The Insomnia Solution The Natural Drug Free Way To A Good Nights Sleep Feldenkrais Based Paperbacknbsped 0446693243 9780446693240 Compress

THE
Insomnia
Solution
The Natural,
Drug-Free Way to a
Good Night's Sleep
A\ichael Krusman, MA. GCFP
"I use these techniques with all my patients

because they are so simple and effective."
-Jeanne Melvin, owner, Solutions for Wellness; behavioral sleep
medicine consultant, ucla sleep medicine center, los angeles
6
(Boston <Pu6Gc Library
<Funded6y
JLLA/Wafareen's grant, 2006
Unlock the Secrets of a Good Night's Rest
"This book is about self-healing. It teaches you to use your own
physical movements and breath to overcome insomnia and get all
the natural, restful sleep you need. In the process, you will heal
your relationship with sleep. That means that your feelings about
sleep and your attitudes toward sleep will change. Instead of

dreading bedtime as a time of irritation, uncertainty, or disap-
pointment, you will look forward to it as a time of comfort, plea-

sure, and peace." —From The Insomnia Solution
The Insomnia Solution and

Praise for
Michael Krugman's Sounder Sleep System™
"Engaging . . . accessible . . . very helpful ... if you're having a

problem sleeping, this may be your answer."
—Jim Stephens, PhD, PT, CFP, assistant professor,
Physical Therapy Department, College of

Health Professions, Temple University
"Great results." —Fortune
"Tiny, relaxing movements and dreamy rest. You'll feel smarter and
you'll sleep better." — Village Voice
THE
Insomnia
Solution
The Natural,
Drug-Free Way to a
Good Night's Sleep
Michael Krugman, MA, GCFP
o
\AARNER BOOKS
NEW YORK BOSTON

If you purchase this book without a cover you should be aware that this book may
have been stolen property and reported as "unsold and destroyed" to the publisher.
In such case neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this
"stripped book."
The program herein is not intended to replace the services of trained health
professionals, or be a substitute for medical advice. You are advised to consult with
your health care professional with regard to matters relating to your health, and in
particular regarding matters that may require diagnosis or medical attention.
The excerpt on pages 292 and 293 is from "The Potent Self: A Study of
Spontaneity and Compulsion" by Moshe Feldenkrais, published by Frog Lt. and
Somatic Resources, copyright © 2002 by Michel Silice. Reprinted by permission of
the publishers.
Sounder™, Sounder Sleep™, Sounder Sleep System™, Sominars™, and

Mini-Moves™ are trademarks of Michael Krugman. Feldenkrais®, Feldenkrais
Method®, Awareness Through Movement®, Functional Integration®, and Guild
Certified Feldenkrais Teacher® are service marks of the Feldenkrais Guild® of
North America.
Copyright © 2005 by Michael Krugman

All rights reserved.
Warner Books
Time Warner Book Group

1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
Visit our Web site at www.twbookmark.com.
Printed in the United States of America
First Edition: August 2005

10 987654321
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Krugman, Michael.
The insomnia solution : the natural, drug-free way to a good night's sleep /
Michael Krugman. — 1st ed.
p. cm.
ISBN 0-446-69324-3
1 . Insomnia — Popular works. 2. Sleep. I. Title.
RC548.K78 2005
6 1 6.8498206—dc22 2005000388
For Karen
Acknowledgments
* *
Thanks to my many colleagues and friends for their indispensable help,
support, and inspiration during the gestation and writing of this book.
Special thanks to Hiltrud Muller-Fehn for translation, Laura Scheufele
for research assistance, Nyei Murez and Robbie Ofir for editorial support,
Alex Candelaria Sedillos for photography, and High Desert Yoga, Albu-
querque, and Karen Ann Swift for modeling. Thanks to Avri Glick,
Dilys Garcia, Aliza Stewart, Peter Hasson, Jean Ashby, Charlotte Palumbo,
Ginger Carney, Carol Meade, Christel Schulte, Patricio Simon, Janine
Holenstein, Nora Karner, Ulfried Blaschek, Felicia Noelle Trujillo,
Marta Ballen, Garet Newell, Tina and Katarina Tribe, Claire Nettle, and
many others for giving me the opportunity to share the gift. Last but not
least, thanks to all those who have attended my classes, seminars, and
retreats. You are my greatest inspiration.

Contents
Introduction: Why America Can't Sleep 1
Chapter 1 Profiles in Sounder Sleep 21
Chapter 1 How to Use This Book 67
Chapter 3 Relax Your Body 91
Chapter 4 Calm Your Mind 159
Chapter J Lull Yourself to Sleep 232
Appendix A: For Further Exploration 299
Appendix B: Mini-Moves in Brief 301
About the Author 317

Dear to us ever is the banquet, and the harp, and the dance,
and changes of raiment, and the warm bath, and love,
and sleep.
—The Odyssey, Book VIII

THE
Insomnia
Solution
Introduction
Why America Can't Sleep

Enjoy the honey-heavy dew of slumber:
Thou hast no figures nor no fantasies,
Which busy care draws in the brains of men;

Therefore thou sleep'st so sound.
—Shakespeare, Julius Caesar
Do you have trouble sleeping? If so, you are not alone. In a recent
poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, more than half

the respondents had symptoms of insomnia at least a few nights a
week. Thirty-five percent said that they experienced symptoms
every night or almost every night in the past year. Since Septem-
ber 11, 2001, sales of sleeping pills have soared by 25 percent, and
anti-anxiety drugs are up nearly 1 percent according to the chief
of integrative medicine at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Cen-
ter in New York. And Dr. Carl E. Hunt, director of the National
Center on Sleep Disorders Research, estimates that there are as
many as seventy million problem sleepers in the United States. By

all accounts, the United States is suffering from an epidemic of
sleeplessness.
We may chuckle when we see someone nodding in front of

the TV, at the movies, or during a political speech. Poor fella
2 The Insomnia Solution
needs a vacation! we think, without much compassion. But sleep

problems and sleep deprivation are no laughing matter. Sleep-
challenged people are irritable, inattentive, and accident prone.
They are more likely to suffer depression, heart disease, or stroke
than their well-rested peers. A 1999 study reported in the journal
Sleep notes that insomniacs suffer impaired concentration, im-
paired memory, a decreased ability to accomplish daily tasks, a
decreased ability to enjoy interpersonal relationships, and an

increased use of health care services. The Archives ofInternal Med-
icine notes that insomnia sufferers are more likely to develop
affective disorders, heart disease, and other adverse health out-
comes. Another study puts it more bluntly: "Insomnia is predictive
of cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular disease."

A study of the hormonal consequences of sleep deprivation was
conducted by University of Chicago's Eve Van Cauter and associ-
ates at a Belgian university. They found that restricting sleep to
four hours per night brings disturbance in the activity and timing
of several important hormones including Cortisol, melatonin, lep-
tin, thyroid hormones, and prolactin. The study states, "Since
these alterations are qualitatively and quantitatively similar to
those observed during aging and sometimes during depression, a

state of sleep debt, as is experienced by a substantial fragment of
the population in modern societies, is likely to increase the sever-
ity of depression and widespread age-related chronic conditions

such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension."
Numerous studies associate insomnia with reduction in im-
mune function. One, conducted at a German university, investi-
gated measures of immune defense as well as subjective well-being

and psychosocial performance in ten healthy males before and
after sleep deprivation and again after recovery sleep. Sleep depri-
vation evoked not only decreased function of the immune system,

most clearly visible on the morning following the sleepless night,
—
Why A merica Can't S leep 3
but also deterioration of both mood and ability to work, which

were most prominent the following evening.
The list of health consequences of insomnia goes on. It would
take the rest of this book to detail all the negative health effects of
sleep loss, though that is not our purpose here. Perhaps a mone-
tary estimate will best suggest the full scope of the problem.
According to one estimate, sleeplessness costs $15.9 billion a year
in health care costs alone.
Accidents are another serious consequence of the insomnia epi-

demic. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) attributes over 100,000 automobile crashes per year to

drowsy drivers, with 1,500 fatalities, 71,000 injuries, and a mone-
tary cost of $12.5 billion. A British study revealed that drivers
who report moderate to severe daytime sleepiness (about 20 per-
cent of all drivers) are twice as likely to have been involved in a

crash as other drivers. Yet 37 percent of respondents to an NHTSA
poll said they have fallen asleep behind the wheel, 8 percent hav-
ing done so in the last six months. But accidents don't occur only
on the road. Do the names Bhopal, Chernobyl, and Exxon Valdez
ring a bell? Sleep-deprived workers were implicated in each of
these industrial disasters.
Insomnia plays no favorites either: our doctors, our police, our

pilots, and our military personnel, all those charged with protect-
ing our lives, are just as likely as the rest of us, perhaps more so, to
suffer insomnia and sleep deprivation. Does it matter? Of course.

Sleep deprivation wreaks havoc with our physical, cognitive, and
intellectual abilities. One study of motor and sensory perfor-
mance during and after experimentally induced sleep deprivation
found a general reduction in overall response speed, a decrease in
the speed of the fastest responses, and an increase in "lapsing"
delays in responding to stimuli —which in turn produced further

decreases in response speed.
Mark Rosekind, a consultant for industrial sleep hygiene, says

that many pilots, policemen, and doctors admit to making errors
in sleep-deprived states of consciousness. According to his find-

ings, cited in Business Week, 1 9 percent of health care workers
report worsening a patient's condition because of fatigue; 44 per-
cent of law enforcement officers report taking unnecessary risks

while tired; and 80 percent of U.S. regional pilots say they've
fallen asleep in the cockpit. William C. Dement, in his book The

Promise of Sleep, describes tests Rosekind conducted on commer-
cial pilots during long-haul flights between the West Coast and
Japan. He found that pilots' reaction times during these pro-
longed flights often dropped 25 percent, and they frequently

lapsed into "microsleeps" lasting five to ten seconds or more. These
lapses of consciousness occurred not only in mid-flight but, even
more alarmingly, during takeoffs and landings. A recent U.S.
Army study suggests that combat stress and sleep deprivation may
affect soldiers so badly that they perform as if they were drunk or
sedated. Ill effects include slower reaction times, reduced vigilance,
and problems remembering key details.
The bottom line? Estimates of the total monetary cost of

insomnia and other sleep disorders, including medical, property
damage, industrial accidents, employee absenteeism, and lost pro-
ductivity, approach $45 billion per year. This is a huge cost for
society to bear. But the human cost is far higher. Sleeplessness
threatens our jobs, our relationships, and our health. It is a major

public health issue that impacts the quality of life of millions of
people.
On the Brighter Side
( .oil bless the Inventoi of deep, the ( loak thai covers all men's
thoughts, the food thai cures .ill hunger... the balancing

Why America Can't Sleep 5
weight that levels the shepherd with the king and the simple
with the wise.
—Miguel de Cervantes,
Don Quixote
Now you know the dark side of sleep. Fortunately, there is a
brighter side, too: Sleep, when we get the right quantity and quality
of it, is nature's best medicine — a universal tonic that boosts our
energy and vitality, elevates our mood, quells anxiety, and

enhances our ability to learn and remember. When we are well
rested, we're more at peace with the world around us and with our
fellow human beings. We're more patient and compassionate.
Recent research even indicates that sleep makes us smarter and
more creative! But here no scientific data is really required,
because anyone who has ever endured a string of sleepless nights

and dragged through the days that follow them knows what a
relief it is to awaken from that first, full night of blissful, restora-
tive slumber. Suddenly the world seems to be a brighter, kinder,
gentler place. We feel happier, stronger, and smarter. We feel more
balanced and relaxed, more alert and alive.
Scientific research does confirm these subjective feelings about

sleep. After centuries during which sleep was believed to be
merely a quiescent state of brain and body, contemporary science
is beginning to identify numerous, positive benefits conveyed by
natural, restful sleep. In the brain, lower metabolic rates and brain
temperatures during quiet sleep provide an opportunity for bra n ;
cells to recover from oxidative damage done by free radicals dur-

ing waking hours. Most regions of the brain cannot regenerate
cells as other organs do, so this sleep-dependent repair work is
essential for keeping the brain in good working order. The active,
or rapid eye movement (REM), phase of sleep, when we do most
of our dreaming, brings a temporary cessation of release of the
essential neurotransmitters norepinephrine, serotonin, and hista-
mine. This brief respite, which comprises about 20 percent of

total sleep time, allows the receptors for these neurotransmitters
to rest, restoring them to their appropriate levels of sensitivity.
The restored sensitivity is thought to play an important role in
regulating mood during waking hours.

As we have seen, sleep deprivation depresses the functioning of
the immune system, but the converse is also true. A good nights
sleep has a wonderful restorative effect on our body's defense sys-
tem. In one experiment, a group of nineteen healthy people were

given a hepatitis vaccination followed by either a full night of
sleep or a night of sleep deprivation. Four weeks later, the sleep
group exhibited nearly twofold higher hepatitis A virus (HAV)
antibody titer, indicating a considerably more robust immune
response.
Sleep is unquestionably the most effective stress-reduction

technique we will ever know. The demands of daily life can over-
charge the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system,
triggering the so-called fight-or- flight mechanism that launches
mind and body into overdrive in response to stress and keeping it
there for prolonged periods. Sleep, particularly deep sleep, effec-
tively rebalances the system, giving the parasympathetic branch,

which governs our ability to "rest and digest," a chance to assert
itself. In this way sleep moderates the effects of stress and switches
the body into self-healing mode.
Watching your weight? Deep, restful sleep is something you
can't do without, according to Van Cauter. Human growth hor-
mone (HGH), which drives the growth of living tissue during
childhood, takes on the job of regulating weight, among other
(unctions, in adulthood. And HGH is secreted only during deep
sleep. Without sleep, even the most ardent weight watcher will
experience plenty of frustration but not much weight loss.
Can sleep really make you smarter or more skillful? It seems so.
A large number of studies offer extensive evidence supporting this

role of sleep in what is becoming known as sleep-dependent
memory processing. These studies indicate that what we learn
during waking hours requires distinct periods of consolidation
before it is finally retained in our memories and reflected in our
abilities. The simple passage of time does part of the job, but sleep
has the unique capacity to enhance the process.
In one Harvard study, subjects trained in a finger-tapping task
at either ten in the morning or ten in the evening were tested

immediately following training and again twelve hours later with-
out further training. The morning group, who had remained
awake for the twelve hours following training, displayed modest
gains in speed and accuracy of performance. But the evening
group, who received a full night of sleep before the retest, scored
startling performance gains averaging 20 percent for speed and 39

percent for accuracy as compared with the no-sleep group. Addi-
tional gains were seen over the following two nights. Similar
results have been obtained in auditory and language learning
tasks, visual texture discrimination tasks, and others.
Another study, conducted at the University of Liibeck in Ger-
many and published in Nature, suggests that sleep brings insight,
helping us to find creative solutions to difficult problems. In the
study, 106 volunteers aged eighteen to thirty-two were asked to
solve a "number reduction task" in which they could gradually
improve their score by increasing their response speed with each
round. However, they could also improve abruptly by gaining
insight into a secret abstract rule underlying all the sequences.
After initial exposure to the task, a third of the participants slept
eight hours, another third were kept awake, while a third group
was retested after eight hours of waking activities. Upon subse-

quent retesting, participants in the sleep group were twice as likely
to discover the hidden rule as members of the other two groups.

This research has great significance for both children's school per-
formance as well as workplace productivity and creativity.
Want to excel in school or industry? Be sure to get plenty of
sleep. Want a strong immune system? Sleep. Want vibrant good

health, happiness, and a trim figure? Sleep, sleep, sleep.
Chronic insomnia and sleep disorders are medical problems,

and therefore beyond the scope of this book. If you experience
sleeplessness or other sleep-related symptoms for a week or more,
ask your doctor or other medical provider to work with you to
discover and alleviate the causes of your problem. Of course, once

you've addressed all of the medical issues, you are welcome to
return to these pages for help in restoring your natural, human

ability to fall asleep and sleep through the night. What is pre-
sented here is applicable to anyone who wishes to learn how to
encourage and amplify those natural, God-given processes that

enable us to obtain the rest we need.
However, many people experience transitory insomnia with no
apparent medical cause. They exhibit no diagnosable medical
condition, other than an inability to sleep for one or several nights.
The condition may come and go, it may disappear for a time, it
may recur. That doesn't make it any less troubling! If that sort of
transitory insomnia is what ails you, this book is for you! Dive
right in, and you will learn what you need to know to fall asleep
effortlessly at bedtime and to return to sleep quickly should you

awaken during the night or early morning.
Stress: I ho Principal Cause of Insomnia
What causes the transitory insomnia that plagues so many mil-
lions of us? And more important, why is it happening to you? The

short answer is, stress. Stress is the principal cause of insomnia. But
what is stress? Everyone talks about stress, and everyone suffers
from it at one time or another, but when we come right down to

it, we're not really sure what stress is. So let's try to clarify it a bit.
Any healthy animal, whether it's a jellyfish, your family dog, or
you, exists for most of its life in a state of homeostatic balance.

That means that certain essential measures of vitality — fluid bal-
ance, caloric intake, temperature, and so on — are kept close to the
ideal "set point." This allows the organism to function at its peak
potential.
A stressor is anything that throws that fundamental balance out

of whack, and stress is the variety of physical responses the organ-
ism uses in attempting to restore it. In human beings, the stress
response begins with the release of two hormones from the adre-
nal glands: epinephrine and Cortisol. These two hormones chan-
nel extra energy to the muscles and boost blood supply to allow
quick action in response to the stressor. At the same time, they

withdraw energy from processes that aren't needed for short-term
survival, like growth and digestion.

The stress response is often triggered by an acute physical
threat or demand — fleeing from a predator is the most often cited
example —but it can also result from less dramatic factors such as
heat or cold, scarcity of food or water, exposure to pollutants or
toxins, immobilization, crowding, noise, darkness, and, yes, lack of
sleep. Then there are such intangibles as fear, anger, grief, uncer-
tainty, even extreme joy. All of these things are stressors; all of
them are capable of provoking a stress response.
When the average animal encounters a stressor, its body pro-

duces a stress response for only as long as necessary and then
returns quickly and efficiently to its previous homeostatic state.
But humans and other primates are not your average animal. For
them, the stress response can be triggered not only by real threats
but also by the mere anticipation of one. Sometimes, if stressful
events persist for a long time or recur with great frequency, or

even if we just anticipate that they will, the stress response
becomes a more or less permanent state of affairs.
When the stress response becomes the norm rather than a tran-
sitory state, then we are in for some real trouble. In the homeo-
static state, our bodies conserve energy, using only what is
necessary to maintain the balance of life. But with the stress
response, there is a generalized increase in our metabolic rate: Our

pulse quickens, our blood pressure and oxygen consumption soar,
our muscles tense, and our body temperature runs hotter than
normal, as if to prepare us for immediate action. But this is far
more energy than we can afford to spend on a regular basis.

Whereas the purpose of the stress response is to restore the body
to balance, prolonged or unremitting stress creates serious imbal-
ances of its own. Keeping all our bodily systems in a constant state
of alarm eventually wears us out. It's no wonder that stress plays a
role in the development of so many diseases, from heart attacks
and stroke to anxiety and depression, diabetes, ulcers, colitis, and

cancer.
So where does insomnia fit into this picture? How does stress
cause insomnia? To understand that, we must first know a little
bit about the physical processes that occur when we fall asleep.
Falling asleep is a natural process that involves a distinct sequence

of events in the body. As we approach sleep, there is a gradual low-
ering of metabolism. Our heart rate slows and our blood pressure
declines. Our breathing becomes more regular, and we consume
less oxygen. Our postural muscles, which have worked all day to
keep us upright and moving about, now relax. At the same time,
there are changes in the processing activity of the brain. The activ-
ity of neurons in the cerebral cortex becomes first slower, and then
more synchronized, indicating a shift away from the complex,
activated pattern* of waking consciousness and toward a homoge-
1
nous, deactivated state. As a result, we cease to process the sensory
messages coming in from the outside world, and we slip into quiet
sleep.
If we compare this description of the sleep-onset process to the

description of the stress response in the preceding paragraph, it
becomes very obvious that these are two antagonistic processes.
Falling asleep involves a decrease in metabolism, and a gradual
cessation of readiness for action, whereas the stress response
involves a rapid increase in metabolism, sending the organism
into a state of preparedness for action. The sleep process decreases
arousal, making us less alert, while the stress response increases

arousal, making us more so.
You'll remember we mentioned that the adrenal hormone Cor-
tisol was a trigger of the stress response. That's not Cortisol's only
job, however. In addition to the sharp transitory peaks of Cortisol
secretion that characterize the stress response, there is also a daily,
cyclical rise and fall of Cortisol levels that govern our level of wake-
fulness throughout the day and night. Cortisol is excitatory; it
arouses us and wakes us up. Blood levels of Cortisol have been

shown to increase between 50 and 160 percent within thirty min-
utes of waking; that produces the powerful jolt of arousal needed
to wake us up and get us moving in the morning. Then, Cortisol
levels decline as the day wears on and reach their lowest point in
the evening, allowing us to rest, relax, and sleep.
But, as we know, Cortisol levels can also be affected by the condi-

tions of our daily existence. Dangerous, demanding, or threaten-
ing events — stressors — cause us to temporarily secrete higher levels
of Cortisol. That's a good thing, because we need to be aroused
in order to answer the challenges that arise in the course of our

lives. But when, as a result of prolonged or unremitting stress,
whether real or perceived, our Cortisol levels get stuck at a chroni-

cally higher level, that's bad news for our bodies and minds, and
especially bad news for our ability to sleep and rest. Chronic over-
secretion of Cortisol leaves us chronically hyperaroused. Numerous
studies indicate that insomnia is accompanied by excessive activa-
tion of the stress-response system not only during waking hours

but during sleep as well. Furthermore, chronically elevated levels of
Cortisol and its precursor, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH),
can make sleep shallow, fragmented, and unrestful; delay the onset
of sleep; and produce more frequent nocturnal awakenings.

To summarize: Stress is the principal cause of insomnia. Stress
hormones are excitatory. When stress becomes chronic, we become

chronically excited, or hyperaroused. When we're chronically hyper-
aroused, we can't sleep, and the sleep we do get is not as restful.
1 he Big Question: How Much Sleep Do You Need?

This is the question I'm asked most frequently, and it's a tricky
one. Each person's needs are different, not only for sleep but also
for all aspects of life. Consequently, there are probably as many
ways to answer the question as there are people! To approximate
any kind of an answer I would need to know: What is your age?
What is What are your personal sleep
the state of your health?
rhythms? What is your profession? What is your work schedule?
What is most important to you in life? What are your dreams,
your aspirations? What is your life's purpose? When we know all
of that and more, we can see how sleep fits into the total picture,
and we can start to come up with an individual answer. In my pri-
vate practice, I often spend quite a bit of time helping my clients
discover how to balance their needs for sleep, rest, and repose with
all the other aspects of their lives.
Of course, I cannot give an individual answer for each reader. I
have to say something general that will be helpful to each of you!

So here goes.
3
Why America Can 't Sleep 1
Before Thomas Edison's invention of the lightbulb and the

advent of artificial lighting, it is believed that Americans slept an
average of 10 hours per night. Medical science currently recog-

nizes 8.4 hours of sleep per night as the average sleep requirement
for general good health, though recognizing that some people can
get along fine on an hour or two less whereas others need an hour
or two more. I don't disagree with that general rule of thumb, but
my perspective is a little different since I view sleep as not merely a

medical matter but also a personal and spiritual one. My interest
is not only in general health but in personal growth, pleasure, and
self-healing as well.
It is my belief that we need something like eight hours of sleep

per night, give or take an hour or two, but we can use a whole lot
more. You see, I believe there are parts of each one of us in a state
of profound un-rest, and these parts of ourselves require more
than ordinary nightly sleep to be fully rested and fully healed.
To make an analogy with nutrition, we all know that there is a
minimum daily requirement (MDR) set by the government for
certain nutrients —vitamins A, C, and E, calcium, magnesium,

and so forth. The MDR for a given nutrient is the amount you
need to maintain general health. But, as you may be aware, these
same nutrients can be taken in larger doses to enhance our overall
vigor and vitality and, in the case of illness or injury, to support

healing. The same goes for sleep.
That 8.4 hours, give or take two, is your MDR for "vitamin S,"
sleep. That's a medical necessity! Still, you can take higher doses of
sleep to dig down into those deeper recesses of yourself that need
resting, nurturing, and healing to help them to regain their full
vitality, their full aliveness. These pleasurable, all-natural "sleep
supplements" may include minutes or hours added to your usual

bedtimes, as well as daytime naps, breaks, periods of deep relax-
ation, introspection, meditation, daydreaming, and anything else
that helps you to maintain a more peaceful existence. All of the

Mini-Moves™ presented in this book are designed to help you do
just that.
The Other Big Question:

How Many Hours Should You Spend in Bed?
People so often wonder how many hours of sleep they need, but
they rarely think about how many hours it might take to get those
hours. The question is one of efficiency: How many hours does it
take to get eight hours' sleep? If you really think about it, you'll see
that it takes considerably more than eight hours! Or, to put it
another way, eight hours in bed is not the same thing as eight
hours' sleep. Here's why: Let's say you go to bed at 1 1 p.m. and
you plan to wake up at 7 a.m. In other words, you're planning to
spend eight hours in bed. How much sleep will you get during
those eight hours? Well, how long does it take you to fall asleep?
Five minutes? Ten? Twenty? Or more? It is perfectly normal to
experience some lag time between hitting the pillow and actually
drifting off to sleep (scientists call this the sleep latency period) . To
be accurate, we really can't count that latency period as part of the
sleep total. Subsequently, when you calculate how much sleep
you've had, please do subtract that lag time from the eight hours
you spend in bed.
Ask yourself whether you tend to have periods of wakefulness

during the night. Do you observe a nightwatch, awakening to
muse or meditate some time during the late night or early morn-
ing? That's normal, too, and it can be richly rewarding, but how
much does it detract from your actual snooze time? Finally, what
about the morning? Do you wake up ten, twenty, or thirty min-
utes before 7 a.m., just lying there, luxuriating in the waning
momenta o( bedtime? That's an agreeable way to start the day!
5
Why A merica Can 't Sleep 1
When you calculate your sleep time, however, that gets subtracted
from the total.
So let's say you spent twenty minutes drifting off, twenty for
the nightwatch, and twenty minutes lying in the gold of dawn.
There goes sixty minutes of sleep right there! You got into bed at
1 1 and you got out eight hours later, but you slept for only seven
hours! The bottom line is, depending on your sleep style, it may
take considerably longer than eight hours to get eight hours' sleep.
Of course, this is only an example, and your own sleep needs
and your sleep schedule may vary considerably. For that reason, I
strongly suggest that you perform a similar calculation for your
own bedtime habits, and determine exactly how much sleep you
actually get. You may be surprised! As a result, you may wish to
adjust your sleep schedule, allowing more time in bed so you can
get the rest you need. Sleep on it!
Sleep Medication: Cold Comfort
Sleeping pills are currently a $2 billion industry, and for the phar-
maceutical industry that's just an appetizer. An article in Business
Week cites industry estimates that the market will more than
double, to $5 billion by 2010. "This is unquestionably one of the
largest potential pharmaceutical markets in the world," opines
pharmaceutical executive Gary A. Lyons, quoted in the New York
Times (January 14, 2004). This rosy forecast is based on the find-
ing that only 40 percent of insomnia sufferers have been diag-
nosed, and of those, only about half are receiving treatment; and
fueled by the expectation that new drugs entering the market will
work more reliably than existing preparations and find greater
acceptance among consumers. Industry-sponsored public-opinion
campaigns begun years ago engender the belief that drug treat-
ment for insomnia is on the one hand medically necessary, and on

16 The Insoaania Solution
the other as natural, safe, and unremarkable as taking an aspirin

for a headache.
But is it? It's telling to note that a recent study conducted at the
Harvard Medical School found that half a dozen sessions of
cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can do more to help a
troubled sleeper than the top-selling sleeping pill. CBT is a form
of talk therapy previously proven to be highly effective for depres-
sion. The therapy addresses the root causes of insomnia — stress,
worry, fear, anxiety—and teaches the patient to handle them

more effectively. To me, that seems a much safer and more appeal-
ing solution than drugs. And by the way, the deeply relaxing move-
ment and breathing techniques presented in this book are
completely compatible with all psychotherapeutic approaches.

The therapy addresses the emotional and behavioral roots of your
problem, whereas the movement techniques restore your inborn
ability for natural, restful sleep. Of course, swallowing a single pill
at bedtime would be quicker and require less attention on your

part. But I think you're worth a little extra time and attention,
especially when the end result is likely to be safer, better, and

longer lasting.
I personally have no qualms about sleeping pills as a last resort.
I'm glad they're available to folks who are enduring pain, illness,
side effects of chemotherapy, or overwhelmingly stressful life
events, and who would otherwise go sleepless for long periods. In

those cases I consider sleep medication to be a blessing. Why
should people suffer when medications can help? However, sleep
medication his become the first, rather than the last, resort even
for short-term, transitory insomnia. "Missed a couple nights' sleep?"

say our doctors with increasing frequency, "here's a sample. Take
as needed."
Its easy to start on sleeping pills, but it's not always easy to stop.
Much of my private practice consists of people who are terribly
7
Why A merica Can 't Sleep 1
eager to wean themselves off sleeping pills, most of them in the
grip of a single best-selling brand. They welcomed sleeping pills as
an easy ride to sounder sleep, and now they find they can't get off
the merry-go-round. Although they may not be technically "habit-

uated," they may struggle with "rebound insomnia," sleeplessness
that results when sleep drugs are withdrawn. After a period in
which the sleep-wake rhythm was controlled by a drug rather
than the body's natural timekeeping mechanisms, it can be hard
for mind and body to resume their former duties. Even if you're
suffering rebound insomnia, don't despair! If you're truly commit-

ted to your own self-healing, the insomnia solution presented in
this book can help you.
If you're considering trying sleeping pills, here are four ques-
tions I suggest you ask your doctor —and yourself. First, how will
sleeping pills affect sleep quality? Is the sleep you get with a pill
equivalent to the natural, restful sleep we were born to enjoy? Or

is it just an imitation of the real thing, like coffee creamer or a
Dynel hairpiece? Bear in mind, sleep is more than just becoming
unconscious for eight hours. Just as a balanced meal contains all
the essential nutrients in precise proportion, natural sleep contains
all the essential stages of sleep in precise proportion, too. Disturb

that essential balance of sleep, as many medications are known to
do, and you may get something quite different. What does mod-
ern science say on the subject? Is there any research to guide you?
Sadly, not much. Research takes lots of money, and most studies on
sleeping drugs are funded by the manufacturers themselves. They
are interested in how long a drug takes to act, how long its effects
last, and what the side effects are. That's about as far as it goes.
Second, what are the long-term effects of sleeping pill use?
Sleeping pills can't actually cure insomnia. They are at best a stop-
gap solution designed to tide you over until the causes of the
problem abate. Note that no sleeping pill has ever been tested or
approved for more than short-term use — a month at best. Yet
many troubled sleepers take them for months or even years. What
are the health effects? What are the consequences? We can't be
certain.
Third, how long will the drug retain its effectiveness? Many
sleeping pills work one way when you start, and quite differently a
month or two later. Your body and mind may become desensi-
tized to the drug's effect. You might need to add another drug,
and then another, just to get the same effect you began with. Not
a few people end up taking several drugs, every night at bedtime,
without a cure in sight. I have clients who take three different

sleep medications every night; in The Promise of Sleep, Dement
reports patients who take as many as eight.
Fourth, what's the exit strategy? How long should you plan to
use this drug, and what will it take for you to stop? Will you expe-
rience rebound insomnia? Please discuss these and any other ques-
tions you may have with your doctor or other health care provider
before embarking on a course of sleep medication. With your
doctor's consultation, and a bit of your own research, you can
make the decision that's right for you.
Even if you do decide to go the medication route, I hope you

will choose to learn the gentle sleep-inducing exercises in this
book as well. They will make your daily life more peaceful,
thereby hastening the day when you won't need sleeping pills any-
more. And when that day comes, the gentle, synchronized move-
ments and breathing will put the healing power of natural, restful
sleep quite literally at your fingertips.
I ho "Sloop Switch" and How to Flip It
More than seventy years ago, a gifted neurologist named Con-

stant in vail Hconomo speculated that there were physical struc-
tures in the brain that were responsible for sleep and waking. He
postulated a wakefulness center in the posterior hypothalamus
and a sleep-promoting center in the preoptic area. Twenty years
later, a Dutch neurologist, Nauta, discovered that an incision in
the front of a rat's hypothalamus interfered with its ability to sleep
and one in the back of the hypothalamus sent it into a coma. But
the exact location and character of the neurons responsible were

unknown.
Recently, building on these earlier discoveries, a team at Har-
vard Medical School has located two centers in the rat brain,
which they believe constitute the "sleep switch" in the human
brain. As predicted, the ventrolateral preoptic nucleus (VLPO) in
the front of the hypothalamus contains neurons that are active
during sleep, while the posterior lateral hypothalamus contains
neurons that are crucial for maintaining normal wakefulness. It
seems that these two centers carry on an ongoing neurological

tug-of-war in which each center attempts to inhibit, or suppress,
the other's activity. Whether we're awake or asleep at any given
moment depends on which of these centers is dominant at the
time. Taken together, these interdependent structures are said to
constitute a sleep switch that, when functioning properly, keeps

us awake during the day and asleep through the night. By the
same token, disruption of the communicating pathway between
the two structures may be a cause of insomnia and other sleep dis-
orders. Reports of these discoveries have caused a stir in the media,
even making it to the cover of Newsweek. Much of the excitement

centers on the search for new sleep drugs. Now that they think
they know where the sleep switch is located, scientists plan to
invent new drugs that will allow us to flip it "on" whenever we
like. The hope is that the new drugs, rather than sedating the
entire central nervous system, might act more specifically on the
centers that actually control sleep, providing something closer to
natural, restful slumber than existing sleep preparations, without

the side effects, potential drug dependency, and unpredictable
results.
My response to the discovery of the alleged sleep switch is a bit
different. I welcome the discovery as a scientific elucidation of

something I know in my own experience. For I have
already
known for some time how to flip the sleep switch without drugs,
without any artificial aids whatsoever. And I can teach it to you,
too. Using the simple, immediately available tools of physical

movement and breathing, you can learn to throw the sleep switch
whenever you need to. In doing so, you needn't introduce any for-
eign substances into your body. Rather, you can switch on your
body's innate faculty for healthy, restful sleep simply by acting in
perfect accord with nature's laws and your own deepest needs.
And it won't cost a penny. That's what we're going to talk about in
the next chapters.
Chapter 1
s"
* *
Profiles in Sounder Sleep
"Good-bye sleep lab, hello Sounder Sleep System! After

working the night shift for twenty years my brain couldn't tell
night from day. Now I sleep like a baby lamb."

— J.P., IT officer
Janet is an editor for a local news organization. It's late morning,

about time for a coffee break. After a morning of fast-paced news-
room action, Janet s body feels tense, her skull seems to be pulsat-
ing, and her mind is racing. Instead of heading for the coffee cart,
Janet puts her three computers to sleep, activates her voice mail,
and lowers her hands to her lap. Joining her hands, she closes her
eyes and rests quietly. Her breathing becomes slower and softer.
Each time she inhales, Janet gradually twists and bends her wrists
slightly so that the knuckles of both hands rise gently toward the
ceiling. Each time she exhales, her wrists relax and the hands
come to rest in her lap. Often she pauses for a few breaths, then
continues. After five minutes Janet slowly opens her eyes, breathes
what appears to be a deep sigh of relief, and heads down the hall
for a cup of herbal tea. Her eyes are twinkling, her mind is calm
and clear, her energy is renewed.
Tim is a recently retired executive in good health, enjoying
newfound freedom from the corporate grind. It's 3 a.m., and he

has slept soundly since he and his wife, Maggie, turned in at
21
I'm just amazed. Sleep is no longer a problem for me!"

—Bill H., fibromyalgia sufferer
1 1:30. He's just made a quick trip to the bathroom and returned
to bed. But now he's awake. Eager to return to sleep quickly and
efficiently, Tim takes action. He lightly touches the tip of his
tongue to a spot on the inside of his cheek. With each inhalation
he pushes gently outward against the elastic tissues of his cheek.
With each exhalation he allows his tongue to relax. After six or
seven repetitions of that modest movement, he stops to rest. After
a few minutes, his jaw becomes slack, his breathing gets a little
fuller, and his mind is occupied with dreamlike thoughts. Soon

he and Maggie are sleeping peacefully again, side by side.
Abby suffers from fibromyalgia, a chronic pain syndrome of

unknown cause. Sufferers feel pain at certain "tender points" on
the neck, shoulders, back, and hips. Insomnia and un-restful sleep
are among the symptoms associated with the syndrome. At
bedtime, Abby lies on her right side, slowly moving her left
hip downward in a series of steplike movements. The movements
are light, easy, and soothing. After a few minutes of that Abby
rests quietly, tuning in to the calming effect of the movement.

Another round of movements, another pause, and Abby drifts off
to sleep.
Later that night, around 2 a.m., Abby wakes up again for no

apparent reason. She's feeling vaguely anxious and her body is
sore, as is typical of fibromyalgia sufferers. Rolling to her side, she
repeats the same sequence of gentle movements she did at bed-

time, pausing frequently to rest and feel the effects. Within min-
utes, Abby's anxiety has lost its edge and the soreness has abated.
Abby drifts back to sleep.
Profiles in Sounder Sleep 23
What are Janet, Tim, and Abby doing? Is it some sort of medi-
tation? Yes and no. Exercises? Well, not exactly. In fact they are
practicing Mini-Moves, gentle, synchronized movements and

breathing, alternating with periods of quiet rest. Mini-Moves are
the basic building blocks of the Sounder Sleep System™, a practi-

cal, innovative system of self-healing for insomnia and the stress
oflife.
During waking hours these gentle, natural Mini-Moves relieve
physical tension and help you stay calm, even under stress. At
bedtime, they help you relax your body, calm your mind, and lull
yourself into a blissful, restorative slumber. If you wake during the

night, these same Mini-Moves help you get back to sleep fast.
Just like Janet or Tim or Abby, you, too, can benefit from these
unique techniques. Thousands of people in North America and
Europe have already learned the Mini-Moves from a nurse, physi-
cal therapist, counselor, or other healing-arts practitioner and
experienced the benefits. In the pages that follow, you will learn
how to do the Mini-Moves yourself, and how to make them a part
of your life. Once you've learned the basics, you can do them any-
time, anywhere to rest and recover from the stress of life and to
achieve more restful sleep.
Used regularly and conscientiously in conjunction with some

commonsense lifestyle guidelines, these gentle, pleasurable tech-
niques can be your surest ally in your struggle against insomnia
and the stress of life. As a result, your life will get sweeter and
more peaceful. Your thoughts will become more positive, your
creativity will flourish, and you'll see a happier, healthier, and
more energetic person in the mirror.
Does that sound good to you? Great! Everything you need to
know is right in this book. Read on!

The Eternal Quest: Self-Healing Then and Now

From our very beginnings, we humans have been engaged in a
quest for self-healing. Whenever we were ill, injured, sleepless, or
afraid, we looked for resources in our own environment that we

could use to recover our full health and vitality. These resources
included healing foods and medicines derived from plants, ani-
mals, and the earth; healing prayer, meditation, ritual, singing,
and chanting; rest cures and pilgrimages to sacred sites; and an
endless variety of human-centered means of healing, employing
touch, mindful movement, and breath. This self-healing tradition
goes back as far as we care to look.
The common herb yarrow, known to modern botanists as
Achillea millefolium, gives us clear proof of the historical continu-
ity of the self-healing quest. Fossilized yarrow pollen has been dis-
covered in caves occupied by the Neanderthal people over sixty

thousand years ago. This same herb appears in ancient Greek
mythology; it is said that Achilles (for whom the herb appears to
be named) gave it to his soldiers during the battle of Troy to stop

the bleeding of their wounds. The Navajos considered yarrow a
panacea, a cure for all ills, and this was echoed by English tradi-
tional herbalists, who called it an "allheal" herb. Early American

settlers used it for urinary problems, head colds, and more.
Consider another timeless self-healing practice — chanting. It has
existed in one form or another in virtually every human culture.
The Vedic sages of India employed chanting to purify the mind

and body over five thousand years ago, and their methods are still
used today. Sufis, the Middle Eastern mystical sect best known for
the "whirling dervishes," trace their healing chants back "to the
time of Adam." And Alfred A. Tomans, a medical doctor who has
made pioneering studies of the neurophysiology of sound, extols
the virtues of the millennium-old Gregorian chant for promoting

and restoring health, energy, and vitality. He believes that the high
frequencies of the tenor voices "charge" the nervous system while
the slow, breath-paced rhythms lead to a relaxed heart rate. The
result is a state Tomatis calls "body relaxed/mind alert," which he
deems ideal for learning and healing.
These few examples of healing chants are by no means all-
inclusive. The Africans, Greeks, Romans, Native Americans,

Mayans, Jews, and many other peoples have employed chants in
combined spiritual-religious and healing practices. Chanting, the
prolonged, repetitive singing of sacred words or syllables, uses the
most elemental means available for healing — the human body itself.
Chanting is a powerful healing practice that engages voice, breath,
physical movement, and mind in a vigorous, well-coordinated,
rhythmic action. In addition to its spiritual functions, chanting

has the potential to induce rapid, positive change at many levels
of being, including blood pressure, immune function, posture,

mood, and more. Chanting can even be used to induce sleep!
And consider yoga, the ancient Indian system of exercises for

health and well-being that has taken the country by storm, break-
ing out of its niche as an esoteric spiritual practice to feature
prominently on the covers of national magazines like Vogue and
Time, the latter declaring it to be a "75 million dollar a year indus-
try." But yoga is far more than just the physical-fitness flavor of
the month. In the nearly two-thousand-year-old Yoga-Sutra,
attributed to Patanjali, the physical postures of yoga are consid-
ered not as an end in themselves, but as a means for balancing,

healing, and strengthening the human body in preparation for a
comprehensive program for the liberation of the spirit. "Yoga,"

declares Patanjali, "is the cessation of the fluctuation of the mind."
But the yogic system predates Patanjali, probably by eons. Its ori-
gins lie in the native self-healing culture of the Indian subconti-
nent, in which the ever-available medium of movement and

breath, along with medicinal herbs, massage, diet, and natural

hygiene practices, constituted a cutting-edge self- and community-
care technology. Analogous healing systems appear in China, Tibet,
Korea, Southeast Asia, Polynesia, and the Middle East, invariably
intermixed with the indigenous philosophy and religion: Hin-
duism, Buddhism, Sufism, Taoism, Bon, and so forth. In those
philosophies, God, Heaven, Nature, Man, Body, and Breath were

not piecemeal entities such as we conceive them, but were under-
stood to be multiple expressions of a single, supreme unifying
principle. Healing the ills of the body was seen as a process of
alignment or harmonization with this primal force in all of its
manifestations.
The martial arts of China, India, and Japan reveal another his-
torical root of the self-healing project. The arts we know today as
karate, jiujitsu, kung fu, and many others were founded by war-
riors who, ever at risk for bodily hurt and harm, had to be masters
of the simplest, most effective, ready-to-hand means of healing
wounds, sprains, fractures, hemorrhage, poisoning, and the like.
This was a matter of sheer survival. To that end, manual manipu-

lation, movement, and breath techniques were key components of
the martial artist's materia medica. Vestiges of those healing prac-
tices persist, often unrecognized or only vaguely acknowledged, in
the practice of modern martial arts, and they remain explicit in
the "soft" martial art taiji, in qigong, and related Taoist practices.
Recently we have seen a resurgence of so-called medical qigong
used, often with doctors' consent and encouragement, as an

adjunct to Western medical treatment.
Clearly, self-healing occupies an important place in human his-
tory, h reflects the ageless need of human beings to care for our-
selves with whatever means are at our disposal, whether it is the clay
under our feet, the plants in the forests, or the very air that we
breathe. And this self-healing tradition is still alive and well,
though perhaps no longer considered the mainstream of medical

care. Even so, we tend to forget it, or minimize its importance. We
forget that there was a time when for most people the nearest doc-
tor or clinic might have been hundreds of miles away, and people
had know how to heal themselves. We forget that there was an
to
even earlier time when there were no doctors or clinics at all, and
then people really had to know how to heal themselves. And we
forget, or fail to notice, that, as we shall see, self-healing is going
on all the time, right under our noses.
So, how do we approach self-healing for insomnia and the

stress of life? What are the basic components of this self-healing
system? That will be revealed as this chapter unfolds.
The Spirit of Self-Healing
These ancient philosophies and practices of self-healing have

always held great appeal for me. At an early age I studied martial
arts, then meditation, then massage, healing foods, taiji, and
qigong, and I continue to pursue these studies to this day. I have
known many fine teachers who strongly influenced my thinking,
several of whom will be acknowledged as we proceed. For now,
there is one in particular I'd like to mention because his message
relates to the core philosophy, to the spirit, of the insomnia solu-
tion presented in this book.
About ten years ago I had the good fortune to attend a series of
lectures given by Michel Abehsera, a longtime teacher of natural

healing. At the time, Abehsera used to bill himself as a "savant,
raconteur, and bon vivant," and he was all of that, and more.
Despite their serious themes, his lectures had the form and feel of
rambling folktales, with an engaging, humorous quality that
made it easy to take in his message. These made a profound

impression on me and contributed greatly to my understanding
of the self-healing process.
By heritage a Moroccan Jew, Abehsera was one of the first
American students of Japanese health guru George Ohsawa, who

in the early 1 960s introduced America to such esoteric food items
as brown rice and pesticide-free, organically grown vegetables, as
well as shiatsu massage and acupuncture. At the time, these seemed

rather cultish, even freaky. Today, of course, many of these innova-
tions are widely known and accepted. In this period Abehsera
wrote several best-selling books of natural recipes, each one infused
with a healthy measure of Eastern philosophy. But somewhere
along the way he chucked the Eastern bit altogether and went back
to his roots in Judaism. There he found the writings of Mai-
monides, the twelfth-century Hebrew physician and sage, on
which he based his own distinctive approach to natural health and
healing. Good-bye brown rice and seaweed, hello bread and olives!
Two of Abehsera's teaching tales bear repeating here, because

they were my introduction to certain principles that are funda-
mental to the insomnia solution that you are about to learn. In
one, he recalled how one of his cooking students had proudly pre-
sented him with an extracurricular "vegetarian pot pie" made of
grains, vegetables, beans, nuts, seaweed, and seeds baked in a
whole wheat crust. Despite its abundance of "healthy" ingredi-

ents, Abehsera explained, this turgid concoction was arguably
inedible and definitely indigestible. Recalling how he had gently
refused the proffered pie, Abehsera offered this as an illustration
of the self-healing principle, "Don't punish yourself." By that he

meant that whatever you do to nurture your own well-being, to
heal yourself, must he light, easy, sweet, and pleasurable. Other-
wise, you ate just punishing yourself. And punishing yourself

won't help. It only causes more suffering.
Another of Abehsera's stories harkened back to a time in the

early 1 960s when he was building the Paradox, probably the first
natural-food restaurant in New York City. (Nowadays there are
dozens of them, in some cases two or three on the same block!) He

was so immersed in the design and construction of his new restau-
rant that he didn't have time to meet with all the people who were
calling him for health consultations. Eventually, Abehsera re-
called, "whatever complaint people had, I told them, 'Take barley
soup!' And you know," he said with an impish twinkle in his eye,
"it worked!" The idea here was that self-healing needn't involve
elaborate means or exotic substances, and needn't rely on the pow-

erful effects (and the attendant side effects!) that we have come to
expect from pharmaceuticals. Oftentimes something as simple,

earthy, and readily available as barley soup can be enough to
jump-start our innate faculty for self-healing. That means that
wherever we are, whether it's a high-rise building in a big city, a
shack in the middle of the desert, or a boat on the ocean, there is
bound to be something at hand that we can use to heal ourselves.

Years went by, and I hardly gave a thought to Abehsera and his
oddly entrancing tales. But those two principles of his had some-
how wormed their way into the depths of my consciousness: first,
that pleasure —not punishment— is our first, best ally in self-

healing; and second, that often the safest, most effective medicine
is something to be found right at our fingertips. These principles
were to serve me well when I found myself in dire need of self-
healing.
My Quest for Sounder Sleep

Several years ago I had a major bout of insomnia. I was going
through a difficult time in my life, with several big upheavals hap-
pening all at once: one of those midlife crises you hear people talk
about. You hear about it and perhaps you think, It won't happen
to me. Well, it did.
It was like this: After a busy day of juggling the mountain of

seemingly insurmountable personal problems that was then my
life, I'd get myself in bed by 10:30 or 1 1, and I'd fall asleep within
fifteen minutes or so. So far, so good. But just a few hours later,
around 2 or 3 a.m., zing!, my eyes would pop open like a couple

of automotive airbags. This sudden awakening was accompanied
by a rush of sensation in the pit of my stomach, a potent mix of
anxiety, dread, and fear. The effect was like suddenly gulping
down several cups of strong coffee (black, three sugars!). I was
wide awake. And I felt completely helpless to do anything
about it.
Once awake, I'd stay that way for two or three hours. Some-
times I'd lie in the dark, brooding about my personal problems
(including, of course, my inability to sleep). Sometimes I'd read
novels, magazines, or professional journals. Occasionally I'd pace
the floor. On a good night, I'd meditate or do qigong, the Taoist

self-healing exercises I'd studied on and off for the preceding fif-
teen years. Meditation and qigong calmed me considerably, but

not enough to let me sleep. Only toward morning, as rosy-fingered
dawn touched the rooftops of New York's upper west side, would
I drift into a fitful sleep.
A scant hour or so later, with the sun in all its glory and the
trucks on Columbus Avenue beginning their relentless daily rum-
ble, the night was palpably over. I would tally up the anxious
hours. "Let's see," I'd silently calculate, "to bed at 11, asleep by
1 1 : 1 5, woke up at 3. That's three hours and forty-five minutes of
shut-eye. Then three hours of wakefulness. Back to sleep at six for
an hour, maybe an hour and a quarter." I'd add the two blocks of
sleep together to figure my total elapsed sleep time: five hours by
the most liberal reckoning. Not nearly enough. I knew that I
needed at least seven and a half hours just to feel alert and alive,
and an hour more than that for full vitality and peak performance
at my work. That's the way I'm made.
This went on for a week and more. Some nights were a little
better, some were worse, but the cumulative effect was undeni-
able. My vital energy was being gradually depleted; I was begin-
ning to drag through my days. And while I lived on the seventh
floor, high enough above street level to enjoy an expansive view of
city and sky, my mood dwelt somewhere below the sub-basement.
Sound familiar?
Finally, I saw a doctor —because one should in such a case. He

examined me, reviewed my history, and didn't seem overly con-
cerned. In response to my request for a sleep aid, something "not
too heavy," he wrote a prescription for a pill with a name that
sounded like a recreational drug from the '60s. Recreational it was
not — aside from keeping me awake all night, it caused my eyes to
cross, replaced my stride with a stagger, and generally scared the
daylights out of me. Later, I discovered that this was no mere
sleeping pill, but an antidepressant that is often prescribed in cases
of depression accompanied by insomnia. "Not too heavy," indeed!
Anyway, that was the end of sleeping pills for me. I was deter-
mined to find the natural way.
Questioning
Some nights later, lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, I began to

form a question in my mind. I was into clean living —pure foods,
regular exercise, organically grown foods, vitamins and miner-
als —anything I could do to take good care of my body. Not only
that, but I also had been a student of modern and traditional self-
healing methods since high school. What's more, I was by profes-

sion a teacher of the Feldenkrais Method®, the wo rid- renowned
32 The Insoa^nia Solution
system of "movement education" that employs gentle, guided

body movements to encourage greater ease and spontaneity of
thought, action, and expression. My mission was teaching people
to use mindful, physical movement as the key to an easier, more
pleasurable, and productive life. Even so, in spite of all my per-
sonal study, professional training, and long experience with self-
healing, I could not summon a single technique that would help
me sleep. Nowhere in my studies of taiji, qigong, yoga, or medita-

tion had anyone said to me, "This is what you do to help yourself
sleep when you can't."
Of course, there was no shortage of techniques to relax the
body and calm the mind during waking hours, thereby making
sleep more likely at bedtime. I had long been diligent in my daily
practice of the Feldenkrais self-help method called Awareness
Through Movement® (dubbed ATM for short —long before the
advent of today's ever-present automated teller machines). Among
the many benefits of ATM is its power to relieve physical stress
and promote a state of profound mental and physical ease that

is undoubtedly a valuable aid to sleep. You will find several
Feldenkrais-flavored movement experiments in chapter 3 of this
book. If excess physical tension is a strong component of your

sleepless nights, that's a great place to start.
A good friend and long-experienced yoga teacher recom-

mended as an adjunct to my personal ATM practice a sequence of
yoga poses for me to practice during the day. They were wonder-
hill) relaxing and helped me to center and stabilize my mind. In
addition, one of my qigong teachers taught me some special exer-
cises said to encourage deeper sleep. They were helpful, too. The
more I did, the better 1 felt.
At this time, my apartment was half a block from Central Park,

and like thousands of other New Yorkers, I put the parks well-
paved drives to good use for vigorous physical exercise, particu-
larly during the glorious weekend hours when they were closed to
traffic. My favorite athletic pursuit was in-line skating, and I loved
to do a vigorous lap around the long, looping drive that circles the
park. I'd enter at Mariner's Gate on West 85th Street, zoom down
the hill with the American Museum of Natural History to my
right, under the perpetually stern gaze of Daniel Webster, immor-
talized in bronze at the 72nd Street crossover (liberty and
UNION, NOW AND FOREVER, ONE AND INSEPARABLE.). From there
I'd zip downtown, parallel to Central Park West.

