Hello and welcome to your journey to mindfulness.
My name is Letitia and today I'll guide you through a 15-minute yoga nidra practice to release tension.
This is the perfect practice to release any heaviness after a long day at work,
Long day of study or if you feel just that you need a little nervous system reset.
So get ready to leave the tensions behind.
You can lay down in shavasana,
Flat onto your back or take any supported seated position.
If you are laying down and have any tension in the lower back,
Place a pillow or a bolster under your knees,
Maybe something soft under your heels.
Choosing something soft to support and cradle your neck and head.
If you're sitting,
Reclining slightly if possible.
Maybe choose a scarf or a light eye pillow over your eyes or forehead if you're experiencing a headache.
Listening into your body to hear what it's asking for.
Then without hesitation answering the call,
Giving your body exactly what it needs and deserves.
Your body does so much for you all day long,
Every day and each day it deserves its well-earned breaks to take a pose,
Rest,
Release any build-up tensions,
To relax,
Rest and relax.
If there's so much tension it's hard to relax and that's fine too.
You're welcome just as you are,
Simply do your best to create as much comfort as you can in any way you like.
And now taking a final scan of the body,
Being aware of any areas that feel dull,
Heavy,
Irritated or tight.
Is there any adjustment you could make to create more comfort?
Anything that could make you even just 1% more comfortable?
If so,
Then go ahead and do that now.
You can't overdo the comfort,
There's no prize for doing without an extra cushion,
Blanket or the prop.
This is the all-you-can comfort buffet,
The more you partake the better you will feel.
Making any final adjustments now,
Settling into the comfort and take a deep breath in and as you exhale,
Surrendering to gravity,
Take another sip in,
Releasing into the comfort.
There is nothing left to do now,
These are moments set aside for rest,
Simply to rest.
The practice of yoga nidra begins now.
Allow awareness to move to the top of the head,
The top of the scalp.
Like a cascade,
Allow tension to be released from the top of the scalp down through the rest.
A cascade of tension release.
Visualise a cascade of tension release down from the top all the way down.
Feel a cascade of tension release.
Now bring awareness to your forehead.
Soften the forehead,
Feel awareness expand from the centre of the forehead out to the temples.
Softening from the centre of the forehead out to the temples.
Bring awareness to the eyebrows,
The inside corners of the eyebrows.
Feel awareness expand out,
Tracing the line of the eyebrows out towards the temples.
Softening,
Widening across the eyebrows and bring awareness to the jaw.
Allow the jaw to drop,
Soften.
The tongue,
Drop and soften.
The neck,
From the base of the skull down to the shoulders,
Softening,
Lengthening.
The sides and back of the neck,
Softening,
Lengthening.
The shoulders,
Dropping,
Softening.
The shoulders,
Dropping and softening,
Surrendering to the support.
And now once again,
Back up to the top of the head,
The top of the scalp.
Like a cascade,
Allow tension to be released from the top of the scalp down.
Tension draining from the head.
Awareness moving to the forehead,
Softening the forehead.
Expand across the forehead out to the temples.
Widening across the forehead,
Bring awareness to the eyebrows,
The inside corners of the eyebrows.
Feel awareness expand out,
Softening,
Widening across the eyebrows.
Bring awareness to the jaw,
Softening and dropping the jaw.
The tongue,
Dropping and softening.
Neck,
From the base of the skull down to the shoulders,
Softening,
Lengthening.
Sides and back of the neck,
Softening,
Lengthening.
The shoulders,
Dropping,
Softening.
Shoulders on out to the arms,
Wrists and softening.
The shoulders,
Dropping and softening.
Surrendering to the support.
And now a cascade of release down the back between the shoulder blades.
Release past the ribs,
Softening down to the lower back.
Cascade of warmth and softening.
Back,
A cascade of warmth and soothing.
And now a rush of release,
Cascading down through the hips,
Through the legs,
To the toes.
Like a waterfall of release,
Down and out through the toes.
Now moving awareness back to the top of the head.
Cascade of release like a waterfall,
From the crown of the head,
Down through the whole body and out through the fingers and toes.
Waterfall of tension release,
From the crown,
Down through the whole body.
Tension released through the fingers and toes.
Tension released from the whole body,
Out through the fingers and toes.
If it feels good,
Continue to feel this cascade of release.
Or if you're ready,
Settle into the calm after the cascade is completed.
Resting peacefully here for a minute.
And now become awareness of the natural breath.
If you need to do anything,
Simply be aware of the natural breath.
With every inhale,
Know that you are effortlessly drawing in energy.
With every exhale,
Feel that you release any remaining tension,
As if it's draining away,
Down and out.
Every exhale,
Any remaining tension drains down and out.
Tension draining down.
Continue to be aware of any remaining tension draining out.
Or if all tension has already dispersed,
Rest in the effortless peace of the body breathing itself.
Just posing here for a moment.
If your mind has wandered off,
That's completely fine.
Simply bring awareness back to the breath.
And take a deep breath in and out.
Feeling awareness rising to the surface.
Of a body that's feeling less tense than before.
Take another sip in through the nose.
And let it out through the mouth.
The practice of yoga nidra is now complete.
Take a moment to wingle your fingers and toes gently and softly.
Take great care here to treat your body kindly.
With love,
Stretch or move your body however you like.
Listening to your body and being kind to allow it whatever it needs.
If you're laying down and you're ready to move,
Roll to your right side and take a few deep breaths here.
Recalling any experiences of tension release from your practice today.
And if you were laying down,
Keeping your eyes closed if you can.
And gently press yourself up to sitting.
Gently making your way back into the world.
Taking a few deeper breaths.
You can use this technique again anytime you need to release tension.
When you are ready,
Softly open your eyes.
Thank you so much for joining me for this yoga nidra practice.
