Hi friends,
This is Kelsey with Life Alchemy and this is an about 35-minute guided yoga nidra meditation intended to provide support during a chronic illness flare.
Though this practice can be helpful for anyone experiencing a challenge,
Physical,
Emotional,
Or otherwise.
Everyone is welcome here and all of you is welcome.
By being here,
By taking this time for yourself,
You are already resourcing and extending your self-care.
This care,
This kindness to yourself is more important than ever when our experience is difficult.
I'm so glad you're here and I am with you.
I offer you my most heartfelt love and support during this time together and well beyond.
Remember that my guidance is simply suggestion and you're encouraged to modify,
Skip,
Or pause whenever your wisdom calls for it.
If you fall asleep during this practice or if the attention wanders,
That's completely natural.
Whenever you notice,
Simply return to the sound of my voice.
Let's begin by cultivating an environment of care and comfort for our practice.
Maybe minimizing distractions by closing a door or silencing devices.
Maybe dimming the light and maybe creating a cozy nest of pillows and blankets to settle into.
This doesn't need to be perfect.
We're simply doing what we can to support ourselves in our practice.
When you're ready,
Come into whatever shape is best for your body right now.
Any supported position is welcome and any adjustments that might serve you during our practice are welcome too.
You might gently close the eyes now or maybe soften the gaze and begin to bring the attention to the surface beneath you.
Noticing all of the places where you're contacting the earth below.
You might notice the sea of air around you,
Its warmth or coolness.
You might notice lingering aromas or maybe lingering tastes on the tongue and noticing the sounds in the space around you,
Sounds that are far sounds that are close.
The sound of my voice.
I invite you to join me in three physiological sighs,
Though please feel welcome to substitute with any type of breath or technique that might help you settle in.
Taking a full sip of air in through the nose and another tiny sip of air in and then letting it all go through the mouth with a sigh.
Repeating this two more times at your own pace.
If you notice any areas of the body where you might be holding or feeling tense,
See if you can invite a softening,
Maybe softening the eyes.
The jaw.
The shoulders or the belly.
If you've been feeling a need to fix your body or symptoms or what you're experiencing,
The invitation is to see if you can release that now.
It might help to thank yourself for trying to fix it,
Knowing that fix-it mode is a natural way of trying to protect yourself and alleviate suffering.
And you might instead shift into sensing and feeling and listening and being just as you are.
Knowing that kindly being with yourself and your experience,
Just as it is,
Is a pathway for cultivating peace and stepping into wholeness and connection.
Gently bring the attention to the heart space now and notice what's present for you.
If it feels supportive,
You might even bring a hand here to offer yourself love and care.
If you have a sankalpa or heart's intention that you're working with,
Take a moment to welcome it in.
Or you might like to use the phrase,
I am at peace in my body.
I welcome peace in my body.
Or another variation,
Image,
Or somatic feeling that resonates for you.
Whatever you choose,
Welcome it inwardly three times.
I invite you now to bring the attention to each part of the body as it's named,
Noticing whatever sensations are present or not present.
Seeing if you can welcome whatever arises into kind awareness.
And if the sensation becomes difficult or overwhelming,
Remember that you can always shift the attention somewhere that feels neutral or pleasant.
Maybe the sensation of the body on the surface below,
Sensation in the hands,
Or anything that works for you.
Begin now by gently and kindly bringing the attention to the crown of the head.
The forehead and the eyebrows.
The eyes and all the little muscles in the eyes.
The bridge of the nose.
The nostrils breathing.
The cheeks,
Left and right.
Both ears listening.
The chin and the jaw.
The throat and the neck.
The center of the chest,
The heart center,
The right shoulder,
Right elbow,
Wrist.
The palm of the right hand.
The thumb.
First finger.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Small finger.
All of the fingers and the whole hand and arm.
Back to heart center.
The left shoulder.
The left elbow.
Wrist.
Palm of the left hand.
The thumb.
First finger.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Small finger.
All of the fingers and the whole hand and arm.
Back to heart center.
The right side of the chest.
Right side,
Ribs and waist.
The left side of the chest.