So far, it had been mostly high-speed, downhill. But at the
southeastern corner of the park the terrain begins to tilt the other
way, and I would have to claw my way back up the east side, past
the closely ranked mansions on Fifth Avenue and the giant, con-
crete corkscrew that is the Guggenheim Museum. By the time I
reached 103rd Street, I'd be breathing pretty hard, so I'd most

often take advantage of the convenient crossover there, thus
avoiding the long hill leading into the upper reaches of the park.
Even so, it was a great workout, and I believe that at age forty-
eight I was in the best physical condition I'd ever known.

Why am I telling you this? Because, if you suffer from insom-
nia, you should know that physical fitness is one absolutely essen-
tial component of your personal insomnia solution. If you have
even occasional insomnia, please do exercise wherever, whenever
you can, whether that means walking a couple of miles to work,
climbing stairs instead of riding the elevator, swimming laps at
your local pool, or pumping iron at your local gym. Vigorous exer-
cise lifts your spirits, puts a spring in your step, and makes your
eyes sparkle in a way that makes you look younger than your
years. And numerous studies show that vigorous exercise at any
time of day —except in the evening, when exercise-induced stress
hormone production can delay the onset of sleep — is one of the

most effective lifestyle modifications you can make to promote
natural restful sleep.
So there it is. I was doing all the right things to help myself
sleep. Even so, in spite of my commitment to healthy food, sup-
plements, Feldenkrais, yoga, qigong, and in-line skating, when
that uninvited 3 a.m. wake-up call sounded, I was stumped. "Oh,
shoot! What do I do now?" Sure, I could get out of bed and do
some more Feldenkrais, yoga, or qigong, but in the process I
would have to open my eyes and move my body, and that would
likely wake me up even more. Besides, I didn't want to get out of
bed. I needed rest, not more exercise! I needed something I could
do right there in my bed to lull myself back to sleep.
There must be something I can do for myself, I thought. And

there was. I remembered certain movements that I had learned fif-
teen years earlier during the period of my professional training,
movements that had almost instantly overcome my resolve to play

the alert, attentive student, sending me into a deep sleep right
there on the floor of the training hall. I remembered only the first
few movements in the sequence, and then waking up at the end of

the class feeling wonderfully refreshed, if a little sheepish at hav-
ing slept through class. (Later, I copied someone's notes so I
would know what happened while I dozed!)

In a recently released transcript of that lesson as it was taught
by Feldenkrais himself, entitled "Work with the Active [domi-
nant] Hand," the Israeli movement master elaborates a sequence
of exquisitely slow, gradual movements of the wrist, then the fin-
ders, then the arm and shoulder. From the beginning of the les-
son, he repeatedly exhorts his listeners to bend and straighten

their wrists "slowly, slowly, with the greatest 'slowness' possible."
By doing the movement "truly slowly, slowly," he insists, in his
usual enigmatic way, "you will notice many things that you do not
know." He was right about that. I did not know it at the time, but
those "truly slow" movements and others like them would indeed
bring me unexpected, and very welcome, insight.
At the time, I had considered those soporific Feldenkrais move-
ments little more than a curiosity, but now, in my desperate search
for a natural, drug-free insomnia solution, I wondered: Maybe
those "truly slow" movements, or others like them, could be used
to overcome insomnia. I began to recall other sleep-inducing
ATM lessons as well, including an extended series taught over the
course of several days in Dr. Feldenkrais's professional training
program at Amherst in the summer of 1981 that are known sim-
ply as "the Bell Hand." Those had produced a profound tranquil-
izing effect whenever I'd done them. And it wasn't just me.
Dozens of Feldenkrais's Amherst trainees had nodded off during
those lessons.
An idea that now seems completely self-evident to me was just
beginning to form in my mind, and it was this: Just as certain fast,
vigorous movements —jumping jacks, for example — are known
to be stimulating and invigorating, certain slow, gentle move-
ments could be profoundly tranquilizing to the mind and to the
body. And maybe, just maybe, I speculated, such profoundly

tranquilizing movements could help you get to sleep and stay that
way, even when your mind and body were crying, "Wake up!" I
began to explore this idea in earnest.
The Breath Connection

I'm not going to tell you that my experiments were an instant suc-
cess. Insomnia held me in its grip. But with a few weeks of persis-
tent experimentation, and several seemingly fortuitous flashes of
insight, I started to see the darkness at the end of the tunnel. (Yes,
there was light there, too, but for now it was darkness and the bliss
of natural sleep that I craved.) I continued to experiment with

slow, gentle movements of the hand, wrist, and fingers alternating
with periods of quiet rest.
At first I practiced more or less as Dr. Feldenkrais had taught,

but I soon began to vary the movements, and the manner in
which they were performed, to suit my own very specific pur-
poses. You see, the Feldenkrais Method offers a very broad, practi-
cal program of self-discovery and personal growth. There is a
lifetime of learning, and more, in those lessons of Moshe s. But

right now I only wanted to learn one thing: to sleep through the
night. So, instead of sticking to the strict Feldenkrais lessons, I
started to tinker around with the movements in hopes of making

them more specifically sleep inducing.
I experimented with other kinds of movements, too, some that

were derived from my studies of taiji and qigong, and others that
just seemed to come to me of their own accord, seemingly out of
thin air. Whatever I did, I did "truly slowly" and with minimal,
minimal force, often so slow and soft that the movements would
have been undetectable to any casual observer. These exquisitely
slow, gentle movements had a deeply calming effect on me,
although in my sleep-disturbed state they alone were not yet
enough to get me back on the sleep track. There were two addi-
tional pieces that had to fall into place before I would experience
the full power of these techniques to relax my body, calm my
mind, and lull me to sleep.
The first was to synchronize my physical movements with the

inflow and outflow of my breath. The second was to punctuate
those periods of synchronized movement and breathing with
extended periods ofquiet rest. For me, these two principles were the
bridge between the canonical Feldenkrais movements, which were
inherently relaxing hut not necessarily sleep inducing, and a new
and different quality of movement that would reliably deliver me
to the shores of sleep, allowing me to get the rest I so desperately
needed. These gentle sleep-inducing techniques, which I would

come to call Mini-Moves, all employ the same basic components:
slow, gentle, physical movements synchronized with easy, natural
breathing, alternating with extended periods of quiet rest. These are
the raw materials of which our insomnia solution is made.
First Results
The first sleep-inducing Mini-Move to really take shape for me

was something I was to call "Breath Surfing" (presented in full
detail in chapter 5). I used to practice it every night at bedtime,

and then again if and when I awakened during the night. To
my hands on my upper chest and follow the rising
begin, I'd place
and falling my fingertips. Simply

movements of the breath with
monitoring the movements of my own breath in that way seemed
to have a distinctly calming effect. Later, I'd add very gentle, vol-
untary movements of my thumbs, synchronizing the movements

with the rising and falling of my chest. Unaccountably, those
gentle, synchronized movements seemed to cause my breath to
become even slower and softer. I could feel how my pulse, which
tends to be on the high side after an active day, would slow down
as well. My whole body, legs, arms, lips, forehead, would become
very still and quiet. As my body began to slow down, so did my
mind. Little by little, my thoughts would relinquish their usual
jackrabbit pace, becoming synchronized with the slow, steady
rhythm of my breath. Occasionally, I'd stop and rest, just lying

still and thinking of nothing in particular.
After several minutes of this, I'd find myself lapsing into a

sleepy, dreamy, drowsy state that was neither deep sleep nor full
waking, but rather a happy amalgam of the two. The movements

of my thumbs would come to a halt; whether it was the result of
my own drowsiness, or theirs, I knew not. There, behind my closed

lids, against a velvety black curtain of darkness, I'd see brightly
colored particles flowing in an endless stream, like luminous con-

fetti. Later, these would give way to veils of pure, liquid color and
dreamlike thoughts — images, associations, fragments of sentences
that had neither the narrative coherence nor the emotional power
of deep, sleeping dreams, but were nonetheless quite unlike
rational, waking thought. At times, I would lapse back into some-
thing more like wakefulness, and I'd find myself thinking, Now I
am awake! But this did not concern me, because I had come to
understand that such brief moments of increased arousal were not

the final, irrevocable waking of insomnia. They were only tempo-
rary switchbacks on the long and winding path that meanders
from waking to sleep. Awakening like that, I'd resume the gentle
movements of my thumbs, and in a few moments, I'd feel myself
drifting once again in the direction of deep repose, relaxation, and
sleep. Soon enough, that gentle drifting awareness would give way
to the blissful unknowingness of natural, restful sleep.
Incidentally, the name Breath Surfing stems from my own life-
time passion for the sport of surfing. What's the connection? Most
nonsurfers see a wave as a mass of water rolling in toward the
shore. But surfers know that waves, even very large ones, move
very little water toward the beach. What we call an "ocean wave"
isn't so much moving water as it is an invisible, oscillating wave of
kinetic energy moving through a water medium. Most of that
energy is whipped up by gale-force winds near the Arctic Circle in
winter and Antarctica in the summer. Those nascent waves then

travel thousands of miles in deep, open water, are shaped and fun-
neled by the islands, bays, channels, trenches, and banks they pass
along the way, ami finally break on the shallow reefs, rocks, and
Sandbars where surfers eagerly await their arrival. Thus the surfer
who snakes his way across the face of a wave enters into an ecstatic
pas de deux with the pure, elemental energies of air, water, and
earth. This watery dance evokes a profound communion between
his or her body and Mother Nature. Surfing may look extreme,
but it is a very spiritual pursuit! And I believe that the continuous,
rhythmic ebb and flow of the breath, and the invisible life-energy
that drives it, have much that same quality, and a common origin.
Hence the name. In surfing, we ride a wave of energy to the
beach. In Breath Surfing, we ride a wave of energy to the shores of
sleep.
As a result of these early experiments in Breath Surfing and

related techniques, sleep and I were beginning to enjoy a far more
cordial relationship than we had in a long time. True, most nights
I was still waking up at 3 a.m., but my awakenings had a com-
pletely different quality. No longer did my eyes suddenly pop
open; it was a much more gentle and gradual process. And instead
of hours of unbidden wakefulness, it would now be just min-
utes — thirty, then fifteen, then five and less. As a result, my feel-
ings of anxiety, fear, and dread gave way first to mild annoyance,
then to indifference, and finally to delight. So what if I awakened

at 3 a.m.? I had discovered that I could reliably get myself back to
sleep in a relatively short time. This gave me tremendous confi-
dence and hope. The feelings of helplessness were gone, too. That
made sense, since I no longer was helpless. Instead of lying in bed
waiting for sleep to come, I now had something I could do. With
gentle, soothing, synchronized movements and breath I could
invite sleep to come, and then welcome it with open arms.
A Second Stream
Around this time, something else happened that gave my investi-
gation into the psychophysical mechanisms of sleep a welcome
push in the right direction. I am a fairly solitary person, happiest
working alone, or one-on-one with individual clients. I've been

this way all my life. (Believe it or not, I dropped out of kinder-
garten after two weeks because I found it just too noisy, crowded,
and stressful!) But I had a big promotional project on my hands
just then, and I needed help, so I recruited a team of friends as
assistants and set them to work. I was very grateful for their help
and support, but was clear from the first that this solitary-leaning
fellow was not cut out to be a team manager! The hubbub of sev-
eral other souls occupying my studio, manning the phones and
talking among themselves, and continually coming to me for
direction and guidance, was somehow a bit too much for me.
After an hour of that, I was starting to get really frazzled. My head
was pounding, I felt a tightness in my chest, and my neck and
shoulders felt like one of those knotted elastics that drive the pro-
peller on a toy airplane. There was too much going on at once for
me; I had become overstimulated. As a result, my effectiveness
was seriously compromised, and everyone around me could see it.
I could see the concerned looks on my friends' faces.
At that time, I was a meditator, but a wishy-washy one. For a

week or so, I'd meditate every day and I'd feel great. But then I'd
get busy or distracted or lazy, and blow it off. Even so, I knew that
no matter how stressed out I became, or how long I'd let that
meditation faculty lie fallow, a deep meditation of thirty minutes

or so would unwind me and get me back on an even keel. I had
studied meditation with several Eastern teachers, and once I
had settled on some simple techniques that worked for me, I had
found it a very wonderful tool for creating a more tranquil mind
and a more peaceful life. Even so, my practice was not consistent.
It was more what I'd call opportunistic — I meditated only when I
felt the need.
Right then, I felt the need. My agitated state was compromis-

ing my effectiveness and threatening to undermine the whole
project. However, with respect to the work at hand, there was no

time to lose, and so, no time to meditate. My team of friends was
available for that day only, we had a lot to accomplish, and we had
just begun our work. Furthermore, I was the project leader; to
absent myself for half an hour or more would have brought the
whole project to a standstill.
I decided that as a palliative measure, a kind of psychological

first aid, I would try a brief meditation of five minutes only. I
didn't expect it to bring me all the benefits of that deep, half-hour
plunge into stillness, but five minutes was all I felt I could spare. I
hoped that those five minutes would at least blunt the edge of my
distress so I could keep my team moving forward and function
well enough to finish the job at hand.
Excusing myself, I went into the next room, closed the door,
and settled myself on the simple chair that was my usual medita-
tion perch. On any other day I would have joined my hands in
the traditional way, palms up, left hand over right, tips of the
thumbs touching. But this time, I did something different. For a
few nights, I had been playing around with a new sleep technique.
I don't remember how I got started on this, but I had taken to
joining my hands in a curious way. Lying in bed, I would cross my

thumbs and grasp my right thumb with the fingers of my left
hand, and my left thumb with the fingers of my right. Then, each
time I breathed in I would gently bend my wrists a little bit back,
so my knuckles lifted up. Each time I breathed out, I'd relax. After
several repetitions, I'd rest quietly, savoring the effect. I'd repeat
that procedure as desired. This technique, which I called "the
Healer," seemed very promising — after five or six rounds of it I'd
enter a profoundly tranquil, sleeplike reverie. (I was later to learn
from my colleague Josh Schreiber that this hand posture is offered

in the Talmud as a remedy against demons who might otherwise
get the upper hand when one has drunk unwisely: "And if a man
forgot himself and happened to go out, what is his remedy? Let

him take his right-hand thumb in his left hand and his left-hand
thumb in his right hand . . .") Two updated versions of this tech-
nique, using a more comfortable hand posture, are included in
chapter 4 in the sections "Main Squeeze" and "A Twist of the

Wrists."
I had never really used the Healer during waking hours, how-
ever. After all, I was looking for bedtime sleep techniques, not
daytime meditation techniques. Besides, I was perfectly happy
with the traditional meditation techniques I already knew. They
worked just fine, as far as I was concerned. However, since this
was not to be a traditional half-hour meditation session, it seemed

natural to try a nontraditional technique. I decided to try the
Healer. I grasped my thumbs, lowered them to my lap, and closed
my eyes. I focused my awareness on my breath, allowing it to
become light, easy, slow, and soft. These qualities of breath, I had
learned, provide a gradual, reliable entree to deep meditation. At
the same time, I became aware of very distinct feelings in my
thumbs. They felt pleasantly warm, blanketed as they were by the
fingers of the opposite hand. But more than that, I could feel a
pulsation there, as well as a faint, pleasant, tingling sensation. I
focused my attention on that sensation. Then I did a few rounds

of movement, synchronizing the bending of my wrists with the
gentle in-and-out flow of my breath, resting quietly for a time
after each round. Soon enough, I had reached that same deeply
restful state I'd achieved when I'd done the Healer in bed.
This restful state was not unlike the experiences I'd had in tra-
ditional meditation, but it seemed somehow deeper, easier, and

more pleasurable. In meditation, I had always been trying to
achieve something, even if that something was emptiness, or no-
mind. Here, there was no effort, no striving of any kind. I was
simply enjoying the experience of being myself, without any spe-
rial goal or purpose. Instead of doing, I could simply be. For that
moment, I was at peace, and I felt a deep sense of gratitude.
Then my five minutes were up, and it was time to go back to

work. Back in the other room, my friends were still chugging
along, getting their assigned jobs done, but I was a changed man.
"What happened to you?" asked Julie. She could see and hear the
difference in me immediately. My dark, tightly pinched face had
cleared completely and my voice was an octave lower. My for-
merly grim expression was replaced by one of contentment. "And

your eyes," she said, "they're twinkling!" The others agreed. I gave
no explanation, but just smiled faintly. I wasn't even sure if what I
had experienced was real. We all went back to work, and we were
making good progress. Instead of feeling oppressed by the flurry
of activity all around me, I now relishing it. Where there had
was
been strain and worry, there was now peace. Where there had
been anxiety and effort, there was now ease. How different things
seemed after that brief period of refreshment!

At one o'clock, we had a nice lunch together at a nearby restau-
rant, and we were back at work by two-fifteen. At three- thirty, I
found myself slipping back into that tense, agitated state I'd
encountered in the morning. At first I didn't notice it, but after a
while somebody got a look at me and asked, "Are you all right?"
That was a word to the wise, and besides, I was eager to repeat
that easy, pleasurable, invigorating experience I'd had in the
morning. Again I excused myself and went in the other room.
Five minutes of the Healer, and I was myself again. By the time
that special day drew to its fruitful conclusion, I had a delightful
feeling of satisfaction. Wow, I thought to myself — this is great
stuff! I've found a quick, efficient way to manage the stress of life,
and it feels so good that I want to do it again and again.
I was so excited about this new technique and so curious
about its potential effects that I decided to replace my occasional,
half-hour meditation practice with brief, regular practice of the

Healer. I wanted to see what the Healer could do if I really stuck
to it. I started to practice two or three times a day, sometimes
sticking to my five-minute limit, sometimes extending those peri-
ods of delicious repose to ten minutes. There was no real schedule.
I'd do it at many different times: first thing in the morning, before

lunch, in the late afternoon, at the end of the workday, in the late
evening, or just before bed. With this modest, informal, but con-
sistent practice I was experiencing really spectacular results. When
I was hurried, the Healer helped me to slow down. When I was
worried, the Healer helped me to stay focused on the moment.
When I was harried, the Healer helped me to connect to an inner
source of stability. This simple "movement meditation" technique,
it seemed to me, had the power to reverse the effects of stress
throughout the course of the day. I began to rely on the Healer as
my day-to-day, moment-to-moment antidote to the stress of life.

I was to find that the Healer, and several other "movement
meditation" techniques that I was to discover, were more than just
a psychological first aid to apply every time life got to be too

much for me. Gradually I came to understand that the Healer's
effects were cumulative: The more I practiced, the calmer, stead-
ier, and more stable my mind became. Those three, five-minute
breaks in the action seemed to interrupt the vicious cycle of over-

stimulation and hyperarousal, allowing my nervous system to
recalibrate itself to a slower, more natural rhythm of life and work.
I
was still lead i
ng the same life, doing the same work, living in the
same city, but life was getting easier and more enjoyable. Life was
getting more peaceful. Sure, I still had some nervous, anxious
moments. I still got hurried, worried, and harried. But the peaks
of nervousness, anxiety, and overstimulation were not as jagged;
the valleys were neither so deep, nor so deeply shadowed. And

that made a very big difference in the quality of my life.
Secrets of Sounder Sleep
This was a very fertile time for me. By day, in addition to my

rewarding work as a Feldenkrais teacher, I was savoring the plea-
sure and the peace brought to me by those three brief episodes of
movement meditation spread out over the course of the day. By

night, I was developing new Mini-Moves to help myself deeply
rest and sleep. Remember, falling asleep at bedtime had never been
my problem; it was the prolonged periods of wakefulness later in
the night that had given me trouble. Even so, at bedtime I would
often lull myself to sleep with a Mini-Move, simply because I
found this the easiest, most pleasurable way to drift off to sleep. I
loved the way the Mini-Moves would ease me into sleep gradually.
Then, if I happened to awaken some hours later, I'd do that same

Mini-Move again and I'd be back asleep in a very short time. The
periods of quiet rest following the gentle, synchronized move-
ments and breathing would merge imperceptibly into hours of
deep sleep. Even on my most challenging nights, when I might
experience two or three awakenings, I was able to recover quickly
each time. In that way, I'd string together several fragments of
sleep, like the pearls on a necklace, into a single, virtually continu-
ous night of natural sleep. Maybe those weren't my most restful

nights ever, but they were restful nonetheless. On balance, I was
getting more of the rest I needed, and life was sweeter and more
livable as a result. I began to feel that, for myself at least, I had dis-
covered the insomnia solution.
Synergy
It took me a little while to realize that these parallel processes, the

Healer and other movement meditations by day and Mini-Moves
by night, were working together in a synergistic manner. As I
looked back over the preceding months, it became clear that the
Mini-Moves had begun to produce their most marked sleep-

inducing effects only after I'd started practicing the Healer in
earnest. There must be a connection, I reasoned. By making my
days more peaceful, my movement meditation practice was set-
ting the scene for sounder sleep. As a result, I'd arrive at bedtime
in just the right frame of mind and body for a night of natural,
restful sleep. And by approaching bedtime in the right frame of
mind and body, I'd seen how the sleep-inducing Mini-Moves I'd
created had become all the more effective.
This conclusion was amply supported by my own experience

and observation, but I would soon receive scientific confirmation
of it as well. A 2001 study conducted at the Sleep Research and

Treatment Center in the Department of Psychiatry at Pennsylva-
nia State University reported that among a group of eleven young
insomniacs who, spent four nights in a sleep lab, there were
increased plasma levels of the hormones Cortisol and ACTH not

only at bedtime, but twenty-four hours a day. The degree of hor-
monal elevation correlated positively with the degree of objective
sleep disturbance —higher Cortisol and ACTH meant worse sleep.
Furthermore, these elevated hormonal secretions rose and fell in
the same daily circadian rhythm as they do in normal sleepers.

Cortisol and ACTH are adrenal hormones produced by the
hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which is your body's
central control mechanism for the stress response. You can't do
without these hormones; they play an essential role in maintain-
ing arousal, and hence normal, waking consciousness throughout
the day. And in an emergency, when you're under threat, attack, or
duress — or when you believe that you are or merely suspect that
you might be — they provide the quick energy you need to respond
effectively to .1 dangerous situation. Your heart beats faster, your

blood pressure is elevated, your muscle tone increases, your body
temperature rises, and you break into a sweat, to name just a few
of the typical physiological effects. When the threat passes, the
hormones gradually subside, and your body returns to its regular,
restful state. This is just as it should be.

But when you produce too much of these hormones, for too
long, there's the devil to pay. Now, your heart beats consistently
faster than normal, your blood pressure remains elevated, your

muscles never fully relax, your body temperature is higher, and
you sweat more all the time. In other words, your metabolism is
elevated, and your whole system is working harder than it should.

This is called physiological hyperarousal. That's what gives you
that frazzled, over-the-edge feeling that comes with endless hurry,
worry, and hassle during waking hours. And at night, when the
two hormones ought to be at their lowest point, those same phys-
iological effects can keep you up past your bedtime and produce
shallow, fragmented, restless sleep and frequent awakenings.
These findings, the authors assert, indicate that insomnia is
caused by chronic over-activation of the HPA axis, and is a disor-
der of "central nervous system hyperarousal" rather than a distur-

bance of the body's sleep-wake system. That could be bad news
for insomniacs, they say, because it suggests that they may be at
risk not only for mental disorders like anxiety and depression, but
also for a host of stress-related illnesses. "The therapeutic goal in
insomnia," they conclude, "should be to decrease the overall level
of physiologic and emotional arousal, and not just to improve the
nighttime sleep."
Gee whiz, I couldn't have said it better myself! Through my
own experience and observation, I had discovered much the same
thing that was described in the Pennsylvania State research. By
day, movement meditation kept me cool, calm, and collected — so
I could remain fully awake and engaged in my daily activities, but
without becoming overstimulated, without crossing the line into
frazzle. By night, I could use sleep-inducing Mini-Moves to create

the internal mental and physical environment most conducive to
easy, natural sleep. Working in tandem, the two techniques
reducedmy "overall level of physiologic and emotional arousal" by
making my life more balanced and more peaceful, so I could get
all the natural restful sleep I needed.
A "Sleep Soiree"
At the time I was making these discoveries, I used to teach two
weekly Feldenkrais classes in my studio. The classes were not
large, and the students were mostly folks I'd seen on a regular basis
for months, and in some cases years. We knew each other well.
The atmosphere was relaxed and informal, and the theme of the
classes was adjusted from week to week according to the students'
personal needs. When Ruth's back was sore from carrying her
two-year-old, we explored a series of movements calculated to
encourage her swift recovery. When Ron was singing an opera role
in which he needed to fall down dead, we explored several differ-
ent ways of falling down, and getting up again, with ease. When
Joe was having trouble playing tennis without triggering an old
shoulder injury, we did some lessons to address that challenge.
And so on. Since Awareness Through Movement (ATM) classes
address universal movement themes, and not specific ailments,
everyone enjoyed the benefits of these classes, and we had a lot of
fun in the bargain.
A quick poll of these old friends confirmed that there was suffi-
cient interest to transform one of the classes into an experimental

workshop for rest and sleep. I called it a "sleep soiree." "Oh boy,"
said [an, .in editor for a national magazine, "Do I ever need that!"
\\i began meeting in the early evening every Tuesday night. Since
this was something distinctly different in form and content from
the classical Feldenkrais lessons I'd been teaching, I felt empow-

ered to do things in my own personal way. I felt a deep gratitude
and love for the Mini-Moves, and I wanted those feelings to be
expressed in the way I taught. Also, most people would be coming

directly from their jobs, so I wanted to begin with something that
would undercut the tension of the workplace and create a mood
of tranquility, contentment, and peace.
I began each class with soft, rhythmic Indian or Middle Eastern
music. Sitting on mats on the floor or on stools, we did a series of
gentle rocking and swaying movements inspired by Adnan
Sarhan, the Sufi meditation teacher I had met a year earlier. The
sweet music, the sensuous rhythms, and the lulling movements
had a way of banishing all cares and rendering us receptive to deep
rest and relaxation. After that musical interlude, I'd invite every-
one to lie down on a mat on the floor and rest quietly. I'd turn
down the lights, put on some very quiet flute music, and let every-
body rest quietly for ten or fifteen minutes under my watchful

eye. Some remained lucid during this initial nap period, others
drifted off.
The rest period lasted about ten minutes. When it was over, I
gently roused everyone and asked them to slowly sit up. I could
see that the slow movements and the brief rest had produced the
desired effect. The masks were down; everyone seemed more
relaxed, open, and receptive to learning. I demonstrated the basic
hand posture for the Healer and made sure everyone could do it
on their own. Then I guided the group through two ten-minute

movement meditations with a short break in between.
The result was very gratifying. Everyone was able to follow my
simple instructions and they each arrived very quickly at a place of
profound stillness and tranquility. Some expressed surprise at the
result. Julie, a database manager whose natural sleep rhythms had
been disturbed by years of night shift work, said that what we had
50 The Insoa\nia Solution
done reminded her of meditation classes she had once attended.

"But in the meditation we were asked to focus on our
class
breath," she explained, "and my mind just wandered all over the
place. It took me forever to get settled." With the Healer she
found it much easier to focus her attention on the movements

synchronized with breathing, becoming deeply absorbed. Freder-
ick said that he had experienced a profound sense of "letting go"
of all cares. "It was a big relief," he said, smiling sheepishly. I
turned to Jan, expecting some sort of comment from the usually

voluble editor. For the moment speech, that "flimsiest of human
faculties," had deserted her and she merely smiled and nodded her
head slowly in appreciation. We all understood.
After the Healer, everyone lay down again and I guided the
group in Breath Surfing, that first sleep-inducing Mini-Move that
had delivered me from the grip of insomnia. They learned the

basics, step by step, as well as a few variations I had devised along
the way. Then I asked each person to choose the variation that
gave them the most enjoyment, and to practice it on their own. It
was fascinating to see with my eyes what I had previously only felt
in my own body, and based on what I saw I made mental notes of

things to experiment with on my own. Every seasoned teacher
knows that they are likely to learn as much from their students as
their students learn from them. This was no different.
There were five people in that first sleep soiree. After ten or so
minutes of Breath Surfing, they had all fallen asleep. It was won-
derful to see how quickly these hardworking folks, some of them
confirmed insomniacs, could fall asleep given the right condi-
tions! I aura, a hard-driving public relations exec, would later con-

fess i hat this was the first time she'd fallen asleep without a
sleeping pill in three years.
Prom the very first of these classes I loved watching people

sleep. Most of us have had the experience of attending to a sleep-
ing child. It's a pleasure to observe the soft, regular breathing, the
blissful facial expressions, and all the little moves and murmurs
children make during their descent into slumber. It's a pleasure
also to sit by the bedside and savor the limpid silence and the air
of innocence and goodwill that seem to emanate from the sleep-

ing child. Well, I've discovered that adults are no different, just
bigger! And here I had a room full of them, sleeping at my feet. It
was delightful.
Frederick was a powerfully built, bearded psychologist well

over six feet tall who, while awake, bore the fearsome expression
of a biblical patriarch. But as he began to drift toward sleep, his
elongated frame would curl up into a ball and his face, framed by
the crook of one arm, would soften little by little until it assumed
the expression of a very impish-looking little boy. Ellen, a former
dancer turned real estate agent, had always had deeply etched
vertical furrows between her eyebrows, as if she were endlessly
puzzling over some complex mortgage formula. But now, as
she hovered between waking and sleep, the dark furrows seemed
to evaporate, and her smooth, oval face shone like translucent
marble.
And it wasn't just Frederick and Ellen. It seemed to me that
each person in the class had undergone a similar transformation as
they passed from waking to sleep. It was as if each of them wore a

mask displaying the image of themselves they wished to project to
the world. In sleep the mask was miraculously lifted, revealing a
softer, sweeter visage. In my view, this is a revelation of the per-
son's original, unspoiled self, unencumbered by the stresses and
strains of daily life. The physician and philosopher Sir Thomas
Browne (1605-1682) seems to have shared this perception when
he wrote: "We are somewhat more ourselves in our sleeps; and the
slumber of the body seems to be the waking of the soul."
My subsequent experience has only reinforced this conviction.
For me, sleep is not only a biological process necessary for human
life, but also a mechanism of the human spirit. That kernel of the
true self, with its abundance of childlike goodness and generosity,
slumbers within each one of us, no matter who we are or what we

do. As we sleep, it works on us, rebuilding our vitality, lifting our
spirits, and restoring our reserves of creativity, patience, and fellow-
feeling. The proof? Just go without sleep for a couple of nights,

and see what you become.
I let the nap go on for fifteen minutes or more. I put on a piece
of rhythmic music, starting with the volume at zero and gradually
bringing it up until it was just barely audible, enough to nudge
people toward waking. Folks started to stretch and yawn. Our
very first sleep soiree had reached its natural conclusion.
Word Spreads
Over the next weeks and months, I became a very eager prosely-
tizer for the Mini-Moves. I wanted to share what I had discovered

with as many people as possible. At the time I was seeing twenty
or twenty-five clients a week for hour-long, individual Feldenkrais
sessions. I began to ask everyone who came into my studio the

simple question, "How do you sleep?" The result was startling. I
found that unbeknownst to me, more than half of my clients were

troubled sleepers. Some had intermittent bouts of sleeplessness,
others had more frequent ones. Some simply didn't have enough
time to sleep — extended work hours, long commutes, or family
obligations \^\d crowded sleep out of their weekly calendars, and
onto the lower reaches of their to-do lists. At least among this
small sampling of people, the sleep situation was far more dire
than I had suspected. Within a few weeks, I was devoting about

half my practice to sleep issues, with gratifying results. Word was
1
getting around, and I was starting to get calls from clients friends
and family, who had heard about the Mini-Moves and wanted to
try them for themselves. I was also teaching "Healing Sleep"
classes at a senior citizens' center, and guest-speaking at a couple
of NYPD precincts, teaching the Mini-Moves to patrol officers in
full police gear, just before they hit the streets. It was really great
to have somany opportunities to share my discoveries with so
many people. The need was so acute.

I had begun to offer a second sleep soiree on Saturday morn-
ings, and two of the regulars were a physical therapist, Fran, who
was training to be a Feldenkrais teacher, and her mother. Mom
had arthritis and couldn't get down to the floor, so I used to set up
my padded Feldenkrais table for her in one corner of the room,
and she'd lie there and follow all the movements as well as anyone.
She was my biggest fan! Anyway, Fran began to lobby me about
training her to teach the Mini-Moves. She wanted to offer a class
to some of her patients in Westchester County. I was flattered, but

I was really immersed in my own classes and private sessions, and
the idea of training other professionals hadn't occurred to me.
Fran's logic was convincing, however. She explained that by train-
ing other healing arts practitioners in the Mini-Moves, I could

disseminate the Mini-Moves far more widely. Each health profes-
sional I trained would teach the Mini-Moves to many, many oth-

ers. I began to think about starting a training group.
Teachers in Training
Our first professional training in the Sounder Sleep System began

in January 2001. From among my Feldenkrais colleagues in the
New York area I attracted a small but enthusiastic group of partic-
ipants, including Jae Gruenke, Tyr Throne, John Copley Quinn,
and Alta Ann Parkins Morris. We agreed to meet on Sundays, once
a month, for a year. Feldenkrais teachers undergo an extensive
process of experiential training that enables them to develop a
very high level of sensitivity and self-awareness. They are experts
at identifying those small differences in the way we think, act, and

express ourselves that often make such a big difference in the qual-
ity of our lives. That made them a great sounding board for all the
different techniques I'd developed. Together, we could discuss the
best way to present this or that technique. We could talk about

pacing, sequencing, the use of voice, and other technical issues. It
was very enjoyable working closely with my colleagues in that
small group, and we made many wonderful discoveries together.
I am very proud to report that all four of these early co-conspir-

ators of mine went on to successfully teach the Mini-Moves in
various settings. Jae has worked very effectively for SHARE, a

support group for ovarian cancer survivors, through the commu-
nity outreach programs of the New York Open Center, and in pri-
vate practice. Tyr has taught sleep programs in Germany and Italy,
and includes a Sounder Sleep module in the professional training
program for his own Body Evolution method, which is an amalgam

of rolfing, Feldenkrais, NLP (neuro-linguistic programming), yoga,
and other somatic modalities. Aha Ann teaches napping work-
shops at Feldenkrais Associates, located high above New York's
Union Square. And since September 11, 2001, my old friend
John has served the city's beleaguered firemen and cops with utter
selflessness — not a few times with the ruins of the World Trade
Center still smoldering on their boots. Thank you, Jae, Tyr, Alta
"[The Mini-Moves] allow my system to heal itself, without
imposing anything. Hooray!"

—Steve Sandbi i«..
mustCUPI and composer

—
Ann, and John, for your priceless contributions to the develop-
ment and maturation of this work! I could see that training my

colleagues in the Sounder Sleep System was going to be a very
powerful way to deliver the Mini-Moves to the widest possible
audience, as well as a richly rewarding experience in itself.
In May of that year, I began planning another training course

in Los Angeles at the invitation of Dilys Tosteson Garcia and Avri
Glick of Internal Ergonomics. I did not anticipate the many pro-
found revelations I would experience as a result of this program.
Our L.A. programs were held at the Beverly Hills studio of Claire
Nettle, Feldenkrais teacher and trapeze artist extraordinaire
quite a switch from the Sounder Sleep System s gritty, overcast ori-
gins in Manhattan. knew I had truly arrived in La-La-Land
I
when Don Johnson of Miami Vice nearly bowled me over on his

way out of the Starbucks on North Beverly Drive, and Lisa
Kudrow of Friends jammed on the brakes of her SUV, graciously
allowing me safe passage across Santa Monica Boulevard. I just
love the way vehicles stop for pedestrians in California. In New

York, it's the other way round!
Healing Sleep
Our New York training program met on twelve Sundays spread

out over a year, but I couldn't possibly do that in Los Angeles. So
we decided on a three-part format, meeting for three days each
time. I would fly to Los Angeles in August, December, and April,
and in that way we'd complete a slightly pared-down version of
the New York program. It was a purely practical decision, but one
that was to have the wonderful outcome of revealing to me the
principle of Healing Sleep. Here's the background.
In Los Angeles we met for three days at a time, Friday through

Sunday, starting at 10 a.m. and finishing at 5 p.m. Our group
—
included twenty-three people from a variety of professions

nurses, physical therapists, Feldenkrais teachers and other move-
ment educators, an acupuncturist, a school teacher, and others.
And let me assure you that in spite of all those professional cre-
dentials, there were just as many troubled sleepers among this
group as you would find in any group of your neighbors. There-
fore, the purpose of our gathering was not only to train teachers,
but also to help the troubled sleepers among them just as I had
done with my clients in New York. That was fine with me,
because I wanted my students to see me teaching the Sounder
Sleep System in a real-life setting.
The daily schedule typically went something like this: We'd
start the day with soothing, rhythmic instrumental music and
some of those slow rocking and swaying movements I'd used in
the original sleep soirees, which I had come to call "sleep yoga."
Then we'd rest quietly for ten or twenty minutes. Next we'd have
forty-five minutes or so of "guided natural breathing" — effortless
breathing techniques designed to restore the natural rhythm and

shape of the breath, which is often the first casualty of the pace of
modern life. (L.E.S.S. Is More and Making Room in chapter 4 are

examples of this class of techniques.) By now the room would be
very peaceful. People would be deeply relaxed, perhaps drifting in
and out of sleep, perhaps in a state of lucid, waking rest. Then,
after a break, we'd all take chairs and practice some variation of
the \ lealer, Main Squeeze, or a Twist of the Wrists (the latter two
.uc also in chapter 4), culminating in fifteen or twenty minutes
of silent meditation. After another short break, I'd take questions
or comments, maybe give a short talk, and then we'd break for
lunch.
In the afternoon, I might ask everyone to take a partner for
some handi-on sleep-induction techniques. Technique is actually
the wrong word, because these were more like experiments in per-
ception and consciousness than fixed techniques. For example, in

one of these experiments the resting partner would lie down, and
the active partner would sit at her side, holding one of her hands.
The active partner would thumb gently in the center of
place his
the resting partner's palm, and with that thumb he'd very slowly
and gradually stretch the skin of the palm a little bit this way, a
little bit that way, finally culminating in small, slow circles. The
resting partner's job was to just lie quietly, and feel the effect of
those minimal movements on her mood and her state of attention

and arousal. This is wonderful stuff — the person touches only
your hand, but gradually every part of you is suffused with a feel-
ing of profound well-being. And if you need sleep, you will almost
certainly fall into a state of peaceful slumber. After twenty min-
utes of that, the two partners would briefly exchange observations
and switch roles. Next I might introduce a longer sequence of
Lulling Mini-Moves, lying first on the back, then on the side, and
perhaps on the belly. People invariably wander in and out of sleep
during these teachings. That is, they learn the Mini-Moves by
actually putting them into practice. After an hour or more of that,
everyone would be in a state of profound repose, including me, so
I'd put on some soothing music at a barely audible volume and let
everyone rest for an extended period. Then, as the day drew to a

close, I'd take a few more questions or give a lecture on some
sleep-related topic. Then we'd break for the day.
As you can see, this is not your average professional training
program in the healing arts. First of all, there is a much greater
emphasis on actually experiencing the Mini-Moves than on learn-

ing facts or theories. Medically or scientifically oriented courses
rarely afford students the time to stop and actually feel the physical
sensations associated with any of the things they are learning; the
emphasis is on cramming facts into the limited space of the stu-

dent's cranium. But this is most assuredly not a medically oriented
course, and that fact- and theory-oriented model of learning is not

at all appropriate for the Mini-Moves. To teach the Mini-Moves,
you have to know them deep down in your bones, in your body
and soul. It's not enough to just know the sequence of movements,
like the points on an academic syllabus. Rather, you learn to com-
pletely recalibrate your senses to a much slower, more subtle level,
so you can actually feel the gradual process that unfolds inside you,
not only in your muscles and nerves, but also in your mind, as you
fall asleep. Once you are attuned in that way, the Mini-Moves
become an intrinsic part of you. Then, not only do you get the
maximum benefit from practicing them yourself, but also you are
able to communicate them to others most effectively.
It's ironic, but I myself have never had the experience of attend-
ing one of these rather extraordinary gatherings, except as the
teacher. And as the teacher I have to be wide awake the whole
time — I don't get to lie down and have someone guide me
through five or six hours of Mini-Moves a day for three days run-
ning. Therefore, the experiences that my students have, and the
many, many discoveries that they have made as they explore their
inner landscape during these extended programs, are always a real
revelation for me. Here are a few examples:
Suze Angel, a single mom from Laguna Beach who teaches the
Feldenkrais Method, qigong, and other movement arts to adults
and seniors all over Orange County, wrote: "Since my early twen-
ties I have suffered from periodic insomnia, waking up in the
middle of the night with a racing mind and not being able to go
IM
back to sleep. During the Sounder Sleep workshop I had so
many wonderful, refreshing naps. Following the workshop, my
abdomen and breathing are more profoundly relaxed than they
have been since the birth by Caesarean section of my son nine
years ago, and I am finally caught up on my sleep. Thank you for
tlu- Ih-m rest I can remember!"

Peter Hasson, who leads a triple life as a psychotherapist, an
international tour organizer, and an extremely talented painter,
had joined the workshop to pick up a few extra skills to use with
his clients. But he promptly found a warm place for the Mini-
Moves in his own heart. "I came away with the profound knowl-
edge of how to calm myself down and to find my own center,"
Peter reports. "Now, I can focus better and deal with the stress of
each day by practicing the Mini-Moves. The Sounder Sleep System
is so easy to learn, and And naturally, Peter has
it really works."
shared these same profound skills with many of his clients, as well.
Jean Ashby is a businesswoman from Newport Beach who suf-
fers from sleep apnea, a condition in which breathing stops at
intervals during the night. She gave the following account of her
experience with the workshops: "Since I learned the Sounder
Sleep System I get more rest from the hours I spend in bed, so I'm
sleeping more efficiently. Getting the sleep I need is more pleasur-
able and less work. I've experienced a significant reduction in anx-

iety, so I'm calmer and more at ease by night and day."
"I used to fight to stay awake during the day," Jean continues,
"but I didn't know I was doing it. Now I'm much more aware of
my own sleepiness, and I feel no qualms about napping as needed.
But my naps are much more efficient: fifteen minutes usually does
the trick, instead of three hours. All in all, I have achieved a much
greater degree of self-acceptance." Please note that the Mini-
Moves are not a cure for apnea. Jean still relies on her continuous
positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, which maintains posi-
tive airway pressure throughout the night. But isn't it nice to

know that the Mini-Moves can make life with sleep apnea easier
and more enjoyable?
Yet another of these revelations was first articulated by Dilys
Garcia. Dilys was one of those people who really resists sleep. She
told us that she has always been inclined to put sleep off as long as
possible, thinking that there were so many more interesting things

she'd rather do. As a result, she was accustomed to staying up late,
sleeping only a few hours a night, and starting her day early in the
morning. Yet throughout these first three L.A. gatherings, Dilys
repeatedly expressed surprise at how very deeply, and how long,
she slept on the nights of the training. As it turned out, many of
the other students had this same experience, and we were quite
surprised by it at first. After all, one of the key mechanisms deter-
mining our sleep-wake rhythm is the sleep homeostat. It works like
this: The longer you've been awake, the stronger will be the drive
to sleep, and conversely, the longer you sleep, the less inclined
you'll be to sleep. That's one reason why you tend to feel very
sleepy late at night, after being awake all day, and fully alert when
you awaken after a good night's sleep. Now if you spent the whole
day meandering in and out of sleep as the participants in these
programs did, you might think that you wouldn't be inclined to

sleep much on the following nights. All that resting, dozing, and
dreaming during the daytime ought to have turned down the
sleep homeostat, reducing your sleep drive considerably. But it
seems that just the opposite is true, according to the reports of

many people who have attended my programs, not only in those
first Beverly Hills gatherings, but all over the world in the years
that followed. In many cases, those days spent lying down and
deeply, truly resting make it possible to go home and sleep more
deeply than you ever did before. And the effect is most pro-
nounced following the third day. And best of all, when the pro-
gram's over that effect can be sustained indefinitely by regular

home practice of the Mini-Moves. Based on this experience, we
have come to the conclusion that we sleep deepest and most restfully
not when were totally exhausted or fatigued, but when we are deeply,
truly, relaxed. This is the principle of Healing Sleep.
"As a maternity nurse, I've found these techniques to be great
for calming patients' anxiety. For myself, I always do them
lying down because I am certain to fall sleep within minutes!"

— Cally Phelan, RN
Another fascinating observation we made during these three-day

programs was that when you give people the opportunity to deeply
rest for three days at a time, they soak it up like a sponge! Nowadays
we spend so much of our time in feverish activity that we assume
that activity is our natural state. We go, go, go all day long and then
sleep for six or seven or eight hours in order to recover and restore
our vital energies. Then we wake up and do it all over again, assum-
ing that we've had all the rest our bodies need. Yet here was a group
of two dozen thoughtful, busy, creative professionals who, given the

opportunity, could happily remain in a state of quiet rest, medita-
tion, introspection, contemplation, or sleep for three days at a
stretch. And not only did they enjoy it enormously and feel more
relaxed, alert, and alive afterward, but they also could go home at
the end of the day to sleep through the night.
That really started me thinking about the issue of how much

rest and sleep people truly need. And I realized that there is a huge
gulf between the minimum amount of rest we need and the maxi-
mum amount of rest we can use. We need seven, eight, or nine
hours of sleep, or whatever it takes just to get each of us through
the day. That's purely a matter of survival. But we can use a whole
lot more. We can use more sleep, and we can use more time to
rest, contemplate, imagine, and dream. We can use more time

in which to cease doing, and simply be. When we get a healthy
dose of that kind of rest, something shifts inside of us. In physio-
logical terms, we can assume that there is a shift away from the
dominance of the sympathetic branch of the autonomic ner-

vous system, which triggers arousal and the stress response, and a
shift toward dominance of the parasympathetic branch, which
triggers our resting and recuperative faculties. We go from the
energy-intensive "fight or flight" mode to energy-conserving, "rest
and digest" mode, and we stay there, relaxing and recuperating,
drifting in and out between waking and sleep, for a prolonged
period of time. The more of that we do, the more our minds and
bodies slow down, our hearts open up, and we develop a more
gracious relationship with time. As a result, we are more at ease,
both physically and mentally, we feel better, look better, and enjoy
life more.
With this in mind, it's interesting to note the results of a recent
study of sleep extension conducted at Stanford University under

the supervision of William C. Dement, the godfather of Ameri-
can sleep research. A group of fifteen healthy college students
reporting minimal daytime sleepiness were monitored for five

nights during which they maintained their normal sleep sched-
ules, then were allowed to sleep as much as possible during two
sleep extension periods, one lasting seven days, and another
immediately following it of six to forty-eight days. (Subjects left
the experiment once they had reached maximum alertness levels
and felt that they could no longer gain extra sleep, or when out-
side commitments required it.) The students were continuously
monitored by means of a wrist actigraph, a wristwatch-like device
that records sleep-wake activity; it recorded their bedtime, sleep
latency (time it takes to fall asleep), rise time, naps, total hours
slept, and a subjective rating of mood in daily journals.
What were the results? You guessed it. There was a considerable
increase in sleep among all participants, as compared to the base-
line period. The students' average sleep times, which hovered around
eight hours per night during the baseline period, soared up to ten
hours and more on the first three nights of the sleep extension
period, and then gradually declined as their sleep homeostat

approached the satiety point. And what's more, that period of
extended sleep led to improvements in daytime alertness, physical

reaction time, and mood that were both objectively measurable
and subjectively felt. As you can see, these results are quite con-
gruent with what we observed in our Beverly Hills encounters.
The Circle Widens
Upon completion of this series of presentations in Los Angeles, I
saw clearly that my work was only just beginning. It had been
clear for some time that the Mini-Moves had tremendous poten-
tial to help people to help themselves. I wanted to share that mes-
sage with a broader public. To that end, I had trained two groups
of teachers, one in New York and one in California, who would go
on to share the Mini-Moves with far more people than I could do
single-handedly. But in California, I had discovered something
unexpected, which was that the Mini-Moves could produce even
more potent effects when presented in an extended format that
gave participants plenty of time to relax, rest, and recover while
learning. There was something special about giving yourself three
days to rest quietly in a state of profound repose, surrounded by
others who did the same. And I believed that this would be just as
true for the average person suffering from insomnia and the stress
of life as it was for the practitioners I had trained. Thus the Heal-
ing Sleep retreat was conceived.
Over the next few years, we would begin opening our three-day
gatherings to members of the general public as well as to the
healing arts practitioners. We offered the same three-day format
(sometimes offering a two-day option for those who couldn't spare

three), and the same combination of the experiential and the
didactic, but we offered it to a mixed group of practitioners and
public. In programs in Seattle, Baltimore, New York, Chicago,
and other cities and towns around the United States, we began to
explore the possibilities of these Healing Sleep retreats, and we
found that our non-practitioners fit in perfectly. The personal
sleep-related challenges and concerns were a wonderful, vitalizing
addition to our usual curriculum, and our usual manner of oper-

ating was slow enough and nurturing enough to accommodate
just about anyone with a sincere interest in participating.
During that time, I would witness many examples of personal
transformation that comes with three days of profound, thorough-
going rest accompanied by the practice of Mini-Moves. For
example, a woman I'll call Paula attended one of our programs in
Baltimore. Paula arrived late, so I didn't get a chance to meet her
beforehand. But I knew the moment I looked at Paula that there
was quite a struggle going on inside of her. Her face was drawn
and contracted, as if she had just swallowed something extremely
bitter, and had a grayish cast. She seemed extremely restless and
uncomfortable, even though she was well supplied with mats, pil-
lows, blankets, and warm socks. A few times during that day, I
noticed she had broken into quiet tears and then fallen into a fit-
ful sleep. I kept my eye on Paula, making sure that she was able to
follow the thread of my teaching and offering quiet encourage-
ment for her successes in doing so. I made a mental note to speak
with her privately to see if any special support was needed. But
when I asked after her at the end of the day, I found that she had
slipped out a little early to take care of some personal errands. By
the seeond day she seemed more at ease, a little more peaceful.
H, she eluded my efforts to make contact, i^n the third morn-

ing of the program, Paula arrived with a huge smile on her face.
She was positively radiant! "What happened to you?" I asked.
"Last night I slept through the night for the first time in thirteen
years," Paula explained. "I feel wonderful!"
We have heard similar reports from many other Healing Sleep

attendees. A young lawyer named "Jane" attended a program I
gave at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, a former Jesuit
retreat perched on the shores of a sylvan lake in the Berkshire
mountains of Massachusetts. At the time of the program, Jane
hadn't had a good night's sleep in over two months. The problem
had started just before she took the bar exam. By the time she
started a new job with a litigation firm the following week, Jane
was really in trouble. She was so exhausted and so impaired from
lack of sleep that she responded with terror each time she was
given a new work responsibility. She feared she was not cut out to
be a lawyer. During our Kripalu program, Jane slept a lot. I could

see that she had a lot of catching up to do! Even so, she learned
enough to practice on her own, and her practice quickly bore
fruit. Following the program, Jane regained her natural sleep

rhythm and was soon sleeping almost eight hours each night. Not
only was Jane's law career saved, but she was really beginning to
enjoy it. "Things have really improved dramatically since the
Healing Sleep retreat," she wrote. "I am looking forward to my
first trial with excitement!"
Today, I give about twenty-five Healing Sleep retreats each year
in various cities in the United States and Europe. Like those first
programs in Los Angeles, they are attended by both healing-arts

practitioners and members of the general public. I always feel
honored when, as is often the case, people come from great dis-
tances to attend my programs. I enjoy teaching, and I'm always

very grateful for any opportunity to share what I know with an
enthusiastic audience. Of course, for every person that can attend
one of my programs in person, there are many, many more who

would like to attend, but can't. That's why I am writing this book.
It is my hope that this book will make these helpful and much-
needed techniques available to a wider audience.
Chapter 2
* *
How to Use This Book
So now you know something about the Sounder Sleep System

and the Mini-Moves. You know how and why they came into
being, you know a little bit about how they are taught, and you
know what kinds of results they produce. In this chapter, I'll tell
you about this book and how to make the most of the instruc-
tional materials contained in it. That way, you'll enjoy much the
same kind of guidance and supervision I provide for the partici-

pants in my live programs.
This book is about self-healing. It teaches you to use your own
physical movements and breath to overcome insomnia and get all
the natural, restful sleep you need. In the process, you will heal
your relationship with sleep. That means that your feelings about
sleep and your attitudes toward sleep will change. Instead of

dreading bedtime as a time of irritation, uncertainty, or disap-
pointment, you will look forward to it as a time of comfort, plea-

sure, and peace. That is my goal for you, dear reader, and I have
done everything in my power to help you achieve it with the
means you hold in your hands.
67
Learning the Mini -Moves
The Sounder Sleep System is the basis of the insomnia solution

presented in this book. The system is primarily an oral teaching,
taught through the medium of speech and language either in live
presentation or on recordings. There is also a secondary visual
component, because in a live setting the teacher may demonstrate
certain movements, and illustrations are usually provided along
with recorded programs. But the core experience of learning and
practicing the Mini-Moves happens with eyes closed, while listen-
ing to spoken instructions from a teacher. After all, it is with our

eyes closed that we are most likely to deeply relax and sleep.
One of the challenges of creating this book has been to trans-
late this fundamentally oral teaching into an illustrated text for-
mat so that you can learn the basics of the Sounder Sleep System
by means of verbal instructions and visual illustrations. Great care
has been taken to make this not only possible but also easy and
enjoyable. When you are first learning the Mini-Moves, you will
need to read them from the book or have someone read them to
you. Reading them for yourself can be a bit of a challenge: Each
time you start to get relaxed, you'll have to spoil the mood by
opening your eyes and picking up the book to find out what is the
next step. Clearly, that would be an impediment to your learning
and enjoyment of the Mini-Moves. Not insurmountable, but an

impediment nonetheless.
For that reason, I'm going to suggest a few simple, practical
strategies for learning the Mini-Moves in this book. One is that
you ask a family member, friend, or neighbor to read them aloud

for you. In that case, choose someone who will take the time to
read slowly and clearly, pausing as needed to allow you time to
savor the effects of each step. Ideally, they should read one step at
a time and then wait for yon to indicate your readiness to move on
How to Use This Book 69
with a nonverbal cue of some sort, for example, a sigh, a whis-

pered word of your choosing, or any other signal you can give
without arousing yourself too much. I have tested this method,
and it works quite nicely. The key is choosing a sympathetic
reader who is committed to helping you learn. If you can find
someone with whom to trade, so that you later take a turn reading
the Mini-Moves to them, that is a very wonderful way to learn
and share. This also makes it easier to remember the Mini-Moves,

since you are bound to go through each Mini-Move at least twice,
once as the listener, and once as the reader. The complementary

action of those two approaches, listening and reading aloud, is
quite a powerful aid to memory, in my experience.

