xiii
Preface xv
Part 1 Mindfulness Meditation Training and Its Relevance for Better Sleep
Introduction 5
Try Sleeping with a Bad Conscience 9
"Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart" 10
Chapter 1 Mindfulness-A New Approach 13
Discovery One: The Busy Mind 14
Concentration and Meditation 15
Discovery Two: Automatic Thoughts 17
Discovery Three: Negative Thoughts 19
Negative Thoughts at Bedtime 21
Gratitude Heals 22
Chapter 2 During the Night 27
The Twilight Zone 27
Waking Up in the Dark 30
Sleep Deprived or Nap Deprived? 33
Perfect Nights? 34
Inspired Nights 35
Chapter 3 Here and Now in Bed 37
Go to Sleep with Your Eyes Open 39
Confidence, Not Control 40
Brain Spam 41
Trying to Control Sleep 42
Becoming Aware of Emotions 44
The Worry Habit 47
Building Trust 48
Embracing Our Lack of Confidence with a Smile 49
"I've Done My Best" 50
Trust Yourself, Trust Others 50
Dylan Thomas 51
Chapter 4 Suffering Is Not Enough 53
Right Diligence 55
The Garden of the Mind 58
Ethical Behavior for Better Sleep? 59
Chapter 5 The Conscious Mind and Sleep 63
Peace 64
Our Two Minds at Play 66
Chapter 6 Mindfulness Practice 69
From Camel to High-Flying Bird 69
Mindfulness and Sleep 71
Mindfulness Is a Verb 72
Impatience 73
No Destination 73
Chapter 7 Meditation and Action 77
Why We Need Meditation 77
Meditation and Action Go Together 79
Right Action 80
Attitude 81
Focusing on the Experience, Not on the One Having the Experience 83
Learning to Live with Discomfort 84
Talk Back to Your Mind 86
Being Gentle with Yourself 87
Turning Disturbances into Lullabies 88
Part 2 Guided Meditation Exercises-Seven Weeks Toward Mastering Mindfulness Meditation
Introduction to Exercises 93
Week One-Calming the Mind 98
Week Two-Taming the Mind 105
Week Three-Body Scan 109
Week Four-Loving Kindness Meditation 114
Week Five-Time Is Now 122
Week Six-Observing the Breath 128
Week Seven-The Mind Is a Painter 134
Appendix: Breathing from the Diaphragm 139
Acknowledgments 143
