Welcome to your Yoga Nidra practice today.
This practice is designed to help you find a moment of stillness and deep rest by moving your attention away from the busyness of doing and thinking into the quietness of sensing,
Of being.
Take a moment to settle in for this practice,
Laying on your back and using any props to support you,
Blankets to keep you warm,
Adjusting your arms,
Legs and head,
Preparing your body for stillness.
And now,
Take a deep breath in through the nose and out through the mouth,
Extending the exhalation.
Deep breath in through the nose and a long breath out through the mouth.
One more deep breath in and as you exhale,
Sense your body relaxing,
Softening.
Notice all of the areas where your body meets the surface beneath you.
Scan all the way down the back of your body,
Noticing how your body is received and held by the ground supporting you.
You are here,
Now,
Practicing Yoga Nidra.
Welcome in an intention for this practice,
A simple phrase in the present tense,
Welcoming it in as if it's already true.
Perhaps you can choose,
I am home.
Mentally whisper your intention to yourself three times.
Focus your attention on the breath in the body,
The natural rhythm of air moving in and out of the body,
Letting go of thinking and doing,
Moving into the space of just being and listening.
Following the guidance of my voice,
Move your attention from one point in the body to the next.
Start by placing all of your attention at the centre of the forehead,
The mind's eye centre,
The right eyebrow,
Temple,
Cheekbone,
The right eye and all of the muscles behind the eye,
Resting back,
The left eyebrow,
Temple,
Cheekbone,
The left eye and all of the muscles behind the eye,
Resting back,
The tip of the nose,
The right nostril,
The left nostril,
Upper lip,
Lower lip,
Inside of the mouth,
The teeth and the gums,
The tip of the tongue,
All the way down to the root of the tongue,
The right ear listening,
The left ear listening,
Back of the neck,
Right shoulder,
Left shoulder,
Upper arm,
Elbow,
Forearm,
Wrist,
The palm of the hand and the back of the hand,
The right thumb,
First finger,
Second,
Third and the little finger,
The space between and around the fingers,
Moving your attention from the tips of your fingers through the palm of your hand and wrist,
The forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm to the shoulder,
The right side of the chest,
Waist,
The right hip,
Thigh,
Knee,
Lower leg,
Sole of the foot and the top of the foot,
Big toe,
Second toe,
Third,
Fourth,
Little toe,
The space between and around the toes,
Attention flowing from the tips of your toes,
The sole of your foot and heel,
The back of your leg and knee,
Back of the thigh,
The hip,
Up the right side of the body,
The right arm,
The right side of the body,
Awareness throughout the right side of the body and the left hemisphere of the brain,
Feeling awareness and sensation throughout the right side of the body and the left hemisphere of the brain,
Return your attention to the heart centre,
The heart centre,
The left shoulder,
Upper arm,
Elbow,
Forearm,
Wrist,
The palm and the back of the hand,
Left thumb,
First finger,
Second,
Third,
Little finger,
The space between and around the fingers,
Awareness flowing from the tips of your fingers,
Through the palm and wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm and shoulder,
To the left side of the chest,
Waist,
Left hip,
Thigh,
Knee,
Lower leg,
Ankle,
The sole and top of the foot,
Big toe,
Second,
Third,
Fourth,
The little toe,
The space between and around the toes,
Awareness and sensation flowing from the tips of the toes to the sole of the foot and ankle,
Back of the leg and knee,
Up the thigh to the hip,
Throughout the left side of the torso and left arm,
Awareness filling the left side of the body,
Throughout the left side of the body and the right hemisphere of the brain,
Feeling awareness and sensation throughout the left side of the body and the right hemisphere of the brain,
And now feel your whole body,
Your whole body now alive and radiant with sensation,
Feeling sensation throughout your whole body now,
And now feel the back of your body,
Where the body meets the ground,
Feel yourself heavy,
Sinking deeper,
Feel the weight of gravity grounding your body,
And now feel the front of your body,
Where the body meets the air,
And feel yourself lighter,
Floating,
Feel your body light and weightless,
Returning to the feeling of heaviness,
Sinking deeper,
And lightness again,
Floating and weightless,
And notice if you can feel both sensations at the same time,
Heavy and light,
Return your attention to the breath,
Air moving in and out of the body,
Your body effortlessly breathing itself,
Notice the rise and the fall of the breath at the belly,
Easy and rhythmic,
Just sensing the expansion and releasing of the breath,
With each inhalation sense your whole body,
Every cell expanding outwards,
Beyond the physical body,
Spacious,
Expansive,
Breathing in and expanding,
Infinite,
Bring your attention to the space behind your closed eyes,
This quiet darkness,
And imagine you can see your body here and now,
Laying down in this quiet darkness,
Your body resting so deeply,
You see yourself laying here,
Calm and quiet,
Notice how the breath moves your body,
And your attention moves outwards to see the whole room,
Notice how peaceful you are,
Resting deeply,
Move your awareness further out,
From the room to the building,
Further out to see the streets and the houses around,
And still further to the land around you,
Start to see how the land and the oceans are divided,
The slight curve of the horizon,
Still further out,
Witness the earth,
Your home,
A colourful sphere slowly turning,
The green and yellow of the land,
The blue of the seas and oceans,
The atmosphere blanketing the planet,
Notice the light of the sun,
And the shadow of the night,
Moving still further out,
Into the darkness of space,
Into the vast expanse of the universe,
And feel yourself expanding,
Ever outward,
Welcome back your intention for this practice,
Feeling your Sankalpa all around and within you,
It's time to come home,
See the earth,
The land and the seas,
The towns and cities,
The houses and streets,
Your space,
Your body laying on the ground,
Resting deeply,
Feel your breath in your body,
Feel the surface beneath you,
From your head to your feet,
Supported and held,
Take a deep breath in and out,
Deep breath in and out,
And when you're ready,
Start to awaken your body,
You are here and now.
Thank you for practicing Yoga Nidra with me today.
Namaste.