Another wonderful way to learn is to form a Mini-Move study
group. Here you would gather a group of three to five family
members, friends, or neighbors, all of whom are eager to learn.
One person reads a Mini-Move aloud, while the others listen and
follow the instructions. Then, someone else takes a turn reading
the same Mini-Move again, so that the first reader gets a chance
to try it, too. Continue like that, until everyone has had a chance
to practice each Mini-Move. And of course you will want to prac-
tice what you learned as much as possible between meetings,
too, so you can report back to each other as you progress. The
factor of group support is another powerful aid to learning, mem-
ory, and enjoyment. When one or more members of the group
start to experience favorable results and report their experiences
to the others, the effect is contagious. After a while, group mem-
bers may start to feel sleepy the moment they arrive at the meet-
ing, and that same effect can be carried over into their own
bedrooms.
Another possibility is that you may wish to record the Mini-
Moves in your own voice so you can listen whenever you like. You
are welcome to record the Mini-Moves for your personal use.
When you record, be sure to read slowly and clearly, and allow a
pause of several complete breath cycles after each step is complete.
Naturally, you can always pause the recording should you need
more time to explore a given movement. But it's best to try to
establish a nice, slow, rhythmic pace with frequent, long pauses

on the recording itself. That way you won't have to fumble with
the controls while you're trying to relax and learn. Finally, you
may wish to purchase prerecorded programs of the Mini-Moves
from one of the sources listed in appendix A. And of course, you
are welcome to attend one of our live programs. A list of upcom-
ing programs is always available on our Web site at soundersleep
.com.
Three Types of Mini-Moves: Relax, Calm, and Lull
As you know, the Mini-Moves are designed to relax your body,

calm your mind, and lull you to sleep. In accordance with this
principle, the Mini-Moves in this book are divided into three
types: Relaxing Mini-Moves (chapter 3) to reduce muscular ten-

sion and help you move with greater ease and enjoyment; Calm-
ing Mini-Moves (chapter 4) to help you achieve a calm, clear
mind and a more peaceful life; and Lulling Mini-Moves (chap-

ter 5) to help you fall asleep at bedtime or recover from nighttime
awakenings. You will find ample description, explanation, and
instruction in all three kinds of Mini-Moves in the associated
chapters, along with plenty of helpful tips and friendly encourage-

ment. For now, all you need to know is that you will probably
need to learn and master at least one or two Mini-Moves of each
type, depending on your own individual needs. But how will you
decide where to begin and how to go on from there? That's what
going to talk about next.
Tense, Nervous, Sleepless: What's Your Type?
If you're reading this book, you are almost certainly a troubled

sleeper, but what type of troubled sleeper are you? Lets talk about
that, because it will be a good indicator of where you can most
profitably begin your practice of the Mini-Moves. Please note that
this simple typology is based on pedagogical principles and is not
a medical diagnosis. It is just a convenient tool to help you decide
how much emphasis to place on each of the three types of Mini-
Moves as you embark on the path toward self-healing.
Tense?
Tom was tense. Tom was a musician and journalist in his late thir-
ties. When we met, he was nursing a sore wrist he'd developed
while playing blues guitar. He suffered from a recurring stiff neck

that seemed to get worse whenever a deadline was looming on the
horizon. His dentist had informed him that he was grinding his
teeth and suggested an appliance to forestall any further damage

to his enamel. Tom spoke quickly and decisively, in a kind of stac-
cato rhythm, and expected others to do the same. When I paused
to think in the middle of a sentence, he'd finish it for me.
And on top of all that, or more likely because of it, Tom
couldn't sleep. He'd often stay up until 3 a.m. writing, catch three
or four hours of fitful sleep, have breakfast, and then pace the
streets of New York for a couple of hours with a cup of takeout
coffee in his hand. (I happened to be downstairs when he arrived
for his first session with me, and that first mental snapshot of him
abides to this day.) Then he'd spend the rest of the day at his desk,
typing, typing, typing, gulping coffee, and telephoning the occa-
sional interview subject. By the way, he was one of those who like
to cradle the phone in the crook of their shoulder. He got the

headset lecture and the coffee lecture during our first meeting!
My first intervention with Tom was a series of movement-
awareness lessons of the type you'll find in chapter 3. These were
meant to help him let go of some of that excess muscular tension
and learn to sit, type, and play the guitar with greater comfort,
ease, and efficiency. We even worked on his walk, for his heel-
pounding, over-striding walking style was really doing some vio-
lence to his body. I figured that until we got some of that physical
tension out of the way, there wasn't likely to be much improve-
ment in his sleep behavior. Even though we associate it primarily
with daytime activities, excess muscular tension can overflow into
your bedroom, delaying the onset of sleep and giving it a shallow,
fragmented quality.
Light, easy movement was a quite unfamiliar concept at first,
but Tom eventually came to understand its value. At the begin-

ning of our fourth meeting, he laughingly said, "You know, since
we started working together, I'm doing everything just a little
more softly. I'm pussyfootinT That was quite an admission from

this hardboiled native New Yorker! And sure enough, once Tom
started pussyfootin', some of his neck and wrist problems began
to abate, and he started finding it a little easier to surrender to the
waves of bedtime sleepiness that would make landfall at around

ten and that he had previously ignored. I was very pleased when
he announced that one of his New Year's resolutions was to be in
bed before midnight on at least five nights of the week. Can you
guess what any of the others were? (Hint: headset, caffeine.)
At the same time, I began to introduce Tom to some of the
( aiming Mini-Moves, and we found one (Main Squeeze, chapter

4) thai was particularly pleasing to him. He agreed to practice it
twice .i day, once before lunch and once in the late evening. Later,
he told me he found it soothing to do it briefly during his breaks

from writing, too —he didn't feel the need to drink so much cof-
fee as a result. "I'm happier and more productive when I'm relaxed
than when I'm in caffeine catastrophe mode," he averred. Of
course, the reduced caffeine input had its effect, too. Less caffeine
equals a lower arousal level, which makes sleep all the more pos-
sible and likely.
Tom became quite adept at the Calming Mini-Move we had cho-

sen for him, and he was really enjoying its cumulative, tranquilizing
effects. His voice seemed to have become softer and lower, and he no
longer finished my sentences for me. As he left one of our sessions, I
went down in the elevator with him to observe his departure. As he
headed for Central Park, he was indeed pussyfootin'. That kinder,
gentler walk was a pleasure to watch.
Tom was now at the point where I felt he was ready to practice
some of the Lulling Mini-Moves (chapter 5). We tried a few dif-
ferent ones, and Tom liked the Ziggurat, so he started with that.
He began, as I always insist, by practicing during waking hours,
substituting a Lulling Mini-Move for one of his Main Squeeze

breaks in the late afternoon. After several days of that, he could
practice fluently without having to think too much about it, so
I encouraged him to try the Ziggurat in bed, at bedtime only.
Of course, falling asleep at bedtime was not Tom's problem — it
was those late-night awakenings, as is true for the majority of
troubled sleepers. But by Tom's doing the Mini-Move at bed-

time, when he was most likely to fall asleep, we were gradually
getting his mind and body habituated to the idea that when he
did those movements, he was going to fall asleep. I utilize some

variation of this principle of gradual implementation, which I call
"the Waiting Game," with virtually all of my clients. And I recom-

mend it to you, too. This won't be the last mention of it in this
book!
The Waiting Game certainly worked for Tom, because some
days later, when I gave him the okay to use the Mini-Move in
response to his early-morning awakenings, he found that this by-

now very well practiced Mini-Move got him back to sleep in no
time. As a result, this three-hour-a-night man was able to sleep
from midnight to 6 a.m. He had doubled his sleep total! And that
was just the beginning. In the weeks that followed, with some
gentle prompting from me, Tom began going to bed at 11 or
1 1:30, waking up briefly at 3 a.m. for personal needs and a sip of
water, and then, with the aid of the Ziggurat, sleeping soundly
until 7 a.m. Tom was now sleeping seven and a half to eight hours
a night, and loving it. He'd also begun to practice Breath Surfing,
another of the Lulling Mini-Moves. He found that he valued the
flexibility of being able to fall asleep on his back, too.
Does Tom's situation sound familiar? Do you suffer from exces-

sive physical tension? Do you tend to grind your teeth, clench
your fists, or stop your breathing? Do you get frequent backaches,
stiff necks, tendinitis, eyestrain, or other nagging aches and pains?
Do you find that ordinary everyday movements often require
more flexibility or range of motion than you can muster? Do you

walk with the force of a locomotive, twist faucets until the wash-
ers cry uncle, and pound the keys of your keyboard 'til they ring
like a blacksmith's anvil? Maybe, whether you're aware of it or not,
you're suffering from excess muscular tension. (Naturally, you'll
want to consult your doctor to determine whether there are any

medical causes behind these complaints.)
If you do suffer from excess tension, this may very well be one
of the causes of your troubled sleep. In that case, I suggest you
look carefully at the Relaxing Mini-Moves in chapter 3, and begin
your practice there. Read the text, look at the pictures, see what
attracts you. That will get you started on the road to greater light-
ness and ease of movement, to greater relaxation and reduced

effort in your daily activities, with many of the same salutary
effects that Tom experienced. Who knows, you may even find
that, like Tom, you like yourself better this way! How often
should you practice the Relaxing Mini-Moves? Whenever you

can. Can you do one a week? That's great. Twice? Even better. The
key is to really take the time to do them slowly and mindfully,
without hurry. That will ensure that you get the best results.
At the same time, please take the time to master one or two of
the Calming Mini-Moves in chapter 4 and, as Tom did, practice
two or three times a day for ten minutes or more. You'll find that
they, too, will make a valuable contribution to the quality of your
life and work. Tense people almost invariably need both Relaxing
and Calming Mini-Moves. Nervousness and anxiety seem to go
hand in hand with excessive physical tension, and both can keep
you awake. Finally, visit the Lulling Mini-Moves in chapter 5.
They will put the icing on the cake, teaching you how to fall
asleep at bedtime, and how to recover quickly if you wake up dur-

ing the night. For further advice on how to most fruitfully
develop your practice of the Calming and Lulling Mini-Moves,

follow the Basic Program, below.
Nervous?
To allow oneself to be carried away by a multitude of conflict-

ing concerns; to surrender to too many demands; to commit
oneself to too many projects; to want to help everyone in
everything; is itself to succumb to the violence of our times.

—Thomas Merton
Andrea was the nervous type. A former schoolteacher in her

mid-sixties, she was retired in name only. She lived with two pam-
pered cats in a pleasant, sunny private home filled with children's
art and native crafts collected over the course of a lifetime. Even
though she was no longer working for a living, Andreas days were
jam-packed with activities — charity work, environmental activism,
and visits to all the local schools to share with the younger genera-
tion her lifelong fascination with ecology and conservation. As
the recipient of several scholarly grants, she had become quite an
expert on the subject. She found it all very rewarding, but after a
full day like that, Andrea was losing sleep. She had no trouble
falling asleep, but she'd wake up at three or four in the morning,
unable to return to sleep.
There were some immediate physical causes for Andreas sleep-
lessness —an irritable hip with possible arthritic involvement, a

nagging digestive problem that wasn't responding to any of the
prescribed remedies. Of course, these and any other medical
issues were being addressed by Andrea with her medical providers.
But when I met Andrea, the first thing that caught my attention
was her nervousness, overstimulation, and hyperarousal. You see,
Andrea was keeping busy in retirement, and that's good, but there
was a driven quality to her busyness. She could go, she could do,
but she could not stop, she could not just be. After each of our
meetings, she would open her day planner to schedule our next
appointment, and I would always marvel at how every time slot
was filled. I've known successful doctors and lawyers whose sched-
ule contained more wiggle room than Andrea's. Often, she would
have to cancel something else in order to fit me in. Then, she'd call
me the next day to see if we could meet fifteen minutes earlier, or
a half hour later than we had agreed. She was shoehorning each
new appointment into her already loaded schedule. In addition,
Andrea was a bit of a perfectionist, highly conscientious in all her
affairs and undertakings. That meant that she couldn't just do

something and be done with it; she had to evaluate the outcome
and figure out a better way to do it in the future. This, too, is a
good quality, not a bad one. But when you consider the sheer vol-
ume of Andreas activities and add to that the intensity of com-
mitment she gave to each one, and add to that her troubled sleep,
you start to suspect that something could be out of balance.

When I questioned Andrea about the causes of her sleepless-
ness, she mentioned the sore hip and the anguished gut, but she
did not seem to be aware of the role played by her mind. But with
closer questioning, she admitted that her habit of unceasing
thought, planning, evaluation, and re-planning might be one of
the factors keeping her awake. Upon reflection, she came to real-
ize that her nocturnal awakenings were more often than not trig-
gered by thoughts that seemed to bubble up out of the depths of

sleep. Sometimes she would awaken from a sound sleep and bolt
out of bed to write herself yet another reminder of something she
must do the next day, or a new project she must undertake.
Andrea aptly summarized the problem as follows: "It's not that
I wake up, and then begin to think; it's that I begin to think,
and those thoughts awaken me. I didn't think such a thing was
possible."
It is possible, however. A study of thoughts and hallucinations

in waking and sleep conducted at the University of Oslo, Norway,
by Fosse, Stickgold, and Hobson, some of our most imaginative
sleep researchers, indicates that our thinking diminishes only
gradually throughout the first stages of sleep, finally reaching its
nadir in the REM sleep phase, which is dominated instead by those

very convincing, emotionally charged hallucinations we call dreams.
I believe that Andrea was living proof of this finding. After an
overly stimulating day of highly compressed activities, she would
fall into a shallow sleep marked by relatively high levels of non-
dreaming thought. In other words, she was still chewing on all
those meaty thought processes that she'd initiated during the day
but hadn't had time to digest. At a certain point, some particularly
potent thought would impose itself on Andreas awareness,

heightening her already elevated arousal enough to wake her up.
And then, the ensuing stream of thoughts and feelings would
keep her aroused and awake for the rest of the night.
In light of this, I decided that one of the Calming Mini-Moves
would be the best place for Andrea to begin her quest for sounder
sleep. It would create some much needed time-outs in the course
of her day, and at the same time reduce some of the cognitive
overload that was keeping her in that nervous, restless, sleep-
deprived state. We began with L.E.S.S. Is More, just as it is pre-
sented in chapter 4. Andrea took to that simple exercise right

away, finding that it instantly brought her a feeling of peace and
well-being that had long eluded her. We agreed that she would
take two or three daily time-outs of ten minutes each in order to
practice the technique.
My plan was to wait until Andrea had achieved considerable

mastery of that first Relaxing Mini-Move, and perhaps one other,
and had begun to enjoy some of the cumulative relaxing effects.
As we were establishing this daily practice, I would begin to intro-
duce the option of reducing her activity level ever so slightly, to
leave more time for rest and reflection. I was eager to see some
gaps in that day planner of hers! Only later, when Andrea was well
settled in her practice, would we begin to experiment with some
of the Lulling Mini-Moves, until we found the one or two that
she could use most fruitfully when she awoke in the wee hours.
That would he what I'd do with anyone who, like Andrea, was the
nervous, overstimulated type.
Andrei surprised me, however. In the week following our
meet ng, she not only practiced that Mini-Move during those two
i
01 three daytime rest periods, bill also during the night. She had
discovered that, for her, it could be a very pleasurable and peaceful
way to drift off to sleep at bedtime and also a powerful aid to
recovering her sleep if she awoke during the night. She found
that on the days when she stuck to her daytime practice regimen,
her sleeping mind was far less active, far less likely to wake her up.
A curious and welcome side effect was that Andreas digestive

problems had begun to abate during that same week. "Maybe the
medicine's finally taking effect," she speculated. Maybe so. But
the gut is one of those places that are particularly sensitive to the
effects of stress. Reduce the stress, and the gut has a chance to
recover. And that Mini-Move had certainly reduced Andreas

stress level.
In any case, Andrea was very happy with the results of our work
together. She was sleeping longer and more deeply, and if she did
awaken at any time during the night, she could get herself back to
sleep within a reasonable time. Later, I did teach her some of the
Lulling Mini-Moves, and she loved experimenting with the differ-
ent effects that each one produced. Still, she maintained an abid-
ing fondness for that first Calming Mini-Move she had learned,
L.E.S.S. Is More. She practiced every day, and at night it was her
favorite tool for recovering from those premature awakenings.
Andrea and I continued meeting for several weeks more. We ex-
perimented with a variety of movements designed to relieve some

of the stress on her hip in walking and sitting. When we last met,
Andreas hip was almost fully recovered, and all the signs of golden
sleep were written on her smiling face.
Does Andreas story ring a bell for you? Might you be the ner-
vous, anxious, overstimulated type? If so, you would do well to
emphasize the Calming Mini-Moves presented in chapter 4. That

will be the perfect place for you to begin your quest for sounder
sleep. Read through the introductory texts for each Mini-Move,
look at the photos, and choose the one or two of those Calming
Mini-Moves that appeals to you most. Then practice as often as
you can until you know your chosen Mini-Moves by heart.

Once you can practice fluently, without consulting the book,
try to set aside time at least three times a day for ten minutes or
more each time. If you can do more, do it! The Basic Program
given in the next section provides a suggested schedule for practice
of the Calming Mini-Moves. You can use that as your basic guide-
line, and augment it according to your own intelligence and intu-
ition, as well as your own felt need. The key thing for the nervous
type is to integrate the practice of the Calming Mini-Moves into
your daily routine so thoroughly that you become saturated

with their relaxing effects, and your life becomes distinctly more
peaceful. Later, you can gradually introduce the Lulling Mini-
Moves just as is recommended in the Basic Program that follows.
The more you can practice those Calming Mini-Moves, the

more confident you can be that your subsequent practice of the
Lulling Mini-Moves is going to bear the sweet, golden fruit of

sleep.
Just Plain Sleepless?
Perhaps you've been reading about the tense and nervous types
described in the two preceding sections and thinking, "Nope,
that's not me." You may be thinking that you suffer from neither
physical tension, which is addressed by the Relaxing Mini-Moves
in chapter 3i nor nervousness, anxiety, or overstimulation, which
are addressed by the Calming Mini-Moves in chapter 4. Your only
problem is that you can't sleep. Therefore, you'll skip right to the
Lulling Mini-Moves in chapter 5, and your sleep problems will be

solved. Makes sense, right?
Whoa, slow down! Stop right there. I know many of my readers
will be tempted to think this way. Every troubled sleeper wants

to find the shortest, easiest, most convenient path to natural, rest-
ful deep. You want natural, restful sleep and you want it right
away! And I want it for you, too. But there's one thing I want to
avoid at all cost: the possibility that, in your drive to find the
shortest, easiest, most convenient path to sleep, you will take the
shortcut and miss out on the essential features of the Sounder

Sleep System, features that give this system its full effectiveness
and power.
So, for those of you who are neither the tense nor the nervous
type, for those who are just plain sleepless: Have I got a program
for you! And, if you are 2, tense or a nervous type, you can follow
the advice provided for you above, then use this Basic Program as
a guide to further practice. So here we go.
The Basic Program
Step 1. First, learn either L.E.S.S. Is More or Making Room, or

both, from chapter 4. Whichever you choose, practice at least two
or three times —more if you like. They are designed to restore the
natural rhythm and balance of your breath. Since all of the

Lulling Mini-Moves depend on that easy, natural breathing, these
two provide an indispensable preparation for success with the
Mini-Moves. That's true for virtually everyone who lives in this
hurried, worried, and harried world of ours.

Step 2. Then, learn either Main Squeeze or a Twist of the
Wrists, or both, also in chapter 4. Whichever you choose, review
that until you can practice fluently, without having to consult the
book. Then, for a good week, or even two, practice twice or three
times a day, for ten minutes or more each time. Occasionally, you
may wish to substitute one of the other Calming Mini-Moves for
Main Squeeze or a Twist of the Wrists. Perhaps you are the brood-
ing type who tends to think obsessively —Things Are Looking Up

will help you to reduce the volume of your thoughts. Or maybe
you tend to be irritable or easily upset — in that case Touching
Your Heart is a good bet. As always, variety is not only the spice of
life, but also the greatest ally of the learning process.
What are the best times to practice your Calming Mini-Moves?
First thing in the morning is wonderful —many of us get terribly
worked up just anticipating what the new day will bring, and a
soothing Mini-Move provides an effective antidote that lasts well
into the morning. Late morning, just before lunch, is a great time,
too. By then we are ready for a brief respite from the stress of the
day, and it's easier to focus on the Calming Mini-Moves with a
relatively empty stomach. The rumblings of a full stomach can be

quite an impediment to concentration. Late afternoon affords a
tranquil mood all its own, as the day winds down and we are just
beginning to anticipate the approach of night, darkness, and wel-

come rest. Then again, just before bedtime is a wonderful time for
the Calming Mini-Moves. Done at that time, they help our bod-
ies and minds to establish a clear division between active day and
passive, restful night, thus assuring that we remain in sync with
those ever-present, natural rhythms that are so essential for
healthy sleep. The bottom line is, practice the Calming Mini-
Moves often, whenever you can. Not only will your life become
sweeter and easier, but you will learn many useful relaxation skills
that will enhance your later practice of the sleep-inducing Lulling

Mini-Moves in chapter 5. Being more relaxed and peaceful during
waking hours sets the scene for sounder sleep.
Sup 3. After a week or two of regular practice of the Calming
Mini-Moves, youll be ready to begin learning and practicing some
of the I tilling Mini-Moves in chapter 5. They are the ones you're
going to use to help yourself get to sleep, or back to sleep if you

awaken during the night. Again, read the text, browse the pic-
tuns, and find the lulling Mini-Move that strikes your fancy.
four OWH intelligence and intuition is your surest guide to what is

right for you. You might try a Mini-Move and find that it doesn't
suit you — try another. In my workshops and in my private prac-
tice, I never encourage anyone to persist in doing a Mini-Move

that doesn't suit them. Rather, we always look for the one that is
just right for the individual. You should, too.
The Waiting Game
I have already mentioned the Waiting Game. That is the one cardi-
nal rule for practicing the Lulling Mini-Moves that I try to impress
upon all my students. And you, dear reader, are no exception. The
Waiting Game means that you begin your practice of the Lulling
Mini-Moves during waking hours only. Wait, wait, wait. Do not

attempt to practice in bed until you can do the Mini-Move from
memory, with absolute fluency, comfort, and ease.
For every rule, there's a reason, and here's the reason behind
this rule: If you have difficulty falling asleep, bedtime is no picnic.
It's bound to be a challenging moment, full of doubt, anticipa-

tion, apprehension, fear, and other difficult feelings. You probably
think to yourself: What's going to happen? Am I going to be able
to sleep? Will I awaken too early? If so, at what time? Will I be
able to function at my peak tomorrow? Thoughts and feelings
such as these tend to be arousing all by themselves. They can wake

you right up! Practicing a new and unfamiliar exercise is also
arousing, all by itself. Bring the two together, and you've got twice
the arousal, so the odds are stacked against falling asleep. Con-
versely, if you wait until you have really mastered your chosen
Mini-Move, until you can practice it with pleasure and ease, and
until you have proven its power to yourself many times over
during waking hours, then you can gradually introduce that
Mini-Move whenever you need it, be it bedtime, later at night, or
early in the morning. Rather than producing arousal, it will
deliver you to the shores of sleep. This is the way to achieve sub-
lime success in your quest for sounder sleep.

If you're one of those folks who fall asleep easily at bedtime, but
have difficulty staying asleep through the night, the Waiting

Game will be even more helpful for you. When you awaken at 3
or 4 or 5 a.m., the most important thing you can do is to remain
calm. Do not stir yourself! Do not open your eyes wide, clench
your fists, curse your fate, or do anything that is likely to increase
your arousal. That will only increase the odds against your getting
back to sleep. By the same token, do not attempt to practice a
Mini-Move that is unfamiliar or that you can't yet do fluently. It
may have the paradoxical effect of waking you up even further.
Again, play the Waiting Game.

For you, the Waiting Game actually has two stages that, hap-
pily, can make your practice of the Mini-Moves all the more effec-
tive. In the first stage, you practice the Mini-Move of your choice
for a week or two during waking hours only, until you achieve
complete fluency. Later, you can practice for a few nights at bed-
time only. Get into bed, douse the lights, get comfortable, and
then, after about ten minutes of quiet rest, begin to do your cho-
sen Mini-Move. That gives you the advantage of practicing your
Mini-Move under realistic, nocturnal conditions. But, since you
don't expect any rouble

r falling asleep at bedtime, the pressure is off.
The gentle, soothing Mini-Move will effortlessly usher you along

the path from waking CO sleep. And each time you walk that path,
you arc training your mind and body to fall asleep in response to
those movements. Later, VOU can practice that same Mini-Move

should vou awaken during the night. Then you'll have an effective
tool that vou can use to recover from those unwanted late-night
oi early-morning awakenings.
Further Advice and Guidance
You will read additional advice and guidance about how to learn
and practice each of the three types of Mini-Moves in the next three
chapters. What follow are general tips for home practice that I give
all my students.
No effort. Make no effort to fall asleep! After all, sleep is the
antithesis of effort. Sleep begins with the cessation of all effort. Sim-
ply allow these gentle, synchronized movements and breathing to
deliver you to the shores of sleep. Once you arrive there, just relax
and enjoy the scenery. Allow the innate wisdom of your own mind
and body to decide what happens next.
Go with the flow. Remember that there is a broad spectrum of
mind-body states between full waking and deep sleep. In some of

the lighter stages it is possible that you may remain aware ofyour sur-
roundings, leading you to believe you re awake. Do not be con-
cerned. Those lighter stages of sleep are restful in themselves — far
more restful than pacing the floor! —and they are the doorway to
deeper, fully restorative sleep. In your gradual descent into sleep,
you may drift, you may dream, you may have unusual thoughts or
perceptions — that's all part of the slow, step-by-step process of
falling asleep. Do allow that natural process to take its course. Go
with the flow.
Dont shoot. If at bedtime you're not falling into a deep sleep as
quickly as you think you should, or if you awaken during the

night, you may say to yourself, "Oh, shoot!" or words to that
effect. Don't! That vigorous expression of displeasure can wake

you up even more. Instead, remain calm, keep on doing your
Mini-Moves, with longer and longer rest periods between the
movements. Rest assured, you'll lull yourself back to sleep step
by step.
Dont shoot, part 2. Later in the night, after you've been asleep a
while, you may enter a lighter stage of sleep, or even fully awaken.
In that case, too, you may say to yourself, "Oh, shoot!" or words
to that effect. Don't! That vigorous expression of displeasure
wakes you up even more and delays your return to sleep. Instead,
do not be concerned —you have prepared yourself for this
moment by learning the Mini-Moves. Do them! Little by little,
the gentle, synchronized movements and breathing will deliver
you to the shores of sleep.

Two steps forward, one step back. The descent into sleep is not a
one-way process. It's reversible! You may drift in and out of sleep
several times before you really "drop off" into a deeper sleep.
Don't resist! Just relax, and let Mother Nature, and the Mini-
Moves, take their course. You'll go two steps forward, toward

sleep, and one step back, toward waking. Your net gain is one step
forward. After a couple of rounds of that, you'll find that you've
entered a state of deep repose. From there, it's just a hop, skip, and
a jump to Slumber Land.
Don t get into a rut. Practice a variety of Mini-Moves. The more
variety you can achieve, the more likely you are to find the Mini-
Move that's just right for you tonight, and every night. When you
begin, practice one or two Mini-Moves of each type that you've
mastered. As your practice develops, try to learn the other Mini-

Moves and gradually incorporate them all into your regime. Let
your own intelligence and intuition be your guide.

Go easy. If you encounter any obstructions in your learning or
practice of the Mini-Moves, back off. You can always stop for a
few days and begin again fresh. The Calming Mini-Moves

L.E.S.S. Is More and Making Room are always a good place to
Start anew.
General Tips for Sounder Sleep
In addition to your daily practice of the Relaxing, Calming, and

Lulling Mini-Moves it's essential that you maintain a peace-
ful, sleep-supportive lifestyle. Here are some helpful tips to
guide you.
Go to sleep at the same time every night. Consistent bedtimes
promote a healthy, regular sleep-wake rhythm. This is one of the
most important steps you can take to promote sounder sleep.
Take sun. Bright sunlight in the morning also helps to maintain

a normal sleep-wake rhythm. It also suppresses daytime mela-
tonin secretion, thereby supporting your full alertness and vigor.
If you live in a part of the world where bright sunshine is not reg-
ularly available, you might consider getting a light box. This elec-
tronic light source provides a "sun supplement" for a half hour or
more each day. It can make a big difference during those long,
dark winters. My favorite is the LiteBook (available from litebook
.com).No larger or heavier than a paperback book, I carry it with
me whenever I leave sun-drenched New Mexico for darker climes.
Douse the light. Research shows that our sleeping bodies are
extremely sensitive to light, even in small amounts. Light pollu-
tion and over-lighting are endemic to modern urban and subur-
ban environments, and even the feeble, first rays of dawn can
disrupt the fragile architecture of your early morning sleep. For
sounder sleep, be sure that your bedroom is truly dark. Blackout
curtains — or at the very least a sleep mask that blocks light from
entering your eyes — are a must. Also eliminate from your bed-
room all internal sources of light, such as illuminated clocks,
computers, or appliances with glowing or blinking LEDs. (Night-

lights, if required for safety, should be well out of sightlines from
your bed.)
Exercise regularly. Daily exercise appropriate to your physical

condition is invigorating, lifts your spirits, and helps promote
natural, restful sleep. Working out at the same time every day
helps to establish a healthy, sleep-wake rhythm.
Exercise early. Late-night workouts stimulate arousal mechanisms
which can delay the onset of sleep. Vigorous exercise causes your
body to secrete stress hormones that can keep you awake. Solu-
tion: Exercise early in the day. Keep evening workouts light.
Avoid exercise within three hours of bedtime.
Dorit trade sleep for exercise. Dragging yourself out of bed an

hour early for that bleary-eyed workout might seem like a short-
cut to better health and fitness, but it can shortchange your sleep
needs. And that isn't good for your health. Solution? Enjoy that
extra hour of sleep, and reschedule your workout at lunch or just
after work.
Subjective insomnia. People often think they're awake when
they're actually asleep. It's called subjective insomnia. While you
may think you're lying awake for hours, you may actually be
asleep a good part of that time. Take heart! You may be getting
more sleep than you think.
Caffeine blues?The effects of caffeine can last for up to eighteen
hours. Caffeine suppresses the natural hormone melatonin, which

is essential for evoking sleep onset, and stimulates secretion of
stress hormones like Cortisol and ACTH, which can keep you
awake. Reduce your consumption of caffeine products (including
coffee, tea, chocolate, and colas) to a minimum. If you must use
caffeine, do it as early in the day as possible.
Drowsy driving is no joke. According to sleep research pioneer

Dr. William Dement, drowsiness is not an early warning sys-
tem — it's a red alert! Drowsiness is the last thing that happens
before you fall asleep. If you feel drowsy while driving, pull over
immediately and rest. Once you feel fully awake, continue your
trip safely.
Overwork, under-sleep. Americans work longer hours than any

other nation, and we're experiencing an epidemic of sleep depriva-
tion. And the more we work, the less we sleep, according to recent
research. If you work more than forty hours a week and aren't get-
ting the sleep you need, consider cutting down on your working
hours. You'll sleep better, look better, feel better, and be more cre-
ative and productive. Your body will thank you!

Taking the red eye? A study of Long Island Railroad commuters
conducted by Joyce Walsleben of New York University concluded
that the longer your commute to work, the less sleep you are likely
to get. There are only so many hours in the day, and sleep is the
first casualty of an overloaded schedule. Possible solutions include
changing jobs, moving closer to work, or working from home.

Your good health is more important than any job!
Early to bed, early to rise. Grandma was right! The later you go
to bed, the later you'll need to sleep. But those extra hours you get
by "sleeping in" may not be as restful as you would like. That's
because the circadian clock, which synchronizes your body with
the rhythms of night and day, boosts your blood pressure and the
hormone Cortisol starting at around 7 in the morning. That tends
to make your sleep shallower and more fragmented. The answer?
Get to bed by eleven, and wake up around 7. Just like Grandma
said!
Dim the screen. Computers, e-mail, the Internet, and video

games are stimulating, whether you feel it or not. If you use a
computer close to bedtime, you may experience a considerable
delay in sleep onset. Solution: Turn off the computer two hours
before your ideal bedtime. Sweet dreams!
Watch what you eat. What and how you eat can significantly
influence your sleep. Small and balanced meals, eaten slowly in
a quiet environment, are conducive to sound sleep. Rich,

greasy, overly spiced foods; overeating; late meals; or a chaotic
dining environment can set you up for a night of tossing and

turning.
Chapter 3
****
Relax Your Body
The message of this chapter is: Movement matters! The quality of

your movement is a key to the quality of your life. By that I mean,
the way you move —
the way you sit, stand, walk, climb stairs,
reach for the phone, tap the keyboard, swing a golf club or tennis
racket, or carry a baby — has a tremendous impact on how you
feel and how you do in all your daily activities, including sleep.
Light, easy, well-coordinated movements feel good and are
good for you. They produce feelings of physical and mental ease,
self-assurance, and pleasure. They provide a basis for happy and

creative living. And most important for our purposes, they relax
your body and reduce stress^ which as you know is the number one
enemy of sleep. Anything that makes your life less stressful is
going to support your quest for more peaceful sleep.
Now consider the other side of the coin. Awkward, ill-
coordinated, overly forceful movements feel heavy and uncom-

fortable. The misdirected effort of the movement rebounds on the
body, damaging muscles, bones, and other sensitive tissues. The
end result can be stiffness, aches and pains, premature fatigue, low
mood, and reduced ability and achievement. Living this way is
91
stressful. The more stress there is in our lives, the harder it is to get
a good night's sleep.
So movement does matter. And happily, we've got a choice.
Whether we are young or old, weak or we

strong, healthy or ill,
can always improve the quality of our movements. Using our own
senses as a guide, we can become aware of old, habitual ways of

moving that don't work and replace them with new ones that do.
And it doesn't have to be a big deal. Often, a relatively small
change in the way we move can bring a meaningful change in our

quality of life. Later,we may choose to make further, deeper
changes. In this way can we improve our lives step by step.
A Path to Meaningful Change

How can we make these meaningful changes in ourselves? The
best way that I have found is something called the Feldenkrais
Method. Created by the Israeli physicist, engineer, and judo mas-
ter Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais (1900-1984), this fascinating and
highly effective method of movement education is taught by over
six thousand practitioners worldwide and is enjoyed by millions
of people from every walk of life. Students of the method enjoy
better posture, breathing, and coordination as well as greater
mental and physical flexibility. They typically report enhanced

performance, creativity, and pleasure in activities as diverse as
walking, skiing, dancing, running, golfing, gardening, mathemat-

ics, the arts, and business.
What kind of people study the Feldenkrais Method? People
like \ou. lor example, leldenkrais helps people with backaches,
injuries, or muse 1c and joint pain to discover new options for eas-
ier, more pleasurable movement. This was confirmed by studies
conducted by the Santa Barbara (California) Regional Health
Authority and at a Saab factory in Sweden. In the Santa Barbara

Relax Your Body 93
study, Feldenkrais teacher and author Steven Shafarman taught an

intensive two-week program for a small group of chronic pain
patients with various musculoskeletal and stress-related condi-
tions, including chronic back pain, migraine, and physical trauma.

Data from a questionnaire compiled by the American Academy of
Pain Management showed that the Feldenkrais program was more
effective than standard treatment protocols at about one-tenth the
cost. Participants' medical costs declined by roughly 40 percent in
the year following this program.
The Saab study, reported in the Journal of Occupational Reha-
bilitation, was designed to investigate whether physiotherapy or

Feldenkrais training resulted in a reduction of complaints from
the neck and shoulders among ninety-seven female workers.
Researchers measured range of motion in neck and shoulders, oxy-
gen consumption, endurance, and physiological capacity accord-
ing to a dynamic endurance test. Each worker was assigned to one
of three groups: One received standard physical therapy (PT) and
ergonomic intervention, another received Feldenkrais movement
education, and a control group received no intervention. The
physical therapy and Feldenkrais program lasted sixteen weeks
each during paid work time. Results? The Feldenkrais group
"showed significant decreases in complaints from neck and shoul-
ders and in disability during leisure time." The PT group showed
no change, while a worsening of complaints was recorded in the
control group.
But Feldenkrais isn't just for people in pain. Countless athletes,
musicians, and dancers use the method to "fine-tune" their bodies
for competition or performance. My friend and colleague Peff

Modelski, for example, is a thirty-year veteran of professional bal-
let who was in the original company of Fiddler on the Roof with
Jerome Robbins, has been a rehearsal mistress for both the Ameri-
can Ballet Theater and the Joffrey Ballet, and teaches at Steps on
Broadway, NYC s premier professional ballet studio. (On top of

all these accomplishments she is also a first-rate teacher of the
Sounder Sleep System and the Feldenkrais Method!) Peff has
eagerly integrated Feldenkrais into her unique methods of teach-
ing and training dancers. "The method, "says Peff, offers dancers
"a highly refined awareness of detail and timing, and reestablishes
their relation to the ground, to gravity, and to themselves." Prisca
Winslow Bradley, another seasoned dance professional, teaches an
annual summer workshop in Taos, New Mexico, employing the

Feldenkrais Method to train teachers of ballet and modern dance
in injury-prevention strategies for their students.
Musicians? Pianist Andrew Rangell, considered one of Amer-

ica's best interpreters of Beethoven and Bach, credits Feldenkrais
with his complete recovery from a career-stopping repetitive

strain injury. Spain's classical guitar virtuoso Narciso Yepes experi-
enced a similar result after several lessons with Dr. Feldenkrais.

Baltimore's Aliza Lidovsky Stewart, no mean pianist herself and a
passionate embodiment of Feldenkrais principles, ministers to the
artistic aspirations and injuries of musicians in the Baltimore

Symphony Orchestra and other musical organizations. Berkeley,
California's Mary Spire, another classical pianist turned Felden-
krais teacher, works her movement magic for string, woodwind,
and piano players at the Tanglewood Festival every summer. Bob

Chapra is a longtime faculty member of Philadelphia's Curtis
School of Music, where he teaches the Feldenkrais way to self-
awareness to aspiring vocalists and instrumentalists. And let's not

forget Willie Nelson, whose daughter Lana describes the result of
two Feldenkrais lessons in her online journals: "With one session
both hands were 50% better, and today, after [the Feldenkrais
teacher] showed up again in Vegas at the House of Blues, Dad's
handl were 100% better. No soreness, no stiffness, no swelling,
not hint;. . . . Trigger [Willie's equine nickname for his famously

Relax Your Body 95
battered guitar] is saddled up and ready to go. What a wonderful

Christmas present!"
Athletes? Sports-related injuries left Carrie Edwards, a world-
class rower who had won six national gold medals in rowing
between 1990 and 1993, unable to train at a professional level.
Feldenkrais teacher Ofer Eretz helped Carrie get back at the oars
in time for the 1996 Olympic trials. "I am now training for the
next Olympic events with no major obstacles relating to injuries,"

Edwards comments in an online article by Ruth Jaeger. "As extra
benefits I have noticed that my running has become easier, my

performance on exercise machines has improved, and my recovery
time is easier and shorter. All this without additional training!"
"I can't say enough good things about the Feldenkrais
Method!" exults Chris Boyd, former U.S. national track champion.
"I believe it has made the difference between continuing my com-
petitive running career and retiring prematurely." Tony Trear,
teaching tennis pro and former pro player, says, "The Feldenkrais
Method has given me the ability to do things in tennis I could
never do before and has relieved my body of the pain accumulated
from over twenty years of competitive playing." Basketball great
Julius "Dr. J." Erving was an enthusiastic student of Dr. Felden-
krais himself. And PGA Tour veteran Duffy Waldorf says, "The
Feldenkrais Method has allowed me to play pain-free golf, with-
out worrying about injury." Feldenkrais teacher Bonnie Kissam

has devised an ingenious, recorded program for golfers titled The
Effortless Swing.
Feldenkrais also helps people young and old with stroke, mul-
tiple sclerosis, Parkinson's, and neurological disorders to find
more effective ways to get along in daily life. Anat Baniel, an
Israeli who worked side by side with Dr. Feldenkrais for the last
years of his life, is legendary for her successes with babies and chil-
dren suffering from severe birth injuries, disease, and developmental
disabilities. In an interview in the Feldenkrais Guild publication

Senseability, Baniel describes her work with a five-year-old girl
with muscular atrophy disease. "She was wearing a brace, could

not sit herself up from a lying position, and walking was diffi-
cult," Baniel recounts. "By the fifth visit she had learned to sit up
by herself . . . She's doing things now that were out of her reach
and even beyond her imagination." At the University of Heidel-

berg, Chava Shelhav, who began her apprenticeship with Moshe
in Israel in the early fifties, introduced a Feldenkrais-based pro-
gram for first-grade students with learning disabilities entitled
"Movement As a Model for Learning." The class received daily
Awareness Through Movement lessons for six weeks. By the end

of the year, the class showed significant improvement in posture,
balance, and coordination. But the benefits of Feldenkrais are
more than merely physical. Baniel says that as children acquire an

expanded sense of possibilities in movement, their self-esteem and
motivation improve as well. Shelhav echoes this sentiment, not-
ing that the Heidelberg class went on to become one of the most
academically advanced classes in the school, and a favorite of the
teachers. There was a vibrant social atmosphere in the class, allow-
ing for effortless integration of troubled children entering from
other schools. A class used for comparison showed no changes in

social structure or apparent learning ability.
This is just a quick survey of what Dr. Feldenkrais and his stu-
dents have achieved. Success stories like these are known to every
Feldenkrais teacher and student. The truth is, Feldenkrais can

help anyone, no matter what their age or physical condition, to
feel better, perform better at work and play, relax, and enjoy life
more. (To locate a Feldenkrais teacher near you, please contact the
Feldenkraifl Guild of North America, listed in appendix A, and
explore some of the other Feldenkrais-related resources listed
there.)
Relax Your Body 97
Using Your Own Senses for Learning and Growth

What makes the Feldenkrais Method so special? What distin-
guishes it from other methods of movement education? What
accounts for its unparalleled ability to facilitate enhanced learn-
ing, performance, and healing in so many different arenas? For
me, it's this: Rather than asking you to conform to some pre-
determined idea of what is best in posture, movement, or coordi-
nation, Feldenkrais teaches you how to use your own senses to
discover the movements that work best for you, in the moment.
Instead of showing you one correct way to perform a given action,
the Feldenkrais teacher guides you to discover multiple options for
action. As a result, you become supremely adaptable, so you can

respond effectively to rapidly changing, unfamiliar, or unexpected
situations. In other words, the Feldenkrais Method sets you free.
Free to respond spontaneously, in the moment, to whatever life
tosses at you. That's a great way to live.
You see, at birth we humans aren't endowed with the ability for
purposeful movement. A calf is born, and it walks immediately. A
whale is born, and it swims. But a human being must undergo a
long apprenticeship in movement before he or she will sit, stand,
or walk. Our brains develop as our bodies grow, and that develop-
ment and growth drives us to learn and discover more and more
each day. And each wondrous discovery — rolling over, lifting
one's head, sitting up, crawling, speaking one's first word — brings
new information back to the brain, thereby advancing its develop-
ment even further.
Once we have acquired the movement basics, we go on to
refine those skills and abilities in unique and very personalized
ways that, to a great degree, define who we are as people. The vast
vocabulary of actions and expressions that any adult human being
is able to perform is primarily a result of what that person has
learned in the course of his or her life. Our virtually endless
capactiy for learning as we grow is one of the greatest faculties of
the human species. It has enabled us not only to adapt and sur-
vive, but to thrive on this planet. It has enabled all of our positive
achievements in art, industry, and culture.
Developing an awareness of how differences in movement

make a difference in our lives, and adjusting our behavior accord-
ingly, is one of the hallmarks of human learning. From amongst
the infinitude of possible actions, we seek those that best suit our
intentions, bringing us the results we want with the least possible
effort. Whenever we achieve that, even if only for a moment, we
feel pleasure and satisfaction. And that pleasure and satisfaction
guide us to further successful action. That is how we learn to
move; and that is how we learn to live.
Variety and Spontaneity
Variety is an essential component of healthy movement. When we

know only one way to perform an action, we don't have any other
choice. We will do what we know whether it suits our needs or
not. That is called compulsive behavior. But when we have at our
disposal a variety of effective ways to perform a given action, we
can choose the one that suits us best, in the moment. That way,
we can constantly adapt ourselves to our ever-changing environ-
ment. This is called spontaneity.
Does it really matter whether our actions are compulsive or

spontaneous? It matters a lot. On one level, it is a purely practical
matter, because compulsive actions often do not produce the

results we intend, especially in the rapidly changing circumstances
typical of modern life. But this practical issue has broad psycho-
logical ramifications because, to the extent our actions are com-

pulsive, we wont know how to get what we want in life. We have
Relax Your Body 99
all known people who consistently act against their own best
interests, and then bemoan the fact that the world isn't fair. They
are at war with themselves, and at war with society. This is a classic
outcome of compulsive behavior.

Compulsive action also directly undermines our physical well-
being. Whenever we perform an action that isn't well suited to the
situation at hand, the misdirected effort of that action rebounds
onto our own bodies, producing strain. Whenever there is strain,
we experience irritation, pain, and disability. By contrast, truly
spontaneous action is always easy, graceful, and pleasurable. The

effort made is spent entirely on the movement. There is no wasted
energy, no strain. When we move that way, life is easy and enjoy-
able. Instead of wasting our energy on poorly coordinated actions,
we have energy to spare for creative pursuits, for love, for mean-
ingful work and play.
It is worth noting that spontaneous movements are not only
pleasurable to do, but they are also a joy to watch. If you have ever
observed a top athlete, a graceful dancer or skater, a highly skilled
surgeon, or even a very good waiter or bartender, then you have
already known this to be true. Watching a performance like that
causes us to feel the stirrings of spontaneity and pleasure in our-
selves, for we are all fully capable of achieving it, too. Isn't life
grand?
Incidentally, Dr. Feldenkrais always insisted that this same
principle of spontaneity, which is here presented as an aspect of
physical movement and coordination, could and should be
applied to all our types of thought, action, and expression. "The
movements are nothing," he would exclaim, "I'm not after flexible
bodies, but flexible brains!" This means that the structured method
of self-observation, self-discovery, and self-transformation that is
modeled in each Feldenkrais movement lesson is fully applicable
not only to the realm of the moving body, but to the intellectual,
emotional, and expressive aspects of.our being. The full ramifica-

tions of that assertion are still being explored and elaborated by
Dr. Feldenkrais's many followers.
Guidelines for Practice of Relaxing Mini-Moves

The Relaxing Mini-Moves in this chapter are offered as a special-
ized application of the Feldenkrais Method rather than a general
introduction to the method. They serve three related functions.
First, they will help you relax your body and relieve the accumu-
lated physical stress of the day so you can sleep more easily at
night. Second, they will introduce you to principles of movement

awareness that are essential for effective practice of the Calming
and Lulling Mini-Moves presented in chapters 4 and 5. Third,
they will introduce and clarify certain movements that might oth-
erwise be unfamiliar to you when you approach those later chap-
ters. The Calming Mini-Moves comprise an essential element of
the insomnia solution presented here.
There are six Relaxing Mini-Moves in this chapter. The first
three are done lying down. Lying down allows you to explore
movements in the absence of your habitual responses to gravity.

As a result, the parts of ourselves that most often become stuck or
fixated from excess tension in standing or sitting — muscles of
the
the back, neck, or shoulders are typical examples —can then be

mobilized in new and unexpected ways. Later, when we return to
Standing or sitting, we will find that the habitual tension is allevi-
ated, and we will move with greater ease and efficiency.
When you first practice these Mini-Moves, it is best to lie on an

isc mat or rug on the Moor or some other firm surface. A firm
\vt comfortable surface gives you clearer feedback about your
movements than a soft mattresfl does. I atCT, if you prefer to do the
Mini-Moves while lying in bed, thai is perfectly acceptable. If you
Relax Your Body 101
are bedridden or cannot get down to the floor for any reason,
don't let that stop you! In that case, you may practice in bed. (Of
course, check with your health care provider to make sure you are
well enough to do light exercise. If you are cleared for light exer-
cise, then you can certainly do Mini-Moves.)

The remaining three Relaxing Mini-Moves are done in sitting
position. They address issues of general interest but are especially
important for anyone who spends long hours sitting at a desk or

computer, which includes over 75 percent of all working Ameri-
cans. Sitting all day is extremely stressful. Lactic acid builds up in
your tissues, gravity causes blood pooling in the lower extremities,

and muscles get tense and stiff as a result of prolonged immobi-
lization. Computers add another layer of stress to the equation,
owing to the exceptional demands they place on the hands and
eyes, neck and shoulders. Therefore, anything you can do to make
prolonged sitting easier and more comfortable is bound to relieve
some of the stress of life. Then you can relax and enjoy life even
more.
For the seated Mini-Moves you'll need a stable, standard-height
chair or stool with a firm, flat seat. Avoid overly padded chairs;
they make it too hard to sense the contact between the chair seat
and your bottom. Casters and swiveling seats, as are common on
most desk chairs, are not ideal either. These Mini-Moves are
meant to help you develop a keener sense of the movements of

your body. If the chair rolls or the seat spins it will be that much
harder to notice the subtleties of your own movement. So look for
a good, old-fashioned chair, the kind with four legs, a firm seat,
and a back. Actually, a back is not absolutely required, unless you

feel you'll need to lean on it when you rest between movements.
The rest of the time, you'll be encouraged to sit on the front half
of the seat, without leaning back. That way you will be able to dis-
cover your body's full range of seated movement.

When should you practice these Relaxing Mini-Moves? When-

ever you like. When you're getting started, the best time will be
any time you have a quiet, undisturbed thirty to forty-five min-

utes or more ahead of you. Later, when you've become more
familiar with a Mini-Move, you can review it to good effect in just
a few minutes, any time you like. That's particularly true of the
seated practices, which can be done right at your desk or work-
station whenever you feel the need to inject a little extra mobility,
vitality, and self- awareness into your workday. The most impor-
tant thing is to choose the time that is most practical, convenient,
and enjoyable for you.
How often should you practice? As often as you can. For the
purposes of our insomnia solution, I would like to see you prac-

tice at least one of these Relaxing Mini-Moves each week, and
briefly review the movements occasionally at other times. (You
will be busy with other techniques from chapters 4 and 5 during
that time, as well, so you'll have plenty to keep you occupied.)
Anything else you need to know about the Relaxing Mini-
Moves is contained in the Mini-Moves themselves. Take your

time, keep an open mind, and you will have an enjoyable and
relaxing experience. Remember, being more relaxed during wak-
ing hours sets the scene for sounder sleep.
Relaxing Mini-Move #1: The Pelvic Rock

[I]nsomnia is always accompanied by a sense of residual ten-
sion and can always be overcome when one successfully ceases
to contract the parts in this slight measure.

