Hi there and welcome.
I'm Katie and I'm so glad that you're here.
So in this video,
We'll be practicing yoga nidra,
Which is a guided practice that allows the body and the mind and the nervous system to simply rest deeply while your awareness is guided to follow simple cues.
Now here's the deal.
You actually don't have to do anything at all in this practice,
Which is kind of why I love it so much.
And if your mind wanders,
That's completely okay.
And if at some point you actually fall asleep,
That is perfectly fine too.
Many people do.
So this practice is going to be done lying down and will last approximately 45 minutes.
So I encourage you now to find a place to get yourself comfortable.
You might even want to put a pillow underneath your knees to support your body and your back.
And if you feel called to grab a blanket so you can feel nice and warm and cozy during this practice,
You're welcome to do so too.
So I hope you enjoy this practice and I also hope that you find ease and comfort in not only your body,
But in your mind and in your heart as well during this practice.
May you rest well.
Welcome to this practice.
You're welcome to close your eyes if you'd like or simply soften your gaze.
And before we begin,
Let's take a moment to get comfy and settled in.
You can start with simply noticing your body lying here.
The surface beneath you supporting your weight.
The back of the body simply resting and being held.
And inviting a little softening into your heels and your feet.
And your legs.
Your pelvis.
And inviting softening and ease into your back and spine.
Your shoulders.
Your arms and your hands.
Inviting a bit of softening into your neck and your head.
And inviting some softening into your feet.
Your face.
Your jaw.
Nothing to change.
Just arriving.
Allowing the body to be heavy.
Letting gravity hold you so you don't have to do all the work.
And if there's any small adjustment that would help the body settle just a little bit more,
You're welcome to take it now.
Letting the body become still,
Peaceful,
At ease or simply neutral.
And even with the eyes closed,
The body can sense the room around you.
The space you're resting in.
Perhaps noticing the temperature of the air.
Or distant sounds in the room.
Or textures your skin and skin tones.
Just letting your nervous system recognize that you are here.
Resting.
And supported.
And if you'd like,
You can bring to mind a simple intention.
Something gentle.
Perhaps this is a time for my body to rest.
Or nothing needs to be solved right now.
Perhaps repeating it quietly once or twice and then letting the words fade.
Breathing in.
Now start to notice the natural rhythm of your breathing.
The inhalation and the exhalation.
Perhaps noticing the belly or chest rising.
No need to change the breath.
Just simply being with it.
Letting your body be breathed.
The breath will be here to support you through the practice.
Something steady that the body already knows how to do.
And as your breath continues,
You may notice the body beginning to slow down just a bit more.
Your nervous system is invited to settle when attention rests with the breath.
And there's nothing you need to make happen.
You may begin to notice things beginning to slow even more now.
The mind not needing to do very much at all.
And so from here,
We'll begin a slow movement of awareness through your body.
You might imagine your awareness like a soft flashlight beam.
A gentle beam of light that moves to one place at a time.
And as each area is named,
Simply let the light of your awareness rest there briefly.
Then we'll move on to the next place.
No effort needed.
Just letting attention move.
And if you lose track at any point,
That's completely fine.
And just pick up again wherever you hear the next place named.
And so let's begin.
Bring your awareness to your right hand.
Your second finger.
Your middle finger.
Your third finger.
Your fourth finger.
And your little finger.
Bringing awareness to your palm.
To the back of the right hand.
Your right wrist.
Elbow.
Shoulder.
Bringing awareness to your right chest.
Letting your awareness move down to your thigh.
Your lower leg.
Ankle.
Heel.
Sole of the foot.
Big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
And bringing awareness to the whole right side of your body.
Now shifting your awareness over to your left hand.
Second finger.
Little finger.
Awareness now in the left palm of your hand.
Left wrist.
Forearm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
Left chest.
Left chest.
Left waist.
Left hip.
Bringing awareness down to your left thigh.
Lower leg.
Your left heel.
Sole of the foot.
Top of the foot.
Second toe.
Fourth toe.
Little toe.
Now bringing awareness to the whole left side of your body.
Back of the head.
Shoulder blades.
Middle back.
Lower back.
Bringing awareness to the right leg.
And heel.
Moving that awareness to the left leg.
And heel.
Now bringing your awareness back around to the front of your body.
Your forehead.
Your right eyebrow.
Your left eyebrow.
The space between the eyebrows.
Your eyes.
Your cheeks.
The upper lip.
The lower lip.
Your chest and your heart space.
Your upper abdomen.
Your lower abdomen.
Pelvis.
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
Now simply sensing your whole body.
And allow this gentle and kind awareness to spread through the entire body at once.
As if the soft beam of attention now widens.
Resting here.
Recovering.
Now allowing awareness to become more spacious.
Nothing to focus on.
The breath moving through you like a soft,
Peaceful wind.
Breathing in.
At this stage,
Many people notice the body becoming very quiet.
Sometimes the mind becomes dream-like.
Sometimes the body begins to drift towards sleep.
All of that is completely natural.
Just resting here.
Gradually becoming aware again.
The body resting here.
Surface beneath you,
Supporting you.
And the gentle rhythm of your beautiful breath.
There's no need to hurry.
You're welcome to remain resting for as long as you'd like.
May you be well.
