Buddha's Book of Sleep Sleep Better in Seven Weeks with
Mindfulness Meditation
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JEREMY P. TARCHER/PENGUIN
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ISBN 978-1-101-60387-1
To
Thich Nhat Hanh with gratitude.
I remember:
“Happiness is not built of bricks and stones, let us sing with the
flower and the morning birds.”
Children’s castles, lovers’ footprints
the agony of drying starfish
all gone
as the surf wipes clean the beach
with fresh waves coming from the vastness of the ocean.
Let the breath wipe away yesterday’s words
this morning’s thoughts
and the tightness that remains of them
until there is only this moment’s freshness.
—J. E.
Contents
TITLE PAGE
COPYRIGHT
DEDICATION
EPIGRAPH
FOREWORD by Thich Nhat Hanh
PREFACE
PART ONE
Mindfulness Meditation Training and Its Relevance
for Better Sleep
INTRODUCTION
Try Sleeping with a Bad Conscience
“Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart”
CHAPTER ONE | Mindfulness—A New Approach
Discovery One: The Busy Mind
Concentration and Meditation
Discovery Two: Automatic Thoughts
Discovery Three: Negative Thoughts
Negative Thoughts at Bedtime
Gratitude Heals
CHAPTER TWO | During the Night
The Twilight Zone
Waking Up in the Dark
Sleep Deprived or Nap Deprived?
Perfect Nights?
Inspired Nights
CHAPTER THREE | Here and Now in Bed
Go to Sleep with Your Eyes Open
Confidence, Not Control
Brain Spam
Trying to Control Sleep
Becoming Aware of Emotions
The Worry Habit
Building Trust
Embracing Our Lack of Confidence with a Smile
“I’ve Done My Best”
Trust Yourself, Trust Others
Dylan Thomas
CHAPTER FOUR | Suffering Is Not Enough
Right Diligence
The Garden of the Mind
Ethical Behavior for Better Sleep?
CHAPTER FIVE | The Conscious Mind and Sleep
Peace
Our Two Minds at Play
CHAPTER SIX | Mindfulness Practice
From Camel to High-Flying Bird
Mindfulness and Sleep
Mindfulness Is a Verb
Impatience
No Destination
CHAPTER SEVEN | Meditation and Action
Why We Need Meditation
Meditation and Action Go Together
Right Action
Attitude
Focusing on the Experience, Not on the One Having the Experience
Learning to Live with Discomfort
Talk Back to Your Mind
Being Gentle with Yourself
Turning Disturbances into Lullabies
PART TWO
Guided Meditation Exercises—Seven Weeks Toward
Mastering Mindfulness Meditation
INTRODUCTION TO EXERCISES
Week One—Calming the Mind
Week Two—Taming the Mind
Week Three—Body Scan
Week Four—Loving Kindness Meditation
Week Five—Time Is Now
Week Six—Observing the Breath
Week Seven—The Mind Is a Painter
APPENDIX: Breathing from the Diaphragm
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Foreword
I imagine that the Buddha slept peacefully, without anxiety and without
worry. I think that he was peaceful in heart and mind, not only during his
waking hours, but also when he lay down to sleep. The key to peaceful
sleep is a peaceful mind, and the Buddha had a peaceful mind.
Knowing how to rest is an art. Without mindfulness, our propensity to
be in the future instead of in the present, our habit of constantly being in our
thoughts and constantly thinking about our projects, can make us exhausted.
It can interfere with our ability to sleep. We can easily lose the proper
balance between activity and rest.
The practice of mindfulness meditation can help to bring peace to our
hearts and minds. It can alleviate stress. It can help us to slow down in order
to enjoy each moment of our lives. And it can calm an agitated mind. As
you read this book and do the guided meditation exercises in it, you may
experience many moments of insight into the causes of your sleep
difficulties. You may also learn how to relax, and improve your sleep.
—Thich Nhat Hanh
Plum Village, France
Preface
Consider the following statements:
I know I shouldn’t think about work once I’m in bed, but I
do, and I get all worked up.
I know I should not get so angry with my children, but I
can’t help it.
I know I should not get second helpings at dinner, but I do,
and I keep gaining weight.
I know I should not smoke, but I continue to do it.
I know I shouldn’t let little things get to me, but I think
about them when I’m in bed, and it keeps me awake.
Do any of these sound familiar? The “I” in these situations is the conscious
mind. The conscious mind knows, but is unable to pass its knowledge on to
the unconscious mind so that it can become second nature. Mindfulness
Meditation Training (MMT) gives us the tools to pass on the knowledge of
the conscious mind to the unconscious mind.
Regrets, worries, anger, and food cravings sneak up on us. With some
MMT under our belt, we can see them coming. When they knock on the
door, we do not have to let them in. MMT does not make us perfect. It
makes it easier to live with our imperfections. After the training, you may
still feel cravings. But you are no longer a slave to your cravings. When you
get into bed at night, you may still feel thoughts of all kinds trying to get
into your mind. But now you have enough awareness to see them coming,
and enough freedom to say, “Not now, thank you.”
This may sound too good to be true. Yet countless people have been
helped by mindfulness meditation training to lower their stress levels,
improve their relationships, and overcome personal difficulties. This book
applies similar successful techniques to achieving better sleep.
PART ONE
Mindfulness Meditation Training and
Its Relevance for Better Sleep