—Edmund Jacobsen,
Progressive Relaxation, 1 929
It is laid tli.u after the common cold, back pain is responsible for
mOK doctors
1
visits than any other ailment. (Insomnia is almost

—
Relax Your Body 103
certainly third on the list.) Yet many of us have very little sense of
what our back is for, how it works, or how to use it in a safe and
efficient way. To add injury to insult, the conditions of modern
life are far from conducive to a healthy back. The original blue-
print for humanity describes active, infinitely adaptable beings
capable of an endless variety of actions from the most vigorous

running, jumping, climbing — to the most refined —making sophis-
ticated tools, expressing ideas and emotions, creatively interacting
with nature.
But modern life has trapped this multitalented creature in a
box of his own making. The chair, the office cubicle, the key-
board, the telephone, the couch, and the car seat, and all the other
implements of the sedentary life- and work style offer a sadly
diminished scope of action that leaves our bodies crying out for
more —more movement, more breath, more variety, more life.
The backache, the bane of modern man and woman, is one of

those cries.
The solution to this nearly universal problem is not a simple

one, although the process of self-healing can bring tremendous
satisfaction, relief, and pleasure. It typically requires a thorough
reeducation of the human frame, which includes the ideas and
images we have of our bodies and how they are meant to move. It
may also require alterations in one's work and living environment

as well as a careful reconsideration of one's priorities in life. That is
the subject of another book.

However, there is no denying that the crisis of the back and the
crisis of sleep are closely allied, and to address the latter, we must
do something about the former. A tense, overworked, unbalanced
back and spine can be a major contributing factor in insomnia.
Excess muscular tension in the back and the pain that often
accompanies it send powerful arousal signals to the brain via the
sensory nerves. That excessive arousal can delay the onset of sleep
considerably. It can also induce unwanted awakenings during the

course of the night.
One of the easiest and most effective ways to work with an
overburdened back is to start with the hips and pelvis. You see,
our upright posture is not a static structure like a mast or a tower.

Rather, it is a dynamic system that constantly adjusts itself in
response to the forces acting upon it as we live, move, and breathe.

Each component of the postural system has its own special role to
play in producing this effect. The hips, encircled as they are by the
most powerful muscles in the body, are meant to provide a strong,
stable, yet freely mobile base of support for the back and spine. If
our hips are stiff, rigid, or poorly coordinated with the whole, a
key link in the postural chain is broken. As a result, the muscles of
the back, neck, and shoulders have to work overtime to hold the
body upright, and we experience the all-too-familiar symptoms
that send so many millions of us to the doctor. If our hips are free
to assume their natural range of movement, however, and if we

know how to utilize the resulting freedom and power of the pelvis
to facilitate easy, light, dynamic movement of the whole frame,

then we can sit, stand, and walk upright with minimal effort and
maximal power, just as nature intended us to do.
The first step in freeing the hips is to bring one's awareness
there and explore and clarify the basic movements the hips can
make. The traditional Feldenkrais approach is a guided move-

ment process called the Pelvic Clock, in which you lie on your
back and slowly rock your hips fore and aft, then side to side, and
finally in a series of overlapping arcs, as if your hips were travers-
ing the circumference of an imaginary clock face on the floor. The

^lassie exposition of the Pelvic Clock is in Dr. Feldenkrais's best-
known book, Awareness Through Movement, and it is a staple of

every introductory course in the Feldenkrais Method. For our
purposes, a simpler variant is sufficient. I call it the Pelvic Rock.
Relax Your Body 105
Here, you'll learn to rock your hips forward and back in a gentle,
rhythmic action that ultimately engages the whole body in a deli-
cious, tension-relieving pulsation. When you're done, you may

notice welcome changes in your standing and sitting posture and
in your gait. And when bedtime comes you'll find that your back,
instead of working overtime, can take the night off!
These same movements of the hips will appear in a slightly dif-
ferent context in Rocking the Cradle, a Lulling Mini-Move you'll
be learning in chapter 5. Familiarize yourself with the movements

now, and when you encounter them later on, your learning will be
easy and fun.
Step 1 . Observe yourselfat rest. Lie on your back on a soft mat or

carpet on the floor. What are you aware of when you lie quietly
like that?
• Notice all the parts of yourself that touch the floor. What is
the quality of the contact between your body and the floor?
Do you fully relax, Or are

allowing the floor to support you?
there parts of yourself that feel tense or contracted? The parts
of yourself that tend to overwork when you're standing or sit-

ting may take a little longer to come to repose.
• Pay particular attention to the way your bottom, your lower
back, your midback, and your shoulders make contact with
the floor.
• Notice the point of contact between your head and the floor.
Is it high up near the crown of your head, low down near the
base of your skull, or somewhere in the middle? Is it on the
midline of your skull, or off to one side?
• Notice all the parts of yourself that move as you breathe.
Step 2. Home position. Bend your knees and put your feet
standing, with the soles of your feet flat on the floor. What is the
most comfortable placement for your feet? How far apart would
you like them to be? Would you like to have them a little closer to
you, or a little farther away? Try to place them in the manner that
requires the least effort to maintain.
w
HOME POSITION. Lie on your back. Bend your knees and put your feet
standing, with the soles of your feet flat on the floor.
Step 3. Tilt your hips back. Very slowly tilt your hips a little bit
so that the lowermost tip of your tailbone lifts upward, toward the
sky. At the same time, your waist and lower back move down-
ward, toward the earth. Then relax and allow your hips to return
to their neutral, resting position. Pause a moment, and then begin

again. Repeat the movement slowly, several times. Do small, easy
movements.
• Is the movement easy and smooth, or does it feel effortful
Uld uneven? Try to make your movement as smooth and easy

as you can.
Relax Your Body 107
TILT YOUR HIPS BACK. Very gently and slowly, tilt your hips a little bit
so that the lowermost tip of your tailbone lifts upward, toward the sky, and
your waist and lower back move downward, toward the earth.
• If you experience any strain or feelings of increased effort,
stop a moment and rest. Then continue, doing slower, smaller

movements.
• If you find that a certain range of the movement is difficult,
go back and forth slowly in that range until you can do it eas-
ily and pleasantly.

• How do you breathe when you move like that? Do you tend
to stop your breath when you do an unfamiliar movement?
Can you allow your breathing to be easy and regular?
Step 4. Stop, rest, and feel. Straighten your legs and rest. See if
you can detect any changes way your body makes

in the contact
with the floor. Wait until you feel yourself come to a state of
repose, then proceed to the next step.
Step 5. Tilt your hips forward. This time, slowly and gently tilt
your hips the other way. The lowermost tip of your tailbone
moves down, toward the earth, and your waist and lower back lift
up, away from the floor. Do small, slow, easy movements. Do not
strain.
,
v
TILT YOUR HIPS FORWARD. This time, slowly and gently tilt your
hips the other way. The lowermost tip of your tailbone moves down,
toward the earth, and your waist and lower back lift up, away from the
floor.
• How does it feel to move your hips that way? Can you make
the movement light and easy? Can you allow yourself to
breathe freely as you move?
• When you do big, quick, forceful movements, it's hard to tell
the difference between a smooth, well-coordinated move-

ment and .in awkward one. The sensation of effort masks the
sensation of the movement, just as background noise in a
Relax Your Body 109
crowded restaurant makes it hard to hear what's being said at
your table.
• With light, easy movement, it's easy to feel even the subtlest
differences. You can discover the easiest, most pleasurable

way to move. That will enable you to do small movements
with exquisite delicacy, big movements with power and pre-
cision, and anything in between. You'll be able to adapt your
movements quickly to any situation.
Step 6. Stop, rest, andfeel. You may notice that your back makes
a little fuller contact with the floor than before. You may feel as if
you were sinking into the floor.
Step 7. Tilt your hips forward and back. This time, slowly tilt
your hips forward, then tilt them back. Repeat that back and
forth movement several times.
As you move like that, notice how your belly moves as you rock
your hips forward and back. When you rock your hips forward, does
your belly rise up toward the sky or sink down toward the earth?
When your hips rock back, does your belly move up, or down?
Notice that your head also moves as you rock your hips. Each
time your hips rock forward and the tip of your tailbone moves
down, toward the floor, your chin moves in a certain direction.
Then, each time your hips rock back and your tailbone rises up
toward the sky, your chin moves in response.
Make no effort to move your head, simply observe. The move-
ment of your hips is transmitted through your spine, all the way
to your head. Your hips rock, and your head rocks with it. Experi-
ment a little, and see if you can feel the connection between your
hips and head.
• Use only that amount of force necessary to move your hips,
no more. The movements should be very light and easy.

• Let pleasure be your guide. Light, easy, well-coordinated

movements produce pleasurable sensations as your body
moves. You feel a sense of comfort and well-being. Awkward,
overly forceful movements produce feelings of strain and dis-
comfort.
Step 8. Stop, rest, andfeel. Straighten your legs and rest a while.
Is there any difference in the way your body makes contact with
the floor now?
Step 9. Observe your feet as you rock. Continue slowly, gently
rocking your hips as before.

This time, notice what happens to your feet as you move like
that. When your hips rock forward, do your feet get heavier, do they
press the floor a little harder? Or do they get a little lighter on the
floor? When your hips rock back, do your feet get heavier,
or lighter? Repeat the movement several times and see what you
discover.
Step 10. Stop, rest, andfeel.

Step 1 1. Rhythmic pulsation. Now, continue rocking your hips
forward and back. But this time, reduce the amplitude of the
movement by half. That means, do a movement that is 50 percent
smaller than before. Do several smaller, easy movements like that.
Continue, reducing the amplitude of your movement by half

again. Do tiny, light, easy movements — the smallest, easiest, most
delicate movements you can do with your hips.
Now do the movements quickly — like a series of quarter notes

in a waltz. One, two, three; one, two, three; one, two, three; and
so on.
Activate your hips only; make no other effort. The gentle, rock-
ing motion of your hips generates a pulsation that spreads through
your entire frame. Your feet, legs, back, belly, chest, shoulders,
Relax Your Body 111
neck, and head all become entrained in the gentle motion. Even
your hands and arms get into the act.
Try different speeds: a little faster, a little slower. You can exper-
iment with the amplitude of the movement, too. Find the combi-
nation of speed and amplitude that yields the most pleasurable,

satisfying pulsation for you. Let your senses be your guide.
What happens to your breath when you pulsate like that?
Step 12. Stop, rest, andfeel. That gave you a little bit of a work-
out, didn't it? Now, just observe as your body returns to a state of
repose. Rest as long as you like.
Notice again the contact between your body and the floor. You
may notice a variety of changes, some small, others more pro-
nounced. Certain parts of yourself that didn't touch the floor
when you began may now touch the floor, allowing themselves to
be supported by it. Other parts that did touch the floor may make
firmer contact with it than before. If so, these are indications of
reduced muscular tension and more thorough repose. This is
good!
Step 13. Final observations. Try the original movements again.
A few times, slowly rock your hips forward. See how that feels
now. Then, a few times, slowly rock your hips back. How does
that feel? You may find that the movements are a little clearer, a
little easier, and a little more comfortable than when you began.
Those small differences in the quality of your movement can
make a big difference in the quality of your life. See what you
discover!
Very slowly, without making any sudden movements, roll to
one side and stand up. You needn't stretch your arms or legs, or do
anything special. Just stand for a moment and feel. Can you feel
your hips, your pelvis, while standing? Try rocking your hips a
little in that position. As you begin to move about the room,
notice any changes in the way you move or the way you feel. Over
the next hours or days, you may find yourself doing familiar
things in new ways. These movement lessons encourage a process
of self-exploration and self-discovery. There is no limit to your

potential for learning and improvement.
Relaxing Mini-Move #2: Unlocking Your Rib "Cage"

The 200 1 film Winged Migration depicts an Amazon river canoe
transporting a load of forlorn-looking, captured wild animals to
market. One of them, an exquisitely plumed parrot, gets curious
about the primitive bolt that locks the door of his cage. Little by
little, by deft movements of his head and beak, he teases the bolt
open and takes to the air. At the moment of release we breathe a

sigh of relief, as if a tremendous weight had been lifted from our
chests.
We speak of our ribs as a cage, and they do look like one in
anatomy books and on the lifeless skeletons that hang in our sci-
ence classrooms. For us the living, however, "rib cage" is a truly
unfortunate turn of phrase. A cage is something rigid and confin-

ing —something locked—and a healthy set of ribs should be any-
thing but. Our ribs are meant to be highly flexible and freely
movable. Flexible, movable ribs allow us to breathe and move

freely and fully.
Only when we can breathe and move freely and fully can we be
truly alive. We perform all our daily activities with the minimum
effort necessary. That not only saves a lot of wear and tear on our
bodies, but also leaves us more time and energy for creativity, con-
viviality, self-nurturing, and love. As a result, life is easier, more

pleasurable, more peaceful. And as you know, creating a more
peaceful life is one of the secrets of sounder sleep.
The Relaxing Mini-Move that follows will help you to achieve

greaterfreedom of movement of your ribs and chest. Follow the
Relax Your Body 113
instructions step by step, and you'll experience your living, mov-

ing body in a whole new way. Then, like our friend the Amazon-
ian parrot, you can unlock your "cage" and regain the freedom
and vitality you were born to enjoy.
Step 1 . Observe yourself in action. Stand up with your arms

hanging comfortably at your sides. Then, gently turn and look to
the right and to the left several times. Do not stretch or strain; just
do what comes easily, without excess effort.
• How does it feel to turn like that? Does it feel easy and light,
or heavy and stiff? What parts of yourself participate in the
movement? What parts of yourself remain still? Do certain
parts of your body seem to limit the movement, preventing

you from turning farther? Don't try to change anything at
this point; just observe yourself as you turn.

• How far to the right and to the left can you see when you
turn like that? As you turn, please make a mental note of
some object that you can see to your far right, and another to
your far left. That will give you a measure of the range of
your movement that you will use for later comparison.
Step 2. Observe yourself in repose. Lie on your back on a soft
mat or carpet on the floor or other firm surface. Place a firm pil-
low or a folded blanket under your head for comfort, if necessary.
Bend your knees and place the soles of your feet flat on the floor.
Rest quietly in that position, and observe yourself.
• What parts of your body make the most distinct contact
with the floor? Is it some part of your foot or leg? Is it your

buttocks or lower back? Can you feel that certain parts of
your back press the floor more distinctly, while others press
less so?
OBSERVE YOURSELF IN
REPOSE. Lie on your back
on a soft mat or carpet on the
floor or other firm surface.
What parts of your body

make the most distinct
contact with the floor?
Pay particular attention to your shoulders as they lie on the

floor — your right shoulder, then your left shoulder. How
does your right shoulder make contact with the floor? Can
you feel it touching the floor, or not? Does it touch the floor
at a single point, at several different points, or does it lie flat
on the floor like a dinner plate? Does the contact between

vour right shoulder and the floor feel snug and complete, or
docs it fed awkward and uncertain?
How about vour left shoulder? Does your left shoulder con-
tact the floor at a point or points, or does it lie snug against
the Hoof? Docs your left shoulder make contact with the
floor in the same way thai your right shoulder does, or are
they different?
Relax Your Body 115
Step 3. Float your shoulder. Slowly, gently lift your right shoul-
der a little bit off the floor. Move your shoulder very softly, as if it
were floating upward on a gentle breeze. Then, gradually allow

your shoulder to sink back to the floor. Pause a few moments,
allowing the shoulder to come to rest. Then begin again. Repeat
several times. Remember to pause after each movement.
FLOAT YOUR SHOULDER.

Slowly, gently lift your right
shoulder a little bit off the
floor. Then, gradually allow
your shoulder to sink back to
the floor.
As you move your shoulder like that, notice any other parts of
yourself that move in concert with the shoulder. You will cer-
tainly feel your shoulder blade lifting off the floor and then
touching down. Can you also feel your right collar bone mov-
ing, too? How about your sternum? (Your sternum is the verti-
cal breastbone in the center of your chest, where the ribs are
joined together.) Can you identify any physical sensations in
your ribs or your back when you move like that? How about
your belly or your waist?
Step 4. Use your hand to monitor the movement. Bend your left
elbow so you can touch your sternum with the fingers of your left
hand. Continue floating your right shoulder up and down, while

using your left hand to monitor the movements of your sternum.
Can you feel your sternum moving a little to one side as you float
your shoulder upward, and back to the middle as you float it
downward?
• Take your time! Slow, gentle movements allow you to feel
yourself as you move. By taking the time to really feel, you

will develop a new sense of your self. That will enable you to
be more creative and spontaneous in everything you do.
Stop and rest a while. Notice how your right shoulder makes
contact with the floor now. Is it different now?
Step 5. Synchronize your head and shoulder. Continue as before,
slowly floating your right shoulder up and down. Pause to feel the
difference after each movement.
• As you do that, do you feel your head tending to roll a little
bit to one side? You may experience it as a gentle shifting of

the point of contact between your head and the floor, or you
may notice a slight change in the direction of your gaze each
time you move your shoulder.
Do a few more movements, and now, each time you float your
shoulder upward, deliberately roll your head very gently to the left.
See if you can find the proportion of shoulder to head movement

thai (eelfl "just right." Imagine that your shoulder and your head
move in perfect unison, as if they were linked by an invisible con-
net (mi; rod. Repeat that "just right" movement several times, paus-
ing CO rest .i bit after eat h repetition.

Relax Your Body 117
SYNCHRONIZE
YOUR HEAD AND
SHOULDER. Each
time you float your
right shoulder
upward, deliberately
roll your head very
gently to the left.
Stop, rest, and feel the effect of what you've done. Notice how
your right shoulder makes contact with the floor now
Step 6. Float your shoulder again. Slowly float your right shoul-
der up and down a few more times. Does the movement feel a little
different now? Is it getting lighter, easier, smoother, softer? Can

you feel any pleasurable sensations as you move? If so, you're defi-
nitely on the right track.
Stop, rest quietly, and feel the effect of what you have done.
Feel the difference between your right shoulder and your left,
between the right side of your back and the left side of your back,
between the whole right side of your body and the left. Does one
side feel longer, softer, more at ease? Does one side surrender its
weight to the floor more completely?

Step 7. Imagine your other shoulder. Lie on your back as before.
In your imagination only, do the same slow, gentle floating move-
ments with your left shoulder. Try to imagine all the parts of your-
self that would participate in the movement: your shoulder blade,
your collar bones, your ribs and sternum, your head and neck.
• Pay particular attention to the movement of your sternum. Try

to imagine it accurately. Repeat the imaginary movement many
times, until the image of the movement with all of its parts is
quite clear in your mind.
Finally, do three or four actual movements of your left shoul-

der. Slowly float your left shoulder upward, and slowly float it
back down to the floor. You may discover that the movement is
already, without any actual practice, quite free and easy, quite
light and smooth. When your mental image is clear and complete,
you can perfect a movement without much practice. The move-
ment naturally conforms to your mental image of it.
Stop, rest, and feel the result of what you've just done.
Step 8. Rock your shoulders, roll your ribs. Float your right shoul-
der up and down one time, then do the same with your left.
Repeat that alternating movement many times.
• Allow that alternating movement of the shoulders to gener-

ate a slow, rhythmic rolling of the entire rib cage from side to
side. Invite every part of yourself to participate in the move-

ment: your head, vour ribs, your sternum; your back, waist,
and hips. You may even ficd your legs and feet begin to
respond.
Relax Your Body 119
• Relax your forehead, relax your eyebrows, relax your lips,
relax your tongue.

• Allow your breath to be very soft and light. You needn't huff
and puff. Simply let your breath come and go of its own
accord, and you will automatically get just the right amount
of oxygen for each moment of your life.
Stop, rest, and feel the result of what you've done.

Step 9. Unlock your "cage. " Slowly float your right shoulder
upward, and as you do so, very gently press your left shoulder into
the floor. You needn't press hard! Then lower your right shoulder,
and stop pressing with the left. Repeat several times. Float the
UNLOCK YOUR
"CAGE." Slowly float
your right shoulder
upward, and as you
do so, very gently press
your left shoulder into

the floor. You needn't
press hard! Then
lower your right
shoulder, and stop
pressing with the left.
right shoulder upward as you press the left shoulder down. After
each movement, pause a moment, then begin anew.
• When you do this movement, you will feel your sternum

begin to move in a curious trajectory. Does it slide, or twist,
or tilt to the left, or is it a combination of all three? Does the
upper end of your sternum move in unison with the lower
end, or are they slightly out of phase? Did you ever imagine
your chest could move like that?
Step 10. Reverse. Do the reverse, floating your /^shoulder and

pressing your right shoulder to the floor. After each movement,
pause a moment, then begin again. Repeat several times, then
stop, rest, and feel.
Step 1 1 . Alternate. Alternately float your right shoulder and

press your left to the floor; then float your left shoulder and press
the right. Repeat many times, allowing your head, neck, shoulders,
and chest to participate in the movement.
• It's a funny sort of a movement, isn't it? Can you feel that the
formerly rigid, confining "cage" of your ribs is beginning to

become very open, very soft, very pliable? With a splendidly
mobile chest like that, who knows what you might accom-
plish? At the very least, you will gain a different perspective
on life. Then, add to that just a dash of that boundless

curiosity, ingenuity, and enthusiasm of yours, and, voila!, the
world is your oyster!
Stop, rest, and feel. Notice how your left and right shoulder
make contact with the floor now. How about the right and left
sides of your back? Compare the right side of your body to the
left. I toes one side feel longer, softer, more at ease? Does one side
sin render its weight to the floor more completely? Or do they feel
mote or less balanced now?

Relax Your Body 121
Step 12. Turn while standing. Slowly roll to your side and stand
up with your arms resting comfortably at your sides. Gently move
your right shoulder a little bit forward and back to the starting
position. Repeat several times. When you move your shoulder like
that, do your head, your ribs, your sternum, and your chest move
too? Where do your eyes go?
Step 13. Left shoulder. Try the same thing with your left shoulder.
Move your left shoulder forward, and allow your head, ribs, ster-
num, and chest to become engaged. Your left shoulder moves for-
ward, and you turn to the right. What do you see with your eyes?
Step 14. Right shoulder. Move your right shoulder forward and,
at the same time, move your left shoulder back. Then relax and
come back to the starting position. Repeat several times. See if
you can utilize your newfound freedom of the chest and sternum
when you're standing up, too.
Step 15. Do the reverse. Move your left shoulder forward and
your right shoulder back. Look for that feeling of freedom in your
sternum. Turn and look to your right.
Step 16. Rhythmic turning. Now, gently turn and look to the
right and to the left several times as you did at the beginning. As
before, do not stretch or strain; just do what comes easily, without
excess effort.
• How does it feel to turn like that now? Does it feel easy and
light, or heavy and stiff? What parts of yourself participate in
the movement? What parts of yourself remain still? Can you
feel that certain impediments to the movement have been
removed and you can turn your body more freely and easily?
• How far to the right and to the left can you see when you
turn like that? Can you see only the landmarks you chose at
the beginning, or can you see ten or twenty or thirty degrees

farther? How far can you see to the right?
Make several more movements, turning your trunk right and

left and allowing your arms to swing freely. Allow your chest to be
free and flexible. Look for the most pleasurable way to do the
movement. Try to keep an even rhythm. Try turning a little faster,
then a little slower. What is the most natural rhythm for you? Can
you breathe freely and easily as you move like that?
Application. You would be well advised to review these move-

ments of the ribs at regular intervals. Life in our man-made envi-
ronment is stressful, the ribs are one place where we tend to
contract in response. Emotions such as fear, anger, and anxiety can

also be contributing factors. You may find that your chest needs a
little refresher course from time to time. Now you know what to
do to keep it all moving.
Relaxing Mini-Move #3: Lengthening One Side

of Your Trunk
What's your trunk? Well, think of a tree. The trunk is the biggest,
thickest segment of the tree: everything above the roots and below
the branches. You have a trunk, too. It's the main segment of your
body: everything above the legs and below the head and neck,
excluding your arms. And while a tree trunk is more or less rigid, a
human trunk The spine, which is the trunk's central sup-

is not.
porting member, is made up of twenty-four jointed segments

called vertebrae, and they are made to move. Each joint in the
spine makes its own special contribution to our uniquely human

[lost urc and movement.
In this Mini-Move you'll expand your awareness of one of the
fundamental movements of the trunk. Master it, and you'll find
thai von move with greater ease and aplomb. If you've ever wanted
to dance jazz Of Latin, but didn't think you had what it takes, this
might help you realize that those limitations are mostly in your
mind. Who knows? You might have a whole new career ahead of
Relax Your Body 123
you! Or not. But sometimes just knowing you could do it if you

wanted to is enough to make a difference in the way you feel
about yourself. When your movements are easy and light, every-
one is a potential partner in the dance of life. Tango, anyone?
This movement is the basis for the Mini-Moves Making Room,

in chapter 4, and the Ziggurat, in chapter 5. Get comfortable with
the movement now, and learning those later Mini-Moves will be
pure pleasure.
Step 1 . Prelude — raise your arms. Stand up, and slowly raise
your right arm to the ceiling without strain, without stretching.

Just raise your arm simply, and see how it feels. Does your arm feel
light and easy to manage, or heavy and cumbersome? Now do the
PRELUDE. Raise
your arms.
same with your left arm. How does that feel? Make a mental note
of it so you'll have something to compare with later on.
Step 2. Observe yourself in repose. Lie on your back for a few

moments. Notice how the various parts of your body make con-
tact with the floor underneath you. Do you feel that you lie easily
and comfortably on the floor, or do certain parts of your body feel
awkward or uneasy? Which parts of your body move as you breathe?
Step 3. Home position. Please lie on your right side on a soft
rug, a blanket, or an exercise mat on the floor. Bend your right
arm and put it under your head with your palm up. (If necessary
for comfort, you may use a pillow to support your head instead.)
Bend your legs at the hip and knee so that your knees lie on the
floor in front of you. The left leg lies on top of the right in a sym-
metrical fashion. Place your left hand palm down on the floor in
front of you.
If you're not able to lie on the floor, lie in bed. A firmer mattress
will allow you to sense your movements more accurately than a
soft one. However, your comfort and safety should be your first
priority, now and always. Do what feels right to you.
HOMI POSITION. I ie on your right side. Bend your right arm and put it
under your head with your palm Lip. (If necessary for comfort, you may use
a pillow Jo support your head instead.) Bend your knees and hips.
Relax Your Body 125
• Notice how the ribs on your right side lie against the ground.
Are your ribs really at rest there? Do they fully surrender

their weight to the ground? Or is there some hesitation, no
matter how slight? What about the right side of your waist?
Is your waist really at rest, or does it seem to hold back from
the floor, even slightly?
• Notice your right hip. Feel the weight of your right hip press-
ing the ground. What part of your hip presses most dis-
tinctly? See if you can find a certain spot where the weight
feels most concentrated.
Step 4. Slide your foot down. Now, slide your left foot a little bit
down, away from your head, as if you were going to straighten
your leg. Do not straighten your leg all the way! Just slide your left
foot down a little bit, and then come back to the home position.
Repeat several times.
• As you move like that, see if you can feel what happens to
your left hip. Does your hip move in a certain direction each
SLIDE YOUR FOOT DOWN. Slide your left foot a little bit down, away
from your head, as if you were going to straighten your leg. Do not
straighten your leg all the way. As you move like that, see if you can feel
how your left hip moves. Then come back to the home position.
time you slide your foot? Plaee your hand on your left hip
and slide your foot a few times more. Can you feel the move-
ment of your hip now?
Step 5. Stop, lie on your back, and rest. Notice how your body
makes contact with the floor now. How do you breathe? Is your
breathing easy and light, or do you huff and puff or hold your
breath?
Step 6. Mobilize your shoulder. Lie on your right side, as before.
Very gently move your left shoulder up, in the direction of your
ear. Do several small, easy movements so you can feel and move
safely and accurately. As you become accustomed to the move-
ment, you can gradually increase the range little by little.
MOBILIZE YOUR SHOULDER. Very gently move your left shoulder up,
in the direction of your ear. Then allow the shoulder to come to rest.
• As you move your shoulder like that, what happens to your

ribs on your left side? Do they become compressed, or do
they spread apart? What happens to the distance between
Relax Your Body 127
your left shoulder and your left hip? Does it get longer, or
shorter when you move your shoulder?

• Continue a few times more. What happens to your ribs on
the right side, underneath you? When your shoulder moves
up, do the ribs on your right side press into the floor more
firmly, or do they get a little lighter? Notice what happens as
you return your shoulder to its resting position. Do your ribs

press more firmly, or less so, then?
Step 7. Stop, rest, and feel. Roll to your back and rest. Does the
floor feel the same to you, or different? The changing quality of your
contact with the floor gives you valuable feedback about yourself.
Step 8. Move your hip down. Lie on your right side, as before.
Again, slide the foot down a little bit, as if to straighten your leg.
MOVE YOUR HIP DOWN. Move your hip down, away from your
shoulder. What happens to your ribs underneath you on the right side? Do
they get lighter, as if they would lift off the floor? Or do they press the floor
more firmly?
Repeat several times. See if you can feel how your hip moves now.
When you slide your foot like that, does your hip move down,
away from your shoulder?
Bring your foot back to the home position so your two legs lie
parallel. Now, without moving your foot or leg, can you move
your hip down, away from your shoulder? Try it several times,
without forcing. Just see if the movement is a little clearer to you

now. Move your hip alone, down and back, several times. Your leg
and your foot stay where they are. It needn't be a large movement.
Small is beautiful!
Step 9. Stop, rest, and feel. Roll to your back and rest awhile.
Allow your breathing to be light and easy. Each time you exhale,
that's another opportunity to let yourself sink into the floor a little
more.
Step 10. Elongate your leg. Roll to your right side as before. This
time, straighten your left leg all the way. Raise your leg off the
floor a little bit, or, if it's more comfortable for you, let it rest on
the floor. In that position, move your left heel downward, away
ELONGATE YOUR LEG. Straighten your left leg. Move your left heel
downward, away from your head, to thai your leg gets longer. Then return
to the starting position.
Relax Your Body 129
from your head, so that your leg gets longer. What can you do
with your hip, your lower back, your ribs, your shoulder, to
enable that leg to grow longer?
Repeat several times, elongating your leg, and coming back to
the starting position. Make the movements easy and light. Don't
stretch, don't strain. Try to engage every part of yourself in the
movement.
• When you elongate your leg like that, what happens to the
ribs that lie underneath you, on your right side? Do they

press the floor harder, or do they lighten up? How about
your waist? Does it press harder, or does it lighten up? Repeat
the movement several times more, and see what you discover.
Then, bend your leg again and return to the home position.
Try moving your hip down now. See if the movement is getting a
little clearer, a little easier.
Step 1 1 . Stop, rest, and feel. Roll to lie on your back for a few
moments. Notice how the right and left sides of your body make
contact with the floor now. Does one side feel different?
Step 12. Lengthen one side. Roll again to your right side. Very
gently, move your left hip down, and at the same time move your
left shoulder up, toward your ear. Your shoulder and your hip
move apart, and the whole left side of your body grows longer.
Then rest, and allow your hip and shoulder to return to the home
position.
Repeat the movement several times, looking always for the

most pleasurable, least effortful way to do it. Don't stretch or
strain —make each movement easier and lighter than the last.
Step 13. Roll to your back and rest for a few minutes. How long
does it take you to regain complete repose after a series of gentle
movements like that?
LENGTHEN ONE SIDE. Very gently, move your left hip down, and at the
same time move your left shoulder up, toward your ear. Your shoulder and
your hip move apart, and the whole left side of your body grows longer.
Step 14. Feel the difference. Slowly roll to your side and stand
up. Take a moment to see what that feels like now. You may notice
that one leg feels a little firmer or more supportive than the other.
You may notice that one side of your back feels stronger or more
at ease than the other. Perhaps one side of your body feels a little
taller than the other.

Slowly raise your left arm toward the ceiling. How does that
movement feel now? Raise and lower it a few times, slowly and
gently. I )oes your arm feel lighter and easier to manage than when
we began? Try raising your right arm. Which arm feels lighter,
longer? Which arm is more at ease?
Step 1 5. Fxplore the other side. After you've completed Steps 1
through 14, lie down and rest for a while. Then, when you're
ready, lie on your lefi side and repeat all the movements, this time
with your right hip and shoulder. Don't hurry. Take your time
and sec what you discover.
Relax Your Body 131
FEEL THE
DIFFERENCE. Stand
up, and see how that
feels. Does one leg feel
firmer and more

stable? Slowly raise
your right arm and

lower it. Then your
left. Does one arm
feel lighter, longer,
easier to move now, as
compared to when
you began?
Relaxing Mini-Move #4: Slouch and Recover

There is nothing wrong with slouching! Like all movements we
can do with our bodies, slouching has an honorable place in the
repertoire of human action. When you are trying to find an item
in your desk drawer, for example, it is quite natural to slouch.
When you are resting after a period of seated activity, such as writ-
ing, drawing, or typing, slouching is the natural way to give the
postural muscles of your back and hips a much-needed rest. That's

exactly why you do it!
For seated action, however, slouching is not the best way to

coordinate your body. Generally speaking, a range of upright
postures is the safest and most efficient, because these postures

provide the greatest mechanical advantage and the greatest free-
dom of movement for the organs of action — the arms and hands,
head and eyes. I say a range of upright postures, because healthy
sitting is never a matter of assuming a static posture and holding.
Rather, we move through a wide range of varied postures accord-
ing to the level of our activity, our energy, and our attention. This
is called cyclical sitting.
At moments of intensive activity, the well-coordinated person
tends to sit dynamically erect, for that is the active posture. As the
action slows, the posture tends to relax. When persons pause to
think or rest, they may slouch markedly, often reclining against
the backrest. At frequent intervals they may perform gentle,
enlivening movements in place or stand up and move about in
answer to the atavistic need for physical movement. After a pause

of the desired duration, the cycle is repeated.
A laboratory simulation of "cyclical sitting" has been studied

by a group of researchers at McGill University in Canada. They
found that cyclical, dynamic sitting is significantly more comfort-
able, expends less energy, and produces less stress on the spine
than other sitting styles. That's not surprising, because cyclical sit-
ting affords a natural variety of movement and posture. As ever,
variety is one of the fundamental requirements of our living, mov-

ing bodies.
Two recent studies reported in New Scientist magazine suggest
that chronic, unrelieved slouching may actually damage the sup-
porting muscles of the back. In a study conducted by the Euro-

pean Space Agency ill Berlin, researchers studied a group of young
male volunteers who spent eight weeks in bed. The study indi-
cates that absence of load on the spinal support muscles may be
just as debilitating as physical injuries caused by whiplash or
heavy lifting. Another group at the University of Queensland in

Relax Your Body 133
Australia studied the same volunteers using magnetic resonance

imaging (MRI). It showed that after the eight weeks of enforced
bed rest, the multifidus muscles of the back had wasted and
become inactive. Subjects monitored for six months after the
experiment had still not recovered, even with exercise. They were
taught to reactivate the muscles using visual feedback from ultra-
sound scans.
The following Mini-Move will help you to enliven the muscles
of your back using sensory feedback from your own body. In it
you will learn to slouch and to recover from a slouch, in a smooth,

easy, well-coordinated way. This is one of the fundamental move-
ments that constitute dynamic sitting. As you master this move-
ment, you will find yourself able to sit taller and hold your head
up with less effort. And when the time comes to slouch, you can
do it with aplomb. Your back muscles will become more pliable,
more freely mobile, more alive.
This essential addition to your movement vocabulary can help

to relieve much of the physical stress on your neck and shoulders,
while freeing yp your hands and arms for easier, more inspired
writing, keyboarding, mousing, drawing, painting, piano-playing,
or any other seated activity.
With a wide variety of well-coordinated movements at your

disposal, you will be able to adjust your posture spontaneously
according to your ever-changing needs, moment to moment.
That's a great way to live. And of course, the reduction in your
daily stress quotient sets the scene for sounder sleep. See for
yourself!
Step 1 . Observe your sitting posture. Find a comfortable, station-

ary chair, preferably one with a flat, horizontal seat pan. Sit on the
front half of the seat, any way that you like as long as you are not
leaning on the backrest. Place your hands in your lap and your
feet on the floor.
OBSERVE YOUR SITTING

POSTURE. Sit on the front
half of the seat, any way that
you like as long as you are
not leaning on the backrest.
Take a few moments to notice how you sit. Notice how your
buttocks make contact with the chair. Do you place your
weight more on the right buttock or the left? Do you sit
more on the rearward portion of your buttocks, nearer to
the backrest, or more on the forward part, near your

thighs? Don't change anything; just observe how you're sit-
ting right now.
Continue observing your seated posture. Is it easy to hold

your head up? Or do your neck and shoulders feel like they
are working overtime? Do you feel that you are sitting tall, or
does your body feel collapsed, cramped, and contracted?

Slowly turn your head to the right and left. Is that easy to do,
or does the movement feel stiff or limited in some way?

Notice your breathing, 1 )o you breathe freely, or do you tend
to hold your breath?'
Relax Your Body 135
Step 2. Look down. Sit as before, with your hands in your lap
and your feet on the floor. Slowly lower your head and look down
to see your belt buckle. (If you're not wearing a belt, just imagine
that you are, and look where your belt buckle would be!) Then
slowly raise your head and return to the starting position. Repeat
several times.
• How do you do this movement? Do you simply incline your

head forward by bending your neck, while the rest of your
body remains still? Or could you make the movement easier
by bringing more of yourself into action?
Step 3. Engage your ribs and chest. Continue as before, look-
ing down to see your belt buckle. Perhaps you can sense that
each time you lower your head and eyes to look down, your chest
tends to tip downward, toward your belly, in concert with the
LOOK DOWN. Slowly

lower your head and look
down to see your belt buckle.
136 The Insoa/vnia Solution
ENGAGE YOUR RIBS AND

CHEST. Each time you
lower your head and eyes to
look down, your chest tends
to tip downward, toward
your belly. As you raise your
head and eyes, your chest
rises to help bring the head
to the upright position.
movement of your head and eyes. As you raise your head and eyes,
your chest rises to help bring the head to the upright position.
If you are unsure of the movement, place the fingertips of one
hand on your sternum, or breastbone, as you do a few of the
movements. (The sternum is the vertical bone in the middle of

your chest, where the come together.) This will help you to
ribs
feel what is happening. Once you get a sense of how your sternum
and ribs move as you raise and lower your head, you can put your
hand back in your lap.
Continue, lowering your head and eyes to look down at your belt
buckle, and then sitting up. Each time you go down, move your
chest down, too. As you come up, gently raise your chest to help you
lift your head. Try to synchronize the movements of your head with
the movements of your chest so they begin and end at the same time.
Stop and rest for a few moments. See if you find yourself sitting
a little taller than when you started.

Relax Your Body 137
Step 4. Engage your lower back. Continue as before, lowering

your head and chest so you can see your belt buckle, and then sit-
ting up again. Slouch and recover.
You may have already noticed that your lower back (the part of
your back just above your waist) tends to move back, toward the
backrest of your chair, as you slouch, and forward as you recover.
Continue lowering and raising your eyes, head, and chest as
before, allowing your lower back to participate as well. Each time

you slouch, allow your lower back to move backward. Your back
rounds slightly. Each time you recover, allow your lower back to
move forward. Your back arches gently. Little by little your entire
torso becomes involved in the action.
If you're not sure of the movement, you can place one hand
behind you so the back of your hand rests on your back at waist
level. That will help you to feel how your lower back moves as you
ENGAGE YOUR LOWER

BACK. Each time you
slouch, allow your lower
back to move backward.
Your back rounds slightly.
Each time you recover, allow
your lower back to move

forward.
slouch and recover. Then take your hand away and do a few more
movements. Is it a little clearer now?
Step 5. Rock your pelvis. Notice the changes in the way your
buttocks make contact with the chair as you slouch and recover.
Lowering your head produces a gentle backward rocking of your
pelvis; you sit more on the rearward portion of your buttocks.
Raising your head produces a gentle forward rocking of your
pelvis; you sit more on the forward portion of your buttocks.
Gradually you can allow your entire body, including your
pelvis, to participate in raising and lowering your head. Pause for
a moment. See how you are sitting now.

Step 6. Put it all together. The exercise you have just done
teaches you to rely on the coordinated action of your chest, trunk,
and pelvis to support and mobilize your sitting body. This will
make upright sitting easier and more comfortable.
ROCK YOUR PELVIS.

Lowering your head
produces a gentle backward
rocking of your pelvis; you
sit more on the rearward
portion of your buttocks.
Relax Your Body 139
ROCK YOUR PELVIS.

Raising your head produces
a gentle forward rocking of
your pelvis; you sit more on
the forward portion of your
buttocks.
PUT IT ALL TOGETHER.

Pause and observe your
seated posture. See if there is
any difference, however

small, in the way that you
sit. You may find that you
spontaneously sit a little
taller than before.

Slouch and recover a few more times. As you move, try to

include each part of yourself —your head and eyes, your chest,
your lower back, your pelvis and buttocks — as you have learned.
Each part plays own distinct role in producing a smooth,

its well-
coordinated movement of the whole body.
• Pause and observe your seated posture. See if there is any dif-
ference, however small, in the way that you sit. Slowly turn
your head to the right and left a few times. Is it a little
smoother than when you started this exercise? Perhaps a dif-
ferent part of your bottom is making contact with the chair
than when you first observed it. Your breathing may be a

little easier. You may find that you spontaneously sit a little
taller than before.
Application. As you go about your daily activities, take a few

moments each day to repeat some of these movements and to
recall what you have learned. There is no need to force yourself to
sit in any particular way. Just do what comes naturally. Your pos-
ture and movement will begin to change spontaneously, when
you are ready. After a few days, you may wish to do this exercise
again. It may feel quite different to you the second time around.
Relaxing Mini-Move #5: Painting the Air (Freeing Your

Arms for Action)
Susi Schropp is the busy and talented proprietor of Diva Design

in New York City. When I first met Susi, she was suffering chronic
neck and shoulder pain as a result of her work in print and web
design, which required her to use a computer mouse almost
constantly.
The mouse, invented in 1

c
)64 by computer visionary Douglas
Ibait, made possible the "graphical user interface" that is
1
Relax Your Body 14
familiar to any user of a personal computer. But I'm sure Engel-

bart never imagined that anyone would use his epoch-making
device continuously, all day long, day after day. As it turns out,
even the most aptly designed mouse, when overused, can place
tremendous strain on the delicate tendinous structures of the
hand, wrist, and arm. And the static posture we tend to assume
during prolonged mouse use can be murder on our necks, shoul-
ders, and upper backs. Add to that the poor workstation design
that is common in many industries, and you've got a recipe for
disaster. (A word to the wise: Be sure to position your mouse as
close to your keyboard as possible, on the same horizontal plane.
Having to reach far to the side, or higher or lower than keyboard
height, considerably amplifies the physical stress of using a mouse.)
For Susi, interrupting that static posture and replacing it with

dynamic movement would be the key to safer, more comfortable
mousing. Together we explored a wide variety of mouse-related
movements, looking always for many different ways to do the
same thing, ways that would engage not only Susi's fingers, hand,
or wrist alone, but her entire frame. Of all these movements, one
of the most helpful was also the simplest, most reflexive, and most
frequently repeated.
Raising your arms to use a computer or piano keyboard,
mouse, pencil, telephone, or other tool is a movement most of us
do countless times in the course of a day, often without realizing
that we're doing anything at all. Yet this seemingly innocuous
movement, when poorly coordinated, can place a tremendous
strain on your neck, shoulders, and back and interfere with the
proper functioning of your hands and eyes.
This Mini-Move teaches you to raise and lower your arms with
minimal effort and maximum freedom of movement. The secret
is to precisely coordinate the movement of your arms with the

movements of your hips and spine. But don't worry, you won't
need to bother yourself thinking about where your hips, back,
arms, and hands should be every minute of the day. Once you've
got the feel of the basic arm-to-body coordination, it will all tend
to happen spontaneously, without much active thought on your
part. An occasional review of this Mini-Move will keep it all fresh
in your mind and in your body.

Freeing your arms for action will help you to perform all of
your daily activities with greater ease and comfort. As a result,
you'll feel more alert and alive during your working day. You'll
experience greater stamina, heightened productivity and creativ-
ity, and greater resistance to hand, wrist, back, neck, and shoulder
injuries. When the workday is done, you'll find these same prin-
ciples of dynamic movement will serve you well in home projects,
hobbies, sports, and the arts. And when bedtime arrives, you can
lay down your arms and get ready for a night of peaceful, restora-
tive sleep.
Step 1. Observe your sitting posture. Find a comfortable, station-

ary chair, preferably one with a flat, horizontal seat. Sit on the
front half of the seat, any way that you like as long as you are not
leaning on the backrest.
• Take a few moments to notice how you sit. Where do you

place your feet? Do you breathe freely, or do you tend to hold
your breath? Do you slouch, or do you sit tall?
• Pay particular attention to your arms and hands as you sit.
What part of your arms make contact with your lap? Is it
your elbows? Your forearms? Your wrists or hands?

• Do you feel that your arms arc in repose? Do they rest easily
in your lap? Or do you feel that there is some effort required
just to maintain your arms in a resting state?
Sup 1. Raise your arms. Sit as before, on the from half of your
chair. Place your right hand on your thigh near your right knee and
Relax Your Body 143
RAISE YOUR ARMS. Slowly

raise both arms in front of
you, as if you were reaching
for your keyboard, and
slowly lower your arms to
your knees again.
your left hand on your thigh near your left knee. Slowly raise both
arms in front of you, as if you were reaching for your keyboard, and
slowly lower your arms to your knees again. Your elbows should be
relaxed, not stifT, and slightly bent. Repeat this several times.
• How does it feel to raise your arms and lower them? Is it easy
and comfortable, or is it a strain? Do your arms feel light and
easy to manage, or do they feel heavy and cumbersome? Do
you feel a strain in any other part of your body? Make a men-
tal note of what you feel now so you can compare at the end
of the exercise.
Stop and rest for a while. Continue when you are ready.
Step 3. Raise your arms while slouching. Sit as before, with your
hands on your thighs. Now slouch a little as you learned to do in
the previous Mini-Move: Incline your head forward, allow your

chest to sink, round your lower back, and rock your pelvis so you
RAISE YOUR ARMS

WHILE SLOUCHING.
Slouch as you learned to do
in the previous Mini-Move.
Slowly raise your arms and
lower them several times in
succession. Remain slouched
the entire time as you move
your arms.
sit more on the rearward portion of your buttocks. Don't exagger-
ate — a gentle slouch will do.
Without recovering from this slouch, slowly raise your arms

and lower them several times in succession. Remain slouched the
entire time as you move your arms. At first raise your arms only an
inch or so each time, gradually increasing the range with each rep-
etition. Starting with small, slow movements allows you to detect
subtle differences between one movement and the next.
• Can you feel a difference in the movement of your arms

now? Does slouching like that make your arms feel lighter, or
heavier? Do your arms move easily, or do they feel clumsy?
Do you feel a strain in some other part of your body? Lower
your arms and rest a moment.
Step 4. Raise your arms while sitting up tall. Slouch a little, then
recover, and sit as tall as possible without strain. While holding
Relax Your Body 145
RAISE YOUR ARMS

WHILE SITTING UP
TALL. Sit as tall as possible
without strain. While

holding your body upright
like that, slowly raise and
lower your arms several
times.
your body upright like that, slowly raise and lower your arms sev-
eral times. Again, start with small movements, gradually increas-

ing the range with each repetition. Do not slouch; remain upright
as you raise and lower your arms.
• How does it feel to raise your arms now that you are sitting
tall? Is it easier than when you were slouching, or not? See

what you discover.
Stop and rest.
Step 5. Synchronize your arms with your trunk. Sit as before, on

the front half of your chair with your hands on your thighs, and
slouch. Slowly recover from the slouch and as you do so, slowly
lift your arms. Then slowly, gradually slouch again, and slowly
lower your arms. Repeat several times.
—
SYNCHRONIZE YOUR
ARMS WITH YOUR
TRUNK. Slouch. As you
recover from the slouch,
slowly lift your arms. Then
gradually slouch again, and
slowly lower your arms.
Try to synchronize the movement so that your arms and trunk

go up and down at the same time. Just as you reach the lowest
point of your slouch, your hands come to rest on your thighs; just
as you reach your fully upright posture, your arms reach the hori-
zontal position in front of you.
• You may find it helpful to look at your hands as they move

that will remind your head and neck to participate in the
movement as well. Do many slow gentle movements like
that. Rest whenever you feel the need.
You have now experimented with three variations of the move-

ment of raising your arms: first you did it while slouching, then
with your body erect, and finally with your trunk and your arms
moving in concert. Which variation allowed the arms to move
most freely?
Relax Your Body 147
Step 6. Synchronize movement and breathing. Sit as before, with

your hands resting on your thighs. Breathe easy. As you breathe in
and out, notice the gentle rising and falling of your chest.
The next time you breathe out, slouch a little, allowing your
chest to sink and your back to round slightly. Then, as you inhale,
recover from the slouch and sit up tall. Continue like that for sev-
eral breaths until the movement becomes familiar —slouching

slightly as you exhale, and recovering from the slouch as you
inhale. Rest a moment.
Notice your breathing. When you find yourself naturally com-
ing to the end of an exhalation and starting to inhale again, begin
to recover from your slouch and, at the same time, slowly lift your
arms. Continue raising your arms until you have completed your
inhalation and are sitting tall. As you begin to exhale, gradually
lower your arms and slouch again. You will find it helpful to look
at your hands as they move up and down. It doesn't matter how

high you lift your arms. Do what is easy and comfortable for you,
and not more.
Try to synchronize your movements and breath so that you
inhale, raise your arms, and sit up tall in one easy, coordinated
movement. Then exhale, lower your arms, and slouch in the same
way. Think that your arms are being carried up and down by the
rising and falling of your chest as you breathe.
When you are learning, the quality of your movement is more
important than how many movements you do, so move slowly
and gradually. That allows you to pay closer attention to what you
are doing with all the parts of yourself and to discover new pat-
terns of action that are different from what you already know.
Raise and lower your arms several more times. Do your arms feel
lighter and easier to move than before? Rest a little.
Step 7. Air-painting (just for fun). Sit as before. Imagine that

your forearms are paintbrushes, and your hands from the wrists
AIR-PAINTING. As you
raise your arm, paint the
imaginary canvas with the
back of your hand in an
upward-sweeping
brushstroke. As you reach
the top of the stroke, gently
allow your wrist to bend
back so that the palm side of
your hand faces the canvas.
Then paint the canvas with
the palm of your hand in a
downward-sweeping stroke.
down are the long, soft, flexible bristles of the brush. The bristles
have been dipped deep in wet, sloshy paint, and you are sitting in
front of a huge canvas.
As you raise your right arm, paint the imaginary canvas with the
back of your hand in an upward-sweeping brushstroke. As you reach
the top of the stroke, gently allow your wrist to bend back so that the
palm side of your hand faces the canvas. Then paint the canvas with
the palm of your hand in a downward-sweeping stroke.
Repeal the movement several times. Use whatever you have

learned about dynamic posture and breathing from this and the pre-
vious Mini-Move to make the movement of your arm as light, easy,
and pleasurable as possible. Allow yourself to move any part of your

body that helps vou to paint in smooth, easy, continuous strokes.
Rest, and when vou are ready to continue, repeat the move-
ment With your left hand.
Relax Your Body 149
Step 8. Advanced Make a complete upward and

air-painting.
downward stroke with your right hand. Once your right hand has
returned to its starting position on your thigh, raise your left hand
to paint a complete upward and downward stroke. Continue
painting with alternating right- and left-hand strokes for several
minutes. Rest a moment.
Now paint a single upward stroke with your right hand only. As
you begin to stroke downward with your right hand, raise your
left hand to stroke upward. When you have raised your left hand
as far as you like and your right hand has returned to its starting
position, lower your left hand as you raise your right. Continue
painting with overlapping right- and left-hand strokes.
• Perhaps you find yourself turning your head and eyes a little
to one side and then the other to see your hands as they
ADVANCED AIR-
PAINTING. As you begin to
stroke downward with your
right hand, raise your left
hand to stroke upward.

When you have raised your
left hand as far as you like
and your right hand has

returned to its starting
position, lower your left

hand as you raise your right.
move. Which hand do you look at— the one that is going up
or the one that is going down?
Paint several upward and downward strokes, looking at your

right hand as you raise it. As you begin to lower your right hand,
gently turn your head and eyes to the left to look at your other
hand as you raise it. Do several movements like that, looking at
the hand that you are raising.
Try a few more movements, this time looking at the hand that
you are lowering. As you lower the left hand, look at it; then
gently turn your head to the other side to see the right hand as you
lower it.
Which is easier, looking at the hand that goes up, or looking at

the hand that goes down?
Step 9. Put it all together. Sit as before, on the front half of your
chair. Place your right hand on your thigh near your right knee
and your left hand on your thigh near your left knee. Slowly raise
both arms in front of you, just as you did at the beginning of this
exercise. See if it feels different now.
• How does it feel to raise your arms and lower them? Is it eas-
ier and more comfortable than before? Do your arms feel
lighter and easier to manage? Notice how you are sitting on

your chair. As you learn to coordinate your body movements
more effectively, it becomes easier to get comfortable in your
chair, and to stay that way.
Application. As you sit at your desk over the next few days, from
time to time try to recall the movements you have done in this
Mini-Move. Each time you raise your arms to your keyboard,

remember the feeling of using your whole body to move your
arms. Occasional review of the complete Mini-Move will help
you make h .1 part of sour life.

1
Relax Your Body 1 5
Relaxing Mini-Move #6: To Banish Neck and Shoulder

Tension: Hang Loose!
Many of us accumulate tension in our necks and shoulders, espe-
cially those who work at such fixed stations as desks, computers,
and control consoles. Sometimes just holding your head up all
day long can feel like a tremendous effort. This simple yet power-
ful Mini-Move can help you relax those overtaxed muscles of the
neck and shoulders. It can relieve much of the stress that comes
with prolonged sitting or standing.
Here's an important bit of body wisdom: Our shoulders and
arms are not part of the supporting structure of the upright body.
When we're at rest, our shoulders are meant to hang loose. When
we swing into action, our shoulders provide a stable yet mobile
anchor for the free and spontaneous movement of our arms.