Left side,
Ribs and waist.
The belly.
The whole torso.
The pelvic bowl.
The right hip.
Right knee.
Ankle.
The sole of the right foot.
The big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Small toe.
All of the toes and the whole foot and leg.
Back to the pelvic bowl.
The left hip.
Left knee.
Ankle.
The sole of the left foot.
The big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
The big toe.
Small toe.
All of the toes and the whole foot and leg.
Bringing attention to the whole body now.
The whole body.
The left and right,
Front and back,
Inner tissues and outer edges.
The whole body held in kind awareness.
Now bring the attention to the natural breath just as it is.
Simply observing,
Witnessing the natural inhalations and the natural exhalations.
You might notice the breath at the nostrils,
Chest,
Or belly.
You might notice the beginning,
Middle,
And end of each breath.
Maybe noticing the space between the breaths.
The whole body breathing all on its own.
Staying with the natural breath,
Imagine breathing in through the soles of the feet,
Up to the crown of the head,
And breathing out.
Breathing out from the crown of the head down through the soles of the feet.
Inhaling,
Soles of the feet up to the crown of the head.
And exhaling,
Crown of the head down through the soles of your feet.
And on your own now,
At your natural pace,
And releasing that,
Begin to notice where you feel warmth in the body,
Maybe inside the mouth.
Maybe the belly or the armpits.
Welcoming in the sensation of warmth.
The tension saturating all the places where warmth is naturally occurring.
Now begin to notice where you feel coolness in the body.
Maybe at the tip of the nose.
Maybe the fingers or the toes.
Welcoming in the sensation of coolness.
The tension saturating all the places where coolness is naturally occurring.
At your own pace,
Alternate the attention between the sensations of warmth and coolness.
Now welcome the sensations of warmth and coolness simultaneously.
Can you feel both warmth and coolness at the same time?
I invite you now to recall or imagine a place where you feel safe,
Grounded,
Comforted,
Or peaceful.
Maybe this is somewhere you've been before.
Or maybe it's a place you've seen in a photo,
Video,
Or dream.
Welcome this place of refuge in with all of your senses.
Take notice of the colors and shapes.
The sounds.
The aromas and tastes.
The sensations on your skin.
And welcome to this place,
A being that brings you a sense of love,
Comfort,
Safety,
Wisdom,
Or peace.
Maybe a friend or family member,
Living or passed on.
Maybe a religious or spiritual figure.
Maybe your highest or future self,
Or maybe an animal.
Welcome them in with all of your senses,
Their full essence,
Here with you now.
This being who loves you unconditionally and supports your highest good.
What would they offer to you right now in this moment?
Maybe a message.
Maybe a hug.
Maybe a soothing,
Somatic feeling from being in their presence.
Or maybe something else.
Could you open to this offering,
Receiving it fully?
Becoming enveloped in this love and support.
Noticing the part of you that's witnessing what this feels like.
And now,
Resting in simply being.
Resting in wholeness,
Just as you are.
For another minute,
Abiding here in kind,
Loving,
Compassionate awareness itself.
In this space of loving awareness,
Could you recall your sankalpa?
You may have chosen,
I am at peace in my body.
I welcome peace in my body.
Or another heart's intention.
Invoke your sankalpa inwardly three times.
And as you do so,
Allow the truth of it to saturate you completely.
What does it feel like in your body and in the space around you?
Notice the quality of presence here.
Becoming aware of feelings or thoughts.
Noticing the rhythm of your natural breath.
And becoming aware of the shape and density of your body.
Resting on the surface below.
Begin to take in the space around you.
Maybe noticing sounds or smells.
Maybe noticing the sensation of the air around you.
And welcome a full breath in.
And a slow breath out.
Repeat this cycle a few times at your own pace.
Deepening the breath with each round.
You might take a moment to notice how you feel right now.
Take note of any changes that may have occurred.
Or to integrate anything you'd like to take with you from this practice.
Feel welcome to stay here a while longer resting.
And when you're ready,
Slowly and gently transition however works best for you.
Thank you for practicing with me.
Sending you much peace,
Love and care.
