I have discovered that on those rare nights I can't get to sleep because my mind just keeps going that silently chanting the heart sutra puts me to sleep, often before I can finish it. I think it's probably the rhythm of it, so it might work with anything chanted, take your pick, but by making it the heart sutra it becomes part of my practice, so I figuratively sleep on it so that it literally seeps into my subconscious... or whatever. Anyway, for all you Buddhist insomniacs, feel free to try.
I have read that things read (or in this case, recited) before bed are more likely to become part of our long-term memory.
HaHa... well... um... I left out the part about how I sometimes forget the words as I go to sleep, so not so sure about thatops: My only defense is that I sleep on the message, not the wording.
Fwiw, I just read an end of day gatha (pg 103, Aitken, Mind of Clover);Shiki fu i ku, ku fu i shiki
When it is time to stop and sleep,
I vow with all beings
to find peaceful retirement
and a heart that is undisturbed
gassho,
Thanks Alan,
and thanks Richard, this gatha is great. But probably to short for falling asleep while reciting :lol:
_()_
Peter
Don't know about that; i can fall asleep pretty fast (or so my wife tells me) :lol:
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