An anchor holds something in place by means of gravity. And
our shoulders would make glorious anchors if wed only let them.
The problem is, many of us lift our shoulders continuously as we
sit or stand. Instead of hanging loose, our shoulders drift upward
in the direction of our ears. That's no way for an anchor to behave!
When our shoulders fail to do their job of anchoring our arms,

we have to compensate in some way. To that end, we contract
muscles in the arms themselves, as well as in the chest, head, neck,
and back that are not really meant for that purpose. A muscle that
is chronically contracted is not available to participate in move-
ment. As a result, the free movement and expression of our arms,
chest, head, neck, and back are compromised. We are quite liter-
ally "in a bind."

As you can see, this misdirected effort of the shoulder muscles
throws our whole dynamic posture out of balance. It undermines
the effectiveness of all the movements of the head, eyes, neck, and
trunk. It wastes vital energy, inviting early fatigue. That means
increased effort and strain, poor mood, and reduced pleasure in

all our actions.
Why do we mis-coordinate our shoulders like this? No one
really knows. It may be the result of injury or overuse, uncon-
scious anxiety, or the residue of childhood trauma. Whatever the
cause, when you can really let your shoulders hang loose, you'll
heave a deep sigh of relief. That means you're on the road to self-
healing. Step by step, you are approaching your goal of sounder

sleep and a more peaceful life.
Step 1 . Get comfortable. Sit upright on a chair. Place the soles of

your feet on the ground. Place your hands palms down on your
thighs. How does it feel to sit like that? Take a moment to notice
your neck and shoulders, your back. Is there any tension? Is your
breathing free and easy, or do you hold your breath?
• This Mini-Move is presented in sitting position, but it can be

just as easily done in standing position, with your arms hang-
ing at your sides, if desired. Sitting is more restful, of course.
Step 2. Calibrate your shoulders. Take note of the distance
between the tip of your right shoulder and your right earlobe.
Compare that with the distance between your left shoulder and
your left earlobe. Is the distance greater on one side or the other?
Try to remember what you've observed, so you can compare later.
Step 3. Calibrate your head and eyes. Slowly and gently turn
your head and eyes to the right and to the left, without straining.
Does your head turn farther to one side or the other? Which feels
freci and easier, turning to the right or the left?
Now, turn your head and eyes to the right only, without force,
without strain. When you are turned to the right, what part of the
room can you see? lake note of some spot in the room — the cor-
i .i chair, a clock on the wall, anything at all. You will use this
as .1 landmark for later comparison.

Relax Your Body 153
CALIBRATE YOUR
SHOULDERS. Take note of
the distance between the tip
of your right shoulder and
your right earlobe. Compare
that with the distance
between your left shoulder
and your left earlobe.
CALIBRATE YOUR HEAD

AND EYES. Slowly and
gently turn your head and
eyes to the right and to the
left, without straining. Does
your head turn farther to one
side or the other? Which
feels freer and easier, turning
to the right or the left?
Now do the same thing on the other side. Gently turn your
head and eyes to the left, without straining. Choose a landmark
for later comparison. Make a mental note of it.
Step 4. Raise your right shoulder. As you slowly inhale, gently

raise your right shoulder. Just do the natural movement of raising
your shoulder upward and a little toward your right ear. Now
slowly exhale and gradually allow your shoulder to go back down.
Repeat several times, synchronizing the movement with your breath.
RAISE YOUR RIGHT

SHOULDER. As you slowly
inhale, gently raise your right
shoulder.
Make the movement of your shoulder as light and easy as
you can. Lift your shoulder only as high as it goes without
Strain. At the moment you feel that lifting the shoulder any
higher would require additional effort, back off a little.
Ybuvc reached the limit.
These Mini-Moves are not like other exercises you may have
learned, where faster, bigger, and harder is better. Moving
Relax Your Body 155
slowly and gently within the range of movement that is easy
for you allows you to feel more. Your ability to feel is your
most important tool for achieving greater mental and physi-
cal ease.
Step 5. Stop, rest, andfeel. Is there any change, even a small one,
of the feeling in your neck or your shoulders? Notice the distance
between the tip of your right shoulder and your right ear now. Is it
greater or less? Observe the difference between your right shoul-

der and your left. What do you feel?
Slowly turn your head to the right and to the left without
strain. Which side is easier now? Does your head turn a little far-
ther in one direction than before?
• If you're tired of sitting upright, lean back in your chair and

rest a few moments. Or, lie down and take a nap if you like.
You can always continue later!
Step 6. Raise your shoulder in stages. This time, you will raise
your shoulder in three stages, synchronizing the movements with

your breath. You'll be guided step by step.
Stage 1 : Slowly inhale, and very gently raise your right shoulder
a little bit, perhaps one-quarter of the maximum, or less. Then,
keeping your shoulder where it is, slightly raised, slowly exhale.
Your shoulder remains slightly raised, while you exhale fully.
Stage 2: Slowly inhale, and gently raise your shoulder another

quarter of the way, or less. Then, keeping your shoulder where it
is, raised about halfway or less, slowly exhale. Your shoulder

remains raised, while you exhale fully.
Stage 3: Slowly inhale, and raise your shoulder a little farther.
Then, keeping your shoulder where it is, raised about three quar-
ters of the way or less, slowly exhale. Your shoulder remains raised,
while you exhale fully.
RAISE THE SHOULDER

IN THREE STAGES. Slowly
inhale and raise your
shoulder about one-quarter
of the way, and hold it there.
Slowly exhale. Repeat two

more times, raising the
shoulder higher each time.
Then, slowly inhale and as
you exhale, slowly lower the

shoulder and relax.
To finish: Slowly inhale and then, as you slowly exhale, gradu-
ally allow your shoulder to float all the way back down to a natu-
ral resting position. Then stop and rest for at least three complete
breath cycles. Notice any apparent changes in your shoulder,
neck, or back.
Repeat this sequence three to five times. Don't forget to rest
after each round!

Breathe and move with minimal force. There should be noth-
ing extreme or challenging, nothing sharp or sudden. The entire
sequence should feel light, easy, and pleasurable at every step of

the way.
Sup 7. Stop, rest, andfttl Take account of the distance between
your right shoulder and your right ear, and between your left
shoulder and your left ear, now. Are the two distances greater or
Relax Your Body 1 57
less when you began? Does one shoulder

than feel more inclined
to hang loose than the other? Which one is it?

Now, slowly turn your head and eyes to the right and left.
• Does your head turn more easily than before?Remember the

landmarks you chose when we began. Can you see them? Or
can you see a bit beyond them now? Is the improvement
more pronounced on one side? Which side is that?
Step 8. Raise the other shoulder. Please repeat all the movements
in Steps 4, 5, 6, and 7 with your left shoulder. Take all the time
you need to explore the movements of the left shoulder, just as
you did with the right. Do all the movements with that same slow,
gentle, gradual quality. And when the instructions say to pause or
rest, please do. Do not hurry!
Step 9. Enjoy the changes in yourself. Now that you've done this
Mini-Move with both shoulders, take a few moments to observe
the effects. Notice the distance between your shoulders and your
ears now. Is there a little more space between them?
Slowly turn your head to the right and left and look for your
landmarks in the room. Can you see past them now? Some people
find that they can see the entire room behind them. It's almost
like having eyes in the back of your head!
Best of all, notice how you feel. You may discover pleasurable
physical sensations in your neck, your chest, your upper back,
your arms, or anywhere you care to look. Do not be surprised if
you experience a rush of pleasurable feeling in your body as your

neck and shoulders "let go." If that happens, you're definitely on
the right track.
Application. This Mini-Move is a perfect complement to the

previous two Mini-Moves, Slouch and Recover and Air- Painting.
Take the time to explore all three, and you'll achieve a more
dynamic, balanced sitting posture. You'll sit and hold your head
up with greater comfort and ease while using your hands and
arms with greater power and precision. Believe it or not, these
Mini-Moves may help you discover unexpected reserves of cre-
ative energy in yourself. Please use them for the good of all
humankind. We need all the help we can get!

—
Chapter 4
* .
*
Calm Your Mind

But you have no need to go anywhere
Journey within yourself.
Enter a mine of rubies
and bathe in the splendor of your own light.
—Rumi
I hope you enjoyed the mindful movement experiments presented

in chapter 3. If so, you now possess valuable tools you can use to
relax your body and move with greater pleasure, ease, and effi-
ciency. Instead of wasting energy on awkward, misdirected move-

ments, you have energy to spare for creativity and self-nurturing.
As a result, life is sweeter and easier, and you can enjoy it more
than ever.
In this chapter we'll take another important step in our quest

for sounder sleep. Here you will learn a unique type of movement
meditation to calm your mind during waking hours. But don't
worry, this kind of meditation doesn't require you to shave your
head, follow a guru, or recite a mantra. You don't have to believe
in any esoteric doctrine or philosophy. In fact you don't have to
believe in anything other than the evidence of your own senses.
Because when you practice these techniques, you will feel the
effects immediately, the first time and every time thereafter.
159
Movement meditations are uniquely practical, fast-acting,
easy-to-learn techniques that will bring you many of the physical

and psychological benefits of traditional meditation in no time
flat. Practicing these gentle movement and breathing techniques
for brief periods, two or three times a day, will help you to achieve
a more peaceful, balanced life. When your life is more peaceful

your sleep is more peaceful. Yes, it's really that simple.
Why Daytime?
But why, you may ask, do I have to do these exercises to calm my
mind during the daytime? I'm fine during the daytime! My prob-
lem is at night. I can't sleepl
The answer is that insomnia isn't just a nighttime problem. The

quality and quantity of your sleep at night depends in large part
on the quality of your activity during the day. For example, let's
say you're one of those people, not unusual in contemporary soci-

ety, who spend the whole day sprinting from one appointment to
the next, juggling meetings and deadlines, and running for buses,
taxis, or departing flights with nary a moment to catch your

breath. may be an exciting way to live, but it is really hard on
It
your mind and body. You are overscheduled, overstimulated,

hypervigilant, and hyperaroused. The hypothalamic-pituitary-
ad renal (HPA) axis —your body's central stress response mecha-

nism — is pumping out stress and arousal hormones, and all the
systems of your body are working harder and running hotter than
normal. Even when you stop to rest, your body and mind are still
highly activated. You never achieve that state of quiet repose that
would allow you to recover from the stress of life.

That much you probably already know. But what you may not
realize is that the stress thai nips at your heels during waking
hours follows you right into your bedroom, undermining the
Calm Your Mind 161
quality of your nighttime sleep. I've observed this repeatedly with
my clients in the business world. A fifty-five-year-old man whom

I'll call Harold had suffered insomnia for several years, along with
headaches and jaw pain associated with tooth grinding at night,
and he was taking medication for high blood pressure. He had

tried sleeping pills, too, but reported that he couldn't tolerate the
side effects. For the last year, he had been "toughing it out" on
three or four hours of sleep a night. He was exhausted.
Harold was the owner of a health maintenance organization
with fifty employees. Amazingly, he was directly responsible for
supervising the performance of each one of those employees,
beginning at 6:30 a.m. each morning and ending at 9 p.m. each
night, and he was quite proud of his role as a "hands-on man-
ager." As I questioned Harold in depth about his typical day, a
picture of unremitting stress began to emerge. He had people
working on projects all over the country, and they relied on him
for continuous input and approval. While we were together, his
cell phone rang almost constantly and his pager was almost as
active. He rarely stopped for lunch, and he had never considered

rest breaks. He was convinced that the extreme fatigue brought on
by his overwork should promote sleep rather than prevent it. "You
work hard all day, and then you collapse into bed," was Harold's
idea of normal sleep behavior.
Harold stared at me in disbelief when first I told him that being
more relaxed during waking hours would help him to sleep more
peacefully at night. A more peaceful life? That was the last thing
on his agenda! It took some skillful negotiating on my part to
get him to acknowledge that there might be some connection
between his nonstop, high-intensity working style and his inabil-
ity to sleep. But sure enough, when we started to build some

movement-meditation "time-outs" into his daily routine (even
prize fighters take a break between rounds, right?), Harold started

to notice a difference in the quality of his life: "I'm kinder and a

little more patient," he observed. More restful nights came only
gradually, but Harold could feel immediately that cultivating a
slightly slower and more peaceful life, with shorter working
hours, was a good thing. He felt calmer and more in control. A
milestone in our relationship, for me at least, was the day Harold
announced that he had engaged a management consultant and
was going to delegate some of his supervisory responsibilities to
others who, he slyly revealed, he had been grooming for the task
all along!
The sleep-impairing effects of hyperarousal have been con-

firmed by numerous laboratory studies. For example, a 2001
review conducted in the neurology unit of a Swiss hospital cites
seven prior studies finding elevated EEG activity in the beta fre-
quency range (12-30 cycles per second) in insomniacs during the
period before sleep onset as well as during nighttime sleep. Beta

activity generally indicates arousal and alertness, while quiet
waking rest evokes alpha waves (8-12 cps) and peaceful sleep
produces much slower oscillations in the theta and delta range
(less than 4 cps). The authors identify central nervous system
hyperarousal as a likely cause of insomnia. Another study from a
Dayton, Ohio, veterans' hospital found increased oxygen con-
sumption by night and day in patients with primary insomnia as
compared to a control group of normal sleepers, indicating a
higher metabolic rate and increased physiological activity antago-

nistic to natural, restful sleep. And yet another study conducted in
2004 in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pitts-
burgh analyzed stress-related changes in heart rate variability dur-

ing sleep in fifty-nine healthy men and women. Participants were
randomly assigned to cither a speech task that was used to elicit
a< utc stress immediately prior to sleep or a control group. Electro-
cardiogram* (EKG) were monitored during sleep for both groups.

—
Calm Your Mind 163
Results indicated a correlation between the acute induced stress
and "decreased levels of parasympathetic modulation" during

REM and non-REM sleep. In other words, the calming, restora-
tive effects of sleep were blunted in the stress group.
Now some people seem to thrive on the high-stress lifestyle, at
least for a time. They'll spend the whole day zooming around like
Harold, and at the end they'll have dinner, relax a bit — or maybe
put in a few more hours of work at home (!) —and then go right
to sleep. But for many others, and probably for you if you're read-
ing this book, it's not so simple. Spend the whole day in adrenal
overdrive like that, and you won't be able to just turn it off at bed-
time. It will take several hours for the stress hormones that have
flooded your system all day to subside, allowing you to sleep. Even
then, these studies indicate, your HPA axis may never quiet down
enough to yield truly restful sleep.
Okay, maybe you're not the hard-driving, overachiever type

described above. Maybe you're retired, or a homemaker, or lead a
life of apparent leisure. It doesn't matter. You could still be living
in high-stress, hyperarousal mode. For example, I have known
many retired people who swear there's no stress in their lives
after all, they're retired\ They have yet to accept that the simple
fact of aging can add additional stress to our lives. Even for those
in good health, their ordinary daily activities — bathing, eating

and preparing food, taking care of one's home, to name just a
few — take a little more time and energy. In addition, it seems that
many of my retired friends have managed to become just as over-
scheduled, overstimulated, hypervigilant, and hyperaroused as

those younger men or women clutching their briefcases, racing to
catch the next flight to Cincinnati. Senior enrichment programs,
social engagements, family gatherings, travel, medical appoint-
ments — all necessary and good in and of themselves —combined
with inclement weather or the simple stress of getting from here to
there, can conspire to make retired life enormously stressful. Add

an illness or disability, economic uncertainty, or the loss of a
spouse, and you've got all the ingredients for a stubborn case of
stress-induced insomnia.
As you can see, the cause of insomnia does not reside in the
bedroom alone. To paraphrase Shakespeare, "where stress lodges,
sleep will never lie." That's why any comprehensive approach to
insomnia must provide a way to keep those raging stress hor-

mones at bay during waking hours. Fortunately, in most cases it
doesn't take much to get your life on a more even keel. The gentle,
effective Mini-Moves presented in this chapter provide you with a
powerful tool you can use to that end. If you're willing to devote a
little time and attention to the problem every day, you'll probably
find that many, if not all, of the symptoms of hyperarousal will
abate in short order. The Mini-Moves in this chapter show

you how.
How will you know when you've got a handle on those pesky
stress hormones? Certainly, there are medical tests you could take
to measure the changes in your adrenal hormone levels as you
practice the Mini-Moves, and you may want to explore that
option with your doctor. But it is more likely that after a few days
of practice, you will begin to feel the difference in yourself. You'll
find that you feel calmer, less frazzled, and more resilient to stress
during the day. And when bedtime comes, you're in just the right
frame of mind and body for a delicious night of dozing and

dreaming. Being more relaxed during waking hours sets the scene
for sounder sleep.
Why Meditation?
The whole world is hurried, worried, and harried, and millions

suffer .is a result. Were nervous and jittery, overwhelmed and
Calm Your Mind 165
exhausted, and on top of all that, we can't sleep. There is abundant

research indicating that meditation is an easy, enjoyable, no-cost
solution that's right at our fingertips. Numerous studies show that
meditation can be profitably practiced by almost anyone, from

troubled adolescents and workers in a variety of occupations to
people suffering from cancer, high blood pressure, fibromyalgia,
and HIV. It has been shown to relieve anxiety, pain, stress, and
depression, as well as improve mood, enhance general health, and
improve sleep quality for healthy folks as well as those suffering or
recovering from a wide variety of illnesses.

For example, a 2003 study conducted at the Laboratory for
Affective Neuroscience at the University of Wisconsin found sig-
nificant changes in brain and immune function among healthy

participants in an eight-week meditation course as compared to
controls. Subjects showed increased activation of the front, left
side of the brain, a pattern associated with "positive affect," or
good mood. After the course, both meditators and controls

received an influenza vaccination. Meditators had a significant
increase in antibody titers, indicating enhanced immune response

as compared to controls. Interestingly, the magnitude of increase
in left-sided brain activation predicted the magnitude of antibody
response to the vaccine. "Meditation may change brain and im-
mune function in positive ways," the researchers concluded.
If you run or work out, you may be interested to know of a
1995 study published in the British Journal ofSports Medicine that

found that meditation may be a way to reduce the immuno-
suppressive effects of vigorous exercise. In a six-month trial, six
runners who meditated following their daily workout had a sig-
nificantly smaller increase in CD 8+ T cells following a stress test
compared to a non-meditating runner control group. Meditation,

the authors conclude, may modify the suppressive influence of
strenuous physical stress on the immune system. A 2000 study
from the same journal reports that meditation training may aid in
recovery after exercise. The study of thirty-one adult male runners

found that after six months of meditation training, blood lactate
concentration, an index of exercise-induced stress, was signifi-
cantly decreased in the meditation group as compared to controls.
You say you don't go in for running? Perhaps shooting is more to
your taste: Another study found that meditation reduced tension

and improved performance among a group of twenty-five elite
competitive shooters.
Meditation is also good medicine when you're sick. A review of
medical literature on meditation conducted at the University of
South Carolina's College of Nursing in 2003 noted that "clinical
effects of meditation impact a broad spectrum of physical and

psychological symptoms and syndromes, including reduced anxi-
ety, pain, and depression, enhanced mood and self-esteem, and

decreased stress." The author concludes that meditation can have
a positive influence on the experience of chronic illness and serve
as a prevention strategy as well.

A bumper crop of recent studies attest to these findings. A
2000 University of Maryland study of non-pharmacological treat-
ments for fibromyalgia, a chronic pain syndrome, found that a

program of still and moving meditation produced significant
improvement in a range of measures including sleep quality, ten-

der points, and pain threshold. Improvement was sustained four
months later. A 1993 study at a Massachusetts hospital reached
similar conclusions: "a meditation-based stress reduction program
is effective for patients with fibromyalgia." These findings have
been borne out by the clinical experience of occupational thera-
pist Jeanne Melvin, former program manager of Fibromyalgia and
Chronic Pain Programs at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los
Angeles. "I use your techniques with all my patients because they
are so simple and effective," she reported after taking my course.

Calm Your Mind 167
Jeanne is presently a behavioral sleep medicine consultant to the
Sleep and Autonomic Disorders Center at UCLA, and continues

to use the Mini-Moves on a daily basis.
A 2004 study of the impact of stress reduction techniques on

African American adolescents found that a four-month program
of Transcendental Meditation produced greater decreases in sys-
tolic and diastolic blood pressure than a health education pro-

gram of the same duration. This demonstrates the "beneficial
impact of the TM program in youth at risk for the development

of hypertension," according to the study authors.
Another 2004 study of early stage breast and prostate can-
cer patients, conducted in Canada, found that an eight-week
mindfulness-based meditation program incorporating relaxation,
meditation, gentle yoga, and daily home practice yielded signifi-
cant improvement in overall quality of life, symptoms of stress,
and sleep quality. Improvements in quality of life were associated

with decreases in afternoon Cortisol levels. The authors further-
more observed that the meditation program produced "possibly
beneficial changes in hypothalamic-pituitary- adrenal (HPA) axis
functioning."
Similar results were obtained in a 2004 study of organ trans-
plant patients conducted at the University of Minnesota. A

mindfulness-based relaxation course was offered XA hours a week
for eight weeks, with a recommended 45 minutes' home practice,
five days a week. The findings indicate improvement from base-

line symptom scores for depression and sleep at the completion of
the program. Three months later, improvement in sleep contin-
ued, and there was a significant improvement in anxiety scores,
too. These results suggest that "symptom distress in transplant
recipients seems to respond to mindfulness-based meditation,"

the authors conclude.
Another 2004 study, this one from the University of Texas,

studied the effects of a stress-reduction program including regu-

lated breathing, meditation, and related techniques on patients
with lymphoma and a control group. The meditation group

reported "significantly lower sleep disturbance scores" during a
three-month follow-up compared with controls. These included
"better subjective sleep quality, faster sleep latency, longer sleep
duration, and less use of sleep medications." We have encoun-

tered similar results with a group of ovarian cancer survivors in
New York City. My associate Jae Gruenke led a four-week class
emphasizing movement meditation and sleep-inducing Mini-

Moves for the SHARE organization. Feedback from participants
indicated considerable improvement in daytime relaxation and
nighttime sleep. "Since I took the Sounder Sleep System work-
shop I am truly sleeping better than in many years," wrote one
participant. "Incredible to believe, my sleep is deeper, and I can
get back to sleep after going to the bathroom during the night.
Additionally, I get up feeling well rested and refreshed from get-
ting a good night's sleep!" As for daytime effects, this same partic-
ipant reports, "I do remind myself to take a short break to practice
when I'm in my office (or on the subway, bus, or taxi), to calm

myself and relax. I find that when I do take these breaks, the sys-
tem works very well."
What accounts for meditations wondrous benefits? The under-

lying physiological mechanisms are summarized by John Ding-E
Young, a physiologist and immunologist at Rockefeller Univer-
sity, and Eugene Taylor, a lecturer on psychiatry at Harvard, in a
1998 analysis titled "Meditation as a Voluntary Hypometabolic
State of Biological Estivation." ("Estivation" is similar to hiberna-
tion, except it happens in summer instead of winter.) The authors

liken the physiological state of meditation to that achieved byani-
tnals during hibernation or estivation, in which metabolism slows
down (i.e., becomes hypometabolic) during periods of environ-
Calm Your Mind 169
mental stress or short food supply. Even the simplest meditation
techniques, they observe, "appear to have persistent and measur-

able effects that are exactly the opposite from the fight-or-flight
reflex." In the fight-or-flight response, there is a dramatic surge of
adrenaline and other stress-related neurotransmitters, while "large

amounts of glucose become available for quick energy metabo-
lism, respiration rate increases, blood is shunted away from the
viscera to oxygenate skeletal muscle, and the organism goes into a
state of heightened vigilance." By contrast, meditation produces a

hypometabolic state in which "catecholamine levels drop, gal-
vanic skin resistance markedly increases, increased cerebral profu-

sion is present, respiration rate . . . decreases significantly; there is
also . . . lowered oxygen and C0 2

consumption, and a marked
decline in blood lactate." With regular practice, they assert, "a
state of internal metabolic rest becomes the baseline, rather than a
constant readiness and perpetual overreaction," typical of modern

life. And, note well, this is especially true for beginning meditators,
say Young and Taylor. Of special interest to us is the authors'

belief that meditation is an evolutionary survival mechanism that
allows us to recover from the physical and psychological stresses of
life in the modern, man-made environment.
Movement Meditation: Easy, Effective, Pleasurable
So there you have it. The verdict of modern science is, meditation
is good for you. It can reverse the deleterious effects of stress and
improve the overall quality of your life and health. If you're sick it
can be a wonderful ally in your recovery process. If you have

trouble sleeping, meditation alone might well improve the quality
of your sleep, as several of the studies suggest. And best of all, it
doesn't take years of practice to achieve positive results. Even

beginners can reap immediate benefits.
Funny, isn't it, that we look to scientific studies like these to
confirm for us what has been recognized by human beings on

every continent for countless centuries, "since the time of Adam
and Eve," some say, and which we can easily confirm with our
own senses? After all, scientific theories go in and out of fashion as
easily as poof skirts or Nehru jackets, but the information we

glean from our own observation and experience is always fresh,
accurate, and up to the moment. Even so, watching modern sci-
ence play "catch up" with the wisdom of the ages is fascinating,
and the findings can shed new light on human function. Further-
more, I know that some of my readers set great store in scientific
evidence. But now is the time for me to set all of that aside and tell
you what I have discovered, not with the tools of modern science,
but by means of my own senses. It is the very special form of med-
itation that you're going to be learning in this chapter.
What's so special about movement meditation? Many things!
The most special thing is that you can do it. I say that for a very
specific reason, and that is that many, many people have tried
meditation and "failed" at it, and therefore they believe that they
are unsuited for meditation. Of course, the idea that any individ-
ual is unsuited for meditation is preposterous. That's like saying

someone is unsuited for breathing or speaking or walking. Medi-
tation reflects the innate human faculty to become deeply
absorbed in thought or in the perception of an object. In doing
so, we briefly withdraw our awareness from the welter of activity
that constitutes our everyday world, and enter a restful, recupera-
tive state of mind and body, free from disturbing thoughts and
emotions. That gives us a valuable respite from the stress of life.
Meditation, then, in its most basic form is nothing more than
focused awareness. And we are, every one of us, richly endowed
with physiological and psychological mechanisms designed to
make Incused awareness possible. Therefore, rather than wonder-
Calm Your Mind 171
ing whether a given individual is suitable for meditation, we need

to consider whether a given form of meditation is suitable for the
individual and adapt our meditation techniques accordingly. That
way, each person can spontaneously find the way that works best
for them. The varied movement meditations in this chapter are
designed to help you do just that.
Movement meditation is easy to learn and practice. No prior
experience, no special skill or aptitude is required. I have trained

innumerable groups in these techniques, people from all walks of
life, and the vast majority find that they work the first time, and
every time after that. Of course, the first time is always special,
particularly if you are discovering the peaceful inner world of
meditation for the first time. You may be very surprised to find
that such depths of tranquility and peace exist right there, within
you. But with repeated practice, you will have even more satisfy-
ing experiences, and the calming effects will stay with you for
longer and longer periods. Simply approach your movement
meditation practice with sincerity, follow the instructions step by
step, without hurrying, and you will succeed beyond your expec-
tations.
Movement meditation doesn't require a big expenditure of time.

You can get all the benefits by practicing two or three times a day,
for ten minutes each time. (Of course you are welcome to practice
longer if you wish!) Mini-Moves are exceptional in their ability to
induce a state of profound repose very quickly. That is made pos-

sible by the unique structure of the Mini-Moves, which consists
of alternating periods of natural body movement synchronized
with breathing, alternating with periods of quiet rest. Traditional
relaxation and meditation techniques require focusing the mind
on an internal sound, a mental concept, or the flow of the breath.
However, internal sounds, mental concepts, and the flow of the

breath are rather nebulous, ephemeral phenomena —they can
—
elude your grasp as easily as a wisp of smoke. The result is that
beginning meditators often struggle to maintain their focus. Their

minds wander, and pretty soon they're thinking about jobs, taxes,
family responsibilities, personal health issues —and the cycle of

stress resumes. As a result, they may conclude that they have failed
failed to maintain their focus, failed to relax, failed to meditate.
Feeling that you have failed is extremely stressful in itself.
The movement meditation techniques presented here are

designed to take the stress out of meditation. With movement
meditation, you direct your attention not to a sound, a concept,
or the breath, but to gentle physical movements. Physical move-
ments are much easier to focus on than sounds, concepts, or
breath alone, because physical movements are concrete and imme-
diately present to the senses. It's easy to stay focused when you're
actually doing something physical. The result is that instead of
spending a lot of time trying to reach the meditative state —and

wondering whether you're there yet —you will become deeply
absorbed very quickly. And you'll know it! Within minutes you'll
feel calmer, more peaceful, more at ease. Movement meditation

produces that soothing, relaxing effect in minutes. That's why it's
just right for busy people with active lives.
And best of all, movement meditation is pleasurable: There is
no suffering involved. In our daily lives, we strive hard to achieve

our goals, whatever they are. If something gets in our way, we try
to overcome it by working harder, exerting greater effort. This is
the "work ethic." As a result, life often feels like a struggle, a "daily
grind," an "uphill battle." In movement meditation and in the
sleep-inducing Mini-Moves presented in the next chapter, the

soft, slow rhythm of the breath and the gentle movements of
the body provide a valuable counterpoint to this effortful way of
life. The movements arc so light and easy, so completely free of all
Calm Your Mind 173
unnecessary effort, that they are pleasurable in and of themselves.

It is simply a pleasure to move that way. With regular practice of
movement meditation, some of that quality of life begins to filter
into your daily life. It's a good feeling!
But, as we have seen, meditation holds more generalized bene-
fits for the average person who isn't necessarily a seeker of higher
consciousness, enlightenment, or personal liberation. Maybe that
average person just wants to be a bit more relaxed, more tranquil,
more mentally and emotionally stable.Maybe they want to offset

some of the stress of living in a fast-paced, man-made environ-
ment. Or maybe they want to live more peacefully by day, so they
sleep more peacefully at night. That is a perfectly understandable
desire, and our movement meditation techniques are designed to
make it not only possible, but also easy and delightful.

Because if a meditation technique is not pleasurable, what is
there to make you practice it day after day? We like to eat tasty
food and refreshing beverages every day; we like friendship and

good company; we like satisfying work and creative endeavors;
and we actively seek these things in our daily life, again and again.
We all know how a well-spiced dish, cooked to perfection, stimu-
lates the appetite and gives us pleasure, and how we look for
opportunities to enjoy that dish over and over.

The same principle applies to meditation, or any other self-
healing practice. If it feels good, if it's enjoyable, if it brings feel-

ings of pleasure much greater chance that you
and peace, there is a
are going to pursue it with regularity. And there's no question
about it, any form of meditation yields the best results when it's
practiced regularly. That's why these movement meditations are
pleasure oriented. Because they feel good, you'll want to practice
them every day. And when you practice every day, you'll be very
I
Freeing Your Natural Breath
To breathe deeply, sensing how one's blood is purified
through its contact with the air and how one's whole circula-
tory system takes on new activity and strength, this is truly an
almost intoxicating delight whose aesthetic value can hardly
be denied.
—Jean-Marie Guyau, 1884
All of the Mini-Moves in this and the following chapter empha-

size slow, easy, relaxed breathing. This natural, pleasurable way of
breath, not to be confused with the forceful "deep" breathing that
is widely advocated, is a key element of all our calming and relax-
ing Mini-Moves. Fast-paced, stressful, modern lifestyles tend to

disturb all the rhythms of our lives, and this is reflected in our
breath. Just as we habitually hurry from one appointment to the
next, we habitually hurry from one breath to the next, too. As a
result, breathing becomes fast, irregular, disorganized, effortful.
When we breathe this way, we tend to feel anxious, rushed, scat-
tered, and impatient. This is not conducive to a peaceful life or to

sound sleep. And yet that is the way most of us breathe.
By contrast, light, easy, well-coordinated breathing acts on the
autonomic nervous system to slow the heartbeat, reduce blood

pressure, diminish muscle tone, and reduce mental activity. This
produces a sense of peace and tranquility that is conducive to
mental and physical ease, relaxation, and natural, restful sleep.
We are meant to breathe in accord with our ever-changing,

moment-to-moment metabolic needs. Some breaths are longer,
some arc shorter. Some breaths are deeper, some are shallower.
I eft to its own devices, the body automatically calibrates each
breath to ensure that we receive just the right amount of oxygen

Calm Your Mind 175
for each moment of our lives. This is the innate wisdom of the
body at work.
How will you know when your breathing is truly in accord
with your metabolic need? There are scientific instruments that

can measure the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your
body very precisely, but you can't carry one of them around with
you during the day. (It probably wouldn't match the decor of your
bedroom, either!) Fortunately, our Creator has endowed us with
some very sensitive instrumentation of our own. Whenever our
breathing achieves that just right balance of oxygen and carbon
dioxide that is in perfect accord with our metabolic needs, we
receive an unmistakable signal from deep within ourselves. That
signal is pleasure. In that moment, when the respiratory move-
ments of our bodies are perfectly matched to our metabolic needs,
the simple act of breathing in and out is exquisitely pleasurable.
Let pleasure be your guide, and you will be well on your way to
freeing your natural breath.
When we are relaxing or falling asleep, our consumption of

oxygen declines precipitously. The metabolic need for oxygen is
much less than when we're sitting at a desk, giving a speech, or

running to catch a train. The more active and alert we are, the
faster is our heart rate, the higher is our blood pressure, and the
more oxygen we expend. As we relax, our heart rate slows, our
blood pressure declines, and our oxygen consumption declines
significantly. By the time we've entered the early stages of sleep,
oxygen consumption is typically 1 3 to 15 percent less than during
quiet waking rest.
Curious, isn't it, then, that so many relaxation techniques

encourage voluntary deep breathing? Because for our purposes,
for the purposes of relaxation and restful sleep, we require less
oxygen, not more. In my experience and observation, if we can
just let the breath alone, without trying to control it, the body will
much oxygen as it needs, no more, no less. Moreover,

take just as
voluntary breathing may activate areas of the brain that are associ-
ated with arousal, rather than rest and relaxation. Consider the
following two studies. One, a Danish study of regional cerebral
blood flow (rCBF) during light sleep, found decreased blood flow
to the premotor cortex and cerebellum, indicating "a decline in
preparedness for goal directed action during stage- 1 sleep." Yet an

earlier study performed in England found that volitional breath-
ing increased rCB¥ to these very same areas of the brain. In other
words, mucking about with your breathing is more likely to wake
you up than it is to put you to sleep. Just let your breathing take
its own course, and sleep will come to you sweetly, in its own good
time.
Consider also the findings of Australian researchers Gradisar

and Lack, who studied the relationship between sleep initiation
and body temperature regulation. They discovered that no matter

what time of day sleep is initiated, there is a rapid increase in fin-
ger temperature (1-3 degrees Celsius) beginning three hours prior
to the onset of sleep, and that this change seems to trigger other,
subsequent shifts in core body temperature, next in subjective
sleepiness, and finally in objective sleepiness as measured by EEC

But several studies have identified a phenomenon called the
"inspiratory gasp response" (IGR), in which voluntary deep
breathing activates sympathetic nerve pathways to constrict the
blood vessels in the skin, especially the skin of the hands. Gener-
ally speaking, anything that activates the sympathetic nervous sys-
tem tends to wake you up, and anything that constricts blood
vessels of the fingers will make your hands colder, not warmer. So
it may be that repetitive, voluntary deep breathing interferes with
one of the key physiological triggers of the sleep process. By con-
trast the calming Mini-Moves in this chapter will very often pro-
duce a significant increase in finger temperature, which you will
Calm Your Mind 177
very plainly feel — yet another way in which they set the stage for
sounder sleep.
Consider also an experiment I did in my own practice a few
years ago. For one month I asked every new student who came
into my orifice to simply "take a deep breath," while I observed
what happened. (This was inspired by an illustration in Ida Rolf's
book, Rolfing.) Each one did something unique, but almost all,
with very few exceptions, made Some power-

a tremendous effort.
fully hoisted their chests, others collapsed their chest. Some vio-
lently puffed out their bellies, others sucked them in. Some hiked
up their shoulders, others threw them back, military fashion. All

in all, it was a symphony of misdirected effort. The impression
was of strain, and in some cases, outright pain. Clearly, this was
not the breath of peace and tranquility. This was not the breath
that would facilitate an easy, gentle slide into sleep.
If this is what people do when you ask them to take a deep

breath, what can our physical educators and therapists be think-
ing when they urge people to practice "deep abdominal breath-

ing"? I once gave a presentation for a large group of patients at a
hospital in the Los Angeles area. After I had guided the crowd
through one of my natural breathing techniques, I took ques-
tions. An older lady recounted her long struggle with chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). I had noticed her as I
circulated around the room during the breathing lesson. When

we began, she had been remarkable for her grayish pallor. By the
end of the segment, she had "pinked up" rather nicely, and her
face bore a serene expression.
"My doctor has instructed me to do 'deep abdominal breath-

ing,' " she said, eyes wide as saucers, spreading her arms to indicate
the prescribed volume of breath, "but this is something quite dif-
ferent!"
"How so?" I asked, uncertain of her meaning.

"Well," she continued, "when I try to do the deep breathing, I
feel like I'm suffocating. I'm trying to gobble up air, but I can
never get enough. But what you've just taught us feels wonderful\
Do you think it's okay? Am I getting enough air?"
I told her that I thought she was, but that of course she must
have a talk with her doctor and ask whether he or she would like
her to continue the deep breathing or to explore the alternative I
had offered her. With her doctor's advice, she would certainly be
able to make up her own mind.
Full Breathing or Deep Breathing?
Rather than deep breathing, I advocate "full breathing." What

does it mean to breathe fully? To answer that, we must first ask
what it means to breathe. Breathing is movement. In order to
breathe in, we mobilize our diaphragm, which is the principal

muscle of respiration, as well as, to a varying extent, the muscles
of our neck, shoulders, chest, and abdomen. These muscular con-
tractions not only cause the lungs to draw in air, but they also act
on the skeleton, the mechanical armature of the body. As we
inhale, the ribs rise and expand, and the spine lengthens and
extends. As we exhale, the chest sinks and the spine flexes and
shortens. (This is not the only possible pattern, but it is a general
description of a typical one.) Each breath mobilizes the skeleton,
producing a pulsation that ripples from head to toe through the

entire frame. This gentle, ever-changing, ever-present pulsation
nourishes and nurtures us, bringing oxygenated blood, pleasur-

able movement, and the welcome sensation of aliveness to every
cell in our bodies. And each breath, each of these full-bodied

puls.it ions, is as unique and different as one snowflake is from
.mother, each is custom tailored ro meet our momentary meta-
Calm Your Mind 179
bolic need. Breathing is the primal pulsation of life. This is the
essence of our vitality and the life force that sustains us.
If any part of the body is chronically contracted, frozen, or oth-
erwise unable to surrender to this gentle, all-encompassing pulsa-

tion, however, then our breath and indeed our vitality itself are
constrained and compromised. Don't take my word for it! You

can easily confirm this for yourself. Sit or lie quietly and allow
your breathing to flow in and out several times, without any spe-
cial effort. Don't hurry. Relax your lips and tongue, your eyes,
your brow. Now, notice which parts of yourself move as you

breathe, and how much: your chest, your belly, your back, neck
and shoulders, and any other part of your body. How does it feel
to breathe and move like that? Is it easy, or not? Is it pleasurable,
or not? Is it satisfying, or not? Do you feel really alive, or do you

feel something else?
Now, form your mouth into a frown and hold it. Continue
breathing, again without any special effort, and feel the differ-
ence. What parts of your body move as you breathe, and how
much now? How does it feel to breathe now? Is it easy, or not? Is it
pleasurable, or not? Is it satisfying, or not? Do you feel really alive
or do you feel something else? And which do you prefer, the feel-
ing of breathing with your lips relaxed or the feeling of breathing

with your lips Can you feel that the con-
contracted in a frown?
traction of the muscles of your frowning mouth interferes with
your breath and undermines your pleasure and vitality? Can you
imagine how it would affect the quality of your life if you had the
habit of frowning all the time? Sadly, some people do!
Now here's the antidote: Continue breathing without effort,
but now, each time you inhale, softly smile, as if you're savoring a
pleasant memory or meeting a beloved friend. Each time you

exhale, relax your lips completely. How does it feel to breathe
now, with a smile playing across your lips? Try it, and see what you
discover.
Now you know a little something about what it means to
breathe, at least from my personal point of view. What, then, does

it mean to breathe fully* Breathing fully means that every part of
your body is available to participate in the movements of respiration.
That doesn't mean that every part of your body ^///participate in
every breath. That is an unrealistic ideal. But it does mean that
every part is available to participate when the need arises. When

you breathe fully, your breath can continuously adapt itself to
your moment-to-moment, ever-changing metabolic needs. How

can you achieve full breathing? Simply allow your breathing to be
light, easy, and natural. Interfere as little as possible. Just let it be.
That's the way to free your natural breath.

Paradoxically, many people find themselves unable to achieve
this sort of natural, uninflected breathing unassisted. Their habit-
ual breath is fast, choppy, and irregular, or otherwise disturbed and
disorganized. For some, the agonized activity that is their breath
has become quite unconscious. And the moment their breath
becomes an object of their attention, it is subject to some other dis-

tortion. Some huff and puff, some forcefully expel the air through
pursed lips, some habitually slow the air by contracting the
muscles of the nose and throat, as is taught in some forms of yoga.

Clearly, help and guidance are required to allow the natural
breath to emerge. To this end, I have developed some very gentle,

pleasurable Mini-Moves meant to help people achieve light, easy
breathing that is fully in accord with our moment-to-moment

metabolic needs. Sidestepping the kind of forceful, mis-coordinated
efforts usually associated with voluntary "deep" breathing, these
Mini-Moves enable you to free your natural breath effortlessly.
[wo examples are presented in this chapter: "L.E.S.S. Is More,"

Calm Your Mind 181
and "Making Room." I have seen wondrous results with many,

many people, whether healthy or ill, from all walks of life. Once
the natural breath asserts itself, there is an immediate increase in
vitality and pleasure. Try it, and see for yourself!
Breathing and Movement: Natural Partners
Breathing and movement are natural partners in the process of

self-nurturing and self-healing. The reason is that breathing is
movement. Without movement, breathing is unthinkable. And

the movements of respiration, that is, the many varied move-
ments that your body does in order to breathe, are the most essen-
tial, the most familiar, the most vital movements of all. Because
whether you are aware of it or not, you are doing those move-
ments all the time, from the very first moment of your birth, even
when you're asleep or under deep anesthesia. Even before the
moment of your birth, your mother's body made those same

movements, and you felt them and listened to them and were
moved by them. They are truly one of the fundamental rhythms
oflife.
They're also the easiest, safest, and the most effortless move-
ments you can make. You could go to the gym or a yoga class and
do all sorts of vigorous exercises, and sooner or later, no matter
how gifted you are, you'll give yourself a stiff neck or a sore back
or some sort of ache or pain. But the movements of respiration, if
you just let them be as nature meant them to be, will never give
you anything but ease and pleasure. They're perfectly familiar to
the body and completely wholesome way they are thein every —
"mother's milk" of movement. As a result, the movements of res-
piration have a very special quality that can be relied upon at any
time for self-comforting, self-nurturing, and self-healing.

.
Principles of Natural Breath
What follows is a list of general principles of natural breathing. Don't

worry, you needn't commit them to memory! You will find these
principles repeated again and again in the Mini-Moves that follow.
1 Make no effort to breathe deeply, or any special way. Make

no effort at all. Breathing should be, quite literally, the easi-
est thing in the world.
2. Simply allow the breath to come and go of its own accord.
When you inhale, simply allow the breath to arrive. When
you exhale, just let it flow out.
3. Let your breathing be Light, Easy, Soft, and Slow. The let-
ters L-E-S-S spell less. When it comes to breathing for rest,
relaxation, and sleep, less is more.

4. Take all the time you need for each breath. That means, take
all the time you need for each out-breath; take all the time
you need for each in-breath; take all the time you need
between each out-breath and the subsequent in-breath.
5. Breathe^//y rather than deeply. Full breathing means that all
parts of your body are available to participate in the move-

ments of respiration. The gentle Mini-Moves will help you to
achieve full breathing without any effort on your part.

6. Don't gulp, gasp, or grab air. When you are deeply relaxed,
your need for oxygen is less than when you're active.
Whether you're in action or in repose, breathe fully, and you

automatically receive exactly the right amount of oxygen for
each moment of your life.
7. When you are getting the right amount of oxygen, you'll
feel pleasure. The simple act of breathing in and breathing

out becomes exquisitely pleasurable. That is your ever-
presem reminder of the joy of being alive!
Calm Your Mind 183
Achieving a More Balanced Life

Occasionally someone asks me if these movement meditation tech-
niques are not an escape from reality. On the contrary, I answer,
they are a way of getting in touch with the totality of reality. You see,
there is an outer reality that is happening all around you, and there
is an inner reality that is happening inside of you. The outer reality
is the physical world, and the inner reality is the spirit, or the soul.
In our culture, we tend to focus on the outer reality almost exclu-

sively, and we tend to forget, ignore, or deny the inner reality most
of the time except in certain ritualized circumstances.
To forget, ignore, or deny the inner reality, the spirit or soul, is
not a balanced way to live. It saps our energy and dampens our
spirit. It's as if you went to work and just stayed there endlessly,
without ever coming home to rest. That would be very stressful,
and you'd be completely burned out in no time.

The same goes for our minds. We attune our minds to the
outer reality so we can play an active role in the world around us.
We use our minds to work and play; to think, speak, and express
ourselves; to interact with other people. However, it is equally
important that we attune our minds to the inner reality so we can
rest, meditate, contemplate, and reflect on our actions. This is our
inner source of spiritual nourishment, moral and aesthetic per-
ception, and creative insight and inspiration.
This inner reality, when we know how to utilize it for our own
benefit, is our personal resource for peace, tranquility, and rest.
Lingering there in a state of purposeful inaction, we can forget the

clock, forget the telephone, forget the computer; we can forget all
the monstrous machines to which we have surrendered our des-
tinies. For that moment, we suspend our ceaseless doing, and we
experience what it means to just be, unburdened by the stresses
and strains of daily life. It's like coming home to your self.
And then we confront a curious fact: We are so strongly identi-

fied with what we do, that when we stop doing to simply be, we
may not even recognize ourselves! When we're in that state, our
thoughts, our emotions, our very bodies are so different from
what we've become accustomed to, it's as if we're strangers to our-
selves. But it doesn't take long for the realization to dawn on us:
This is the way I was, once, a long time ago. This is me, unencum-
bered by the stresses and strains of daily life.
It is wonderful to discover that this kinder, gentler, more

relaxed image of ourselves is still present, there, inside us. We'll
want to take some time to reacquaint ourselves with this softer
side of our self-image. This is a process of self-nurturing and self-
realization. This is a process of self-healing. Once you've em-

barked on the path of self-healing, even though you may prefer to
proceed very slowly and gradually, you will find that you're able to
resume your outer-directed actions with renewed vigor and
enthusiasm. After that brief break in the action, your mind will be
sharper than ever. And you really must take a look in the mirror,
for you will almost certainly see a happier, healthier, more ener-
getic person there.
Some I houghts on Eyes
Three of the Mini-Moves in this chapter employ eye movements

for .1 calming effect. The first one is called "Things Are Looking
Up!" That Mini-Move has its own unique calming effect, and it
will also help you to get very comfortable with gentle upward
movements of the eyes, eyelids, and brow that you'll encounter
again later in the chapter, in the "Main Squeeze" and a "Twist of
the Wrists/' Why all these eye movements, and why do they all go
Upward but never down or to the sides? I'm glad you asked!
You're probably aware that when a person faints, all his muscles
Calm Your Mind 185
go limp and his eyes roll upward, as if he were looking up. That's
why we see the whites of his eyes. You may not know that the
same thing happens when you relax very, very deeply. The reason
has to do with the architecture of the eyeball: Its center of gravity
is not the same as its axis of rotation, rendering it slightly lop-
sided, with the greater mass behind the axis. That means that
when you're awake, you must continuously activate the eye
muscles to bring the front of the eyeball down to meet the horizon
so you can see what's going on around you. When you relax
deeply, you cease that effort, and your eyes roll up.
Bringing your eyes down to the horizon allows you to see
what's in front of you, but it's important for another reason as
well. In addition to vision, your eyes also have an orienting func-

tion. In order to maintain the integrity of your experience and
action, your brain needs to know the position of your body in
space at all times. To this end, your eyes continuously scan your
environment, sending the information they gather to the brain.
The brain uses this information to create a coherent map of the
body and its position in surrounding space. This map is revised
on a moment-to-moment basis. That's one reason why an Olym-
pic diver can jump off a diving board, execute a series of complex
gymnastic maneuvers in midair, and still enter the water in perfect
vertical alignment. That's orientation!
This orienting function of the eyes is an essential component of

normal waking consciousness. But when you roll your eyes up,
orienting temporarily ceases, and the brain stops receiving the
visual signals that tell it where the body is in space. As a result,
normal waking consciousness is interrupted and your brain shifts

into an "altered state," which simply means that for as long as you
choose, you will see, hear, think, and feel differently than usual. In
the particular state evoked by rolling your eyes, my experience
and observation indicate that the volume of your thoughts tends
to become considerably reduced and your mind becomes very

still. Or, as a chronic-pain patient reported, "When I roll my eyes
like that, I can't keep a thought in my head!"
If you are one of the millions plagued by obsessive, repetitive,
self-defeating, or anxiety-producing thoughts, that ability to use
eye movements to slow your thoughts can be a real godsend. It will
calm your mind and give you a brief respite from the stress of life.
For those few moments, whatever you're holding on to, you can
just let it go. As a result, you may find yourself breathing a deeply
pleasurable sigh of relief as your fear, your anxiety, and all your
unrealistic expectations start to lose their grip on you. And you
can achieve all that without potions or pills!
A final note on the eyes and sleep. Many sleep researchers have
observed that in the early stages of sleep, our eyes involuntarily

make slow, rhythmic, vertical rolling motions. Why? I haven't
been able to find an explanation. But I suspect it works something

like this: The transition from waking to sleep is not a one-way
street — we drift from Stage 1 into Stage 2 and back again several
times before finally and decisively drifting off to sleep. As long as
you are in Stage 1 , the lightest stage of sleep, your mind and body
are still aroused enough to bring the eyes down to the horizon, a
hallmark of the waking state. Each time you drift into Stage 2,
arousal peters out, your muscles lose their tone, and your eyes
drift upward. Each time you return to Stage 1, your eyes come
back down. Now, here's a brain teaser for you. As we fall asleep we
involuntarily do slow, rhythmic, upward-rolling movements of
the eyes. Can it be that by intentionally doing slow, rhythmic,
upward-rolling eye movements, we can actually usher ourselves in
the direction of slumber? In "Things Are Looking Up," you'll try
it yourself. See what you discover!

Calm Your Mind 187
Your Daily Practice of the Calming Mini-Moves
These Calming Mini-Moves are a perfect fit for your busy

lifestyle. You can do them anytime, anywhere (except, of course,
while you're driving or operating heavy machinery!). That's a

good thing, because the Mini-Moves have a cumulative effect.
The more you practice, the better the results. But let's not set up
any unrealistic expectations. If you can take ten minutes, or more,
out of your busy day, today, and do one of these relaxing Mini-
Moves, you will begin to feel better already. Good for you! That in
itself is a great success.
Now consider this: If you could set aside those same ten min-
utes, or more, every day, and stick to it, you would be laying the
foundation for lasting serenity and greater peace of mind. Just the
act of doing that one positive, self-nurturing thing for yourself
every day builds up a positive momentum that will lift your spirits
day by day You'll have more energy, feel more joy, and be more at
peace with yourself and others.

After a while, it might be that you will really start to look for-
ward to that daily encounter with peace and tranquility. And it
might be that you really enjoy it and you start to see some positive
changes in your life as a result: calmer, more peaceful, happier.
Then, and only then, you are welcome to up the ante to ten min-
utes or more, two or even three times a day. Make that modest
commitment, and you will be well along the path to self-healing.
And when you start practicing the Lulling Mini-Moves in chap-
ter 5, you'll get the very best possible results.

—
Calming Mini-Move #1: L.E.S.S. Is More

(For Deep Relaxation, Breathe Fully Rather than Deeply)
Less and less do you need to force things
until finally you arrive at non-action.
When nothing is done,
nothing is left undone.

—Tao Te Ching, Stephen Mitchell, trans.
Proper breathing is essential for relaxation and sounder sleep. But

what is proper breathing? There's a very simple answer. For our
purposes — for the purposes of relaxation and sounder sleep
proper breathing is L.E.S.S.: light, easy, soft, and slow.
Light means you can breathe without force. You neither draw
your breath in nor push it out. Just allow it to come and go of its
own accord.
Easy means you can breathe without effort. You are by nature a
living, breathing being. In order to breathe, you don't have to do

anything. Just be.
Soft means that your breath is gentle and continuous. Every-

thing happens gradually — no need to huff or puff.
Slow means you can breathe without hurrying. Simply take all
the time you need for each breath.
Therefore, when it comes to breathing, L.E.S.S. is more. More

natural, more pleasurable, more peaceful. This is one of the fun-
damental secrets of sounder sleep.
Happily, every one of us can achieve light, easy, soft, slow

breathing quite easily. That's right. No exotic, complicated prac-
tices are required. In fact, you may find that once you have tried
this approach to breathing, it seems rather familiar. That's because

its not too very different from the way you already breathe. It's
just a little lighter and easier, a little softer and slower. And it feels
very, very good.

