IN REPLY to your recent letter, asking me to give in detail my method of inducing sleep, I would say that you named the point that I was trying to make exactly; that a few believe in the power to speak to the body cells that I felt it would not be worthwhile for me to give my method.

But I do think that this is an individual work that all may learn to do from suffering and faith. I know it has taken me many months to arrive at the help I get from it, and I have success only in this one particular field of body cells. However, as you insist, I will tell you what I can.

I say or think something like this—in substance at least—to my brain mind or to the consciousness of my brain cells:

“You are a center of God’s Mind expressing your share of His Life, Love, Wisdom and Power. Faithfully have you done your work this day, and now God gives you the blessed calm and a peaceful night in which to rest and renew your strength.

“So mind, be still—relax—let go! Stop thinking, stop thinking, stop thinking. Go to sleep, go to sleep, go to sleep. Rest in peace, rest in peace, rest in peace. God is good, God is good, God is good. All is well, all is well, all is well. Thank you, Father.”

I try to say all this as slowly, forcefully and confidently as possible; slowing the tempo almost to a chant—mentally, of course. While it took me many months experimenting with different phrases and ideas, and I then repeated them many times until the brain-cells accepted certain ones, I now usually give the message but once; and before I am through, believe it or not, I am yawning. Then I try to dismiss the idea of sleep entirely from my mind, and think of God’s Love, or Christ, or some Spiritual idea.

I feel each individual should find his own words. But the idea should be the same—soothing the conscious mind. The words themselves are nothing, it is the appeal to the mind they make—the belief you instill in it that alone counts. —E. M.