Welcome to this Yoga Nidra.
This practice is perfect for times when you need to feel held,
To surrender control,
To trust more deeply and to come home to a place of safety and calm.
At the heart of this journey is a visualization where a glowing blanket woven from starlight and silence wraps gently around you,
Anchoring your body and settling your energy.
So just take a moment to get comfortable,
Lie down,
Add whatever support you need beneath your knees or around your body and allow yourself to simply settle.
Okay,
Let's begin our journey together.
Just take a moment to get really comfortable,
Making sure that nothing is going to bother you and that you can stay in your lying posture without the need to fidget.
Once in position begin to focus on your breath,
Feel the natural flow of the air as it moves in and as it moves out.
Now using your inner voice tell yourself three times.
Here begins the practice of Yoga Nidra.
I will stay awake.
I will receive whatever I need to receive and I will reawaken feeling refreshed and relaxed.
Here begins the practice of Yoga Nidra.
I will stay awake.
I will receive whatever I need to receive and I will reawaken feeling refreshed and relaxed.
Here begins the practice of Yoga Nidra.
I will stay awake.
I will receive whatever I need to receive and I will reawaken feeling refreshed and relaxed.
We're now going to move our awareness outward.
So without using your eyes start to use your other senses to become aware of the world around you,
Listening to the sounds outside of the room to start.
Now start to move your awareness inside the room,
Allowing yourself to become aware of all the sensations around you,
The sounds,
Smells,
Temperatures.
Visualize your own body resting in that position and become aware of your own physical presence.
Now allow yourself to return home to the very depths of you by following the next gentle breath into the center of you and as you follow that breath in allow yourself to discover a place of safe haven deep within you,
A place where you feel secure,
Loved and calm.
Perhaps there's a certain place in your life that helps accentuate this feeling of safety and well-being.
Just spend a moment visualizing this place.
Know that you can return to this place at any time during this practice or indeed at any time during your life when you need to.
We're now going to set our intention for this practice so using your inner voice I invite you to say to yourself three times the following.
I choose to let go.
I gently release my need to control and I open myself to the quiet wonders of the universe.
I choose to let go.
I gently release my need to control and I open myself to the quiet wonders of the universe.
I choose to let go.
I gently release my need to control and I open myself to the quiet wonders of the universe.
Just let those words settle like stardust into your heart,
A soft intention not forced or pushed,
Just a quiet invitation to surrender,
To trust the space around you,
To allow the stars to guide you deeper into rest,
Into stillness,
Into peace.
We'll now begin a gentle rotation of awareness,
A soothing journey through the body designed to release tension.
There's no need to move,
Just feel.
Let each part of your body relax as I name it,
Like a wave of peace flowing through you.
Let your mind be light like a feather drifting through the sky,
Moving effortlessly from place to place.
Bring your awareness to the top of your head,
Your crown.
Now gently relax your forehead.
Release any tension in your eyebrows.
Let your eyes soften in their sockets.
Relax your eyelids.
Feel the temples soften and unwind.
Now your cheeks.
Let go in the nose.
Feel it clear and open.
Relax your lips.
Allow the jaw to release and let the tongue rest lightly in the mouth.
Soften the chin.
Now let the entire face melt into stillness,
Smooth and relaxed,
Completely at ease.
Now move your attention to your right hand.
Bring awareness to your right thumb,
Noticing any sensations and let it soften.
Move to your right index finger.
Feel it relax fully.
Focus on your right middle finger,
Soft and still.
Shift to the right ring finger,
Releasing all tension.
Now bring attention to the right little finger,
Letting it feel calm and heavy.
Sense the centre of your right palm,
Warm and open.
Move to the back of your hand,
Relaxing completely.
Bring awareness to the right wrist,
Soft and still.
Focus on the right forearm,
Letting it feel supported and heavy.
Bring attention to the right elbow,
Feeling its release.
Move to the right upper arm,
Letting go fully.
Shift to the right shoulder,
Releasing any remaining tension.
Feel the entire right arm becoming heavy,
Soft and still.
Now bring your awareness to your left big toe,
Noticing any sensations and letting them soften.
Move to your second toe,
Feeling it relax fully.
Focus on your third toe,
Soft and still.
Then move to your fourth toe,
Releasing all tension.
Now bring your attention to your little toe,
Letting it feel heavy and calm.
Sense the top of your left foot,
Open and relaxed.
Move to the sole of your left foot,
Feeling it soften.
Now bring awareness to your left heel,
Allowing it to release.
Focus on the left ankle,
Letting it soften and relax.
