Welcome,
Thank you for joining me today in this yoga nidra meditation,
Also known as non-sleep deep rest.
In this practice,
You will be guided into a state where your body enters a restorative phase of rest.
The nature sounds and subtle frequencies in the background are specifically designed to promote delta brainwaves that are experienced during slow-wave sleep.
Know that you will relax into deep and slow brainwave states,
Slowing the mind,
As my guidance will allow you to rest quietly,
Entering a state of still,
Quiet mind in this meditation.
In this meditation,
Become comfortable in your physical body.
You may be lying on your back in your bed,
Yoga mat,
Or the earth itself,
Arms resting softly at your side,
Palms facing up,
Legs uncrossed.
You may choose to close your eyes and wear an eye mask to embrace the darkness in your inner vision,
Or if you choose to keep your eyes open,
You may gaze softly upon a fixed still point.
As we practice breath work,
Body scan,
And a guided journey,
Imagine the destination for this journey is a riverbank.
Wildflowers are blooming as you are gently resting on the earth,
Surrounded by the stunning beauty of springtime's renewal.
Imagine with your mind's eye,
The sun is casting warm golden light on the blooming wildflowers that rise up from the earth,
Effortlessly blooming and celebrating rebirth.
Birds and bees are celebrating the energy of springtime.
Know this is a time of activity and softening,
Letting go of any harshness or difficulty,
Simply being and celebrating effortless restoration.
Bring your attention to your breath,
Your breath coming from your heart center,
In and out,
As you reflect on gratitude for the beauty of springtime.
We will practice a four,
Four rhythm.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
And now return your breathing to its natural rhythm and welcome the feeling of softness in your body,
Sensing all of the places where natural softness abides.
Feel the places in your body where you can settle into softness and a natural easy opening to the experience of sound.
Notice each sound in your environment,
Each sound of this recording,
And welcome the different layers of sound that come and go in a state of open,
Receptive awareness.
There is nothing to do and nowhere to go,
Simply being in this present moment.
And now bring your attention to a sankalpa for your practice,
A heart's wish.
I embody the natural vitality of springtime.
I embody the natural vitality of springtime.
Allow your mind to expand and your body to soften and know the seed of the sankalpa where your heart's wish is being planted deep within the subconscious mind.
You are now experiencing timeless rest.
There's nothing to do,
Nowhere to go.
Simply witnessing restoration in this state of deep rest and quiet mind.
Begin rotating your consciousness as we begin a body scan,
Welcoming softness to each sensation and plant the seed of vitality and renewal in each area of your awareness.
Begin with sensations in your mouth,
The roof of your mouth,
Back of your mouth,
The tip of your tongue,
Upper gums and teeth,
Lower gums and teeth,
The space between your upper teeth and lower teeth,
Upper lip,
Lower lip,
The space between your lips,
The tip of your nose,
Inside the right nostril,
Inside the left nostril,
Right cheek,
Left cheek,
The right eye,
Eyelid,
Temple,
Right eyebrow.
Notice the space between your eyebrows,
The left eye,
Eyelid,
Temple,
Left eyebrow.
Bring awareness to both eyes as you deeply settle into relaxation and let go.
Witness the space between the eyes and bring your awareness to your ears,
Right ear,
The folds and valleys of the outer ear,
The touch of air in the earlobe,
The ear canal,
Deep inside the inner ear.
Notice now the left ear,
The folds and valleys of the outer ear,
The touch of air in the earlobe,
The ear canal,
Deep inside the inner ear.
Notice the space between the ears.
Bring awareness to your skull and the hair at the top of your head.
Back of the head,
The whole face and head,
Along the neck and throat,
From the neck to the base of your neck to your collarbone,
Right collarbone,
Upper arm,
Right elbow,
Lower arm,
Wrist,
Center of the right palm and counting your fingers on your right hand down from five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Witness the space around your fingers and now bring your awareness back to the base of your neck,
Left collarbone,
Upper arm,
Elbow,
Lower arm,
Wrist,
Center of the left palm,
Counting fingers on the left hand down from five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Witness the space around the fingers on the left hand and bring your awareness back to the base of your neck,
The front of the chest,
Ribs,
Navel,
Lower belly,
The pelvic bowl.
