Welcome to your yoga nidra practice today.
I'm grateful that you're here,
Dedicating this time to yourself,
To rest,
Restore and create some space within.
Getting ready for your practice,
You might want to gather any props that you need,
Pillows and blankets for warmth.
Laying on your back or in a position that feels comfortable and supportive for you today.
Bringing awareness throughout your whole body and making any small adjustments to rest more comfortably,
So that your body can remain still throughout the practice.
As you scan through your body,
Notice if you are contracting or tensing any muscles and with intention bring some softness to these areas.
Perhaps in your face and jaw,
Your shoulders,
Hands,
Glutes.
And give yourself permission to rest deeply.
There is nowhere else to be,
Nothing to fix or plan,
Nothing to do.
You are here and now.
Take a long breath in through the nose and exhale through the mouth.
Inhale through the nose,
Pausing briefly at the top and extending the exhalation.
One more inhale,
Slight pause and let it go.
Melting back into the surface beneath you as you allow your breath to return to its natural rhythm.
Each wave of breath flowing effortlessly into the next.
Now,
Welcome in an intention for this practice or your Sankalpa.
A short phrase in the present tense,
Mentally whispering your intention to yourself three times.
Following my voice,
Let your awareness move through the body.
As I name each part,
Rest your attention there for a moment.
You might imagine a small point of light at each place,
Tiny stars across the landscape of your body.
Start by placing all of your attention at the centre of the forehead,
The mind's eye centre.
The right eye.
Left eye.
Right ear.
Left ear.
The bridge of the nose.
The tip of the nose.
The tip of the tongue.
Throat centre.
Right shoulder.
Elbow.
Wrist.
Centre of the palm of the hand.
Tip of the thumb.
Tip of the first finger.
Second.
Third.
Little finger.
The heart centre.
Third finger.
Left shoulder.
Elbow.
Wrist.
Centre of the palm of the hand.
Tip of the thumb.
Tip of the first finger.
Second.
Third.
Little finger.
Returning to the heart centre.
Navel.
Right hip.
Tip.
Knee.
Sole of the foot.
Tip of the big toe.
Second.
Third.
Fourth.
Little toe.
Left hip.
Knee.
Ankle.
Sole of the foot.
Tip of the big toe.
Second.
Third.
Fourth.
Little toe.
The base of the spine.
Moving up the spine.
Vertebra by vertebra.
To the back of the head.
Head.
Crown of the head.
Centre of the forehead.
The mind's eye centre.
Now,
Imagine your whole body illuminated.
Each point of light forming a constellation of shining stars.
The constellation of you.
Feel the subtle vibration or pulse of aliveness throughout your being.
Luminous and bright.
Filled with awareness.
Sense your breath.
Waves of respiration flowing in and out.
Notice the gentle rise and fall at the belly,
The chest.
Easy.
Rhythmic and effortless.
Focus all of your attention to the breath moving the body.
With each inhalation,
Feel your body expand.
As if millions of cells in your body were expanding outwards.
With each inhalation,
Feel yourself expansive.
Spacious.
The edges of the physical body dissolve and expand.
As if all the millions of cells expand with the breath.
You might be aware of thoughts or emotions,
Moods.
Floating by like clouds across the sky.
Drifting by.
And you're just resting back as the sky itself.
Witness to the thoughts or feelings as they come and go.
Resting here as observer.
As pure awareness.
As vast as the sky.
Bring your attention to the space in front of your closed eyes.
An infinite inner space.
Resting deeply in this quiet darkness.
And imagine yourself lying in a quiet meadow on a warm summer's evening.
Above you,
A flock of birds flying home to nest.
Feel the comfort and warmth of a campfire.
The scent of grass and wood smoke.
Night falls and the sky darkens.
Stars appear across the sky.
Millions of twinkling stars.
Feel the vastness of the universe.
The universe above you.
As you rest here,
Imagine your own body.
The luminous constellation of you.
Expansive.
Spacious.
As one with the universe in and around you.
Into this spacious awareness,
Return to your Sankalpa.
Affirming once more your intention with words or feeling.
Welcoming yourself back.
Feel the solid earth beneath your body.
And with eyes still closed,
Become aware of the space around you.
Take a deep breath in.
And out.
One more deep breath in.
And slowly start to awaken your body with slow,
Gentle movements.
And when you're ready,
Flutter the eyes open.
Take your time to return to the waking state.
Carrying with you the calm and peace cultivated within you.
Into your day and into the world around you.
Thank you for practicing Yoga Nidra with me today.
Namaste.