Calm Your Mind 189
If you feel like yawning, or breathing a sigh of relief right about

now, be my guest! There you go.
The gentle, step-by-step techniques that follow are designed to
help you achieve light, easy, soft, and slow breathing in the sim-
plest, most practical way possible. Just follow my spoken instruc-
tions, keep an open mind, and give yourself permission to enjoy

each step in the process. Always remember, enjoyment is your key
to greater self- awareness and self-healing.
Step 1 . Get ready. Please lie down on your back on the floor or
in bed. If you need pillows or a blanket, please get them now.
Make yourself as comfortable as possible.
Step 2. Observe yourself at rest. Rest quietly for a time

and see how it feels to lie like that. Are you at ease, or do you
feel tense and restless? You needn't change anything. Just see
what is.
Now, simply notice how you breathe. Does your breathing feel
easy and natural? Or do you make some effort to breathe in a par-
ticular way?
• Throughout this program, just breathe in the way that comes

most naturally to you, without trying to control your breath
in any way. Any changes in your breath will occur sponta-
neously, without any effort on your part.
• To inhale, you don't have to do anything. Just allow the

breath to arrive. Your body automatically supplies itself with
just the right amount of oxygen for this moment.

• To exhale, just allow the breath to flow out. Exhaling doesn't
require any effort at all. Simply let your body be at ease, and
the air flows out.
• Make no effort to breathe deeply, or any other way. Inten-
tional deep breathing can create a feeling of strain or effort.
As a result, deep breathing may produce more stress than it

relieves. Light, easy breathing is effortless. It counteracts the

effects of stress. It brings you pleasure and peace.
• Do not hurry. Take all the time you need for each breath.
Taking time is one of the fundamental principles of light,
easy breathing.
Step 3. Explore the lower breathing space. Now place your hands
side by side, palms down, on your lower abdomen. Gently spread
your thumbs apart from the rest of your hands. If possible,
arrange your hands so that the tips of your thumbs touch each
other just above your navel, and the tips of your index fingers also
touch each other below your navel. The space between your hands
forms a triangular or heart-shaped opening.
EXPLORE THE LOWER

BREATHING SPACE. Place
your hands side by side,
palms down, on your lower

abdomen.
Calm Your Mind 191
• It is most important that you make yourself completely com-

fortable in this position. If when you position your hands as
instructed, your elbows do not reach the ground, please place

a pillow or folded towel under each elbow. That will allow
you to relax your arms.
Continue breathing naturally and observe what happens. As

you inhale, your belly rises and expands. Since your hands are rest-
ing on your belly, your hands rise, too. Then, when you exhale,
your belly falls, and your hands fall with it.
• Your hands are very sensitive. Holding your hands on your

belly makes it easy to feel how your body moves as you
breathe.
As you continue breathing like that, you will notice a curious
thing. Each time you inhale and your belly swells and rises, the
contact between your thumbs and between your index fingers
becomes lighter and less distinct. You may even feel the thumbs or
index fingers breaking contact and moving apart.
Each time you exhale, and your belly sinks, the tips of your
thumbs and the tips of your index fingers move back together
again.
• Do not move your hands intentionally. Just allow them to be
carried up and down, together and apart, by the rising and

falling of your belly. Your breath does the movement, not
you.
Continue breathing like that for a few minutes, and just
observe. You inhale, and your fingers move apart. You exhale, and
your fingers move together again.
• Remember, make no effort to breathe deeply. Make no effort
to breathe any special way. Let the innate wisdom of your

own mind and body determine how you will respond to this
gentle experiment in natural breathing.
Step 4. Rest and observe your breath. Allow your hands and arms
to lie comfortably at your sides. Rest quietly and feel the result of
what you have done. You may discover that without any effort on
your part, without any trying, there has been a change, perhaps
subtle, perhaps less so, in the way you breathe.
Perhaps you notice that your belly is a little freer to move with
the rising and falling of your breath, and that your breathing
seems a little lighter, a little easier than before.
You may feel that your breathing is a little slower. Remember,

"slower" simply means unhurried. Make no effort to breathe
slowly. Simply take all the time you need for each breath.
You may notice that the movements of your body as you

breathe feel a little softer. If so, you're definitely on the right
track.
Or you may feel nothing in particular at this moment. If so, you

needn't be concerned. Some of us may take a little longer to feel
the effects of these subtle explorations. Simply continue to follow
these step-by-step instructions in your own way, at your own

pace, and you will get all the benefits.
Step 5. Explore the middle breathing space. Now, with the tips of
your fingers, find your lowermost ribs on either side of your body.
Find the descending curve of the lower ribs by touching there

with your fingertips. Your lowermost ribs form the boundary
between your chest and your belly.
Place your right hand on the lowermost rib on the right, palm
down, so that die rib is cradled in the crease of the palm of your
hand VblU right thumb rests on your chest, above the lowermost
Calm Your Mind 193
EXPLORE THE MIDDLE

BREATHING SPACE. Place
your right hand on the
lowermost rib on the right,
palm down, so that the rib is
cradled in the crease of the

palm of your hand. Place
your left hand in the same
position on the left side.
rib, and the other four fingers rest below the rib, on your belly.
Place your left hand in the same position on the left side.
You may be able to arrange your hands so that the tips of your
middle and index fingers touch each other. Or simply place your
hands on your ribs wherever it's most comfortable for you. You
can just imagine that your fingertips are touching, and you will
get all the benefits. Look for the place where your hands just seem
to fall into place, like the handset of a telephone resting on its
receiver. Just right.
With your hands cradling your lower ribs like that, simply
breathe easily and notice what happens. Just as your lower abdomen
has its own characteristic rising and falling movement, so do your
ribs. Breathing doesn't just happen in your lungs; your whole torso
moves in order to direct the air in and out of your body.
As you inhale, your ribs expand and rise upward. The contact
between your fingers gets lighter, and your fingers may move
apart slightly. As you exhale, your ribs sink, and your fingers move
back together again.
• Your hands are very sensitive. Holding your hands on your

ribs makes it easier to feel how your body moves as you
breathe. The changes in the contact of the fingers help you
feel the movement more easily.
• This doesn't require a lot of thought. Instead, just allow your-

self to feel — this breath, this movement, this moment. When
thinking is replaced by feeling, your mind becomes very still
and your whole body relaxes. Whatever your mind is holding

on to, you can just let it go.
Continue breathing like that for several minutes, and observe

the rising and falling of your lower ribs and the changes in the
quality of the contact between your fingers. You inhale, and your
fingers move apart. You exhale, and your fingers move together
again.
• Again, make no effort to breathe deeply. Make no effort to
breathe any special way. Let the innate wisdom of your own
mind and body determine how you will respond to this expe-
rience of natural breathing.
Step 6. Rest and observe your breath. Allow your hands and arms
to rest at your sides. Rest quietly and feel the result of what you
have done. You may discover that without any voluntary effort on
vour part, there has been a noticeable change in the way you
hre.u he. You may feel that your ribs move more freely with the ris-
Calm Your Mind 195
ing and falling of your breath, and that your breathing seems a
little lighter, a little easier than before. Maybe it's a little slower, a
little softer.
• The amount of oxygen your body needs changes from

moment to moment depending on what you're doing and
how you feel. When your breathing is light and easy, you
automatically receive just the right amount of oxygen for
action or repose, for waking, or for sleep at each moment of

the day and night.
• Notice how it feels to breathe that way. You may discover that
the simple act of breathing in and breathing out is very plea-
surable, all by itself. You may notice those pleasurable feel-
ings somewhere in your chest or your belly, in your neck,

back or shoulders, or anywhere in your body, as you softly
breathe in and breathe out. Because your body's needs are

being met with such exquisite accuracy, you will tend to feel a
sense of profound well-being and inner peace.

• When you can feel that the simple act of breathing in and
breathing out is a pleasure, then you are in touch with the joy
of being alive. That feeling of joy is always right there, inside
of you, in every moment of your life. All you have to do is
breathe, and feel.
Step 7. Explore the upper breathing space. Now, bring your

hands to the upper part of your chest, below your collarbones and
above your breast. Arrange your hands so that the tips of your
middle fingers lightly touch each other in the middle of your
chest. Or, simply place your hands on the upper part of your chest
wherever it's most comfortable for you. You can just imagine that
your fingertips are touching, and you will get all the benefits.
EXPLORE THE UPPER

BREATHING SPACE. Bring
your hands to the upper part
of your chest, below your
collarbones and above your
breast. Arrange your hands
so that the tips of your
middle fingers lightly touch
each other in the middle of
your chest.
Again, make sure you're comfortable in this position. Place a
pillow or folded towel under your elbows if needed.

As you inhale, can you feel that your chest gently rises under
your hands? You may notice the tips of your middle fingers mov-
ing apart just a little bit as your chest rises. As you exhale, can you
feel how your chest gently falls? The tips of your fingers move
back together as your chest falls.
As before, holding your hands on your chest makes it a little
easier to feel how your chest moves as you breathe. You are
using your hands as a biofeedback system.

Breathing is a natural process. And like all natural processes,
it may be somewhat irregular. You may breathe a little faster,
a little slower. You may breathe a little deeper, or a little shal-

Calm Your Mind 197
lower. There may be occasional lulls, when your breath
becomes very still for a time. It doesn't matter, as long as your
breathing is light, easy, soft, and slow.
• Remember, the letters L.E.S.S., "less," stand for light, easy,
soft, and slow. When it comes to breathing, L.E.S.S. is more.

More natural, more pleasurable, more peaceful.
As your chest rises and falls, continue to follow the subtle

changes in the contact between your middle fingers. That simple
sensory feedback mechanism is literally right at your fingertips,
any time of the night or day. Just rest quietly and follow the move-
ments of your breath. You don't have to lift a finger.
Continue resting quietly, enjoying that slow, soft quality of
breath. You may keep your hands where they are, or rest them
anyplace you choose. Notice how easy and light the movements of
your chest are as you effortlessly inhale and exhale. When your
body is free to move with your breath, your breath becomes fuller
and freer without any additional effort on your part.
The whole world may be hurried, worried, and harried. You

don't have to be. When you allow yourself to take all the time you
need for each breath, the simple act of breathing in and breathing
out is a pleasure. The past is over and done, and the future has yet
to be. In this moment, in this breath, life is beautiful. It brings
you pleasure and peace.
Practice these simple, natural breathing techniques first thing
in the morning, and you will start your day with a peaceful feel-
ing. At midday, they provide a welcome antidote to the stress of
life. And at bedtime, they'll help you become deeply relaxed and
receptive to those waves of sweet fatigue that draw you irresistibly
toward rest and repose, so the warm luxury of slumber will come
to enfold you. And soon enough, you will lie warm in the gold of
dawn.
—
Calming Mini-Move #2: Making Room (For Fuller,

Freer Breathing)
Here's another technique you can use to recover your natural

breathing rhythm, this time in the side-lying position. If you have
done the Relaxing Mini-Move "Lengthening One Side" in chap-
ter 3, you are already familiar with the movements addressed in

this Calming Mini-Move. Here, you will discover that those same
movements that you learned occur automatically, without any
voluntary action on your part, when you breathe. Whenever you
tune in to those subtle pulsating movements of the breath, you
become very calm and tranquil. In chapter 5, we'll employ some
of these same movements in a very effective sleep-inducing Mini-
Move, the Ziggurat. Stay tuned!
I have found another application for this particular Mini-
Move. A couple of years ago I was on a surfing trip. As I walked
toward shore in the shallows, I got caught by a rogue wave. It
lifted me up, turned me over, then slammed me down on the
sand. No big deal — surfers take this kind of abuse all the time
but we usually expect to be pretty sore afterward. But this time, I
found myself a pillow and a quiet spot on the beach, and I lay
there for half an hour just "Making Room." The next day, I felt
just fine, I was back in the surf! I have tested this technique again
and again after many kinds of physical trauma. I've taught it to
people with occasional aches and pains, as well as those with

chronic pain, and they all love it. Of course, it's not a cure-all, but
it seems to have the wonderful ability to soothe and to heal. Try it,
and see what you discover.
Step 1 . Starting position. Lie on your right side on a bed or on a

mat or carpel Oil the floor. Place a pillow under your head for sup-
port. (If for any reason you're not comfortable lying on your right
side, lie on your left side. You can easily reverse all the instructions.)
Calm Your Mind 199
HOME POSITION. Lie on your right side on a bed or on a mat or carpet

on the floor.
Bend your knees and hips comfortably so that your knees lie
more or less in front of you. Your left leg lies on top of your right.
Place your arms in any position that's comfortable for you. You
may want to place a pillow or a folded blanket between your knees
for greater comfort.
Step 2. Observe yourself in repose. Notice how your body makes

contact with the surface it is lying on. Which part of your head
presses against the pillow most distinctly? Is it your temple, your
ear, your cheek, your jaw?
Notice how the side of your neck makes contact with the pil-
low. Does your neck feel like it is well supported by the pillow?
How about your right shoulder? Does it press forcefully into
the bed or mat you're lying on, or is it supported softly, evenly,
comfortably? Please make any adjustments needed for your own

comfort.
Notice your ribs on the right side, your right hip, your right
leg, knee, ankle, foot. Just feel how each part of yourself is sup-
ported by the earth beneath you.
Step 3. Rest and breathe. Rest quietly for a time and let your
breathing be easy and natural. Make no effort to breathe deeply,
or any special way. As you continue to rest and breathe, simply

take all the time you needfor each breath.
That means, take all the time you need for each in-breath. Take
all the time you need for each out-breath. Take all the time you
need between each in-breath and out-breath.
• Taking all the time you need doesn't require you to do any-
thing. It just means, there's no need to hurry! When your

breathing becomes truly unhurried, so will you. Your body
will begin to relax, and your mind will become clear and calm.
Step 4. Observe the movements ofthe breath. As you rest quietly like
that, breathing easily, simply notice whether any part of your body
moves as you breathe. Look for the physical sensation of movement.
• Breathing is movement. Even when we are lying very still,
our bodies are in motion, moving oxygen in and out of our

lungs. And like all of our movements, the movements of the
breath produce very definite physical sensations. Whenever
your body moves, you can feel it. Directing your attention to
the natural, rhythmic movements of your breath and the
accompanying physical sensations is very soothing. It has a

profound tranquilizing effect on your mind and body.
lust notice: Can you feel any movement in your chest or in
your belly as you slowly inhale and exhale? How about your back?
1 foes any part of youi back move as you breathe?
Calm Your Mind 201
• You may feel very distinct physical sensations at this time, or

you may feel nothing in particular. It really doesn't matter.
Just be as you are, and see what you feel.
Step 5. Your ribs expand as you breathe. Now turn your atten-
tion to the ribs on your left side. Notice how those ribs move as
you breathe. As you slowly inhale, your ribs swell and expand. As
you exhale, your ribs relax.
If the expansion of your ribs isn't clear to you, you may place
your left hand there to help you feel the ribs as they move. Can
you feel anything there, even the slightest stirring, each time you
inhale or exhale?
YOUR RIBS EXPAND AS YOU BREATHE. As you slowly inhale, your

ribs swell and expand. As you exhale, your ribs relax.
Take your hand away from your ribs and rest. Can you feel that
rhythmic movement of your ribs now, even without the help of
your hand? You inhale, and your ribs rise toward the ceiling. They
swell and expand. Then you exhale, and your ribs relax. They
return to their resting state. This is one of the natural movements
of the breath.
Step 6. Your shoulder moves as you breathe. Continue on your
right side, as before. Now direct your attention to your left shoul-
der. As you slowly inhale, see if you can detect any movement, no
matter how small or subtle, of your left shoulder. Each time you
inhale, your shoulder moves a little bit in a certain direction. Each
time you exhale, your shoulder returns to its starting position. As
before, your breath produces the movement, not you.
YOUR SHOULDER MOVES AS YOU BREATHE. As you slowly inhale,

sec if you can detect any movement of your shoulder, no matter how small
01 subtle.
• Why does your shoulder move like that? It makes perfect
sense, really. Anytime a thing expands, it needs room to

Calm Your Mind 203
expand into. If there isn't room available, something else has

to move aside in order to "make room."
• When you breathe in, your lungs fill with air, and as a result
your ribs expand. As your ribs expand, they very gently ease
the shoulder a little bit upward, toward your head. Your
shoulder is "making room" for the expansion of your ribs.
• "Making room" is one of the fundamental principles of the

Sounder Sleep System. Your body needs room. Room to
breathe. Room to move. Room to live. When your body is
cramped, crowded, and contracted, either internally or exter-

nally, you can't enjoy full aliveness. When your body is spa-
cious, life is sweeter and easier, and your best self emerges
without any effort.
• This is a special kind of mindful movement exercise. People

nowadays don't often pay such close attention to the move-
ments of their own breath. That's unfortunate, because your
body really needs close attention from you. Your body needs
your attention and care. When you pay close attention to your
body, you are meeting one of its most fundamental needs.
You are loving and caring for yourself. Loving and caring for
your own body creates a sense of ease and well-being. This is
the essence of self-nurturing. It doesn't take any scientific
research to confirm this. You can experience it and know it
directly with your own senses. That's very scientific!
So again, breathe easily and notice what happens. You inhale,
the ribs on your left side expand, and your left shoulder moves a
little bit to "make room" for the expansion of your ribs. You
slowly exhale, your ribs relax, and your shoulder moves back the
way it came. That is one of the natural, rhythmic movements of
your living, breathing body. Isn't it wonderful?
The movement may be small and barely perceptible, or it may
be quite expansive and easy to feel. Whether the movement is big

or small, it really doesn't matter as long as you direct your atten-
tion to each breath, each movement, each moment. Do that, and
you'll master the Mini-Moves in no time at all.
Step 7. Rest and reflect. Rest a moment, and see how you feel
now. Notice how your body rests against the bed or mat now.
Notice how your head lies on the pillow. Is there any change, even
a subtle one, in your mood, or in the quality of your thoughts?
• In a healthy, vital person, mind and body exist as a unified
whole sharing a common rhythm. Sometimes, as a result of

trauma, illness, prolonged stress, or ill-coordinated action,
our minds and bodies get out of sync. As a result our actions
assume an awkward quality, our thoughts become frag-
mented and unclear, and we feel irritable, uneasy, out of
sorts. When that happens, our faculty for restful, restorative
sleep is often one of the first things to suffer.

• This Mini-Move can help you to re-synchronize the rhythms
of your mind and body, thereby restoring your mind and
body to wholeness. When your mind and body are in sync,
sleep is easy and complete.
Step 8. Your hip moves as you breathe. Now, just as we were

exploring the movement of your left shoulder, let's explore also
the movement of your left hip. For simplicity's sake, we'll define
the hip as the highest point on the left side of your body when
you're lying on your right side. So, slowly inhale, taking all the
time you need for each breath. Your ribs expand, and the left side
of your trunk rises a little bit toward the heavens. As your ribs
expand like that, is there any movement, no matter how modest,

oi your left hip?
Calm Your Mind 205
YOUR HIP MOVES AS YOU BREATHE. As you slowly inhale, see if you
can detect any movement of your hip, no matter how small or subtle.
It may be that as you inhale like that, nice and easy, your ribs
need some room to expand, and as a result, they ease the hip a
little bit out of the way, to make room for a full inspiration. Stay
with it for several breath cycles, and see what you discover. Make
no effort to breathe deeply, or any special way. Make no inten-
tional movement of your hip. If there is to be any movement, it
will be a result of your breath only, and not any intentional action
on your part.
Step 9. The side ofyour body lengthens as you breathe. Continue

to rest quietly, and attend to your breathing and the movement of
your ribs, your shoulder, and your hip.
THE SIDE OF YOUR BODY LENGTHENS AS YOU BREATHE. Each

time you inhale, the whole side of your body grows longer. Each time you
exhale, you deeply relax.
See if you can feel the movement of your ribs, shoulder, and hip
all at once: As you inhale, your ribs expand; they rise up toward
the heavens, and as they do so, they ease the shoulder a little bit
lip, toward your head, and they ease the hip a little bit down,
toward your feet. The hip and the shoulder move apart to "make
room" for the expansion of your ribs as you breathe. You don't
have to do anything — the movement happens all by itself.
When that happens, the whole left side of your torso grows
longer, doesn't it? You breathe in, and your body grows longer,
you breathe out, and you relax.
Step 1 0. Rest and reflect. Please lie on your back and rest quietly
for a while. See if you can feel the difference between the left side
ol your body and the right. Does one side feel a little freer and
more spacious?
—
Calm Your Mind 207
When you are ready, you can repeat this Mini-Move while
lying on your left side. When you have finished, lie on your back
again and compare the two sides again.
Application. Practice this Mini-Move whenever you need to rest
or recuperate from the stress of life. Since there are no voluntary

movements involved, it's extremely restful. Done first thing in the
morning, it will help you to establish a slow, easy rhythm for work
or play. In the afternoon, it's the perfect prelude to a dreamy,
restorative nap.
At bedtime, it will help you shift your attention away from the
outer world of things and people, and into the welcoming depths
of your own innermost self. You may combine this Calming
Mini-Move with any of the Lulling Mini-Moves in chapter 5. Do
ten minutes of Making Room. Then, still lying on your side, try
Tongue in Cheek or the Ziggurat. Then rest a while. In the morn-

ing, you may not even recall the sequence of movements that car-
ried you so sweetly to the shores of sleep.
Calming Mini-Move #3: Things Are Looking Up!

As a child I didn't like needles. When I needed to have a tooth
filled I told my dentist that I wanted to do it without anesthesia
no needle! He said okay, he'd give it a try, and he started drilling,
very slowly. That's when this Mini-Move was born. As the drill
got close to the nerve, I gently rolled my eyes up. The drilling did
hurt, but I found that I could relax and "not mind" quite so
much. This simple expedient allowed me to endure the pain. I
suppose my eyelids were open, because the dentist saw the whites
of my eyes and stopped drilling. He thought I had fainted, so he
was getting ready to wave some ammonia under my nose. It took
us a little while to come to an understanding.
I have returned to this Mini-Move often over the years, and it
has never failed to comfort me and lift my spirits. I have refined it

—
considerably since that first discovery in the dentist's chair. Now I

invite you to try it. You, too, can peacefully coexist with pain,
stress, tension, anxiety —even depression. It will calm your mind
and quell some of that mental chatter that robs you of your inner
peace. For best results, practice a few minutes every day, morning
and night. After a few weeks of that you will say, with all your
heart, "Things are looking up!"
Step 1. Get comfortable. Sit in a chair or lie quietly on your
back, and softly close your eyes. Notice the feeling in your lips,
your cheeks, your forehead. Does your face feel at ease, or is it
tense and contracted?
• Notice your eyes. Do your eyelids flutter slightly, even

though your eyes are closed? Do your eyes move about? How
about your forehead and your brow? Is your brow at rest, or
is there some tension, some remnant of action or expression

there? You needn't change anything. Just see what is.
• How about your eyes? Are your eyes fully at rest, or do they
move about behind your closed lids? Where do your eyes
come to rest when you're not actively looking at something?
Do your eyes tend to go upward, or downward, or to one side

or the other?
Step 2. Raise your eyebrow with ease. Softly close your eyes.
Then slowly and gently raise and lower your right eyebrow several
times. Is the movement smooth and continuous, or is it somewhat
jerky or awkward?
• Your left eyebrow may want to move along with your right
eyebrow. If so, don't stop it. Allow it to move, or not

whichever is easiest for you.
Calm Your Mind 209
RAISE YOUR EYEBROW

WITH EASE. Slowly and
gently raise and lower one
eyebrow several times. If
your other eyebrow moves,

too, that's fine.
• If you feel any discomfort or unease while moving your eye-

brow like that, please do much smaller, easier movements.
Reduce the range of your movements by half, and then by
half again, until you feel that you can do small, easy move-
ments with a sense of ease, lightness, and pleasure. When
your movements are easy, light, and pleasurable, you are most
receptive to discovering new options for action.
Stop and restfor a few moments.

This time, synchronize the movements of your eyebrow with
your breath: Slowly inhale, and raise your right eyebrow. Slowly
exhale, and allow your eyebrow to relax. Repeat several times.
Does synchronizing the movement with your breath make it
smoother and more continuous, or not?

When you move like that, do you tend to incline your head
a little bit forward or back? See what you discover. Slowly inhale,
raise your right eyebrow, and see which way your head tends to
move.
Stop, rest, and feel the effect. Has there been any change in feel-
ing of your forehead, your eyes, your lips, your cheeks? Does your
right eyebrow feel different from its partner? Does the right side
of your face feel different from the left?
Step 3. Raise your eyelid with ease. Slowly and gently raise and
lower your right eyelid several times. You raise your eyelid, and
your eye opens a little. You relax your eyelids, and your eyes softly
close.
—
RAISE YOUR EYELID

WITH EASE. Slowly and
gently raise and lower one
eyelid several times.
• When you raise your right eyelid, your left eyelid may want
to move, too. Do not be concerned. Just let it move, or not
whichever is easier for you.
Attend to the quality of the movement of your eyelid. Is the
movement smooth, easy, and gradual, or is it a bit awkward and

jerky? Does your eyelid flutter as it moves? Don't try to do it dif-
ferently — just observe what is.
Pause a moment and feel the effect.
This time, synchronize the movements of your eyelid with your

breath. Slowly inhale, and raise your right eyelid; your eye softly
opens. Slowly exhale, and allow your eyelid to relax; your eye
softly closes.
Repeat several times. Does synchronizing the movement with

your breath make it smoother and more continuous?
Stop, rest, andfeel.
Step 4. Raise your eyes with ease. Softly close your eyes. With
your eyes closed, slowly, gently allow your right eyeball to float
upward, as if you were looking up, just above the horizon. Then,
as you exhale, relax your eye. Continue. Do the movement several
times more, pausing to rest and feel after each repetition.
RAISE YOUR EYES WITH

EASE. With your eyes closed,
slow I v, gently allow one eye-
ball to llo.u upward, as if you
wen- looking up, just above

the horizon. I hen, .is von
exhale, relax your eye.
Calm Your Mind 211
• Of course, when you move your right eye the left eye will
move, too. For now, just keep your attention on your right
eye, and let your left eye move of its own accord. No special
effort is required.
• Your eyelids remain closed, but your eyeball rolls upward as if
you were looking up. Do small movements, with a minimum

of effort. Just allow your eyes to float upward.
• If you feel any discomfort when you raise your eyes like that,
please do the movement in your imagination only. When you

imagine your eye moving, it moves ever so slightly in the direc-
tion that you imagine. For our purposes, those tiny, effortless,
imaginary eye movements are just as effective as actual ones.
Stop, rest, andfeel the result of what you have done.

Continue moving your right eye as before, but this time, syn-
chronize the movement of the eye with your breath. Slowly

inhale, raise your right eye up. Slowly exhale, and relax your eye.
Repeat several times.

When you move like that, do you tend to incline your head a
little bit in a certain direction? See what you discover. Slowly
inhale, allow the right eye to float upward, and see which way
your head tends to move. Backward, or forward?
Stop, rest quietly, and feel the effect of what you have done.
Notice how your eyes, eyelids, and eyebrows feel now.
Step 5. Put it all together. Now, if you're still awake, we'll com-
bine the movements of the eyebrow, eyelid, and eye into a single,
effortless gesture. We'll take it in two stages.
Stage 1: Slowly raise your right eyebrow. Notice that as your

eyebrow rises higher, it gently tugs at your right eyelid, encourag-
ing it to rise, too. It's as if the rising eyebrow were dragging the lid
open ever so slightly. Then, relax your eyebrow, and allow your
eyelid to close. Repeat several times.
PUT IT ALL
TOGETHER. Combine
the movements of the
eyebrow, eyelid, and eye
into a single, effortless
gesture.
Continue, synchronizing the movement with your breath.

Slowly inhale, raise your right eyebrow, then your right eyelid.
Slowly exhale, relax the brow, and relax the eyelid. Repeat several
times.
• Pause for a few moments and feel the result of what you've
done. Breathe easy, and think of nothing in particular.
Stage 2: Slowly inhale, and as you do so, gently raise your

right eyebrow, followed by your right eyelid. As you do that,
do you notice your right eye moving a little bit in a certain direc-
tion?
That's right: Just as the rising eyebrow invites the eyelid to rise
along with it, the raising of both the eyebrow and the eyelid
invites the eye itself to float upward. See if you can move the three
parts in a sequential manner: first the eyebrow, next the eyelid,
then the eye.
Do several movements like that. Slowly inhale, raise the right
eyebrow, raise the eyelid, raise the eye. Slowly exhale, then relax
the brow, relax the lid, and relax the eye. Repeat several times.
Calm Your Mind 213
Stop, rest, andfeel the result of what you have done.

Do you feel differently than before? At this point, many people
tell me that their eyelids feel like heavy blankets covering their
eyes. Notice how still your eyes have become. Do you feel like
cracking a yawn? Be my guest!

Step 6. Continue as before. Slowly inhale, and as you do, allow
your eyes to float upward. Slowly exhale, and as you do, let your
eyes return to their natural resting position. Pause and feel the
effect. Repeat several times, pausing after each movement. Then
• Notice how quiet your mind has become. When feeling takes
the place of thinking, the mind becomes very tranquil.
Linger there as long as you like, savoring that feeling of inner
peace and tranquility.
Step 7. To conclude. Now, as you did at the beginning: Very,
very slowly raise and lower your eyelids several times. How does it
feel to raise and lower your eyelids now? Is the movement a little
smoother, a little easier, a little softer? The quality of the move-

ment of your eyelids is a reliable barometer of your personal stress
quotient. When you can move your eyelids smoothly, easily,
softly, you can assume that your body is at ease and your mind is
at peace.
Application. Your body and mind have their own built-in sys-
tem for sustaining pleasure and moderating pain. This Mini-

Move allows you to mobilize that self-healing system whenever
you feel the need. You can attain a state of serenity anytime, any-
where. It brings you pleasure and peace. Isn't it nice to know that
your most powerful resources for self-healing are right there

within yourself?
Calming Mini-Move #4: Main Squeeze

This Mini-Move and the one that follows both employ a special
way of joining your hands that I light-heartedly call the Secret
Handshake. Of course, there's nothing secret about —

it I have
been teaching it to people all over the United States and in Europe
for years. Karen Bonime, a seasoned elementary school teacher,
attended my four-part introductory course in Albuquerque.

At the end of the course, she confessed that she had taught this
Mini-Move to her entire fourth-grade class. Of course, I was

delighted.
"We all love the Secret Handshake," reports Ms. Bonime. "We
use it to help the children calm down when they're coming back
into the room after an assembly or a play period, and to relieve
pre- testing jitters. And when the children notice me getting flus-
tered or upset, someone is bound to remind me: 'Ms. Bonime!

"
Ms. Bonime! You'd better do the Secret Handshake!'
I myself used to practice the Secret Handshake, and especially
this variation of it called the Main Squeeze, during rush hour on
the New York City subway. I found that I could shut out all the
noise and crowding and arrive at a place of profound stillness in
the midst of all that chaos. I used to have some of my most peace-
ful times right there, on the A train. I have taught the Main
Squeeze to people from every walk of life — lawyers and cops, sen-
iors and teenagers, artists and executives — all with remarkable
results. I hope you'll find a place in your daily routine for this
wonderful self-healing practice. May it serve you well!
PART ONE I in SECRET HANDSHAKE

Step 1 . Get ruufy Find a comfortable chair to sil on. It's .1 good
idea to remove your shoes if you can. You may find it helpful
Calm Your Mind 215
to place a pillow or a folded blanket in your lap for this Mini-

Move.
Sit upright on the front half of the seat, if that is comfortable
for you. If it's not, sit any way that you can. If your legs are
crossed, uncross them and place the soles of your feet flat on the
floor. If you need a pillow to support your lower back, go and get
it. Make yourself as comfortable as you can.

Step 2. Check in. Take a few moments to check in with your-
self. What do you notice while you're sitting like that? You may
want to close your eyes to make it easier to feel.
• Feel the way the soles of your feet make contact with the
floor. The right sole; the left sole.
• Feel the way your bottom makes contact with the chair. Do
you sit balanced, or does more of your weight rest on one side?
• How about your shoulders? Are they at ease or not? Are your
cheeks, lips, eyes in repose? You needn't change anything at
this time. Just notice how it is.
• Notice the feeling in your hands. Do your hands feel warm
or cool?
Step 3. Extend your hands. Extend your hands in front of you

with the palms facing down.
Step 4. Grasp your thumb. Move your hands together and grasp
one of your thumbs from above, as if you were holding the han-
dlebar of a bicycle. Both palms should still be facing down.
• Hold whichever thumb you prefer. Most people have a pref-

erence for holding one thumb or the other. Hold the thumb
that feels most comfortable and natural for you. Which
thumb is that, the right or the left? That will be the one you
hold throughout this Mini-Move.
SECRET HANDSHAKE 1.
Place your hands in front of

you with the palms facing
down.
SECRET HANDSHAKE 2.
Move your hands together and
grasp one of your thumbs.
Calm Your Aiind 217
Step 5. Extend your index finger. Which hand do you use to
grasp your thumb? With that same hand, extend the index finger,
as if to point at something in front of you.
SECRET HANDSHAKE 3.
Extend the index finger of the
grasping hand.
Step 6. Grasp your index finger. Bring the four fingers of the
other hand over the extended index finger, and grasp it. You are
now grasping your thumb with one hand, and your index finger
with the other hand.

Step 7. Lower your hands. Keeping your hands joined like that,
allow them to rest in your lap so that your arms, wrists, and hands
are comfortably supported. Relax your hands as much as possible.
There's no need to grip or squeeze.

SECRET HANDSHAKE 4.
Grasp the extended index
finger with the fingers of the
other hand.
SECRET HANDSHAKE 5.
Keeping your hands joined as
above, allow them to rest in
your lap. Relax your hands.

There's no need to grip or
squeeze.
Calm Your Mind 219
• Take a few moments to see how that feels. Some people find
that simply holding their hands in this position is very com-
forting. They say it produces a feeling of ease and tranquility.
Step 8. Feel the sensation. Sit quietly and attend to the sensation
you feel in your hands, in your index finger, and in your thumb.
Closing your eyes makes it easier to feel.
Breathe naturally. Take all the time you need for each breath.
You may discover a wide variety of sensations there, in your

hands. You may feel warmth, a gentle pulsation, or a pleasant tin-
gling or radiating sensation. You are a living, breathing, ever-
moving being.
PART TWO: SQUEEZING YOUR THUMB

Step 9. Squeeze and relax. Now slowly inhale and, as you do so,
gently, gradually squeeze your thumb. Then slowly exhale and

gradually relax your grip on the thumb.
• Make the squeezing movement gentle and gradual. As long

as you can feel the squeeze, that's enough.
Repeat the movement several times. Inhale, squeeze the thumb;

exhale, and relax your grip.
Step 10. Notice the feeling. Keeping your hands joined like that,
stop, rest, and feel. Let your breathing be nice and easy. Relax
your hands as much as possible. Notice the feeling there.
• You may find that the pleasant sensation of warmth, pulsa-

tion, or radiating in your fingers and hands is more pro-
nounced now than before. If so, that's an indication that you
are becoming deeply relaxed.
220 The Insoa/inia Solution
• You may also feel that pleasaat sensation migrating to your

wrists, your arms, your shoulders. Take a moment to ac-
knowledge any pleasurable bodily sensations that you may

feel. By inviting those pleasurable sensations, by welcoming
them and savoring them, you are initiating the self-healing
process. Diffuse, sustained, pleasurable bodily sensations are
your key to self-healing and inner peace.
PART THREE: SQUEEZING YOUR INDEX FINGER

Step 1 1 . Squeeze and relax. This time, slowly inhale and as you
do, gently, gradually squeeze your index finger. Then exhale and
as you do, gradually relax your grip on the finger. Repeat the
movement several times. Inhale, squeeze the index finger; exhale,
and relax.
Step 12. Breathe normally. Stop, rest, and feel. Notice the result
of the movements you have done. Let your breathing return to
normal.
PART FOUR: ALTERNATELY SQUEEZING THE THUMB

AND THE INDEX FINGER
Step 13. Alternate squeezes. This time, you will squeeze the
thumb and index finger on alternate breaths. Slowly inhale, and as
you do so, gradually squeeze your thumb. Exhale, and gradually
relax your grip. Then slowly inhale, and squeeze your index finger.
Exhale, and relax your grip.
Repeal the movement several times, alternating between the

thumb and the index finger. Inhale, squeeze the thumb; exhale,
and relax. Inhale, squeeze the finger; exhale, and relax.
Step 14. Stop, rest, and feel. Notice the result of what you have
done. Lei your hands be completely at ease. Do your hands feel
warm oi cool now?

Calm Your Mind 221
• You will find that after just a few rounds of this gentle move-
ment alternating with periods of quiet rest, your mind
becomes very calm and still.
• If at any time you feel your mind racing, or you are distracted
by troubling thoughts, simply do the movement a few more
times. You will regain your focus very quickly.
PART FIVE: RAISING YOUR EYES

Step 15. Continue as before. This time, each time you inhale
and squeeze, allow your eyes to float upward. Your eyelids remain
closed, but you raise your eyes as if you were looking up. Then
exhale, relax your eyes, and relax your grip.
• Please make the movement of your eyes very easy and light.
If moving your eyes that way causes any discomfort, move

the eyes in your imagination only. For our purposes imagi-
nary eye movements will be just as effective as real ones.
Repeat the movement several times. Inhale, squeeze your

thumb, raise your eyes up. Exhale, relax your eyes, relax your grasp
on the thumb. Inhale, squeeze your index finger, raise your eyes
up. Exhale, relax your eyes, and relax your grip on the finger.
Step 16. Stop, rest, and feel. Notice the result of what you have
done. Let your hands be very soft and relaxed.
• Notice the pleasurable sensations in your fingers, hands,

wrists, and arms now. Do your hands feel warmer than
before? Notice the feeling in your chest, your belly, your
back. See if you can identify pleasurable sensations anywhere

in your body. It's nice to be alive, isn't it?
• Notice your breathing now. Does it seem different in some

way? Easy, natural breathing is soft, quiet, and effortless.
To conclude your practice, very gradually, as if by one molecule

at a time, separate your hands and place them comfortably in your
lap. Then very slowly open your eyes. There you are!
Application. To get yourself started on the path to sounder sleep,
practice this Calming Mini-Move for at least ten minutes, three
times a day. The effect is cumulative: The more you practice, the
better the results. Your thoughts will become more positive, your
creativity will flourish, and you will see a more beautiful person in
the mirror!
Note: If you find that you become drowsy while practicing the
Main Squeeze, or any other Relaxing Mini-Move during the day,
you may do this Mini-Move with your eyes open. You'll remain
lucidly alert and at the same time deeply relaxed.
Calming Mini-Move #5: A Twist of the Wrists

(Movement Meditation for Daytime Relaxation)
This Calming Mini-Move employs the same Secret Handshake
that we used in the previous Mini-Move. Please review that if nec-
essary before you begin.

Step 1 . Get comfortable. Find a comfortable chair to sit on. You
may remove your shoes if you like. For this mini-move you may
find it helpful to place a small pillow in your lap.
Sit upright on the front half of the seat, if that is comfortable

for you. If it's not, sit any way that you can. If you need a pillow to
support your back, you may use one. Uncross your legs and place
the soles of your feet flat on the floor. Make yourself as comfort-
able as possible.
Step 1. Observe yourself in repose. Take a few moments to

observe yourself. What do you notice while you're sitting like
that? You may want to close your eyes to make it easier to feel.
Calm Your Mind 223
• Feel the way the soles of your feet make contact with the
floor. The right sole; the left sole. Feel the way your bottom
makes contact with the chair. Do you sit balanced, or does
more of your weight rest on one side?
• How about your shoulders? Are they at ease or not? Are your
cheeks, lips, eyes in repose? You needn't change anything. Just
notice how it is.
• Notice the feeling of your hands. Do your hands feel warm

or cool?
Step 3. Join your hands. Join your hands in the Secret Hand-
shake, as in the Main Squeeze, and lower your hands to your lap.
Sit quietly and attend to the sensation you feel in your index fin-
ger and thumb. You may want to close your eyes to make it easier
to feel. You may discover a wide variety of sensations such as

warmth, a pulsation, or a pleasant tingling or radiating sensation
there in your hands.
You may feel that pleasant sensation migrating to your wrists,

your arms, your shoulders. Take a moment to acknowledge any
pleasurable bodily sensations that you may feel. Pleasurable sensa-
tions are your key to self-healing and inner peace.
• As you sit like that, allow your breathing to be easy, light,
and natural. Make no special effort to inhale or exhale. Effort
is an obstacle to natural breathing.

• After each exhalation is complete, you may notice a slight
pause before the next inhalation begins. In that brief moment
when your breath is "empty," let your mind be very still. The
next breath will come to you sweetly, in its own good time.
You don't have to do a thing. Take your time with this. The
whole world may be hurried, worried, and harried. You
needn't be.
THE SECRET HAND-

SHAKE. Begin by joining your
hands in the Secret
Handshake as illustrated in
the preceding Mini-Move.
A TWIST OF THE WRISTS.

Slowly inhale and, as you do
so, gently, gradually bend your
wrists a little bit back, so your
knuckles rise upward and the
backs of your hands incline
very slightly toward you.
Calm Your Mind 225
Step 4. A twist of the wrists. This time, slowly inhale and, as
you do so, gently, gradually bend your wrists a little bit back, so
your knuckles rise upward and the backs of your hands incline very
slightly toward you. Then slowly exhale and gradually relax your
wrists, allowing your hands to come to rest in your lap as before.
Your wrists and forearms remain supported in your lap all the
while. As you inhale, your wrists bend back very slightly, and your
knuckles rise up a little bit. Then, as you exhale, your wrists relax
and your hands come to rest in your lap.
• Make your movements light and easy. As long as you can feel
a little movement in your wrists, that's enough. For our pur-

poses, light, easy, minimal movements are far more effective
than big, powerful ones.
Repeat the movement several times. Inhale, bend the wrists;
exhale, and relax the wrists. Continue.
• Synchronize your movements with your breathing. That

means however long it takes you to slowly inhale, that's how
long it takes you to gradually bend your wrists a little bit.
However long it takes you to slowly exhale, that's how long it

takes you to gradually relax your wrists and let your hands
come to rest in your lap.
Step 5. Stop, rest, and feel. Let your breathing be easy and soft.
Keeping your fingers joined as before, relax your hands as much as
possible. Notice the feeling there.
• You may find that the sensation of warmth, pulsation, or radi-
ating in your fingers and hands is more pronounced now than

before. If so, that's an indication that you are becoming deeply
relaxed.
You have now learned the basic movements of a Twist of the

Wrists. Practice regularly, and you will enjoy all the benefits.
Later, you may wish to try the following variation. The eye move-
ments will be easier for you if you have practiced Things Are
Looking Up! earlier in this chapter.
Step 6. Raise your eyes. This time, slowly inhale and bend your
wrists, and simultaneously allow your eyes to float upward. Your
eyelids remain closed, but you allow your eyes to move upward, as if
you were looking up. Then exhale, relax your eyes, and relax your
wrists.
• Please do make the movement of your eyes very easy and

light. If moving your eyes this way causes any discomfort at
all, move your eyes in imagination only. For our purposes
imaginary eye movements are just as effective as real ones.
Continue. Inhale, bend your wrists, let your eyes float upward.
Exhale, relax your eyes, and relax your wrists.
Step 7. Stop, rest, and feel. Notice the result of the movements
you have done.
• Notice the pleasant sensation in your fingers, hands, and wrists

now. If you pay close attention, you may find that the feeling
spreads up your arms, deep into the core of your body. You
may fed il somewhere in your chest, your belly, your hips,
your back, or anywhere in your body. Diffuse, sustained,
pleasurable body sensations are the key to self-healing and
inner peace, They are your ever-present reminder of the joy
ot being alive.
• After just .i few rounds of this gentle movement alternating
with period* of quiet rest, your mind becomes very calm and
still. If at any time you feel your mind racing, or if you be-
Calm Your Mind 227
come distracted by troubling thoughts, simply do the move-

ment a few times more. You will regain your focus very quickly.
Application. To get yourself started on the path to sounder
sleep, practice this Calming Mini-Move for at least ten minutes,
three times a day. The best times to practice are upon rising,
before lunch, in the late afternoon, just before bed, or any time
you could use a respite from the stress of life. The effect is cumula-
tive: The more you practice, the better the results. Your thoughts
will become more positive, your creativity will flourish, and you
will see a more beautiful person in the mirror!
Note: If you find that you become drowsy while practicing dur-
ing the day, you may do this Mini-Move with your eyes open.
You'll remain lucidly alert and at the same time deeply relaxed.
Calming Mini-Move #6: Touching Your Heart

Terry was the nervous type. At the time of our first meeting, my
office was being painted, so I had rented a small treatment room
at TRS, a suite of commercial offices on the East Side. Our
appointment was my first of the day, at 9:00 a.m. I arrived at 8:50
to find Terry in an altercation with the receptionist. It seems he

had presented himself for a nine o'clock appointment with me
and had been informed that that was impossible because no room
was booked in my name until 9:30. He had become very agitated.
He was on a tight schedule, and a half-hour delay was not accept-
able to him. And he had let everyone around him know it! His
face was bright red, his breath was quick and shallow, and he com-
pulsively clenched and unclenched his right hand — all physiolog-
ical signs of stress and anxiety.
It took me only a minute to sort things out with the TRS staff.
They had made a mistake and were only too happy to give us a
much larger room usually reserved for meetings and workshops.

There was no problem. In fact, we were far more comfortable

than we would have been without the mistake. Our session began
at 9:01.
I asked Terry if he was satisfied with the way he had handled

the situation. He admitted that it wasn't his best moment. It
seemed that he was in the habit of "going off," as he termed it.
The smallest little glitch would send him into a tizzy — a cab that
didn't stop for him, a meeting that went overtime, a delivery man
who brought the wrong take-out order —and he'd become anx-
ious and combative. He worked in the computer department of a
large law firm, and he had been cited for his outbursts there.
We spent the rest of our session reenacting several situations

that had triggered Terry in the past, starting with the most recent
example that morning. In each case, I asked Terry to try to catch
himself at the tipping point, where he was just on the verge of
going off. At that moment, I asked him to bring his hand to his
heart and for sixty seconds to just feel the warmth there. Each
time we got to the tipping point, I could see Terry's ears start to
redden and his breath start to accelerate. Then, at first with my

prompting, and later on his own, he'd bring his hand to his heart
and the process would come to a halt. Within a minute, he

was calm and could address the situation in a more dispassion-
ate way.
Terry understood immediately that this was a way to interrupt
his habitual stress response. He was quite pleased with the results
of our experiments. Later that day, he was tested under battlefield
conditions. Mis supervisor criticized some code he had written
and be caught himself at the moment he was starting to go off.
•.lit there in (rout of my supervisor, I put my hand on my

heart," Terry reported, "and I felt calm." Then he chuckled. "You
know what? It turned out I didn't even write th.it eode. It was
Calm Your Mind 229
written by a guy who left the company months ago!" Terry
became very adept at touching his heart in a variety of situations.

His life became easier as a result. He began to enjoy it.
This Mini-Move is simple and delightful. Over time, it culti-
vates a feeling of inner peace, plus greater compassion for yourself

and others. Let's hope it's contagious!
TOUCH YOUR HEART.

Place the center of the palm of
one of your hands over the
center of your chest.
Step 1. Touch your heart. Sit, stand, or lie down in any comfort-
able position. Place the center of the palm of one of your hands
over the center of your chest. Find the warmest spot there.
Step 2. Feel. Feel the warmth of your hand as it meets the
warmth of your heart. At first, it may take a moment or two for
you to begin to feel it. Don't worry, it gets easier with practice.
Don't hurry. Close your eyes if you like. Breathe easy.
• Which is warmer, your hand or your heart? Allow your heart

to warm your hand and your hand to warm your heart.
• Each time you inhale, your chest rises and expands and your
hand rises with your chest. Each time you exhale, your chest
sinks and your hand sinks with it. Allow your hand to ride up
and down with the gentle rising and falling of your chest.
• Continue touching your heart for several complete breath
cycles.
Step 3. Stop, rest, andfeel. Lower your hand and rest a moment.
Don't hurry. Take all the time you need for each breath. Can you
still feel the warmth there, in your chest?
Step 4. Switch hands. Try the same thing with the other hand.
Simply touch your heart. Again, try to align the center of your
palm with the warmest spot on your chest. Continue like that for
as long as you like.
TOUCH YOUR HEART

WITH BOTH HANDS. Place
one hand over your heart, and
the other
When
hand on top of it.
the centers of both
^C
palms are aligned over the
warmest spot on your chest,
you will feel a core of warmth

projecting from your hands,
deep into the center of your
chest.
Calm Your Mind 231
Step 5. Touch your heart with both hands. Place one hand over
your heart and the other hand on top of it. When the centers of
both palms are aligned over the warmest spot on your chest, you
will feel a core of warmth projecting from your hands, deep into
the center of your chest.
Make no effort. Breathe easy, and allow your hands to ride up
and down with the gentle rising and falling of your breath.
Stop, rest, andfeel.
Step 6. Touch your heart with a smile. Touch your heart with
one or both hands, whichever you prefer. Allow your hands to
ride up and down with the rising and falling of your breath. Now
each time you slowly inhale, think a smile. Each time you exhale,
relax. Continue for several breath cycles. It doesn't hurt, does it?
Step 7. Circulate your smile. Now, your lips aren't the only part
of you that can smile. If there is some part of you that needs spe-
cial care, you can send the image and the feeling of your smile
there. It could be your stomach, your liver, your lungs, or your
intestines. It could be your throat, your lower back, your head, or
anywhere. You can circulate your smile around inside yourself,
wherever you feel the need. Slowly inhale, and send your smile
there. Slowly exhale, relax. You can concentrate on one area, or let
your smile circulate all around your body.

Application. You can practice touching your heart anytime. You
don't have to do all the steps every time. Sometimes just raising
one hand to your heart for a brief moment is all it takes. That
connects you to your inner self and to others, heart to heart. What
more effective stress reducer could there be?
Chapters
* * *
Lull Yourself to Sleep
lull vt 1 : to cause to sleep or rest : soothe 2 : to cause to relax
vigilance.
—Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary
Sleep makes us forgetful of all things, of good and evil, when
once it has overshadowed our eyelids.
—The Odyssey
Easy Steps Toward Natural, Restful Sleep
Congratulations! If you have read this far, and if you've practiced

some of the Mini-Moves in the two preceding chapters, you've
already made a good start on your quest for more natural, restful
sleep. You've begun to develop your innate ability to relax your

body and calm your mind, which, as we have seen, is your body's
built-in antidote to the deleterious effects of stress. You are now
amply prepared to learn the unique sleep-inducing Mini-Moves
thai form the core of the Sounder Sleep System. Once you've
learned them, you will be able to do them right in your own bed
to lull yourself into a state of profound repose that's just right for a
delightful night of dozing and dreaming. Should you wake up

during the night, the Mini-Moves will help you to lull yourself
232
Lull Yourself to Sleep 233
back to sleep quickly and easily. As a result, you'll get more of the
natural, restful sleep you need, so you can start to enjoy life to the
fullest. Yes, you can sleep through the night!
Just Joining Us?

If you haven't yet taken advantage of the preceding chapters and
you're just plunging in now, welcome! You, too, will be able to fol-
low the instructions and benefit from the sleep-induction tech-

niques in this chapter. Please do be aware, however, that the
Mini-Moves will have their greatest effect when used in concert
with the physical and mental relaxation techniques presented in

chapters 3 and 4. One of the key concepts of this book is that
insomnia isn't just a bedtime problem, it's a problem that affects

you twenty-four hours a day, whether you realize it or not. The
physical and mental tension you experience during the course of
the day doesn't just evaporate the moment you get into bed and
close your eyes. Left unchecked, it overflows into your bedroom,
keeping you wakeful at times you'd rather be fast asleep.
That's why it's so important to take some positive steps to
reduce physical and mental tension during your waking hours.

Reducing physical and mental tension during the day sets the scene
for sounder, more restful sleep by making your life more peaceful
and less stressful.
So if you haven't done so already, please consider backing up a
step or two, and test-driving a few of the daytime Mini-Moves

presented in each of the preceding chapters. At the very least,
learn the soothing, exquisitely pleasurable Main Squeeze Mini-

Move in chapter 4. Practice that for three to five minutes, three
times a day, for a few days, and your life is bound to become
sweeter and more livable. That will prepare you to enjoy all the
benefits of the sleep-inducing Mini-Moves in this chapter.

