Author Information
Courtney E. Ackerman holds a Master of Arts in Positive Organizational Psychology which she uses to research healthcare workforce trends for the State of California. It is evident that one of her passion is writing. Besides Midnight Meditations, she has six other books to her name.
Courtney strives for accuracy in her writing. She says,
"I value practical, evidence-based information and advice in my own life, and I strive to provide the same for others."
Subject
These 150 peaceful, soothing meditations help you welcome and embrace the rest, relaxation and restorative sleep every night has to offer. With these simple, guided meditations you can tune out distractions that hinder your rest and tap into the tranquility of the night.
In Midnight Meditations, you'll discover how to calm your racing thoughts, stop chasing sleep and get an undisturbed night’s rest. In turn, with the restorative benefits of sleep, you'll be better-positioned to make the most of your days.
Intended Audience
For the sleepless, the nearly sleepless and anyone else who is interested in adopting an evening or night time ritual that soothes the soul and transports you peacefully into the land of nod.
Organization of the Book
There are five chapters that offer a number of different choices within the following areas: breath meditations, body meditations, thought meditations, emotion meditations and visualization meditations.
Take-Aways
- It occurred to me that Midnight Meditations can and should see the light of day. The following exercises are well-suited to daytime use: Use Your Core (page 43), Nurture Self-Compassion (page 125), Rub Your Tummy (page 72) and Gather Up Your Gratitude (page 108).
- Courtney and I are on a similar wavelength. You'll find some similarities in my post entitled Improve Your Sleep Hygiene.
- Try Soothing, Repetitive Motion (page 73). Lately, I've come across several references that describe the benefits of rocking. If you had the pleasure of experiencing a sleeping berth on a train, you may have noticed that you fell asleep fairly quickly. I recommend reading The One Exercise That I Teach to All of My Clients for the rationale behind rocking. Perhaps it's time to dust off grandma's rocking chair and rock yourself into feeling better.
The Stress Connection
Change Your Perspective (page 107)
These three words can make a huge difference to the amount of stress you feel. Courtney suggests physically moving to a new spot to gain a change in perspective; looking at things differently often gives you new insights.
When you regularly transform your stress, a change in perspective often happens organically. It's as if you now view the world through the narrow end of the funnel, instead of the other way around.
Change Your Emotional Frequency (page 142)
This playful exercise asks you to adjust the emotional frequency dial on your old-fashioned radio. If you are familiar with them, you know that you heard a lot of static until you managed to land on a clear signal.
Static occurs in your system when your dial (heart) isn't attuned to your just-right frequency. That static sends signals to your autonomic nervous system (ANS). In turn, your ANS broadcasts an emergency message: DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! The danger you perceive may be a real or imaginary threat. When you learn to address and undress your stress, you develop the ability to change your emotional frequency.
Soothe Your Fear (page 127)
Fear is at the heart of stress. The hues and shades of fear can be as plentiful as the selection of paints that are available in a paint shop. Learn to discern the nature of your fear. Some fears are genuine and serve to keep you safe.
Is it time to brush away the fears that get in the way of where and how you want to move through life? The ones that lead to sleepless nights and restless days.
Is there a spot for Midnight Meditations on your nightstand?
*Yawn* Good night!
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Disclosure: I received a free copy of Midnight Meditations for review purposes.