Witness sensation in your right hip,
Thigh,
Knee,
Lower leg,
Counting toes on your right foot down from five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Sense the space around the toes on your right foot and now bring your awareness to your left hip,
Thigh,
Knee,
Lower leg and counting toes on your left foot down from five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Sense the space around the toes on the left foot.
With each breath,
Feel waves of relaxation spread across each body part.
As you breathe in,
Imagine you inhale the spirit of renewal and rebirth.
As you exhale,
Release what no longer serves you.
Just as the wind sweeps across the wildflowers,
Again,
Deeply sensing the breath.
As you feel that inhale,
Again,
Witnessing the energy of renewal and rebirth.
And exhale and release what no longer serves you in this season of springtime.
Again,
You inhale vitality,
Renewal and rebirth,
Releasing what no longer serves you.
Imagine yourself in an open meadow along a riverbank.
The quiet of early spring surrounds you.
The air is soft,
Slightly cool,
Refreshing.
There's a hint of warmth from the sun.
As you see it reflected on the wildflowers,
The gentle hum of new life.
Witness the wildflowers swing gently with the breeze.
Each blade of grass moving in rhythm with the breath of the earth.
All around you,
Wildflowers are blooming.
You notice violet,
Golden buttercups,
Lupine,
Poppies and daisies.
Each flower is unique,
Each one radiant in its own way.
Notice how they open slowly towards the sun,
Trusting the energy of springtime.
The blue sky stretches effortlessly as if the whole world is exhaling a sigh of relief as springtime returns.
You take a deep breath in,
The air is filled with the scent of wildflowers.
There's a faint sweetness of pollen carried by the breeze.
You can hear the gentle hum of bees nearby,
Moving from flower to flower in slow sacred circles.
In the distance,
You hear the sound of flowing water.
A clear,
Quiet river winding through the meadow.
Down the shoreline,
You begin to walk barefoot.
With each step,
You are connected with the softness of the earth.
Your feet sink gently into the soil.
As you reach the riverbank,
You pause as you notice the waters glistening in the sunlight,
Sparkling like a trail of tiny diamonds,
Reflecting the sky and trees.
You kneel by the water and reach out with your fingers.
The river is cool,
Clear,
Alive.
You cup your hands and lift the water to your face,
Letting a few drops fall on your skin,
Refreshing,
Renewing.
You notice a grove of young trees,
Willows and cottonwoods just beginning to bud,
Tall,
Sturdy oak trees.
Their branches shimmer with soft green shoots,
New leaves catching the sun.
You sit quietly by the river.
The sound is soothing like a lullaby of nature.
The trill of a finch.
The quiet call of a morning dove.
The honking of a goose.
The mating call of a duck.
Baby ducklings,
Testing their new voices.
And witness as you are part of this landscape,
Embodied.
You belong here.
It is time for your own renewal and rebirth.
You can feel it in your breath,
In your heartbeat,
In your stillness.
Inhale the fresh vitality of springtime.
Exhale what no longer serves you.
Allow this vision to cradle you.
Allow it to remind you this is a time of renewal,
A time of rebirth.
Allow the river to carry away what no longer serves you.
And in its place,
Receive the springtime energy,
The energy of beginnings,
Of blossoming,
Of coming home to yourself again.
Rest here as long as you like.
Breathing with the rhythm of the earth.
I will hold space for silence for you to witness the energy of effortless renewal.
And returning to my guidance,
Connect back to your body.
Notice the softening that has replaced any tension in your muscles.
And quickly scanning your body head to toe,
Skin to bones.
Bring awareness back to your surroundings quietly and softly.
Softly setting the intention to return to wakefulness.
There is no rush.
Imagine the outline of your body.
Imagine another wave of softness that is coming up from the river and earth and wildflowers.
The energy of springtime washes over your toes,
Ankles,
Calves,
Knees,
Hips,
Abdomen,
Navel,
Ribs,
The tips of your fingers,
Wrists,
Elbows,
Shoulders,
Your entire torso.
Front and back.
The neck.
Lower jaw.
Upper jaw.
Ears.
Cheeks.
Nose.
Right and left eye.
Forehead.
And the top of your skull.
And now flutter your eyelids open.
Softly wiggle your fingers and toes and take in a deep breath of air.
Rock your knees slowly.
Perhaps hugging them to your chest.
And thank the part of you that showed up for this meditation practice today.
And know that the light within me sees the light within you.
May you be happy.
May you be peaceful.
May you be loved.
May you be whole.
Namaste.