Now move to the left calf and shin,
Feel them relax,
Releasing any tension.
Bring attention to the left knee,
Letting it become still and relaxed.
Focus on the left thigh,
Allowing it to soften.
Shift to the left hip,
Releasing any remaining tension.
Now feel the entire left leg becoming heavy,
Soft and still.
Now bring your awareness to your left thumb,
Noticing any sensations and letting them go.
Move to the left index finger,
Feeling it relax fully.
Focus on the left middle finger,
Soft and still.
Shift to the left ring finger,
Releasing all tension.
Now bring attention to the left little finger,
Letting it feel calm and heavy.
Sense the centre of your left palm,
Warm and open.
Move to the back of your hand,
Relaxing completely.
Bring awareness to the left wrist,
Soft and still.
Focus on the left forearm,
Letting it feel supported and heavy.
Bring attention to the left elbow,
Feeling it release.
Move to the left upper arm,
Letting go fully.
Shift to the left shoulder,
Releasing any remaining tension.
Now feel the entire left arm becoming heavy,
Soft and still.
Bring awareness to your right big toe,
Noticing any sensations and letting them soften.
Move to your second toe,
Feeling it relax fully.
Focus on your third toe,
Soft and still.
Shift to your fourth toe,
Releasing all tension.
Now bring your awareness to your little toe,
Letting it feel calm and heavy.
Sense the top of your right foot,
Open and relaxed.
Move to the sole of your right foot,
Feeling it soften.
Bring awareness to the right heel,
Allowing it to release.
Focus on the right ankle,
Letting it soften and relax.
Move to the right calf and shin,
Letting them relax,
Releasing any tension.
Bring attention to the right knee,
Letting it become still and relaxed.
Focus on the right thigh,
Allowing it to soften.
Move to the right hip,
Releasing any remaining tension.
Now feel the entire right leg becoming heavy,
Soft and still.
Bring your awareness to the back of your body,
Starting with the back of your pelvis.
Feel the lower back softening and releasing.
Move to the middle back,
Letting go of any tension.
Now bring attention to your upper back,
Feeling it release.
Focus on the shoulder blades,
Letting them soften and release.
Bring awareness to the back of your neck,
Letting it relax.
Feel the back of your head,
Let go completely.
Now let the entire back of your body settle,
Release,
Like a soft exhale into the earth below.
Now gently bring your awareness to the front of your body,
Starting with your throat.
Feel the throat soften.
Move to your collarbones,
Let them relax fully.
Focus on your right side of your chest,
Releasing any tension.
Now shift to the left side of your chest,
Allowing it to soften.
Bring your attention to the centre of your chest,
Where your heart resides,
And let it open.
Now move down your ribs,
Feeling them release and relax.
Let your tummy soften and settle.
Now bring awareness to your navel,
Releasing any tension.
Shift to your pelvis,
Allowing it to relax fully.
Now feel the entire front of your body soften and melt into stillness.
Feel your right arm,
From shoulder to fingertips,
Relaxed and still.
Feel your left arm,
From shoulder to fingertips,
Soft and at ease.
Feel your right leg,
From hip to toes,
Resting deeply.
Feel your left leg,
From hip to toes,
Calm and grounded.
Now feel the entire front of your body,
Face,
Chest,
Belly,
Legs,
Feel them open,
Relaxed and at ease.
Feel the entire back of your body,
Head,
Back,
Heels,
Feel them supported and at peace.
Now bring awareness to your whole body,
From the crown of your head to the tips of your toes,
From your fingertips to your heart.
Feel your entire body resting in stillness,
Effortless,
Complete,
Whole.
Let yourself simply be in this awareness,
Not thinking,
Not doing,
Just being.
Your entire body is soft and still,
Your breath is gentle,
Your mind quiet,
You're floating in calm,
Surrounded by peace.
Wrapped in the comfort of deep rest.
We're now going to anchor ourselves in our breaths,
So slowly start to draw your attention to your natural breath.
And when I say,
We're going to count to 100,
Using each inhale and exhale as one.
For example,
Inhale 1,
Exhale 2,
Inhale 3,
Exhale 4 and so on.
When we start,
Don't become fixated on counting your breaths to 100,
But rather focus on the breaths themselves.
And if you lose count,
Just start again.
Okay,
Let's begin.
Inhale 1,
Exhale 2,
Inhale 3,
Exhale 4 and you continue.
I invite you now to release your breath back to its natural rhythm and just let yourself feel.
Now that we've moved through the physical and energetic layers of the body,
We can turn to the subtle field of sensation,
The realm of emotion,
Memory and mood held gently within the body.
