Welcome to your Yoga Nidra practice.
Thank you for sharing your space and time with me today.
This practice aims to cultivate a deep sense of peace within you.
You can think of it as a peaceful act of rebellion against the stress and conflict in the world today.
Before we begin,
Take some time to get ready.
Finding a quiet place where you won't be disturbed.
Switching off any devices.
Laying on your back or in a position that feels comfortable and supportive.
Using any pillows,
Props and blankets to allow your body to rest in stillness.
To fall into the state of deep rest,
While your mind remains awake and aware.
When you feel ready,
We'll start with a few deep breaths.
In through the nose and as you exhale,
Purse your lips as if you're blowing through a straw.
So a deep breath in and a long exhalation through pursed lips.
Continue at your own pace for the next few breaths.
Letting go of that,
Allow your breath to return to its natural rhythm.
Focusing all of your attention on the breath,
Moving in and out of your body.
The gentle rise and fall of the breath at the belly,
The chest.
Each inhale gliding into the exhale.
Each exhale gliding into the inhale.
With each exhalation,
Feel your body start to soften.
Notice your jaw and relaxing your chest.
Your temples.
Notice any expression that may remain on your face and soften and release.
Your lips,
Around your eyes.
Imagine the brain softening,
Unclenching.
The back of your head and shoulder blades.
With each exhalation,
Resting deeper into the surface beneath you.
Become aware of your arms and hands,
Unclenching,
Releasing tension.
Your hips and legs,
Softening,
Resting back.
Bring your attention to the heart center,
The center of the heart.
As you feel into this space,
Ask yourself what your mind and body need today and set an intention for this practice.
A short phrase in the present tense,
Your Sankalpa.
Perhaps you can choose,
I am at peace with myself and the world around me.
Mentally whisper your intention to yourself three times.
Bring all of your attention to the tip of the tongue,
The roof of the mouth,
Inside the right cheek,
Inside the left cheek,
The upper lip,
Lower lip,
The chin and the jaw,
The temples,
Right and left,
Forehead,
Right eyebrow,
Right eye,
And all of the muscles behind the eye,
Resting back.
Left eyebrow,
Left eye,
And all of the muscles behind the eye,
Resting back.
The right nostril,
The left nostril.
Noticing the coolness of the inhalation,
The warmth of the exhalation.
The crown of the head,
Back of the neck,
The right shoulder,
Upper arm,
Elbow,
Forearm,
Wrist,
Palm of the hand,
Back of the hand,
Right thumb,
First finger,
Second,
Third,
Little finger,
Palm of the hand,
Left hand,
Wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
The right side of the chest,
Left side of the chest,
Left shoulder,
Upper arm,
Elbow,
Forearm,
Wrist,
Palm of the hand,
Back of the hand,
Left thumb,
First finger,
Second,
Third,
And the little finger,
Palm of the hand,
Wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
The right side of the chest,
The heart center,
Waist,
Navel,
Lower belly,
The right hip,
Thigh,
Lower leg,
Sole of the foot,
Top of the foot,
Big toe,
Second toe,
Third,
Fourth,
Little toe,
Sole of the foot,
Ankle,
Lower leg,
Knee,
Thigh,
The pelvic bowl,
Left hip,
Thigh,
Knee,
Lower leg,
Ankle,
Sole of the foot,
Top of the foot,
Big toe,
Second,
Third,
Fourth,
Little toe,
The sole of the foot,
Ankle,
Lower leg,
Knee,
Thigh,
The pelvic bowl,
Awareness moving up the spine,
To the back of the head,
The crown of the head,
The mind's eye center,
Imagine the whole body,
The whole body resting deeply,
Supported and held,
The whole body so still and deeply resting.
Now,
Welcome the feeling of warmth in your body,
Sensing all the places where your body feels warm,
Feel your body warm,
A gentle glow from within you,
How does it feel?
Where do you sense it?
Welcome the feeling of coolness in your body,
Sensing places of natural cool freshness,
The soothing cool sensation flowing through you,
How does it feel?
Where do you notice it?
Returning to warmth,
Feeling the warm glow within you,
Then welcoming coolness again,
Can you sense both opposite sensations at the same time,
Feeling both warm and cool simultaneously,
And letting attention return to the same place,
Return to the breath,
Noticing the body breathing itself as you rest so deeply,
Noticing the rise and fall of the breath at the belly,
The chest,
The air in the nostrils,
The slight coolness on the inhalation and the warmth on the exhalation,
Just noticing the breath.
And now,
Without changing the natural rhythm of your breath,
Imagine that you could breathe in through only the right nostril and out through the left,
Switching sides,
In through the left and out through the right,
Just imagining the air moving,
Right nostril on the inhalation,
Left on the exhale,
In through the left,
Switching sides,
Out through the right,
The easy,
Natural rhythm of the breath,
Gently moving from side to side.
And now,
Adding the mantra,
I am at peace,
With each inhale,
Silently whispering,
I am,
With each exhale,
At peace,
Inhale through one nostril,
I am,
Exhale through the other,
At peace,
I am,
At peace,
Inhale and exhale,
Allowing the breath and mantra to flow together,
Inhale,
I am,
Exhale,
At peace,
I am,
Letting the words fade into feeling and just resting as peace.
Bring your attention to the space in front of your closed eyes,
Rest your mind in this infinite space,
This quiet darkness,
Resting so deeply in this quiet darkness,
Slowly you notice the darkness is lifting,
Slowly,
Behind the horizon is the distant glow of the dawn,
The sun is about to rise,
Lifting its head over the horizon,
With the first light comes colour and shape,
In front of you is a meadow,
Stretching off into the distance,
Notice the soft mist rising from the long grass,
As the dawn breaks,
The meadow is bathed in warm golden light,
Hear the birds begin their morning chorus,
Greeting the new day,
Bathing in this golden light,
In this state of pure awareness,
You are filled with the hope and promise of the new day,
Why not rest here a while,
In this quiet moment of peace,
Welcome back your intention,
Your heart's vowel,
Allow your sankalpa to be here as a felt sensation,
Within and around you,
Start to become aware of the space around you,
Without opening your eyes,
Imagine the walls,
The windows,
The surface beneath you,
Your body resting here so deeply,
Take a deep breath in and out,
Deep breath in and let it go,
And slowly start to awaken your body,
Making gentle movements,
And when you're ready,
Flutter the eyes open,
Notice where you are,
Notice how you feel at the end of this practice,
Carrying the inner peace you have cultivated within you,
Into your day and into the world around you,
Thank you for practicing yoga nidra with me today,
Namaste.
