Make sure you're comfortable and then fine-tune your comfort even more.
During the Nidra you can move if you want to but if you do need to move try to do it slowly and gently.
I'll guide you through the practice but you don't have to listen to everything I say.
It's perfectly fine if you drift off sometimes so that my voice becomes a safe sound in the background.
Towards the end of this Nidra the invitation is to visualize or feel an imaginary place in nature in summertime.
I'll guide you through this walk in nature but if any other images or sensations come up feel free to ignore my suggestions and to have your own experience.
So now bring your awareness to your breath.
If you like inhale through the nose and allow the belly to expand and exhale through the mouth with a sigh and relax the whole body.
Again inhale through the nose,
Create space and exhale through the mouth and soften.
Two more times at your own pace.
Breathing in ease and on each out breath releasing,
Letting go even a little and we begin the body scan.
When I mention a body part bring your awareness there and if you like imagine filling each part of the body with a golden,
Warm,
Nurturing light.
Starting with the top of the head,
The forehead,
The right eye,
The left eye,
Both eyes together,
The nose,
The mouth,
The right cheek,
The left cheek,
Both cheeks together,
The right ear,
The left ear,
Both ears together,
The back of the head,
The neck,
The throat and now focusing on the right side of the body.
A golden light gently touching the right shoulder,
Upper arm,
Forearm and hand,
The whole right arm.
The right armpit and the outside of the ribs and the waist and the space between the outside of the upper body and the arm.
The right side of the chest,
The right side of the belly,
The right hip,
Thigh,
Lower leg and foot,
The whole right leg.
The right side of the pelvis,
Lower back,
Upper back,
The whole right side of the body and notice is there a difference between the sensations in the right and the left side of the body.
Now bring your awareness to the left side of the body.
A golden light gently touching the left shoulder,
Upper arm,
Forearm and left hand.
The whole left arm,
The left armpit,
The outside of the ribs and waist and the space between the side of the body and the left arm.
The left side of the chest,
The heart,
The left side of the belly,
The left hip,
Thigh,
Lower leg and foot.
The whole left leg,
The left side of the pelvis,
Lower back and upper back,
The whole left side of the body.
The whole body,
The whole body,
The whole body glowing.
Now let your awareness rest at the soles of the feet for a moment and just observe how it feels.
If there are no sensations here at all,
That's also an observation.
If you want,
When you breathe in,
Imagine drawing energy up through the soles of the feet,
Along your legs,
Hips,
Upper body,
All the way to your shoulders.
And as you exhale,
Energy moves in the opposite direction from the shoulders all the way down and out through the soles of your feet.
As you breathe out,
Inhale from the soles of your feet to your shoulders and exhale from the shoulders to the soles of the feet at your own pace.
Like a soft wave that gives you energy and that washes anything you don't need away.
And letting go of awareness of breath now and begin to explore if any part of the body feels a little warmer than the rest.
If you can't find anything special,
You might like to choose to focus on the heart,
For example,
And imagine a nurturing warmth right in here in the heart space.
And now feel if any part of the body feels a little cooler than the rest.
If you can't find anything special,
Then you can choose to focus on the sensation between your upper lip and nose.
Perhaps the air here is slightly cooler as you inhale.
Now bring your attention back to where it feels warm.
And then back to where it feels cool.
And then back to where it feels warm.
And imagine that the warmth is expanding in the body.
And when the warmth reaches the area that feels cooler,
Then these two merge.
The warmth meets the cool.
Perfect temperature.
Balance and let go.
The invitation is to see or feel that you visit an imaginary place in nature.
A place where you naturally feel calm and grounded.
So imagine walking in a beautiful meadow in summertime.
What flowers do you see?
What colors?
And what is the fragrance on the air?
You decide to explore this magical place.
Continuing to walk through the meadow.
Noticing in ever more detail the colors,
The smells,
The feeling of the warm sun on your skin.
All is well.
You notice the path under your feet.
Birds singing.
Insects humming.
And as you walk on the path through the meadow,
You notice sensations of contact with the meadow itself.
Maybe soft moss.
Grasses.
Warm earth underfoot.
You reach a clearing in the meadow.
And there's water.
Perhaps a lake.
Or a brook.
Or a small waterfall.
You enjoy hearing the water.
Seeing the sun reflected on the water.
You sit down and enjoy the tranquility.
And you notice now a soft and comfortable breeze against your skin.
You continue sitting by the water.
Or maybe you choose to walk in,
Paddle or swim.
Enjoying the water for a while.
It feels like soft silk.
And the temperature is perfect.
When you are ready,
You leave the water and continue walking.
And after a while,
You reach a secret garden.
You notice a small gate.
Almost hidden by bushes and trees.
And it creaks as you open it.
And step into the secret garden.
It is so peaceful in there.
Among the weeds,
There are also beautiful flowers.
And berries.
And fruits.
What do you see?
You notice a swing.
And a bench.
And you are drawn to one of them.
And you sit down.
Feeling so relaxed.
And free.
And at ease.
Feeling the soft breeze against your skin again.
It's time to leave this place in nature.
But you don't mind.
Knowing that you can return here anytime.
And initiating our slow and gentle return.
Listening to the sounds around you.
Feeling your body.
Feeling your breath.
Gently begin to move your hands and feet.
Maybe you want to stretch your arms over your head.
And take a yawn.
Do what feels good.
Sit.
Draw your knees up to your chest.
Rock gently from side to side.
And when you are ready.
Roll over onto your side.
And in your own time.
Come up to sitting.
The practice of Yoga Nidra is now complete.