The Path of No Effort
As you experiment with the Lulling Mini-Moves in this chapter,
you will notice that I stress again and again the principle of no
effort. This principle is articulated very clearly in the classic text of
Taoist wisdom, the Tao Te Ching:
Act without doing;

work without effort.
. . . Accomplish the great task

by a series of small acts.
—Steven Mitchell, trans.,
Tao Te Ching, verse 63
Though I first encountered this principle in my studies of the

esoteric movement arts aikido, taiji, and qigong, and in my read-
ings of Taoist texts like the Tao Te Ching, there is nothing esoteric
about it! It is completely practical and immediately applicable to
your personal quest for natural, restful sleep.
In fact, its really just common

when you think about it:
sense,
Sleep is the antithesis of effort. In order to sleep, we lie down, close
our eyes, and cease all activity. While we sleep, we are incapable of
voluntary action, incapable of making any effort. If that is so, how
could we possibly expect to initiate the natural sleep process by
making an effort? The path of sleep is the path of no effort. Sleep

begins with the cessation of all effort.
While it is true that we must cease all effort in order to sleep,
the converse is also true: Making an effort to sleep can wake us up.
You sec, the moment you decide that you are not satisfied with
testing quietly, and that you must get to sleep immediately, you
trigger .1 cascade oi stress-related responses within yourself. Your
heart he. us .1 little faster, your muscles become tenser, your mind
begins CO mobilize itself in order to find a response to this dial-
lenge. When that happens, you already have departed from the
path of no effort and are moving swiftly in the opposite direction,
away from the Land of Nod.
In Restful Sleep, his invaluable book on the Ayurvedic approach
to insomnia, Deepak Chopra writes eloquently of the futility of
trying to force sleep. He advises the troubled sleeper to adopt an
attitude of "not minding." By that he means simply resting qui-
etly, "not minding whether you are awake or asleep." This is good
advice, for two reasons. First, because just as the proverbial
watched pot never boils, sleep rarely comes when you are watch-
ing for it. In fact, the very act of watching may keep you awake.
Second, because any form of quiet rest, whether you sleep or not,
is a balm to the body and the soul. A night of quiet rest is far more
soothing and restorative than a night of anxious tossing and turn-
ing punctuated by periods of pacing the floor, late-night televi-
sion, or Net surfing!
But relinquishing all effort is not all there is to it. We must also
relinquish our intention to control the sleep process. "Our bodies
are wild," writes Zen poet and environmentalist Gary Snyder in
The Practice of the Wild. By that he means that the internal func-
tions of our body are natural processes, like rain, wind, or conti-
nental drift. We may be "civilized" on the outside, but we're all
wilderness inside. And as we all know, you can't control a wilder-
ness —even with all the impressive technology in our hands, we

still can't make rain fall or prevent tornadoes! Such things are gov-
erned by natural laws that are beyond our control.
Sleep is a feature of this internal wilderness of ours —and we
can't control it, either. Like a wild beast, sleep comes and goes of
its own accord. We cannot control
we can harmonize our- it, but
selves with its comings and goings and make ourselves ready for
that mysterious moment when it does arrive. The alternative is to
set our teeth and persist in trying to control that which cannot be
236 The Insoa/vnia Solution
controlled. Not only is that futile effort bound to fail, but it is also
very likely to keep us awake long past our bedtime!

It's essential that we acknowledge these facts and act accord-
ingly. That means taking the path of no effort: not trying to force
ourselves to sleep, not interfering with the natural sleep.
But don't worry, you don't have to be a Taoist master to follow

the path of no effort. Anyone can travel this pleasurable path to
natural, restful sleep! That's because the principle of no effort is
built right into each one of the Mini-Moves presented in this
chapter. Simply follow the step-by-step instructions with their
accompanying commentary, and you will spontaneously begin to

travel the path of no effort toward sounder, more restful sleep.
Without any special effort, your mind will become focused on

"this breath, this movement, this moment." The past and present
recede from your awareness, and you can just be, in the moment.
Then, whatever your mind is holding on to, you can just let it go.
You body relaxes, your mind gets calm and clear. Sleep will come
to you sweetly, and you can welcome it with open arms.
I ho Pleasure Principle
In aw enjoyable, popularly written book titled Feeling Good Is
Goodfor You, Drs. Carl J. Charnetski and Francis X. Brennan doc-

ument the healing powers of pleasure. The experience of pleasure,
they explain, triggers the secretion of endorphins, the naturally
oa lining, opiate-like substances in your body that reduce inflam-
mation and pain, relax your muscles, and bring you feelings of
peace and well-being. Even better, this release of endorphins pow-
ers up your immune system, your body's innate self-healing mech-
anism. Consequently, it you're ttressed out or facing illness or
injury, the authors assert, the experience of pleasure can be a pow-

ii tul ally in vour healing process.
The most familiar example of the endorphin effect is the well-

known "runner's high," which results when the stress of a good
long run (or other vigorous workout) causes your body to secrete
enough endorphins to cancel out the feelings of effort and strain
associated with running and bring you to a state of physical plea-
sure and mental euphoria. That explains why, though we may feel
stiff and unwilling at the beginning of a workout, we often experi-
ence a feeling of physical ease and mental well-being before it's
over. It also highlights an important point: The endorphin effect
is a palpable, physical experience. We can tell when we're secreting

endorphins because we can feel it with our own senses.
Charnetski and Brennan have their own ideas about how to
evoke pleasure for self-healing, and their approach runs to physi-

cal exercises like running or tennis and such warm, fuzzy pursuits
as being with loved ones, playing with pets, singing, giving or
receiving massage, and watching funny movies — all wonderful
things, all practical, direct means for achieving pleasure. But these
things probably won't help you at that mysterious moment when
you're lying in bed, waiting for sleep to come. At that moment,
you're alone with yourself and you need stillness, peace, and quiet
so you can drift off to sleep.
Does that mean that pleasure is out of the picture? Are we to be
denied, in that vulnerable moment, the benefit of nature's greatest

power to comfort, to nurture, and to heal? Certainly not! Let me
tell you something that Charnetski and Brennan don't say, some-
thing they may not even be aware Once you know how to live
of:
it, pleasure is a perpetual state of being. The healing, soothing

endorphins — and any other substances that science in the future
may identify as the chemical basis of our native sense of pleasure

and ease — are circulating in your body at all times, whether you're
aware of it or not. As a result, those pleasurable feelings in your
body can be felt and enjoyed not only when you're actively running,
singing, laughing, or petting the dog, but also when you're just
being very, very still. In fact, those pleasurable bodily sensations

can be experienced most acutely, most immediately, and with
greatest enjoyment, at moments of profound stillness and tran-
quility, when you cease doing anything, and you simply are. These
delicious feelings result from the simple fact of being alive, as
expressed in the wondrous rhythmic movements of your own

body and your own breath. And this is especially true at the
moment when you are ready to drift off to sleep.

How will you know this is true? Do you have to take my word
for it? No! You can easily confirm it for yourself. You will feel
those soothing, pleasurable sensations in your own body, with

your own senses, each time you do the Mini-Moves. And as you
do, you will find that sleep comes to you easily, without any effort
of will. Sweet dreams!
Guidelines for Your Practice

of the Lulling Mini -Moves
The Lulling Mini-Moves presented in this chapter are specially
designed exercises that you can do right in your own bed for deep
relaxation, quiet rest, and sleep. Used in conjunction with the
Relaxing and Calming Mini-Moves presented in chapters 3 and 4,
they bring you to a state of profound mental and physical repose
that S just right for drifting, dozing, and dreaming.
The Mini-Moves have been thoughtfully designed so that sim-
ply following the step-by-step instructions for each Mini-Move will
bring you all the benefits. Even so, there are a few practical points
that hear mentioning. The following tips will help you derive the
maximum benefit from your practice of the Mini-Moves.

To begin, practice during waking hours. When you first practice
the Mini Moves they will be unfamiliar to you. The process of

turning the pages of the book and reading and following the step-
by-step instructions will require some thought and effort on your
part. Thought and effort aren't conducive to sleep. Therefore, it's
best to learn each Mini-Move by practicing it during waking

hours. Later, when you can do the Mini-Move fluently, without
thought or effort, you'll be ready to practice at bedtime.
Here's another reason for practicing during waking hours. If
you have difficulty sleeping, bedtime may be a complicated expe-
rience for you. You may tend to wonder whether sleep will come
and to worry about the consequences if it doesn't. What's more,
all your habitual physical and emotional responses to sleep, what I
call "sleep baggage," come to the surface at that moment. So,
please begin your practice of these Lulling Mini-Moves during

waking hours, when nothing is at stake. That way, you won't be so
likely to be distracted by all your sleep baggage.
Later, practice every night at bedtime. Once you've learned a
Lulling Mini-Move and are ready to practice at bedtime, practice
a little bit every night. The Lulling Mini-Moves have a cumulative
effect. The more you practice, the greater the benefit.

With regular nightly practice, the Lulling Mini-Moves will
become second nature to you. That way, you can do them with-
out thinking. And the less you have to think, the more you 11 be able
to feel. Feel the blissful sensation of your own living, moving,
breathing body. Feel that sweet fatigue that invites you to slide
into a sleepy, dreamy, drowsy state. When thinking is replaced by
feeling, your body relaxes and your mind becomes calm and clear.
From there, it's just a hop, skip, and jump to Dreamland.

If you're one of the many people who fall asleep easily at bed-
time, but wake up during the night and have difficulty getting
back to sleep, consistent bedtime practice of the Lulling Mini-

Moves will be particularly helpful for you. By doing a Mini-Move
at bedtime and then falling asleep as you normally do, you are
conditioning your mind and body to fall asleep whenever you do

those particular movements. That way, when you awaken during
the night, just do the same Mini-Move for a few minutes. Soon
enough, you will lie warm in the gold of dawn.
Rest. Every Mini-Move consists of alternating active and passive
phases: gentle, synchronized movements alternating with periods
of quiet rest. Believe it or not, these rest periods are the most
important part of the Mini-Moves!
The movements are a stimulus that triggers your body's natural
faculty for rest, relaxation, and sleep. But its during the rest peri-
ods that your body receives the stimulus, processes it, and
responds by becoming deeply relaxed. Each time you cease action
and rest, the gentle waves of your breath wash you a little closer to
the shores of sleep, a little deeper into the sleepy, dreamy drowsy
state. Therefore, when the instructions say to rest, please rest.
That will allow the Mini-Moves to have their best effect.
Rest well. By that I mean, don't skimp on the rest periods. In
general, your rest periods should be about as long as the periods of
movement that precede them, or longer. There's a simple way to
monitor this. Let's say you do a sequence of eight movements,

each one lasting a complete breath cycle (a breath cycle consists of
an inhalation, an exhalation, and any pauses in between). The
movement period would then be a total of eight complete breath
cycles in duration. In that case your rest period, too, ought to last
about eight lull breath cycles or more.

When you begin, you may want to actually count the move-
ments and breath cycles to give you a feeling for the lulling, rhyth-
mic quality of the Mini-Moves. Later, you can abandon the

counting and simply breathe, move, and feel. With regular practice
of the Mini-Mows, you will begin to observe this rhythmic alterna-

tion ot action and repose naturally, without even thinking about it.
Rest longer. As you become more adept in your practice of the

Mini-Moves, allow yourself longer and longer rest periods follow-
ing each set of movements. At the beginning, your rest periods
may last three, five, seven, or eight breath cycles. Later, they may
last three, five, seven, or eight minutes.
If at any time your mind starts racing or you become physically
restless, begin another round of synchronized movements and

breathing. You will regain your composure very quickly that way,
and you can resume your quiet rest. The longer you can maintain
that quiet resting state between the movements, the more likely
you will be to drift into that sleepy, dreamy, drowsy state that's
just right for restful, restorative sleep.
Make your movements light and easy. In my nearly twenty years

as a movement educator, I've observed again and again that
people almost always use more force than necessary to perform

any given action, often with unexpected results. We shake hands
so vigorously thatwe cause each other to wince in pain. We whack
the computer keys so hard we damage our hands and wrists. We
close the faucet so tight the washers wear out before their time.
We seem to think that by working harder, by using more force,
we'll get better results. But it isn't so!
When you first practice the Mini-Moves, it is very likely that

you will tend to do the movements more vigorously than need be.
You see, your everyday actions such as walking, hammering a nail,
sweeping a floor, using a computer, or driving a car do require a

certain amount of force to get the job done, and your nervous sys-
tem is calibrated to function more or less within that range of

forces. But the Mini-Moves are quite different from those every-
day actions. When you do the Mini-Moves, you don't have
to interact with any object. You don't have to do anything.
You simply move and breathe. That requires only minimal force.
When you can stop doing and simply move and breathe with
minimal effort, something very special happens. You begin to feel
more acutely than ever before. You feel yourself, your body, and
your breath in a new way. When you can withdraw your attention
from the cares and concerns of the outside world and become
immersed in the awareness of "this breath, this movement, this
moment," you will find yourself slipping into a blissful slumber

without any effort. That is the central principle upon which the
Sounder Sleep System is based.
However, this quality of being is very unfamiliar to most

people in this society. As a result, unless you have already had
some special training in the art of movement, you probably will
do the Mini-Moves with more force than necessary, at least at
first. Don't worry — the Mini-Moves will have an effect anyway! But
for best results, and for your greatest pleasure and enjoyment, try
to gradually make your movements even lighter, even easier, even
softer than anything you can imagine. One way to achieve this is
to decrease the amplitude of your movements by half, and then by

half again. Then, at the moment you feel that you really are doing
the movements with unimaginable lightness and ease, that heavy
curtain of darkness will fall over your eyes, and all will be peace.
Don't fight sleep. If you should feel sleepy at any time while
learning these Mini-Moves, do not be concerned. That simply

means thai you have already absorbed as much as you can for the
moment, and you arc ready to rest. Don't fight it!
The urge to sleep is a direct expression of one of your body's

most fundamental needs. Fighting sleep sends a message to your
body thai its needs dorit matter. Bui the truth is, your bodily needs
do matter, a lot. They are oi inestimable importance in your quest
tor sounder sleep and a more restful, balanced life.
I be reason is this: Whenever your thoughts and actions are in

perfect accord with your real needs, even if it's just for a moment,
your body begins to heal itself. That's the fundamental principle
on which this book is based. The Mini-Moves are physical actions
that are in perfect accord with your needs, especially your need for
natural restful sleep. Whenever you do the Mini-Moves, you are
initiating a self-healing process that enables you to recover from

insomnia and the stress of life.
So, whenever you feel that sleepy, dreamy, drowsy feeling com-
ing on, please do stop and take a little rest. That is your real need!
Getting the rest you need, when you need it, should always be your
highest priority. Once you are completely rested, you can begin
afresh. Learning at your own pace will ensure your fullest enjoy-
ment of this program and the greatest possible benefit to you.
Lulling Mini-Move #1: Breath Surfing 1
When you are about to fall asleep

and all external objects have faded from view,
concentrate on the state between sleep and waking.
There the Supreme Goddess will reveal herself.

—Vijnanabhairava, verse 75
Each breath you take is like a gentle wave on the ocean. Breath
Surfing is the art of catching those waves and riding them to the
shores of sleep. Once you have reached that sleepy, dreamy,

drowsy state, simply rest quietly and enjoy the scenery. The inner
wisdom of your own mind and body will decide what happens
next.
Step 1. Observe yourselfat rest. Lie on your back in bed, or on a
soft mat or carpet on the floor. You can use a pillow to support
your head and neck if you like. Do whatever you need to get
comfortable.
• How does it feel to lie still like that? Do you feel relaxed and
at ease or do you feel restless?
• Are your eyes at rest, or do they move about? How do you

breathe? Does your breathing feel easy and free, or not?
Step 2. Home position. Now please bend your right elbow and
bring the four fingertips of your right hand to lightly touch your
sternum. (Your sternum is the vertical breastbone in the center of
your chest, where the ribs come together.) Let your right thumb
come to rest somewhere on your chest, wherever it falls naturally.
Now do the same thing with your left hand. The tips of the
four fingers of both hands rest on either side of the sternum. Your
thumbs rest comfortably anywhere on your chest.
I K)\ll POS1 1 ION. Breath nirfing, home position. The tips of the four
is ol both hands rest on either side ol your ( lust. Your thumbs rest
whereva ic'i most comfortable for you.

• Allow your elbows to rest on the bed or floor in whatever way

is most comfortable for you. Let your wrists, hands, and fin-
gers be at ease. The tips of your fingers rest lightly on your

sternum. Do not press. No force is required.
Step 3. Observe the movements ofyour breath. Slowly breathe in,
and slowly breathe out. Each time you breathe in, your chest rises.
Each time you breathe out, your chest sinks. Touching your ster-
num with your fingertips makes it easier to feel the movement of

your body as you slowly inhale and slowly exhale.
• Don't try to accomplish anything at this point. Simply wait

and see what you discover. Just breathe naturally, without
trying to do anything special.
Take some time to become familiar with the natural rising and
movement of your chest, no matter how modest that
falling
movement may be. Perhaps you don't feel anything special at this
point. If so, that's perfectly okay. Just keep following along, and
you will improve more than you can imagine.
• Continue resting quietly, and attend to any pleasurable sen-

sation you may discover anywhere in your body.
Step 4. Ride the breath with your thumbs. Place the fingertips of
both hands in the home position. Your thumbs rest comfortably
anywhere on your chest.
Turn your attention to your thumbs, and the area of the chest
directly underneath each thumb. Tune in to the movements
of those little, localized areas of your chest under each thumb.
Each time you slowly inhale, those parts of your chest rise and
expand, and your thumbs rise and move with them. Each time
you slowly exhale, your chest sinks, and your thumbs sink with
your chest.
• Have you ever seen surfers sitting on their boards, waiting for
a wave? Each passing swell lifts the surfers up and gently low-
ers them back down
again. The movement is rhythmic and
The rising and falling of your chest is like that.

repetitive.
This Mini-Move is very simple. You simply ride your chest

up and down with your thumbs.
Make no effort to move your thumbs. The upward and down-

ward movement of the thumbs is produced by the rhythmic rising
and falling of the chest as you breathe.

Step 5. Lift and lower your thumbs. Slowly inhale. As your chest
rises, slowly and gradually lift your thumbs away from your chest
a little tiny bit.
^-^
ill I AND LOWER YOUR IHUMBS. As your chest rises, slowly and
lually raise voin thumbs away from your ^ hesi .1 little unv bit. Slowly
exhale, and rein youi thumbs,
Then slowly exhale. Your chest falls. As you exhale, gradually
relax the thumbs and let them come to rest on your chest.
• The lifting of the thumbs should be very soft, slow, and grad-
ual. Raise the thumbs just enough that you can feel them
break contact with your chest, no more. Use the minimum
force necessary to lift the thumbs.
Repeat the movement several times. Slowly inhale, lift your

thumbs. Slowly exhale, relax the thumbs, and let them come to rest.
• Synchronize the movements of your thumbs with your

breath. That means, however long it takes you to breathe in,
it takes that same amount of time to raise the thumbs. How-

ever long it takes you to breathe out, it takes that same
amount of time to slowly lower the thumbs.
• See if you can you feel that moving your thumbs like that has
a subtle influence on the movement of your chest as you

breathe, either on the area of your chest directly beneath your
thumbs or anywhere else.
Step 6. Stop, rest, and feel. Feel the result of what you have
done. Let your breathing be light and easy. As you continue to rest
quietly, notice how your thumbs rise and fall with the rising and
falling of your breath now. You may find that the movement of
your chest is a little freer, a little fuller, a little easier now. See what
you discover.
Step 7. Continue. Repeat Steps 5 and 6 several times, as desired.

Let the rest periods between the movements get longer and longer
with each repetition.
The rest periods are the most important part of this Mini-
Move. The movements are designed to stimulate your body-mind's
innate ability to relax and sleep. It is during the rest periods that
your body and mind receive the stimulus, process it, and respond
by becoming deeply relaxed.
• You may dream, you may drift, you may linger in that sleepy,
dreamy, drowsy state that's just right for rest, meditation, or

sleep. Make no effort to fall asleep. Allow the inner wisdom
of your own mind and body to decide what happens next.
Variation. Once you've relaxed yourself by doing the Breath

Surfing technique described above, you may find it helpful to try
the following variation. The subtle movements will help you

achieve even greater tranquility and peace.
Step 8. Lighten your thumbs. Again, slowly inhale, and this
time, lift your thumbs, but do it so delicately that they never
break contact with your chest. As your chest rises, carrying the
thumbs upward, you activate the muscles of your thumbs a tiny
little bit, as if to make the thumbs a little lighter. You are lifting
your thumbs without really lifting them. You're just lightening

them.
Then, slowly exhale. As your chest sinks, relax your thumbs
and allow them to be carried downward by your chest. Your chest
and your thumbs remain perfectly synchronized and in full con-
tact all the time. Repeat the movement several times, as desired.
Step 9. Stop, rest, and feel. Rest quietly for several complete
breath cycles, and enjoy the stillness you've created within your-
self. You may notice that the movement of your breath is a little
softer, a little slower than when you began. Your body is relaxed,
your mind is calm. Each new round of movements takes you a
Intlc deeper into a state <>f profound repose.

Step 10. ( mitifiuc. Repeal Steps 4 through 9 as desired. Be sure
to maintain the regular, alternating rhythm of the movements and
breath: Do five, six, seven, or eight movements, then rest for an

equal or greater number of breath cycles. You needn't count. The
numbers are just a convenient guide.
Step 1 1 . Imagine the movements ofthe thumbs. As you relax more

and more deeply, you can Breath Surf as above, but simply imag-
ine yourself lifting and lowering your thumbs with the breath.
Make no voluntary movement of the thumbs, just imagine it.

For further practice: Once you've learned the basic technique,
you can try all of these Breath Surfing variations with your index,
middle, ring, or little fingers in place of the thumbs. Each finger
gives a slightly different relaxing effect. You can also try Breath
Surfing with your hands on the middle or lower breathing spaces.
In time, you will find the way of Breath Surfing that suits you
best. Sweet dreams!
Application. This simple exercise makes it easy to lull yourself
into a state of deep tranquility. All the mental chatter, your mind's
endless monologue, fades into the background. The past and the
future recede from your awareness; the present moment is all
there is. That timeless moment is your gateway to rest, medita-

tion, introspection, dreams, or sleep, whichever is right for you in
this moment.
Practice this Mini-Move every night when you get into bed,
even if you tend to fall asleep easily. That way, you will train your-
self to become deeply relaxed whenever you do these movements.

Then, if you awaken during the night, do not be concerned. Just
do those same movements a few times more. You will regain your
focus very quickly.
With a little practice you will become an expert at relaxing your
body, calming your mind, and lulling yourself to sleep. When
your sleep becomes easy and complete, you will be more alert and
alive during waking hours. You will gain greater energy and vital-
ity and enjoy a richer, more joyous life.

Lulling Mini-Move #2: Breath Surfing 2 (Going Deeper)
Now that you know the basics of Breath Surfing, try this delight-
ful variation. It has a unique and different rhythm that will usher
you into a state of even deeper repose. You will find this Mini-
Move especially helpful should you wake up during the night. If
you do awaken, do not be concerned. Do not stir yourself. Simply

lie quietly, practice a few rounds of this Mini-Move, and savor the
physical sensation of your own living, breathing body. Never
mind whether you fall into a deep sleep, meander from one dream
to the next, or lie in quiet contemplation, resting and renewing
your vital energies. Simply surrender to those dreamy, drowsy sen-
sations and think of nothing in particular. That will ensure that
you get all the rest you possibly can and greet the new day with
renewed energy and optimism.
Step 1 . Get comfortable. Lie on your back in bed, or on a soft
mat or carpet on the floor. You can use a pillow to support your
head and neck if you like. Do whatever you need to get comfortable.
Take a few moments to check in with yourself. How does it feel
to lie still like that? Do you feel relaxed and at ease, or restless?
DlOWSy or lucidly alert?
Are your eyes at rest, or do they move about? How do you

breathe? Does your breathing feel light, easy, slow, and soft? Or
do you tend to hold your breath? Is your breathing hurried or
forceful?
Whatever you discover, just acknowledge it and let it be. Don't

try to change anything at this point.
Step 1. Home position. Now please bring your fingertips to your
sternum, or breastbone, just as you did in Breath Surfing 1.
The tips of vonr fingers rest lightly on your sternum, and your
thumbs rest comfortably anywhere on your chest. Your elbows

may lie on the bed or floor, or they may rest against your ribs. I ei
your wrists, hands, and fingers be at ease. Do not press. No force
is required. Take a few moments to rest quietly like that.
Direct your attention to the movements of your breath. Each

time you inhale, your chest rises and your thumbs rise with it.
Each time you exhale, your chest sinks and your thumbs sink with
it. Continue for six, seven, or more complete breath cycles.
Step 3. Observe the movements of your right thumb. Let the

breath come and go of its own accord. Don't hurry. Take all the
time you need for each breath.

As you breathe, direct your attention to your right thumb. Each
time you inhale, your chest rises, and your thumb rises with it.
Each time you exhale, your chest sinks and your thumb sinks with
it. Continue for six, seven, or more complete breath cycles.
Step 4. Go right. Now, each time you slowly inhale, very gradu-
ally lift your right thumb a little bit. Then slowly exhale, relax
your thumb, and allow it to return to your chest. Repeat the
movement six, seven, or more times as desired.
Synchronize your movements with your breath. Little by little,
your mind and your thoughts become synchronized with the

slow, natural rhythm of the breath. Attend only to this breath, this
movement, this moment.

Step 5. Stop, rest, and feel. Rest quietly for six, seven, or more
complete breath cycles. Make no effort to breathe deeply or any
special way. Notice the gentle rising and falling of your chest as
you breathe. Does the right side of your chest feel different from
the left?
Step 6. Observe the movements of the left thumb. Don't hurry.

Let your breathing be light, easy, soft, and slow. As you breathe,
direct your attention to your left thumb. Each time you inhale,
your chest rises and your thumb rises with it. Each time you
exhale, your chest sinks and your thumb sinks with it. Continue
for six, seven, or
' more complete breath cycles.
Step 7. Go left. This time, each time you slowly inhale, very
gradually lift your left thumb a little bit. Then slowly exhale, relax
your thumb, and allow it to return to your chest. Repeat the
movement six, seven, or more times as desired.
Notice how your chest moves when you lift your left thumb.
Does one side of your chest move a little more freely, a little more
fully? Make no effort to breathe deeply or any special way. Simply
observe the natural variation of the breath, if any, in response to
the movements of your thumb.
Step 8. Stop, rest, and feel. Rest quietly for six, seven, or more
complete breath cycles. Allow your breath to come and go of its
own accord. Notice the gentle rising and falling of your chest as you
breathe now. Does the left side of your chest feel different now? Is
your breathing a little freer, or fuller? When the breath is truly free,
your mind and body become spacious, and the simple act of breath-
ing in and breathing out becomes exquisitely pleasurable.
Step 9. Go right and left. Now we'll alternate the movements of
the thumbs in a repeating two-breath sequence. Let's take it one
breath at a time.
First breath: Slowly inhale and lift your right thumb. Slowly
exhale, and lower your thumb. Notice how your chest moves.
Does one side of your chest seem to move a little more freely?
Second breath: Slowly inhale and lift your left thumb. Slowly
exhale, lower your thumb. Notice how your chest moves now.
What do you feel?
Tb conclude: Repeat the above sequence three or four times,
then rest for three or more complete breath cycles.
Notice how it feels to breathe now. When your breathing is
easy, light, Uld natural, simply inhaling and exhaling is a pleasure.
four bieatfa acta like atl internal communication network, broad-

casting calming, pleasurable messages to every cell of your body.
I Ins silent network ol tranquility reaches billions of listeners!
Step 10. Go deeper. This next movement consists of a repeating

three-breath sequence followed by a rest period. Again, let's take it
one breath at a time.
•*
K
GO DEEPER 1 . Slowly inhale and gradually lift your right thumb. Slowly
exhale, and relax.
GO DEEPER 2. Slowly inhale and slowly exhale, doing nothing with your
thumbs. Simply observe the rising and falling movement of your breath.
The Insomnia Solution
&
GO DEEPER 3. Slowly inhale, and gradually lift your left thumb. Slowly
exhale, and relax.
(,o Dl I PI K 4. Rest quietly fbi three complete breath cycles.

First breath: Slowly inhale, and gradually lift your right thumb.
Slowly exhale, and gradually lower your thumb. Synchronize the
movement with your breath.
Second breath: Slowly inhale, and do nothing with your

thumbs. Simply attend to your breath. Your chest rises and falls,
and your thumbs rise and fall with it.
Third breath: Slowly inhale, and gradually lift your left thumb.
Slowly exhale, and gradually lower your thumb. Allow your
breath to subside completely.
To conclude: Rest quietly for three complete breath cycles.
While you rest, continue to attend to the gentle rising and falling
movements of your chest and your thumbs.
Continue, repeating the entire three-breath sequence plus the
concluding rest period. On the first repetition, increase the rest
period from three breaths to four. On the second repetition, in-

crease it to five complete breath cycles. Continue like that, allow-
ing the rest periods to get longer and longer. If you drift off or lose
count, start over at the beginning.
You can continue in that way, gradually making the rest periods
longer and longer. Make no effort to fall asleep. Simply allow the
inner wisdom of your own mind and body to decide what hap-
pens next. Eventually, those prolonged periods of quiet rest will
merge into a vast expanse of dreaming, drifting, and dozing, and

the warm luxury of slumber will come to enfold you.
Variations:
1. Do any or all of this Mini-Move as indicated, but instead of

lifting your thumbs, merely lighten them.
2. Do the movements of the thumbs in your imagination only.
After a few rounds with the thumbs, try the index, middle,
ring, and little fingers in turn.
3. Do this Mini-Move with your hands on the lower or middle

breathing space. See what you discover!
Your own intelligence and intuition are your surest guides to

finding the variation that works best for you.
Lulling Mini-Move #3: Rocking the Cradle

O goddess, the slow swaying of a person's body
whether by a moving vehicle or by self-induced movement
calms her mental state so that she attains timeless
wisdom and the bliss of transcendental consciousness.

—Vijnanabhairava, verse 83
Have you ever sat quietly in a rowboat on a lake, simply letting
the gentle rocking of the waves transport you into a state of deep
relaxation and inner peace? Perhaps you have whiled away a
balmy Sunday afternoon drifting, dreaming, and dozing in a
rocking chair, a porch glider, or a hammock. As a child, you may
remember being sweetly rocked to sleep in the arms of a parent or
other caregiver.
It so, then you already know the power of gentle, rhythmic,
rocking movements to soothe, to salve, to heal, and to lull. The

lulling effect of rhythmic, rocking movement has been acknowl-
edged in every land throughout the ages. There is a wonderful
scene in book XIII of The Odyssey in which Odysseus, exhausted
from years of war and privation, is lulled to sleep by the rhythmic
movements of in oar driven ship as it bounds over the waves. "But
for that time he slept in peace, forgetful of all that he had suffered."
And of course, any American who lived through the '60s will
remember the traditional rocker that was a fixture of President

Kennedys Oval Office. That was the presidents favorite therapy
for his wai torn back, and an all-purpose balm for the stress of
wh.u may Well he the most stressful job in the world.
The medical profession also recognizes the salutary effects of
gentle, sustained rhythmic rocking. A report in the American
Journal of Occupational Therapy sums it up: "Rocking provides a
general inhibitory or relaxing effect on the individual, thereby
decreasing frustration, anxiety, tension, and/or blocking out an

overstimulating environment." In other words, rocking is just the
thing to gently lull you to sleep.
But don't worry, I'm not going to insist you run out and buy
a rocking chair, a porch glider, or a rocking bed. There's really
no need, because that same sort of gentle, lulling movement is
available to you at this very moment. You can produce it with

your own body anytime you feel the need. No equipment is
required!
In fact, self-produced movement may be even more effective
than the mechanical kind. I have discovered that the exquisitely

gentle, rhythmic movements of your own body, especially when
they are synchronized with the continuous, slow ebb and flow of
the breath, are nature's safest, gentlest tranquilizer. They can help
you overcome worry, fear, anxiety, tension, and stress, and bring
you to a state of profound repose. And, as you are about to dis-
cover, they can also deliver you to the shores of sleep.
Note: This Mini-Move is presented in three parts. When you

first practice this Mini-Move, please follow the instructions in the
order given. Later, you can practice whichever movements give
you the most peace. Remember, the Mini-Moves are for you.
Please use them in the way that best suits your needs.
PART ONE: ROCKING THE CRADLE "TO"

Step 1. Observe yourself in repose. Please lie on your back with
your legs straight, on a soft mat or carpet on the floor or in bed.
Place your arms anywhere you like. Use a pillow to support your
head if you feel the need. Make yourself as comfortable as possible.
• How does it feel to lie quietly like that? Notice how your
body makes contact with the floor as you slowly, softly
inhale and exhale. What parts of yourself touch the floor
most distinctly? Is it your heels? Your buttocks? Some part of

your back or shoulders?
• Turn your attention for a moment to your lower back — the
part of your back that's just above your waist. Does your
lower back lie in close contact with the floor, or is there a
space between your lower back and the floor? Don't worry,
this is not a test, and there is no right or wrong answer. Just
see if you can feel what is the relationship between your lower
back and the floor. You may even touch with your fingertips
on either side of your lower back to help you feel.
• For some people, the lower back forms a kind of arch, leaving
a considerable space between the lower back and the floor.
For others, the lower back lies close to the floor, or in direct
contact with it. Neither one is right or wrong —they are just
different. For our purposes, it is enough simply to know how

your own back lies in relation to the floor, without compar-
ing, without judgment. Don't try to change anything. Just
see how it is for you.
• Rest a little, allowing your breathing to be soft and slow.

What parts of your body move as you breathe? If you were
going DO really allow your whole self to just sink into the
floor, would you feel most able to do that while you were
breathing in or breathing out?
Step 2. Home position* Please bend your knees and put the soles
of your leet flat on the floor. Place your feet in such a way that you
^au hold your legs in this position easily, without excessive effort.
Nou can cry placing your feet a Little closer or farther apart, a little
closer or farther away from yourself. Whatever feels easy and com-
fortable for you, that's just right.
HOME POSITION. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet
standing flat on the floor.
Step 3. Push away. Now, slowly inhale and as you do so, think
of beginning to straighten your legs very gradually. The soles of
your feet will push against the floor a little, as if you were going to
PUSH AWAY. Slowly inhale, and as you do so, think of extending your
legs. Apply gentle traction to the floor, as if you were pushing away from
you. Slowly exhale, and relax.
straighten your legs, but your knees remain bent, your feet stay
right where they are. You apply a gentle traction against the floor
with the soles of your feet.
Then, as you slowly exhale, gradually cease the effort and allow
your legs to relax. The knees remain bent, the soles of your feet are
flat on the floor.
• Repeat that movement several times, synchronizing your

movements with your breathing. That means, however long
it takes you to inhale, that's how long it takes you to gradu-
ally mobilize the muscles of your legs to apply that gentle

push against the floor with the soles of your feet. However
long it takes you to slowly exhale, that's how long it takes you
to gradually relinquish the pressure, allowing the soles of
your feet to rest on the floor as before. There's no apparent
movement of your legs. They neither bend nor straighten,
they just make a gentle, pulsating movement.

• You may find that when you push the soles of your feet like
that on the floor, other parts of your body move as well. See if
you can feel how as you inhale and press the floor, your hips
move, too. Do they rock a little bit in a certain direction?
Inhale, push the floor with your feet, and simply allow your
hips to rock of their own accord. You don't have to do anything;
just Id it happen. When your hips rock that way, does your lower
bade conic closer to the floor or go farther away? Exhale, and
relax. Vbur loWei back returns to its neutral position.
• As in .ill of these Mini-Moves, make the movements light
and easy. Foi ouf purposes, light, easy movements are more
effective than big, forceful ones.
• Light, easy movements allow you to feel more accurately how

you move, and how that movement affects your mind and
body. Throughout this program, you are being guided to use
your own senses, your own ability to feel, as a tool for self-
healing.
Step 4. Stop, rest, andfeel. Straighten your legs, and rest quietly
for several complete breath cycles. Take a few minutes to feel the
result of what you have done.
PART TWO: ROCKING THE CRADLE "FRO"

Step 5. Draw yourfeet towardyou. Bend your knees and put your
feet standing as before. Slowly inhale, and think of drawing your
feet a little bit toward'you. It's as if you were going to slide your feet
DRAW YOUR FEET TOWARD YOU. Slowly inhale, and think of drawing
your feet a little bit toward yon. Slowly exhale, and relax.
along the floor, closer to your bottom. But there is no apparent

movement of your feet. Rather, the effort is so minimal that
your feet remain in place. Very little force is required; you exert a
very gentle traction against the floor, as if you were pulling it
toward you. Then, slowly exhale, gradually relinquish the effort,
and allow your feet to rest quietly on the floor. Again — slowly
inhale, draw your feet toward you; slowly exhale, and relax.
• You will find that when you draw your feet toward you like
that, other parts of your body move as well. See if you can
feel how, as you inhale and draw your feet toward you, your
hips move, too. They rock a little bit in a certain direction.
What other parts of yourself move when you draw in your

feet? Your back? Your chest? Your head?
• Inhale, draw your feet toward you, and allow your hips to
rock a little bit. Exhale, gradually relax. When your hips rock
to and fro like that, does your lower back lift up, away from
the floor, or does it sink down closer to the floor?
• If this movement of the hips is unclear to you, you may wish
to review "Pelvic Rock" in chapter 3. It will be helpful to you.
Step 6. Stop, rest, and feel. Straighten your legs, and rest. Feel
the result of what you have done.
• Rest quietly and enjoy the stillness you've created within

vourself. With just a few moments of synchronized move-
ments and breathing, your mind and body become very still,
and the volume of your thoughts is considerably reduced.

Your mind is focused on this breath, this movement, this
moment. The p.tst and future recede from your awareness,
and the present moment is the only re.ility.
PART THREE: ROCKING THE CRADLE TO AND FRO

Step 7. Join the two movements. Now we'll join the two moves
we've done into a single, continuous action. Slowly inhale, and as
you do so, gently, gradually push the soles of your feet away. Your
hips rock and your lower back moves in that certain direction.
Slowly exhale, and gradually stop pushing. Your hips and lower
back return to neutral.
Then, slowly inhale again, and as you do so, gradually draw
your feet toward you. Your hips rock in the opposite direction,
and your lower back moves accordingly. Slowly exhale, and gradu-
ally allow your feet to rest on the floor. Your hips and lower back
return to neutral.
Continue like that, alternating between one movement and the
other. First you inhale and think of straightening your legs, push-
ing your feet away from you. Slowly exhale, relax. Then, inhale
and think of bending your knees as if to draw your feet toward
you. Slowly exhale, and relax. Repeat several times.
As you alternately push and draw your feet like that, notice the
gentle, continuous, back-and-forth movement of your hips. With

one breath your hips rock forward, and with the next breath they
rock back. You may notice other parts of your body moving, too.
The gentle oscillations of your feet, legs, and hips travel like a
wave through your whole frame —through your ribs, your chest,
your back, and your neck. You may even notice that your head
rocks forward and back a little too. Don't try to make anything
happen — just see what you discover.
Step 8. Stop, rest, and feel. Rest quietly for several complete
breath cycles. The more, and longer, you rest between the move-
ments, the better results you'll achieve.
• After you've completed a series of movements, rest quietly,

giving your mind and body the time they need to regain full
ROCK TO AND FRO. On the first breath, slowly inhale, push your feet
away. Slowly exhale, and relax.
K()( K K) WD FRO. ( >n the second breath, slowly inhale, draw your
tcci coward you. Slowly exhale, and relax.
strength, energy, and vitality. Allow the innate wisdom of

your own mind and body to guide you to a state of deeply
healing inner peace.
Application. Once you've practiced this Mini-Move a few times
by day, you can try it at bedtime, right in bed. You won't need to
run through the whole process step by step. Just do whatever

movements you recall, whatever feels best to you. The gently syn-
chronized movements and breathing will deliver you to the shores
of sleep.
Lulling Mini-Move #4: Tongue in Cheek

An organ which lengthens by contracting clearly merits its
own science.
—G. Couly
Our mouths are busy, busy, busy right from the first day of life.
Nursing at the breast or bottle; discovering the world around us;
exploring our own bodies; wordlessly vocalizing. These provide

full-time occupation for our jaws, lips, and tongue during the first
months. Later, discovering our favorite foods and eventually

speaking —one of the crowning achievements of the human body
and mind —keep us in a state of continual oral activity during
waking hours.
Recent research reveals that our tongues get quite a workout
during sleep, too. You heard earlier about the rapid eye move-
ment, or REM, stage of sleep. Well, a recent study reveals that the
tongue does its own peculiar dance during REM sleep, as well.
Why? No one knows.

What we do know is that the jaw, lips, and tongue have a very
intimate relationship with the brain. The exquisitely coordinated
movements necessary for eating, facial expression, and speech

require lots of brainpower, so the neural connection between the
mouth and the brain is decidedly "broadband."

Generally speaking, the brain controls the body and its move-
ments. It may you to know that the reverse can also be
surprise
true. We can own bodily movements to effect changes in

use our
the state of our brain. The lips, tongue, and jaw with their —
broadband connections to the brain —provide one of our most
powerful tools for regulating the state of the brain and nervous
system.
The Relaxing Mini-Move that follows will bring your jaw, lips,
and tongue to a state of profound repose. When your jaw, lips,
and tongue are in repose, your mind becomes very still, and your
whole body tends to follow suit.
As a result, your tense muscles begin to surrender, bringing you

pleasurable sensations in various parts of your body. You may
experience a pleasantly dreamy, drowsy state of tranquility and
inner ease. And those troubling thoughts that cloud your mind?
You can simply let them float away, leaving an expanse of clear
blue sky. If you're ready for a good night's sleep, just get under the
covers and do a few of these easy, effortless movements. Then rest
awhile. What happens next? Try it, and see for yourself!
Note: This Mini-Move is presented in four parts. For a brief

practice, you may do one or two parts. For a longer practice, do all
four in succession. Please use the Mini-Moves in any way you see
fit. You arc tree to develop your own variations!
PARI ONI: HOME POSITION

Step 1 . Get coin fort able. Lie on your back in bed or on a mat or
.11 the floor. Ybu may also do this Mini-Move while lying on
vnui side it von like. The movements are the same.
Make yourself .is comfortable .is possible, using pillows to sup-
port your head and neck. Some people find it very comforting to
place a rolled blanket or towel under their knees. It may relieve
strain on your lower back.

Take a few moments just to feel how your body lies against the
bed or floor. Do you feel calm and relaxed, or tense and anxious?
Notice your face, your lips, your forehead, your jaw. Is there any
unwanted tension there? Do you tend to clench your jaw or grind

your teeth? You needn't change anything. Just observe what is.
What parts of your body make the firmest contact with the bed
or floor? Is it your feet? Your knees? Your buttocks or hip? Notice
how your head rests against the bed or floor.
When you are resting quietly like that, where does your tongue
come to rest in your mouth? Does it press against the back of your
teeth, against the roof or the floor of your mouth? Don't try to
change anything. Just observe what is.
Step 2. Find the home position for the tongue. Now gently touch
the tip of your tongue to the inside of your right cheek, just to the
„?-"'••
TONGUE IN CHEEK, HOME POSITION. Gently place the tip of your

tongue at the inside of your right cheek, just to the right of the corner of
your mouth.
right of the corner of your mouth, where your upper and lower
lips meet. Your lips are together; your teeth are apart.
Now, with the tip of your tongue touching the inside of your
cheek like that, slowly inhale. As you slowly inhale, very gently
press your tongue outward against the inside of your cheek. It's as
if you were exploring the cheek to determine its thickness, its tex-
ture, the degree of elasticity of the tissues there.
Slowly exhale, and as you exhale, gradually relax your tongue,

allowing the pressure against the cheek to subside.
Pause a few moments if you like. Whenever you feel ready, try
again. Slowly inhale, gently extend the tongue against the inside
of the cheek. Slowly exhale, relax the tongue. And again, inhale,
extend the tongue; exhale, and relax.
Please keep it all very light and easy. After all, this is done with
tongue in cheek! So please, do give yourself permission to enjoy
what you're doing. And don't worry! You are making all the right
mistakes for learning.
Do several more movements like this. Here are some tips to
help you get the best results.
• Synchronize the movement with your breathing. That

means, however long it takes you to slowly inhale, that's how
long it takes you to gradually extend your tongue. However
long it takes you to slowly exhale, that's how long it takes you
to relax your tongue.
• Press your tongue very gently and softly against the cheek. The
moment you feel an increase in the resistance, that means
you've done enough. The next time, do even less, so that the
movement is lighter and easier than anything you can imagine.

• If you feci any discomfort in moving your tongue like this,
please tlo the movement in your imagination only Merely

think the movement, Init do nothing, lor our purposes, imag-
lull Yourself to Sleep 269
inary movements are just as effective as real ones. Merely think

the movement, and you will get all the benefits, effortlessly.
Step 3. Stop, rest, and feel. Enjoy the result of what you have
done. Lie still, with your lips together, teeth apart. Let your
breathing be easy, light, and free.
• As you rest quietly after those few gentle movements, you

may notice that that your lips and tongue have become very
still. Your tongue may come to rest in a different part of your
mouth than it did before. Does it rest against the back of
your teeth, against the roof your mouth, or somewhere else?
Do you feel anything different about your jaw?

• You know, many of us tend to overwork the muscles of the
jaw. We may clench the jaw or grind our teeth when we are
under stress, or for no apparent reason, even during sleep. It's
worth noting that the muscles of the jaw are considered part
of the body's anti-gravity system, the muscles that support

the body in standing upright. It may be that our excessively
tense jaw muscles are one way that body and mind try to
compensate for imbalances in the muscles of the neck, back,
hips, legs, and feet. The good news is that inviting your jaw
muscles to relax, as you are doing right now, can free up the
other anti-gravity muscles, bringing you greater comfort,
ease, and efficiency of movement.
PART TWO: THE UPPER POSITION

Step 4. Lightly move the tip ofyour tongue to touch a spotjust above
the one you touched last time. That's inside your cheek on the right
side, near the juncture of your upper and lower lip, but this time it's
just a touch higher than before. It's a difference of millimeters, not
inches. Your lips are together, teeth apart. Your tongue goes between
your teeth to press the inside of your cheek.
• Don t worry too much about the exact placement of your

tongue: As long as the movements of your tongue remain
easy and comfortable, you can't go wrong.
cheek like that, a little higher than before, slowly inhale. As you
slowly inhale, very gently press your tongue outward against the
inside of your cheek.
• However long it takes you to slowly inhale, that's how long it

takes you to gradually extend your tongue a little bit.
• As before, it's as if you were exploring the cheek to determine

the quality of the tissues there. You may feel that the thick-
ness, texture, and elasticity of the cheek are different at this
new location.
• However long it takes you to slowly exhale, that's how long it

takes you to gradually relax your tongue.
Continue. Slowly inhale, press the tongue against the inside of

your cheek. Slowly exhale, relax your tongue. Repeat the gentle
movement several times.
Slowly inhale, extend your tongue. Slowly exhale, and relax

your tongue.
• If you feel any discomfort in moving your tongue like that,
you may do the movement in your imagination only. Merely

think the movements, but do nothing. For our purposes,
imaginary movements are just as effective as real ones.
Merely think the movement, and you will get all the benefits,
effortlessly;
Lull Yourself to Sleep TJX
Step 5. Stop, rest, andfeel. Allow your tongue to be completely
at ease. Can you detect any changes in your jaw, your lips, your
tongue? Does one side of your face feel wider, or more open? Can
you feel that the muscles of your jaw, particularly on the right
side, feel different from before? You may feel the sensation of
gravity gently tugging your jaw back down toward the bed or
floor. You may notice many other things that are unique to your
own experience.
PART THREE: THE LOWER POSITION

Step 6. Lightly move the tip ofyour tongue to touch a spot just
below where you touchedfirst time. As before, it's inside your cheek
on the right side, near the juncture of your upper and lower lips,
but this time it's just a touch below the corner of the mouth. Lips
together, teeth apart.
press your tongue outward against the inside of your cheek.
• As before, it's as if you were exploring the cheek to determine

the quality of the tissues there. You may feel that the thick-
ness, texture, and elasticity of the cheek are different at this
new spot.

allowing the pressure against the cheek to subside. Repeat the
gentle movement several times.
PART FOUR: FARTHER TO THE SIDE

Step 8. Lightly move the tip ofyour tongue to touch a spot just to
the right of where you touched the first time. Again, it's inside your
cheek on the right side, near the juncture of your upper and lower
lips, but this time it's just a touch farther to the right of the corner
of the mouth than it was before. Lips together, teeth apart.
press your tongue outward against the inside of your cheek.

Repeat several times at your own pace. You can pause whenever
you like, then begin again.
Step 9. Stop, rest, and feel. Rest quietly, breathe easy. Let your
tongue be completely at ease. Notice where your tongue is resting
in your mouth now. Notice the feeling in your jaw.
• When you practice this Mini-Move on your own, do just a
few movements, then rest quietly for several minutes. The

rest periods are just as important as the movements, perhaps
more so. It is the alternating structure of slow, synchronized
movements and breathing and periods of quiet rest that

make these techniques so effective.
• As you become more absorbed in the movements, you can
allow longer and longer rest periods. The longer you rest
between the movements, the more receptive you will be to
the gentle rhythms of your own inner self, softly lulling you
toward a state of blissful, restorative slumber.
If you like, you can go ahead and do all the same movements
on the left side of your cheek. Another variation is to press with
the tongue while exhaling, rather than while inhaling. It creates a
slightly different effect, which some people seem to prefer. Or you

can continue to rest quietly, allowing yourself to constructively
linger in that tuneless state. The longer you linger, the deeper will
be your repose.
Lulling Mini-Move #5: The Ziggurat

Now I lay me down to sleep . . .
—Traditional bedtime prayer

Gravity never sleeps. For that reason, simply standing on our own
two feet is for us human beings a precarious balancing act. From
the viewpoint of physics, the human form, with its high center of
gravity and narrow base of support (just those two itty bitty feet!),
is an inherently unstable structure. With every move we make, we

need to instantaneously adapt ourselves to the force of gravity,
which relentlessly tries to drag us down.

Fortunately, the human body has something called an "anti-
gravity system" that enables us to live happily and productively in
this gravity-dominated world. The anti-gravity system is our

automated postural-control system, and it's standard equipment
for all healthy human bodies. It comprises the supporting muscles
of the feet, legs, hips, back, and neck, as well as the neural mecha-
nisms that control them. Whenever we sit or stand, it maintains
the delicate balance of our upright posture with wondrous effi-
ciency. That's what keeps us from falling down.

Even though we may not be aware of it, the simple act of stand-
ing upright requires a lot of muscular work and a lot of brain
activity. Whenever we're sitting or standing, the anti-gravity sys-

tem is on duty, ceaselessly vigilant in its efforts to keep us upright.
When we lie down, however, it's a whole different story. Lying
down fundamentally alters our body's relationship with gravity.
Instead of an unstable object with a high center of gravity and a

narrow base, the body becomes a stable object with a low center of
gravity and a broad base. No longer in constant danger of falling
down, it is down, and no input is required to keep it that way.
Since it's not needed when we're lying down, the anti-gravity
system takes a rest and the postural muscles relax. This global
reduction in muscle activity reduces the excitatory impulses pass-

ing from the muscle nerves to the brainstem, setting the scene for
rest, relaxation, and sleep.
At least, that's the ideal. Often, the reality is that the anti-
gravity system keeps working at a lower pitch, even though we're

lying still with our eyes closed. In that case, the anti-gravity
muscles, especially those of the back and neck, keep sending exci-
tatory signals to the brainstem, thereby delaying the onset of
sleep. The purpose of this Mini-Move is to get those overactive
anti-gravity muscles to quiet down so you can rest and sleep.
Why "the Ziggurat"? A ziggurat is a stepped pyramid. The step-

like movements of this Mini-Move remind me of a ziggurat.
Hence the name.
Note: This sleep-inducing Mini-Move employs movements

that were presented in detail in Lengthening One Side in chapter
3 and Making Room in chapter 4. If any of the movements
described here seem unfamiliar, please review those two. Then
you'll be able to do the Ziggurat with perfect ease and enjoyment.
Step 1 . Get comfortable. Lie on your right side with your left leg
on top of your right. Bend your hips and knees so your knees are
in front of you. Place a pillow under your head so it is comfortably
( .1 I ( ( )\1! ( >l< I \m I.Ik on voin righi side with youi left leg on top of
\oiii right. Bend youi hipa and knees so youi knees are in from <>t you.
supported. You may also wish to place a small pillow or a folded

towel between your knees for greater comfort.
• If you prefer, you can do this exercise lying on your left side
instead. You will get all the benefits.
Step 2. Scan your body at rest. Rest quietly for a few moments.
See how it feels to lie like this. Notice how the side of your head,
your cheek, and your jaw make contact with the pillow under-
neath you. Are they at ease?
• How does your right shoulder rest against the ground? How
about the ribs on your right side? Do your shoulder and ribs
rest firmly on the ground, or not? Can you feel any move-
ment there, in your ribs, as you breathe?
• How about the right side of your waist? Does it completely
surrender its weight to the ground, or not? Don't try to
change anything. Just see what is.
• Feel the right side of your hip, your left thigh, your left knee,
your left calf and Which parts of your-

ankle, your left foot.
self press the floor most distinctly when you are in repose?
Now, as you lie like that, simply observe the movements of your
ribs on your left side. Each time you inhale, your ribs expand and
your right shoulder and hip move a little to make room without
any effort on your part. Each time you exhale, your ribs relax and
your shoulder and your hip move back to their resting position.
Step 3. Tip your hip down. Slowly inhale, and as you do, gradu-
ally move your left hip down, away from your head, in the direc-
tion of your feet. It's as if your whole pelvis were rocking in the
direction of your feet.
Then slowly exhale, and as you do, allow your hip to return to
the resting position. The movement should be very small, with
minimal force. That's all it takes.
TIP YOUR HIP DOWN. Slowly inhale, and as you do, gradually tip your
left hip down, away from your head, in the direction of your feet.
Rest for one or more complete breath cycles. Breathe easy, and
see what you feel. Do you notice any difference in how your body
lies against the floor now?
Repeat the movement several times. Slowly inhale, and tip your
hip down. Slowly exhale, allow your hip to relax and return to its
resting position. Rest and breathe after each movement.
• Make your movements light, easy, and slow. Remember, the

less effort you expend, the more restful will be the result. Big,
quick, powerful movements tend to be stimulating. Small,
slow, gentle movements synchronized with breathing have a
tranquilizing effect.
• Make no effort to breathe deeply or any special way. Simply
let your breath come and go of its own accord. Don't huff
and pull Take! .ill the time you need for each breath.
I
ach time you inhale and tip youi hip down like chat, what
happeni to youi ribs and your waist on the right side oi your
body, underneath you? Do they seem to be lifting up away from

the ground, or pressing closer down into it? Do your ribs and
waist feel like they're resting on the floor more heavily, or are they
getting a little lighter?
Each time you exhale and allow your hip to return to its resting
position, what happens then? Do your ribs and your waist seem to
be lifting up away from the ground, or pressing closer down into
it? Do your ribs and waist feel like they're resting on the floor
more firmly, or are they getting lighter?
Step 4. Tip your hip in stages. This movement is done in four
stages. Each step is synchronized with one complete breath cycle.

