I loved the way you approached sleeplessness from the inside out. Not as a problem to conquer, but as a quiet call to examine how we’re moving through our days. There’s something deeply compassionate in your reminder that the mind isn’t faulty; it’s simply doing what it’s been trained to do. That alone softens so much of the self-blame people carry into the night.
Your distinction between mind and intellect felt especially grounding. It echoed so many of the older teachings across cultures. This sense that we carry within us both a restless, feeling-driven current and a steadier, guiding light. In the bhakti world, it’s sometimes said that the heart becomes peaceful when it has something meaningful to lean toward, something a little larger than the small dramas that tug at us. Your framing of high-level goals and values felt like a beautiful, practical expression of that same truth.
I also appreciated how you brought it back to simple rituals. The tenderness of a quiet morning reflection. The honesty of a short evening review. Neither grand nor complicated, but deeply human. Just small acts of clearing space so the mind can finally rest.
Thank you for this piece. It reads like a gentle hand on the shoulder at the end of a long day — steadying, clarifying, and quietly hopeful.
i am so grateful for your article Meredith, just what i needed to read, and to bring myself back too, without practice - the right practice i will continue from poor quality sleep, i love the wording of right thru to the Conclusion! - thankyou once again:_)
This is fantastic ! Thank you ! Last night my Dad asked how can I get my mind to STOP before bed and here you are with the perfect answer. I’m going to read this to him now ..
Meredith, this piece gets to the heart of something most people never pause to observe: the mind doesn’t suddenly become restless at night, it simply becomes visible when the noise of the day fades.
What I found especially valuable in your approach is how gently you shift the focus from “fixing sleep” to understanding the inner architecture of one’s own mind. Modern life trains us to strengthen the emotions and neglect the intellect and your reminder that only a disciplined intellect can hold the mind steady is both ancient and deeply relevant.
The idea that peaceful days create peaceful nights feels so obvious once named, yet most of us live as if the two are disconnected. Thank you for bringing that wisdom back into the conversation with such clarity.
Your work continues to create a bridge between timeless principles and everyday life. Grateful for this piece.
The harder we try to achieve something, the more elusive it becomes. We treat sleep as something to be ticked off the list, rather than something to be experienced.
Yes. It’s life playing a trick on us: the more we want something the more it stays away. There’s an ancient Indian philosophy saying: “Attach you lose, detach you gain.”
I loved the way you approached sleeplessness from the inside out. Not as a problem to conquer, but as a quiet call to examine how we’re moving through our days. There’s something deeply compassionate in your reminder that the mind isn’t faulty; it’s simply doing what it’s been trained to do. That alone softens so much of the self-blame people carry into the night.
Your distinction between mind and intellect felt especially grounding. It echoed so many of the older teachings across cultures. This sense that we carry within us both a restless, feeling-driven current and a steadier, guiding light. In the bhakti world, it’s sometimes said that the heart becomes peaceful when it has something meaningful to lean toward, something a little larger than the small dramas that tug at us. Your framing of high-level goals and values felt like a beautiful, practical expression of that same truth.
I also appreciated how you brought it back to simple rituals. The tenderness of a quiet morning reflection. The honesty of a short evening review. Neither grand nor complicated, but deeply human. Just small acts of clearing space so the mind can finally rest.
Thank you for this piece. It reads like a gentle hand on the shoulder at the end of a long day — steadying, clarifying, and quietly hopeful.
Thank you for such a thoughtful and generous response Urvasi 🙏
i am so grateful for your article Meredith, just what i needed to read, and to bring myself back too, without practice - the right practice i will continue from poor quality sleep, i love the wording of right thru to the Conclusion! - thankyou once again:_)
Appreciate your kindness Amilia. Always. Don’t forget to like the post. This small act really helps other people find it xx
This is fantastic ! Thank you ! Last night my Dad asked how can I get my mind to STOP before bed and here you are with the perfect answer. I’m going to read this to him now ..
Thank you Rachel. Let me know what your dad thinks about this approach.
Meredith, this piece gets to the heart of something most people never pause to observe: the mind doesn’t suddenly become restless at night, it simply becomes visible when the noise of the day fades.
What I found especially valuable in your approach is how gently you shift the focus from “fixing sleep” to understanding the inner architecture of one’s own mind. Modern life trains us to strengthen the emotions and neglect the intellect and your reminder that only a disciplined intellect can hold the mind steady is both ancient and deeply relevant.
The idea that peaceful days create peaceful nights feels so obvious once named, yet most of us live as if the two are disconnected. Thank you for bringing that wisdom back into the conversation with such clarity.
Your work continues to create a bridge between timeless principles and everyday life. Grateful for this piece.
I’m truly grateful for your thoughtful and kind words. Thank you.
The harder we try to achieve something, the more elusive it becomes. We treat sleep as something to be ticked off the list, rather than something to be experienced.
Yes. It’s life playing a trick on us: the more we want something the more it stays away. There’s an ancient Indian philosophy saying: “Attach you lose, detach you gain.”
the wording of "Fix a High Level Goal"
You liked that?
that was part of my original comment that i had left out!:_)