Welcome and thank you for choosing to be here.
My name is Yana Shala and I'm honoured to guide you into deep rest.
This practice requires nothing from you.
Simply follow the guidance of my voice and allow yourself to be carried into stillness.
Whatever you experience is enough.
Just as it is.
Find a comfortable position now where you can rest undisturbed.
Perhaps on your back with a pillar beneath the knees or any position that feels completely supportive.
Ensure the body is warm and at ease.
Feel into your body for a moment now.
Is there anything you can do to become even 1% more comfortable?
Make any small adjustments now.
Allow the eyelids to become heavy,
Gently closing.
Soften the jaw,
Letting the teeth part slightly.
Release the tongue,
Letting it rest heavy in the mouth.
Take a soft breath in through the nose and exhale through the mouth with a sigh,
Letting the whole body become heavy.
Again,
Breathing in and letting go.
Allow the natural rhythm of breath to return.
Bring your attention to the heart center.
In this state of open heart,
Welcome your sankalpa.
Your sankalpa is your heartfelt intention.
If you do not have one,
You might use,
I am enough,
Just as I am.
Stay to your sankalpa silently as if it is already true.
Let it rest in the heart like a seed,
Trusting it will grow.
We will now move awareness through the body.
Simply notice each part as it is named.
Feel your face,
Your forehead,
Eyes,
Cheeks,
Jaw,
All softening.
The whole head heavy and resting.
The throat,
The neck,
Releasing.
The right shoulder,
Right arm,
Right hand,
All five fingers.
The whole right arm,
Heavy and warm.
The left shoulder,
Left arm,
Left hand,
All five fingers.
The whole left arm,
Heavy and warm.
The chest,
The heart,
The belly,
Softening with each breath.
The pelvis,
Low back,
Softening into the earth.
The right hip,
Right leg,
Right foot,
All five toes.
The whole right leg,
Heavy and resting.
The left hip,
Left leg,
Left foot,
All five toes.
The whole left leg,
Heavy and resting.
The whole back body,
Surrendered to the earth.
The whole body now,
Deeply resting.
Trillions of cells,
Alive and at peace.
Notice the natural rhythm of your breath.
The cool air entering.
The warm air leaving.
The gentle rise and fall of the belly.
Without effort,
Gently allow the exhale to become slightly longer than the inhale.
A long,
Slow,
Smooth breath out.
Breath by breath,
The body grounding,
The mind quieting.
Bring your attention to the space behind closed eyes.
Allow yourself to rest in this inner space.
Calm,
Peaceful,
Safe.
If it feels right,
Allow an image to arise of a peaceful,
Healing place.
Maybe it's a still mountain lake at sunset,
Water reflecting soft pinks and purples.
Surrounded by ancient mountains,
Holding you in their quiet embrace.
Or a vast night sky,
Filled with stars,
The warm earth beneath you.
The infinite above.
Rest in your sanctuary now.
There is nothing to do,
Nothing to figure out.
Only rest,
Only presence,
Only now.
Feel yourself held between earth and sky.
You are safe,
You are whole,
You are exactly where you need to be.
And now,
Letting even the images dissolve.
Resting back into spacious awareness itself.
From this place of rest,
Recall your sankalpa once more.
Feel its truth resonating through your being.
Begin to sense the breath in the body.
The gentle rise and fall.
Feel the body resting on the earth.
Sense the room around you.
The sounds nearby and further away.
Deepen your breath now.
Breathing in through the nose.
And exhaling through the mouth.
One more deep breath in.
And letting it all go.
Notice how you feel.
In the body,
In the heart.
Whatever you have cultivated here is yours.
You can return whenever you need.
When you're ready,
Slowly begin to wiggle the fingers and toes.
Gently nod the head side to side.
Maybe inviting a stretch into the body.
Or draw the knees towards the chest.
Take your time.
Here,
There is no rush.
When you feel ready,
In your own time,
Gently begin to blink open your eyes.
Letting the outside world back in.
Thank you for breathing with me today.
May you be happy.
May you be peaceful.
May you be at ease.