Stage 1 : Slowly inhale, and as you do, tip your left hip down a
very small distance, perhaps one quarter of what you did in Step
2. Then, keeping your hip where it is, slowly exhale.
• You exhale, but do not allow your hip to come back to the
resting position yet. Keep it down.
Stage 2: With your next breath, slowly inhale, and as you do,
move your left hip down a little bit farther. Then, keeping your
hip where it is, slowly exhale. Keep your hip where it is, a little far-
ther down than in stage one.
Stage 3: With your third breath, slowly inhale and move your
left hip still farther down. Then, keeping your hip where it is,
slowly exhale. Keep your hip where it is, a little farther down than
in stage two.
Stage 4: Now slowly inhale, keeping your hip where it is. Then
slowly exhale and very gradually allow your right hip to relax and
return to its natural resting position.
Step 5. Stop, rest, and feel. After you have done this four-stage
movement just once, stop, rest, and feel for three or more complete
breath cycles.
TIP YOUR HIP IN STAGES. On three successive breaths, tip your hip a
little bit farther down and hold it there. With the final breath, slowly
exhale and relax your hips completely. Your waist sinks into the floor.
What do you feel in your ribs and your waist on your right side
now? You may feel them begin to press the floor a little more
firmly than before. You may feel as if your waist is "sinking" into
the floor. Either way, that means that your postural muscles are
relinquishing their unnecessary effort and surrendering to the

force of gravity. You are beginning to deeply relax.
• All physical movements, even very gentle ones like these, are
stimulating and produce a feeling of physical excitation.

When you rest quietly, you can feel those sensations gradu-
ally ebb away. Your body becomes very still and you feel tran-
quil.
By taking time to nurture this alternating ebb and flow of exci-
tation, you arc attuning yourself to the natural rhythm ol action
and repose as it is expressed in youi own body. The more you

become attuned to this rhythm, the easier it will be for you to rest
and sleep.
You may repeat Steps 3 and 4 as desired. Rest frequently. The

more time you take to rest between the movements, the more
time your mind and body have to respond by becoming deeply
relaxed. You are welcome to try the movements while lying on the
other side, too.
If at any time you feel that sleepy, dreamy, drowsy feeling com-
ing on, by all means surrender to it. Remember, the urge to sleep
is a reflection of one of your body's most fundamental needs.

This Mini-Move is one of my personal favorites. I sometimes
awaken an hour earlier than I want to. When I do, I just roll to my
side and do a few rounds of the Ziggurat and go back to sleep.
May it serve you as well as it does me.

Application. This Mini-Move can be done at bedtime, to help
you fall asleep. If you awaken during the night or early morning,
you may do it again. Remember, the rest periods between the
movements are the most important part!
Lulling Mini-Move #6: Welcoming Sleep with Open

Arms (Instead of Pacing the Floor)
We are somewhat more ourselves in our sleeps; and the

slumber of the body seems to be the waking of the soul.
— Sir Thomas Browne
In the event of insomnia, advises Deepak Chopra in his book

Restful Sleep, "Don't give up, and don't get up." His thinking is
that even if you're awake, you should stay in bed and rest. Lying
quietly in bed is far more restful than pacing the floor, reading a
book, or whatever else you might do at 4 a.m. Besides, if you're
lying quietly in bed, you have a much better chance of drifting
back to sleep than if you're vacuuming the living room, playing

video games, or tweaking your PowerPoint presentation — activi-
ties that may end up making you even more wakeful than before.
In general, I endorse Dr. Chopras approach, especially when
used in conjunction with the lulling Mini-Moves presented here.
If you wake up during the night, I encourage you to stay right
where you are and practice any one of the lulling Mini-Moves
you've learned so far. In most cases, they will bring you to a deeply
restful state in which, whether you sleep or not, your body can
renew its vital energies. That ensures that you will get all the rest
you possibly can. Sleep on it!
However, there may be times when you become so wakeful, so
restless and agitated, that to force yourself to lie quietly in bed

would be agonizing. Anxiety attacks, excessive worry, and night-
mares are just a few examples of things that can just about cata-
pult you out of bed. Your muscles get tense, your heart races, and
your breathing goes all out of whack. In that case, why punish
yourself? Get out of bed for a while, and forget about sleep. Try
something different.
The following techniques are designed to help you at those dif-

ficult times when you just can't keep yourself in bed. They are
practiced in standing position. The idea is to do them until
you become calm enough to comfortably return to bed. Once

you're back in bed, you can do any other Mini-Moves in your
favorite lying-down position. You already know how effective
they can be.

The Mini-Move is presented in three parts for easy, effective
learning. Ead) pari teaches you something new about the move-
ments of the breath. Once you've mastered the three parts in the
order given, you may practice them separately, or as t single, com-

plete sequence. Remember, the Mini-Moves are yours to use as
yOU see fit.

PART ONE: ROLLING YOUR ARMS

Step 1. Home position. Stand with your feet parallel, your arms
resting comfortably at your sides. Soften your focus and allow
your eyelids to droop. Soften your gaze. Do not focus on anything
in particular. As always, take all the time you need for each breath.
HOME POSITION. Stand

with feet parallel, your arms
!<T *, ' resting comfortably at your
sides.
Step 2. Roll your arms outward. Slowly inhale, and as you do,
gradually rotate your arms outward so the palms of your hands
face forward. Slowly exhale, relax your arms, and allow them to
return to the home position. Repeat the movement five to ten times.
What is the path of the breath through your body when you
move like that? Where is the feeling of fullness on inhalation? Is it
in the back or the front of your body? Is it in the lower, middle, or
upper breathing space?

ROLL YOUR ARMS

OUTWARD. Slowly inhale
C
and as you do, gradually
f$ |
rotate your arms outward so

the palms of your hands face
forward.
• Don't think where the breath sbouldbe; try to feel where it is.
Using your intellect will lead you to confirm what you

already know. Using your senses allows you to discover the
new and unexpected.
• Synchronize your movements with your breath. However
long it takes you to inhale, that's how long it takes to rotate
your arms outward. However long it takes to exhale, that's
how long ir takes to bring your arms to the starting position.

• Each tunc von complete an exhalation, be sure to allow a
moment's pause before the next inhalation begins. In that
brief moment u hen your breath is empty, your mind becomes

very still.
Step 3. Rttt and pause Slowly

. exhale and gradually allow the
hands fluid arms to return to the starting position. Rest for at least
three Of more Complete breath Cycles.

See if there is any change in your breathing as a result of what

you've done. Do you feel a little calmer, a little more at ease than
before?
If you feel a little calmer, rest a little longer. If you feel agitated
or anxious, you may continue to the next step now.
Step 4. Roll your arms inward. This time, slowly inhale and roll
your arms inward so the palms of your hands face behind you.
Then, slowly exhale, relax your arms, and allow them to return to
the home position. Do not hurry. Take all the time you need for
each breath.
ROLL YOUR ARMS

INWARD. Slowly inhale and
roll your arms inward so the
palms of your hands face
behind you.
What is the path of the breath through your body now?

Where is the feeling of fullness on inhalation? Do you feel it
in the front of your body or the back? Is it mostly in the

lower, middle, or upper breathing space?
Repeat the movement five to ten times.

Step 5. Rest and pause. Slowly exhale and gradually allow the
hands and arms to return to the starting position. Rest for at least
three or more complete breath cycles.
Notice any changes in your mood, or your state of mind. If you
feel peaceful and at ease, rest a little longer. If not, proceed to the
next step now.
Step 6. Rollyour arms inward and outward. Now you'll combine
the two movements you've learned into a single, continuous,
flowing action.
Slowly inhale and turn your arms outward so your palms face
forward. Notice where the breath goes —what parts of yourself
move as you breathe? Then slowly exhale and allow your arms to
return to their starting position.
On the next breath, slowly inhale and turn your arms inward,
so your palms face back. Where does the breath go? What parts of
yourself move now? Then exhale and allow your arms to return to
their starting position. Allow a moment's pause before the next

inhalation begins. Repeat several times.
Step 7. Stop, rest, and feel. You may notice that you breathe
more fully now. More parts of yourself are available to participate
in the movements of respiration.
I )o you feel a little calmer than when you began? If so, you may
return to bed now. Otherwise, continue following the step-by-
ttep instruction* in the next section.
PART TWO: KXPANDING YOUR HANDS

Step 8. Home position. Stand quietly with your feet parallel.
Your armi rest at youi sides.
Sup (
). Spread the thumb and index finger. Slowly inhale, and as
vou do, very gently tpread the thumb m^\ the index finger of each
hand apart from each other. Then slowly exhale, and relax your
hands.
The movement is a very gentle, gradual opening and closing of
the hand at the thumb and index finger only. The rest of your
hand remains still.
SPREAD THE THUMB

AND INDEX FINGER.
Slowly inhale, and as you do,
very gently spread the thumb
and the index finger of each
hand apart from each other.
Slowly exhale, and relax your
hands.
Repeat that movement several times. Slowly inhale, spread the

thumbs and index fingers apart. Slowly exhale, and relax.
• Where does your breath gowhen you move your hands like
that? What parts of your body move as you breathe?
Step 10. Spread the thumb and the little finger. Slowly inhale, and
as you do, very gently spread your thumbs apart from your little
fingers and your little fingers apart from your thumbs. Then
slowly exhale, and relax your hands. Don't hurry. Take all the time
you need for each breath.
The movement is a gentle opening of the hand at the thumb

and the little finger. The rest of the fingers remain still.
SPREAD THE THUMB

AND THE LITTLE
FINGER. Slowly inhale, and
as you do, very gently spread
your thumbs apart from your
little fingers and your little
fingers apart from your

thumbs. Then slowly exhale,
and relax your hands.
Repeat thai movement several times. Slowly inhale, spread the
thumbs and little fingers. Slowly exhale, and relax.
• Where does your breath go when you move your hands like
that? What parti of your body move as you breathe?
Step, lie ombint the two movements. Now you'll combine the
tun movement! vou've learned into a single, continuous, Mowing
.k uon.
Slowly inhale and gently spread your thumbs and index

fingers apart. Slowly exhale, relax. Take all the time you need
between the end of your exhalation and the beginning of the next
inhalation.
Whenever you're ready, begin the next inhalation. As you

slowly inhale, spread your thumbs and your little fingers apart.
Then slowly exhale, and relax. Repeat several times.
• Can you feel that the breath takes a different path through
your body depending on whether you open the thumb/index

or the thumb/little finger?
Step 12. Stop, rest, and feel. How does it feel to stand on your
own two feet now? Do you feel more at ease than when you
began? Do you feel a little more inclined to sleep? If so, you may
return to bed now. Otherwise, continue following the step-by-
step instructions in the next section.
PART THREE: WELCOMING SLEEP WITH OPEN ARMS

Step 13. Welcome sleep with open arms. Slowly inhale, and as you
do, turn your arms outward so your palms face forward. At the
same time, spread your thumbs apart from your index fingers.
Slowly exhale, and allow the breath to subside completely.

Allow the next inhalation to come of its own accord. Then,
slowly inhale, turn your arms inward so your palms face back, and
spread your thumbs apart from your little fingers. Then slowly
exhale, relax your arms, and relax your hands.
• Allow your breath to be guided by the movement and the

movement, in turn, to be guided by the breath. Any changes
will happen spontaneously, without any effort of will.

WELCOME SLEEP WITH

OPEN ARMS 1. Slowly
inhale, and as you do, turn
your arms outward so your
palms face forward. At the
same time, spread your
thumbs apart from your
index fingers. Slowly exhale,
and relax.
WELCOME SLEEP WITH

OPEN ARMS 2. Then slowly
inhale, turn youi arms inward
so your palms face hack, and
spread your thumbs apart
from your little fingers. Then

slowly exhale, relax your
arms, and relax your hands.
• As you rest, notice how it feels to breathe. Can you feel how
this way of moving and breathing is helping to "make room"
inside yourself? See what you discover.
• Breath is movement; without movement there is no breath.
Just as each snowflake has its own unique pattern, so does
each breath you take. Each breath finds its own unique path
through your body, depending on the way you move as you
breathe.
• By varying the movements of respiration, you open new
pathways for the breath. Your body becomes spacious. Your
breathing gets fuller and freer, and you feel more fully alive. It
brings you pleasure and peace.

• When you are fully alive, sleep is never a problem. If you
need sleep, you will sleep. When you awaken, you'll feel more
alert and energetic all day long.
• Now that you have graciously welcomed sleep with open
arms, you can down in bed and
lie receive your guest. You
may drift, you may dream, you may doze. By all means, fol-
low your dream to its illogical conclusion. Soon enough you

will lie warm in the gold of dawn.
The Rush to Sleep
In this fast-paced world of ours, most of us are rushing all the
time. Rushing to go here or there, rushing to do this or that. And

crazy as it sounds, we even rush to sleep\
Think about it: We set aside eight, or seven, or six hours for our
nightly rest. Then we try to shoehorn all of our much-needed rest
into that narrow little slipper of time. It's an awfully tight fit!
Sleeping on such a tight schedule produces lots of anxious

anticipation. "Am I still awake? I have to be up at six! I don't have
time to waste!" That kind of thinking can excite your mind and
—
body, producing a flood of stress hormones that can delay the

onset of sleep.
What can you do? Turn that bedtime rush hour into a bedtime
hush hour! Here's how: If you need eight hours' sleep, allow your-
self eight and a half or even nine hours in bed. That's right
get into bed thirty to sixty minutes earlier than you absolutely
need to.
Do that, and the pressure is off. All you do is rest quietly, relax
your body, clear your mind, and think of nothing in particular.

Take all the time you need for each breath. You may drift, you
may dream, you may doze, all at your own natural pace.
Give it a try. That luxurious "hush hour" really sets the scene
for sounder sleep.
Mind Management
Clearly, what you do with your mind matters. And that's espe-
cially true when it comes to bedtime. For example, a psycholog-
ical survey of pre-sleep thought patterns revealed that sound

sleepers most often think of nothing in particular, whereas troubled
sleepers think of things like jobs, taxes, and health concerns. The
results suggest that troubling or overly stimulating thoughts can
keep you awake. Oil the other hand, thinking of nothing in par-
ticular can help you gel into just the right frame of mind for a
restful night ol dozing and dreaming.
When your mind is calm and clear of disturbing thoughts, it's
miK h easier CO quiet down and get ready to sleep. Its important to
respect the integrity of your mental processes, however, and not
try CO Control yow mind. Your thoughts, emotions, and memories
-in most reliable Sources OJ information about yourself and
the world around you. You don't want to distort or disrupt that
natural information lysteml

Rather than mind-control strategies, I favor mind management.

Mind management allows you to gently moderate your thought
processes so you can adapt more effectively to whatever you're
doing in the moment. When you're writing or speaking or per-
forming any complex task, your mind should be alert and awake.
You want to be able to process a wide variety of thoughts as
quickly as possible. But when it's time to rest, you need to be able
to shift your mental gears. Your thinking naturally slows down,

and the volume of your thoughts is considerably reduced. Your
mind becomes calm and clear.
The Mini-Moves excel at helping you achieve the calm, clear
quality of mind that is most supportive of deep rest and sound sleep.
Even so, there are some simple mind-management techniques that
you may wish to use in conjunction with the Mini-Moves. You'll
find these helpful at times when your mind is awash with stimulat-
ing thoughts, and you prefer to rest. Here are a few to try:
Nothing in particular. When it's time for bed, do as sound

sleepers do: Set aside all mundane concerns, rest quietly, and
think of nothing in particular.
Passing clouds. If and when troubling thoughts do arise, imag-
ine that they are passing far over your head like fluffy white clouds
in a clear blue sky. Just as clouds are vaporous forms in the sky,
thoughts are vaporous forms in your mind. Rest assured, they have
no power over you.
Turn on your "mental" radio. Imagine that your thoughts are
being broadcast to you on a radio. Then, imagine that the radio is
in another room, with the door ajar. You can hear the radio play-
ing, but you can't quite make out the words.
If you are inclined to visual thinking, you can use an imaginary
TV instead. Imagine that you are placing it just out of viewing
range, so the picture is indistinct. The smaller the screen, the bet-
ter. Imagining a black and white TV is good, too!
"Not now. " Say silently to yourself, "In this moment I choose
quiet rest. Nothing else is required of me in this moment, only quiet

rest and a calm, clear mind. "Once you have made that resolve, you
may greet any intruding thoughts with the gentle yet firm state-
ment, "Not now!"

You may use these gentle, non-intrusive mind-management
techniques to calm and clear your mind at any time. They also
make a great prelude to any of the lulling Mini-Moves presented

in this chapter.
Sleep Continuity Versus Sleep Reversibility
Many people expect to get into bed and sleep continuously all
night long, never waking up 'til morning. But that's an unrealistic

expectation. The truth is that all human sleepers briefly wake up
fifteen to thirty-five times a night. That's part of our natural sleep
rhythm!
The difference between sound sleepers and troubled sleepers is
not that sound sleepers sleep through the night and troubled
sleepers wake up. The difference is this: Sound sleepers wake up
those fifteen to thirty-five times, but they return to sleep quickly.
Most of the time they don't even remember waking up. Troubled
sleepers wake Up and stay up. Therefore sound sleep depends not
on continuity, but rather on reversibility of sleep. Reversibility of
sleep means you can wake up, go back to sleep, wake up, and go
back to sleep again, as needed.

The Concept of reversible action was first articulated by Dr.
Moshe leldenkrais, the modern-day sage of mindful movement.
In his groundbreaking hook, The Potent Self, Feldenkrais wrote:
Reversibility is .1 feature ol .ill cone* t w tion, even sleep. I nus, the
uc-ll coordinated mature person, siu h .is found among people who
have succeeded in making their occupation their pleasure, can go

off to sleep when he feels like it and wake up when necessary.
Moreover, all healthy animals and humans do not object to being
awakened, as they can stop sleeping and resume sleeping without
trouble. The ability to stop an action, a process, restart it, reverse
it, or drop it all together is one of the finer criteria of proper acture.
[Emphasis in original]
It is not necessary to explore the full implications of this pas-

sage. They are vast, not only for sleep but for all human action, for
life in general. For our purposes, it's enough to note that

Feldenkrais identified sleep as a paradigm case of reversibility,
which he notes is a "feature of all correct action." I have recast this
principle to make it more sleep-specific, as follows: Reversibility is
a feature of all natural restful sleep. I believe this more sleep-
specific formulation is true to the spirit of the original.
When your sleep is not fully reversible, you feel that you can't
trust yourself to recover from an unexpected awakening. There-

fore, you dread being awakened, and you tend to resent anyone or
anything that disturbs your slumber. That leads to something I
call The "Oh, s— t!" Effect. When you wake up unexpectedly, the
first thing you do is to say to yourself, "Oh, s— t!" (or a more gen-
teel equivalent). Those two words are very powerful! They express
your stubborn unwillingness to accept what already is — a fool-
proof recipe for frustration. That sets off a cascade of stressful

reactions in your body. And, as we have seen, stressful reactions
arouse you and make you far less likely to get back to sleep any-
time soon.
Now here's the good news: Reversibility of sleep can be learned.
The Mini-Moves presented in this chapter guide you step-by-step

toward deep, restful, fully reversible sleep. For best results, practice
every night at bedtime. Sleep will come to you sweetly, without

any effort of will. If you awaken during the night, practice again.
Little by little, you will merge back into that sleepy, dreamy,
drowsy state. Practice often! The effect is cumulative. Eventually
your sleep will become fully reversible. Your days will be sweeter
and more livable, and each night will be a new opportunity to
bask in the velvety shadows of sounder, more restful sleep.
Late- Night Awakenings: Burden or Blessing?
Many people complain of late-night or early-morning awaken-

ings. Are you one of them? Do you wake up at 2 a.m., or later, and
remain awake for forty-five minutes or an hour? Do you blame
those wakeful periods for restless nights and drowsy, unproductive
days?
In my work with troubled sleepers, I have sometimes found it
helpful to consider the situation from another angle: Perhaps the
problem is not the awakenings themselves, but our rigid expecta-

tions about sleep. Consider the following:
There is considerable evidence that in ancient times our ances-

tors slept in two shifts. They'd go to bed soon after sundown, then
awaken for an hour or more after midnight. This so-called night-
watch could be a time of lucid waking rest, quiet contemplation
or prayer, stoking the fire, tending to children or animals, or just

gazing at the heavens. Then it was back to bed for a "second sleep"
lasting til dawn. At that leisurely pace, our ancestors could easily
enjoy .ill the restful sleep they needed between dusk and dawn.
Walt Whitman (1819-1892) celebrated the nightwatch in his
poena "A Clear Midnight":
This is thy hour ( ) Soul, thy free flight into the wordless.
Away from hooks, away from .in, the day erased,
the lesson done,

Thee fully forth emerging, silent, grazing,
pondering the themes thou lovest best,
Night, sleep, death, and the stars.
The nightwatch can be viewed as part of our ancestral sleep

legacy, and a product of our natural bodily rhythms. It is also a
source of spiritual sustenance and renewal —much needed in

these turbulent times! Sadly, our rush to sleep often turns that nat-
ural, nourishing pause in the sleep process from ally to enemy.

As I write this, I have quite recently resettled in New Mexico,
in the mountains east of Albuquerque. Last night, I attended a
dinner party at the home of some new friends in Santa Fe, forty-
five miles north of my home, and then spent the night with a col-
The party was wonderful,

league nearby. but, spurred on by the
good company and general merriment, I ate more than I should
have. I was in bed by midnight, and I slept soundly for a few
hours. But at about 3 a.m. I was awakened by a disturbing dream
and the rumblings of my own stomach. I was wide awake.
I slowly rolled out of bed and stood up, taking care not to open
my eyes wide nor to focus very distinctly on any object, lest I
become further aroused. For ten or fifteen minutes I practiced

Welcoming Sleep with Open Arms. As I did that, I savored the
silence and solitude of that late hour. I surrendered myself to the
ultimate reality of "this breath, this movement, this moment." At
one point, a few fragments of the just-cited Whitman poem
meandered across my mind: "Night, sleep, death, and the stars."
Little by little, the Mini-Moves delivered me to a state of pro-
found peace and serenity.
I lay down on the bed and extinguished the light. I was in that
sleepy, dreamy, drowsy state, neither fully awake nor quite asleep,
that I have come to know so well. I did a few rounds of Breath
Surfing. I remember feeling that this had been one of the deepest
296 The Insoa^nia Solution
and most pleasurable meditations I had ever experienced. My

next thought, whatever it may have been, was obscured by the
softly falling velvet curtain of blackness. I rested peacefully until
morning, sleeping a half hour longer than I had planned. In spite
of the half-hour interruption in my sleep, I awoke refreshed and

energized and feeling spiritually renewed. It was a beautiful, cool
April day with deep blue, cloudless skies. I got into my car and
drove home, exulting in the stunning mountain vistas of New
Mexico's Route 14, the Turquoise Trail.
• Sleep on it. You may come to regard the nightwatch as a pre-
cious opportunity rather than an unwelcome interruption.
Then simply allow yourself all the time you need in bed, all
the time you need to let the natural sleep process unfold.
That brings you deeper, more nurturing rest and a sweeter,
more gracious relationship with your own body and spirit.
A Return to the Self:

I he Spiritual Dimension of Sleep
The Dalai Lama, interviewed in the Utne Reader, has called sleep
K
our [m]ost important meditation! . . . Not for nirvana, but for
survival." I lis Holiness is quite right, of course —we wouldn't sur-
vive long without our daily dose of "vitamin S." But sleep is far
more than just "survival meditation. " It can also be a profound

adjunct to any spiritual practice*
Between waking and sleeping lies a state of what the ancient yogic
seers called the mrvikdlpiU the state free of thought-constructs.
Modern Kience calls this the hypnagogic state. This is our natural
gateway to the wild interior of our minds. It is the common point
of departure tor meditation, introspection, contemplation, dreams,

and Ueep t
In truth, sleep is our nightly return to the self, whether we are

aware of it or not. During waking hours everything we see, hear,
feel, and do seems to draw us out of ourselves. Immersed and

engaged in that outer world of people and things —of action —we
forget what we really are. When we lie down to sleep, we withdraw
our awareness from that tumultuous outer world. We go inside, to
be with ourselves, in the moment. There, our hearts open to
dreams and wonder, and we catch a nightly glimpse of our origi-
nal self, unencumbered by the stresses and strains of daily life.
This lonely confrontation with self may be difficult for some. It
may evoke feelings that we would prefer to ignore. But for those
of us who are inclined to introspection, it is a great gift. At that
moment of stillness, we return to our source in nature and the
cosmos, we surrender to a power greater than ourselves, and the
attitude of prayer and meditation comes to us spontaneously,
without any effort of will.

This restful path to higher consciousness was well traveled by
the yogis of ages past. For example, verse 75 of Vijnanabhairava
{Divine Consciousness), a millennium-old manual of yogic medita-
tion practices, advises:
When you are about to fall asleep

and all external objects have faded from view,
concentrate on the state between sleep and waking.
There the Supreme Goddess will reveal herself.
In modern times, great scientists and artists have looked to the

hypnagogic state as a font of creative inspiration. Einstein realized
an important piece of his relativity theory while strolling on a
sunbeam, deep in a dream. Kekule identified the circular struc-
ture of the benzeneatom while dreaming of teeming serpents.
Vincent van Gogh used to say that the pictures came to him "as if
in a dream." And the great conductor Arturo Toscanini used to

enter the hypnagogic state during his concerts, as revealed in a
recently published letter:
Do you know that at the modulation of E flat [in the Adagio of

Beethoven's Ninth] I always conduct with my eyes closed? I see
extremely bright lights far, far away; I see shadows moving around,
penetrated by rays that make them even more disembodied; I see
flowers of the most charming shapes and colours. And the very
music I'm conducting seems to descend from up there — I don't
know where!
So you see, that time you spend each night waiting for the ferry
to Slumber Land need not be wasted. It can be a time of deep
introspection and a rich source of insight. In that case, you can
enjoy the seeming paradox that for you, sleep will become a
vehicle for self-awakening.

Appendix A
*****
For Further Exploration
Sounder Sleep Sominars

Phone: 866-864-4071
Web site: www.soundersleep.com
This is the official Web site of the Sounder Sleep System. It
includes a current schedule of public programs and professional

training opportunities; online marketplace for Sounder Sleep
media; directory of authorized instructors in North America and

Europe, plus information and published articles on the system.
The Feldenkrais Guild® of North America

3611 SW Hood Avenue, Suite 100
Portland, OR 97239
Phone:800-775-2118
E-mail: guild@feldenkrais.com
Web site: www.feldenkrais.com
The primary source for information about the Feldenkrais

Method of movement education. Web site includes informational
299
materials; directory of teachers; list of professional training pro-

grams; online bookstore, and more.
Feldenkrais Resources
830 Bancroft Way, Suite 1 12
Berkeley, CA 94710
Phone: 800-765-1907 or 510-540-7600
E-mail: Feldenres@aol.com
Web site: www.feldenkraisresources.com
Feldenkrais Resources carries a wide selection of books, audio,

and video on the Feldenkrais Method and related fields of move-
ment education. They also offer regular classes and professional
training in the Feldenkrais Method at their Berkeley location, and
elsewhere. Their excellent printed catalog comes out every two
years.
Appendix B
* * *
Mini -Moves in Brief
The Mini-Moves as presented in chapters 3 through 5 have been

carefully composed to give you a guided, step-by-step learning
experience similar to what you'd receive in one of my Sounder

Sleep Sominars. They will enable you to learn in depth, practice
effectively, and achieve the most satisfying possible results.
Once you have familiarized yourself with a Mini-Move in its
expanded form, you may use the brief synopsis below as an aid to
further practice. The synopses contain only the principal move-
ments. They are intended only as an aid to practice and memory, not
as a substitute for the full text.
Chapter 3
Relaxing Mini-Move #1: The Pelvic Rock
1. Home position. Lie on your back and rest quietly for several
minutes. Notice which parts of your body make contact

with the floor. Bend your knees and put your feet standing,
with the soles of your feet flat on the floor.

2. Tilt your hips back. Very gently and slowly, tilt your hips a
little bit so that the lowermost tip of your tailbone lifts
301
.
upward, toward the sky, and your waist and lower back
move downward, toward the earth. Then relax. Repeat sev-
eral times, then rest.
3. Tilt your hips forward. This time, slowly and gently tilt your
hips the other way. The lowermost tip of your tailbone
moves down, toward the earth, and your waist and lower
back lift up, away from the floor. Then relax. Repeat several
times, then rest.
4. Tilt your hips forward and back. Slowly tilt your hips for-
ward, then tilt them back. Repeat several times, then rest.
5. Rhythmic pulsation. Tilt your hips forward and back with

very small, very quick motions. The gentle, rocking motion
of your hips generates a pulsation that spreads through your
entire frame. Continue as long as desired. Then rest.
Relaxing Mini-Move #2: Unlocking Your Rib "Cage"
1 Observe yourselfin action. Stand, and gently turn and look to

the right and to the left several times. Make a mental note of
some object that you can see to your far right, and another
to your far left.
2. Float your shoulder. Lie down. Slowly, gently lift your right
shoulder a little bit off the floor. Then gradually allow your
shoulder to sink back to the floor. Repeat several times, then
rest.
3. Synchronize your head and shoulder. Each time you float your
right shoulder upward, deliberately roll your head very gen-
tly to the left. Repeat several times, then rest.
4. Unlock your "cage. Slowly float your right shoulder upward,

Uld as you do so, very gently press your left shoulder into the
floor. You needn't press hard! Then lower your right shoul-
dei. and stop [Messing with the left. Repeat several times,
then rest.
.
Mini-Moves in Brief 303
5. Side two. Repeat Steps 2 through 4 on the other side.
6. Rhythmic turning. Turn your trunk right and left, and allow
your arms to swing freely. Allow your chest to be free and
flexible. Look for the most pleasurable way to do the move-
ment, so it feels really delicious.
Relaxing Mini-Move #3: Lengthening One Side of Your Trunk

1 Raise your arms. Stand up, and slowly raise your right arm
to the ceiling without strain, without stretching. Now do
the same with your left arm. How does that feel? Make a
mental note of it so you'll have something to compare with
later on.
2. Observe yourself in repose. Lie on your back for a few mo-

ments. Notice how the various parts of your body make
contact with the floor underneath you.
3. Home position. Lie on your right side on a soft rug, a blan-
ket, or an exercise mat on the floor. Bend your legs at the hip
and knee so that your knees lie on the floor in front of you.
The left leg lies on top of the right in a symmetrical fashion.
4. Slide your foot down. Now slide your left foot a little bit
down, away from your head, as if you were going to straighten

your leg.
5. Mobilize your shoulder. Lie on your right side, as in step 3.
Very gently move your left shoulder up, in the direction of

your ear.
6. Move your hip down. Without moving your foot or leg, can
you move your hip down, away from your shoulder?
7. Elongate your leg. Straighten your left leg and move your left
heel downward, away from your head, so that your leg gets
longer.
8. Lengthen one side. Lie on your right side in the Home Posi-
tion. Very gently, move your left hip down, and at the same
time move your left shoulder up, toward your ear. Your
shoulder and your hip move apart, and the whole left side
of your body grows longer.

9. Feel the difference. Slowly roll to your side and stand up and
see how it feels. Slowly raise your left arm toward the ceil-
ing. How does that feel now? Try raising your right arm.
Which arm feels lighter, longer? Which arm is easier to raise?
10. Explore the other side. Lie down and rest for a while. Then,
when you're ready, lie on your right side, and repeat all the
movements, this time with your left hip and shoulder.
Don't hurry. Take your time, and see what you discover.
Relaxing Mini-Move #4: Slouch and Recover
1. Observe your sitting posture. Sit on the front half of the seat,
any way that you like as long as you are not leaning on the
backrest. Notice how it feels to sit like that.
2. Look down. Slowly lower your head and look down to see
your belt buckle. Slowly raise your head, and sit up. Repeat
several times, then rest.
3. Engage your ribs and chest. Each time you lower your head
and eyes to look down, your chest tends to tip downward,
toward your belly. As you raise your head and eyes, your
chest rises CO help bring the head to the upright position.
Repeat several times, then rest. (Place your fingertips on
vour sternum if you like.)
4. Engage your lower back. (Place your hand on your lower back
if you like.) Each time you slouch, allow your lower back to
OIOVC backward Your back rounds slightly. Each time you
recover, allow vour lower back to move forward. Repeat sev-
5. Rock your pelvis. I OWcring vour head produces a gentle

backward rocking ol yotu pelvis; you sit more on the rear-
ward portion of your buttocks. Raising your head produces

a gentle forward rocking of your pelvis; you sit more on the
forward portion of your buttocks. Repeat several times, then
rest.
6. Put it all together. Rock forward and back several times,
engaging the head and eyes, chest, and lower back.

7. Observe your seated posture. See if there is any difference,
however small, in the way that you sit now, as compared to
when you began.
Relaxing Mini-Move #5: Painting the Air (Freeing Your Arms

for Action)
1. Raise your arms. Slowly raise both arms in front of you, as if
you were reaching for your keyboard, and slowly lower your
arms to your knees again. Do your arms feel light and easy
to move, or heavy and cumbersome? Repeat several times,
then rest.
2. Raise your arms while slouching. Slouch as you learned to do

in the previous Mini-Move. While slouched, slowly raise
your arms and lower them several times in succession.

Remain slouched the entire time you're moving your arms.
Repeat several times, then rest.
3. Raise your arms while sitting up tall. Sit as tall as possible
without strain. While holding your body upright like that,
slowly raise and lower your arms several times. Repeat sev-
4. Synchronize your arms with your trunk. To begin, slouch.
Then as you recover from the slouch and come to sit up tall,
slowly lift your arms. Then gradually slouch again, and

slowly lower your arms. Synchronize the movement of your
arms with the movements of your trunk. Repeat several
times, then rest.

.
5. Air-painting. As you raise your arms, paint the imaginary

canvas with the backs of your hands in an upward-sweeping
brushstroke. As you reach the top of the stroke, gently allow
your wrists to bend back so that the palm side of your hands
faces the canvas. Then paint the canvas in a downward-
sweeping stroke with the palms of your hands. Repeat sev-
6. Advanced air-painting. As you begin to stroke downward

with your right hand, raise your left hand to stroke upward.
When you have raised your left hand as far as you like and
your right hand has returned to its starting position, lower
your left hand as you raise your right. Repeat several times,
then rest.
7. Feel the difference. Slowly raise your arms as if to reach the
keys of a keyboard, and slowly lower them. See how it feels
now. Do your arms feel light or heavy? Are they easy to

move, or cumbersome?
Relaxing Mini-Move #6: To Banish Neck and Shoulder

Tension: Hang Loose!
1 Calibrate your shoulders. Take note of the distance between
the tip of your right shoulder and your right earlobe. Com-
pare th.it with the distance between your left shoulder and
your left earlobe.
2. Calibrate your head and eyes. Slowly and gently turn your
head ami eves to the right <w^ to the left, without straining.
I )oes your head turn farther to one side or the other? Which
feels freer a\\c\ easier, turning to the right or the left?
Raise your right shoulder. As you slowly inhale, gently raise
in right shoulder. Repeat several times, then rest.
4. Raise the shoulder in three Stages, Slowlv inhale and raise your
shoulder ahout one c]iiarter of the way, and hold it there.
.
Slowly exhale. Repeat two more times, raising the shoulder

higher each time. Then slowly inhale, and as you exhale,
slowly lower the shoulder and relax. Repeat several times,
then rest.
5. Recalibrate your shoulder. Take note of the distance between

the tip of your right shoulder and your right earlobe now. Is
it different than before?
6. Recalibrate your head and eyes. Slowly and gently turn your
head and eyes to the right and to the left, without straining.
Does your head turn farther to one side or the other? Which
side feels freer and easier now, turning to the right or the left?
7. Side two. Repeat Steps 3 through 5 with the left shoulder.
Chapter 4
Calming Mini-Move #1: L.E.S.S. Is More
1 Explore the lower breathing space. Place your hands side by
side, palms down, on your lower abdomen. As you slowly
inhale, your belly rises and expands, and your hands move
with your belly. As you slowly exhale, your belly sinks, and
your hands sink with your belly. Your breath does the move-
ment, not you.
2. Explore the middle breathing space. Place your right hand on
the lowermost rib on the right, palm down, so that the rib is
cradled in the crease of the palm of your hand. Place your

left hand in the same position on the left side. As you slowly
inhale, your ribs rise and expand, and your hands move with
your ribs. As you slowly exhale, your ribs sink, and your
hands sink with your ribs. Your breath does the movement,
not you.
3. Explore the upper breathing space. Bring your hands to the
upper part of your chest, below your collarbones and above

your breast. Arrange your hands so that the tips of your

middle fingers lightly touch each other in the middle of
your chest. As you slowly inhale, your chest rises and
expands, and your hands move with your chest. As you
slowly exhale, your chest sinks, and your hands sink with
your chest. Your breath does the movement, not you.
Calming Mini-Move #2: Making Room

1 . Home position. Lie on your right side on a bed or on a mat or
carpet on the floor.
2. Your ribs expand as you breathe. As you slowly inhale, your

ribs swell and expand. As you exhale, your ribs relax.
3. Your shoulder moves as you breathe. As you slowly inhale, see

if you can detect any movement of your shoulder, no matter
how small or subtle. As your ribs expand, they gently dis-
place the shoulder to make room for their expansion.
4. Your hip moves as you breathe. As you slowly inhale, see if you
can detect any movement of your hip, no matter how small

or subtle. As your ribs expand, they gently displace your hip
to make room.
5. The side ofyour body lengthens as you breathe. Each time you
inhale, the whole side of your body grows longer. Each time
vou exhale, you deeply relax.
Calming Mini-Move #3: Things Are Looking Up!

1. Get comfortable. Sit in a chair or lie quietly on your back,
and sohlv dose vour eyes. Notice the feeling in your lips,
vour cheeks, vour forehead. Does your face feel at ease, or is
it tense and contracted?
2. Raise your eyebrow with ease. Slowly and gently raise mu\
lower vour right eyebrow several tunes.
3. Raise your eyelid with ease. Slowly and gently raise and lower
your right eyelid several times.
4. Raise your eyes with ease. With your eyes closed, slowly, gent-
ly allow your right eyeball to float upward, as if you were

looking up, just above the horizon. Then, as you exhale,
relax your eye.
5. Put it all together. Combine the movements of the eyebrow,

eyelid, and eye into a single, effortless gesture.
Calming Mini-Move #4: Main Squeeze

1. Secret handshake 1. Place your hands in your lap with the
palms facing down.
2. Secret handshake 2. Move your hands together and hold one
of your thumbs.
3. Secret handshake 3. Extend the index finger of the grasping
hand.
4. Secret handshake 4. Hold the extended index finger with the
fingers of the other hand.
5. Squeeze your thumb. Slowly inhale, and as you do, gently,
gradually squeeze your thumb. Then slowly exhale and
gradually relax your grip on the thumb. Repeat several
times, then rest for several complete breath cycles.
6. Squeeze your indexfinger. Slowly inhale, and as you do, gently,

gradually squeeze your index finger. Then exhale, and as you
do, gradually relax your grip on the finger. Repeat several
times, then rest for several complete breath cycles or more.
7. Alternate squeezes. Slowly inhale, and as you do, gradually

squeeze your thumb. Exhale, and gradually relax your grip.
Then slowly inhale, and squeeze your index finger. Exhale,
and relax your grip. Repeat several times, then rest for sev-
eral complete breath cycles or more.

8. Squeeze and look up. Continue as before. But this time, each
time you inhale and squeeze, allow your eyes to float
upward. Your eyelids remain closed, but you raise your eyes
as if you were looking up. Then exhale, relax your eyes, and
relax your grip. Repeat several times, then rest for several
complete breath cycles or more.

9. To conclude. Very gradually, as if by one molecule at a time,
separate your hands and place them comfortably in your

lap. Then very slowly open your eyes.
Calming Mini-Move #5: A Twist of the Wrists

1 . The Secret Handshake. Join your hands in the Secret Hand-
shake.
2. A twist of the wrists. Slowly inhale and, as you do, gently,
gradually bend your wrists a little bit back, so your knuckles

rise upward and the backs of your hand incline very slightly
toward you. Exhale, and relax your wrists. Repeat several

times, then rest for several complete breath cycles or more.
Float your eyes up. Slowly inhale, bend your wrists, and simul-
taneously allow your eyes to float upward. Then exhale,
relax your eyes, and relax your wrists. Repeat several times,
then rest for several complete breath cycles or more.
4. Stop, rest, andfeel. Feel the result of the movements you have
done.
( aiming Mini-Move #6: Touching Your Heart
1 .
Touch your heart. Place the center of the palm of one of your
handi ovw the center of your chest. Fed the warmth of your
hand .is it meets the warmth of your heart Continue for
several minutes or more. Then stop, rest, and feel.

. 1
2. Touch your heart with both hands. Place one hand over
your heart, and the other hand on top of it. Make no
effort. Breathe easy, and allow your hands to ride up
and down with the gentle rising and falling of your breath.
Continue for several minutes or more. Then stop, rest, and
feel.
3. Touch your heart with a smile. Touch your heart with one or
both hands, whichever you prefer. Allow your hands to ride
up and down with the rising and falling of your breath.

Each time you slowly inhale, think a smile. Each time you
exhale, relax. Continue for several minutes or more. Then
Chapter 5
1 Home position. The tips of the four fingers of both hands rest
on either side of your chest. Your thumbs rest wherever it's
most comfortable for you.
2. Lift and lower your thumbs. Slowly inhale, and as your chest
rises, slowly and gradually raise your thumbs away from
your chest a little tiny bit. Slowly exhale and relax your
thumbs. Repeat several times, then rest for several complete
breath cycles or more.
3. Variation 1: Lighten your thumbs. Slowly inhale, and as your
chest rises, carrying the thumbs upward, you activate the
muscles of your thumbs a tiny little bit, as if to make the
thumbs a little lighter. You are lifting your thumbs without

really lifting them. You're just lightening them. Then slowly
exhale, and relax. Repeat several times, then rest for several
complete breath cycles or more.

.
4. Variation 2: Lift your thumbs in your imagination only Slowly
inhale, and lift your thumbs in your imagination only.

Slowly exhale, and relax.
5. Variation 3. Try Breath Surfing with your index, middle,
ring, or little fingers instead of your thumbs.

6. Variation 4. Try Breath Surfing with your hands on the
middle or lower breathing spaces, as described in L.E.S.S. Is
More.

1 Home position. Bring your fingertips to your sternum, or
breastbone, just as you did in Breath Surfing 1.
2. Go deeper. Step 1. With the first breath, slowly inhale, and

gradually lift your right thumb. Slowly exhale, and gradually
lower your thumb.
3. Go deeper. Step 2. With your second breath, slowly inhale,
and do nothing with your thumbs. Simply attend to your

breath. Your chest rises and falls, and your thumbs rise and
fall with it.
4. Go deeper. Step 3. With your third breath, slowly inhale, and

gradually lift your left thumb. Slowly exhale, and gradually
lower your thumb. Allow your breath to subside completely.
5. Go deeper. Conclusion. Rest quietly for three complete breath
cycles or more While you rest, continue to attend to the
gendc rising and falling movements of your chest and your
thumbs.
6. Continue. Repeat the entire sequence as desired, resting a
little longei .itur each round.
Lulling Mini-Move #3: Rocking the Cradle

1. Home position* Lie on jroui back with youi Icncei bent and
your feel itanding flat on the floor.
3
A4 in -Moves
i
in Brief 31
2. Push away. Slowly inhale, and as you do so, think of extending

your legs. Apply gentle traction to the floor, as if you were
pushing away from you. Slowly exhale, and relax. Your hips
rock back: Your tailbone rises toward the ceiling and your
waist sinks into the floor. Repeat several times, then straighten
your legs and rest for several complete breath cycles, or more.
3. Draw your feet toward you. Bend your knees again. Slowly
inhale, and think of drawing your feet a little bit toward you.
Apply gentle traction to the floor, as if you were drawing
your feet toward you. Your hips rock forward: Your waist lifts
away from the floor and your tailbone sinks down. Slowly
exhale, relax. Repeat several times, then straighten your legs
and rest for several complete breath cycles, or more.

4. Rock to and fro 1. Bend your knees again. On the first
breath, slowly inhale, and think of pushing your feet away.
Your hips rock back. Slowly exhale, relax.
5. Rock to and fro 2. On the second breath, slowly inhale, and

think of drawing your feet toward you. Your hips rock for-
ward. Slowly exhale, relax. Repeat several times.
Lulling Mini-Move #4: Tongue in Cheek

1. Tongue in cheek, home position. Gently place the tip of your
tongue at the inside of your right cheek, just to the right of
the corner of your mouth. Slowly inhale and press the
tongue outward against the tissues of the cheek.
2. Other positions for the tongue.
Lulling Mini-Move #5: The Ziggurat

1. Stage 1. Lie on your right side with your hips and knees
bent. Slowly inhale, and as you do, tip your left hip down a
tiny bit. Keep your hip where it is, and slowly exhale.
.
2. Stage 2. With your next breath, slowly inhale and as you do,
move your left hip down a little bit farther. Keep your hip
where it is, and slowly exhale.
3. Stage 3. With your third breath, slowly inhale and move

your left hip still farther down. Keep your hip where it is,
and slowly exhale.
4. Stage 4. Slowly inhale, keeping your hip where it is. Then,

slowly exhale and very gradually allow your right hip to relax
and return to its natural resting position.
5. Stop, rest, andfeel. After you have done this four-stage move-
ment just once, stop, rest, and feel for three or more complete
breath cycles. Repeat as desired, resting after each round.
Lulling Mini-Move #6: Welcoming Sleep with Open Arms

(Instead of Pacing the Floor)
1 Home position. Stand with feet parallel, your arms resting

comfortably at your sides.
2. Roll your arms outward. Slowly inhale and as you do so grad-

ually rotate your arms outward so the palms of your hands
face forward.
3. Roll your arms inward. Slowly inhale and roll your arms
inward, so the palms of your hands face behind you.
4. Spread the thumb and index finger. Slowly inhale and as you
do so, very gently spread the thumb and the index finger of
each hand apart from each other. Slowly exhale, relax your
hands.
Spresd the thumb and the little finger. Slowly inhale, and as
you do, very gently spread your thumbs apart from your
little fingers and your little fingers apart from your thumbs.
Then slowly exhale, and relax your hands.
6. Welcome sleep with open arms I. Slowly inhale, and as von
do, turn vonr .urns ontw.ud so vour palms face forward. At
5
the same time, spread your thumbs apart from your index
fingers. Slowly exhale, and relax.
Welcome sleep with open arms 2. Then slowly inhale, turn

your arms inward so your palms face back, and spread your
thumbs apart from your little fingers. Then slowly exhale,
relax your arms, and relax your hands.
About the Author
Michael Krugman is the founder of the Sounder Sleep System.

He has been a Guild Certified Feldenkrais Teacher since 1987 and
is a lifelong student of traditional methods of self-healing.
Mr. Krugman teaches and lectures widely on sleep, alertness,
self-healing, and corporate wellness issues. He operates profes-

sional enhancement programs for health-care professionals all
over the United States and in Europe. He has taught employees at

Saatchi & Saatchi, HBO, and Equitable Insurance; patients at
Cedars-Sinai and Torrance Memorial Medical Centers in Los

Angeles; and patrol officers for the NYPD.
He has been featured in Fortune magazine, the Village Voice,
Sleep & Health, Yoga Chicago, Sport Life (Spain), and other publi-
cations. A longtime resident of New York City, he currently
resides in New Mexico.
V
*
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MILLION AMERICANS OVER 172
SUFFER FROM INSOMNIA.
DO YOU?
DISCOVER THE PROVEN, DRUG-FREE PROGRAM
TO HELP YOU RELAX AND GET THE SLEEP YOU NEED!
Don't let insomnia keep you awake at night! Take action now with the
Sounder Sleep System' M and start rediscovering the blissful experience
of a good nights sleep —
naturally. Based on traditional and modern
self-healing methods, including yoga, qigong, meditation, and the
authors own techniques, this effective program has been used by
people around the world to reduce stress, induce relaxation, and ensure
sound sleep. Fully illustrated, with easy-to-follow instructions, THE
INSOMNIA SOLUTION features eighteen simple Mini-Moves 1M
gentle physical movements synchronized with natural breathing — to
help you fall (and stay!) asleep. Learn how to:
• Use three types of Mini-Moves to relax your body, calm your mind,
and lull yourself to sleep
• Identify what type of troubled sleeper you are: tense, nervous, or
sleepless
• ( Ireate a personalized sleep-assistance program to fit your needs
• Adopt a sleep-supportive lifestyle, from exercise to eating habits.
REST EASIER WITH THE INSOMNIA SOLUTION

MICHAEL KRUGMAN, MA, GCFP, is the founder of the Sounder Sleep
System. An expert teacher and lecturer on sleep, self-healing
meditation, .md corporate wellness, he has given seminars to major
ind European companies such as Saatchi cv Saatchi, HB(), and
Equitable Insurance.
"Profoundly useful...
If you are having trouble sleeping, this book is a must-read/'
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THE

A\ichael Krusman, MA. GCFP

"I use these techniques with all my patients

sleep and your attitudes toward sleep will change. Instead of

pointment, you will look forward to it as a time of comfort, plea-

The Insomnia Solution and

"Engaging . . . accessible . . . very helpful ... if you're having a

Physical Therapy Department, College of

"Great results." —Fortune

Michael Krugman, MA, GCFP

NEW YORK BOSTON

Sounder™, Sounder Sleep™, Sounder Sleep System™, Sominars™, and

Copyright © 2005 by Michael Krugman

Time Warner Book Group

Printed in the United States of America

First Edition: August 2005

Michael Krugman. — 1st ed.

Thanks to my many colleagues and friends for their indispensable help,

retreats. You are my greatest inspiration.

Introduction: Why America Can't Sleep 1

Chapter 1 Profiles in Sounder Sleep 21

Chapter 1 How to Use This Book 67

Chapter 3 Relax Your Body 91

Chapter 4 Calm Your Mind 159

Chapter J Lull Yourself to Sleep 232

Appendix A: For Further Exploration 299

Appendix B: Mini-Moves in Brief 301

About the Author 317

—The Odyssey, Book VIII

Why America Can't Sleep

Which busy care draws in the brains of men;

poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, more than half

many as seventy million problem sleepers in the United States. By

We may chuckle when we see someone nodding in front of

needs a vacation! we think, without much compassion. But sleep

than their well-rested peers. A 1999 study reported in the journal

Sleep notes that insomniacs suffer impaired concentration, im-

paired memory, a decreased ability to accomplish daily tasks, a

decreased ability to enjoy interpersonal relationships, and an

of cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular disease."

ates at a Belgian university. They found that restricting sleep to

those observed during aging and sometimes during depression, a

ity of depression and widespread age-related chronic conditions

mune function. One, conducted at a German university, investi-

gated measures of immune defense as well as subjective well-being

vation evoked not only decreased function of the immune system,

but also deterioration of both mood and ability to work, which

According to one estimate, sleeplessness costs $15.9 billion a year

in health care costs alone.

Accidents are another serious consequence of the insomnia epi-

(NHTSA) attributes over 100,000 automobile crashes per year to

who report moderate to severe daytime sleepiness (about 20 per-

cent of all drivers) are twice as likely to have been involved in a

these industrial disasters.

Insomnia plays no favorites either: our doctors, our police, our

suffer insomnia and sleep deprivation. Does it matter? Of course.

the speed of the fastest responses, and an increase in "lapsing"

delays in responding to stimuli —which in turn produced further

Mark Rosekind, a consultant for industrial sleep hygiene, says