As I call out these pairs of opposites,
Allow yourself to feel them as qualities rather than concepts.
There's no need to analyze them,
No need to search for a reason,
No need to overthink them or get stuck within them.
Just let yourself experience them,
Let them rise and then let them pass.
Okay,
Let yourself feel warmth,
Feel heat gently radiating through you.
Now let yourself feel coolness,
Feel the contrast as the sensation of a cool breeze brushes across your skin.
Now allow yourself to feel safety,
The soft security of being held.
Then let yourself feel fear,
The restless edge of uncertainty.
Now let yourself float,
The lightness of a drift like a feather on the wind.
Now feel yourself sink,
The heaviness of grounding,
The subtle difference between the two.
Now allow yourself to feel exhaustion,
The body empty.
And now feel energized,
The body reawakening.
Now just let all these sensations ripple through you,
Felt,
Known and then released.
Now let yourself rest now in the space between those opposites,
The calm that holds both shadow and light.
Here balance lives,
Here healing begins.
Now imagine that you're lying in a wide open field,
A sacred,
Secret place held gently between the earth and the stars.
The ground beneath you is soft and supportive,
Welcoming the shape of your body like a gentle memory being remembered.
Above you the night sky stretches endlessly,
A deep ocean of velvet indigo scattered with stars that glimmer like whispers of light.
There's no ceiling here,
No time,
Only the breath of the earth below and the soft hum of the universe above.
With every breath your body sinks a little deeper,
Releasing effort,
Letting go of the day,
Allowing yourself to be here,
Fully supported,
Fully received.
And then from above the stars begin to stir.
They gather slowly,
Gently,
Weaving something ancient and sacred from their shimmering threads.
A great cosmic blanket is forming,
Woven from the stardust and silence,
From lullabies sung in the moonlight and the dreams of the sky.
It floats gently down toward you,
Glowing,
Humming,
Warm with the presence,
And then it begins to wrap around you.
First across your shoulders,
Then your chest,
Your hips,
Down your legs,
And then over your feet.
This blanket has weight,
Just enough,
A gentle grounding pressure like the loving hand of the universe,
Not too heavy,
Not too light,
Not too warm or too cool.
Just imagine it settling around you like the perfect weighted blanket,
Reassuring,
Anchoring,
Soothing.
It quiets the nervous system,
It slows the rush within,
It signals you're safe now,
You can let go.
Now above you the stars begin to move again,
Not randomly,
But with purpose,
A constellation forming a pathway,
A sacred trail of light that leads inward.
And so we follow,
A star above your forehead softens your brow,
One above your throat releases your jaw and neck,
A star over your heart eases your breath and chest.
More stars guide light through your shoulders,
Arms,
And hands,
Down through your tummy,
To your hips,
Through your thighs,
Knees,
Calves,
And feet.
Feel each part of your body softening,
Releasing,
All tension dissolving beneath the soft celestial weight.
And then a shooting star streaks across the sky,
A spark of wonder,
A sacred invitation.
If your heart carries a longing for peace,
Clarity,
Healing or hope,
This is the moment to offer it.
Make your wish,
Let it rise from your chest like light on the breath,
Carried upward with grace,
Received in silence,
The stars are listening.
Now return once more to the warmth around you,
To the gentle pressure of the cosmic blanket,
To the pulse of the stars,
To the quiet rhythm of your breath.
You are not just lying beneath the sky,
You are woven into it,
You are part of it,
And you are deeply,
Entirely at rest.
Let the stars keep watch now,
As you drift even deeper into stillness,
Into peace,
Into the soft healing glow of rest.
Begin to gently return to your breath now,
Feel the soft rise and fall of your chest,
The quiet rhythm within you.
Let the stillness anchor deep,
Let the comfort of the space remain.
And when you're ready,
Bring a little movement into your fingers and toes,
Maybe stretch or sigh,
And gently,
Gently blink your eyes open.
Know this,
The cosmic blanket still surrounds you,
Within you and without,
You can return to this place of rest and support whenever you need.
Now using your inner voice,
Invite you to say to yourself the following,
I choose to let go,
I gently release my need to control,
And I open myself to the quiet wonders of the universe.
I choose to let go,
I gently release my need to control,
And I open myself to the quiet wonders of the universe.
I choose to let go,
I gently release my need to control,
And I open myself to the quiet wonders of the universe.
Let those words settle deep within you,
Like a soft echo carried on your breath.
The practice of yoga nidra is now complete.
Namaste.
