Settling in for your Yoga Nidra practice today.
Take time to get completely cosy and warm.
Laying on your back or in a comfortable position.
Using any props or pillows,
Blankets for warmth.
Setting yourself up for maximum comfort for your practice today.
We are going to start by bringing some tension into your body.
Please note that if you do have any health issues,
For example high blood pressure,
Please only bring a very gentle tension into your body.
On your next inhale,
Make fists and then create stiffness and tension throughout your shoulders,
Arms and fists.
Squeeze,
Tighten,
Even more tighter.
And now let go,
Release.
On your next exhalation,
Relax a little bit more.
This time,
As you inhale,
Bring tension and stiffness to the hips,
Legs and feet.
Squeeze tight,
Tighter,
Tighter and release.
Exhale,
Release deeper.
And now tighten the whole body.
As you inhale,
Bring tension to the whole body.
Squeeze,
Squeeze,
Squeeze,
Tighter.
And sigh it out on the exhale.
Release any holding or gripping.
Feel the tension dissolve and leave your body.
And now take a moment to scan through your whole body.
From your head,
Arms and torso,
Hips,
Legs,
Feet.
Is there anything you could do or adjust to get even more comfortable?
Make any small adjustments that you need now.
Give yourself permission to rest deeply here in this practice of Yoga Nidra.
Shift from thinking and doing to feeling and being.
There is nothing you need to do here.
There is nowhere you need to be.
Nothing you need to work out.
Nothing you have to do.
Nothing you have to do.
Now imagine a place where you feel completely safe,
Calm and at ease.
An imaginary place or inner sanctuary.
It could be a room,
A place in nature.
A space where you feel completely peaceful.
Notice the light,
Colour,
Sounds here.
Into this inner sanctuary,
Welcome in your heart's desire,
Your Sankalpa.
If you're not working with a particular Sankalpa,
Perhaps you can choose,
I accept myself just as I am.
Mentally whispering your heart's vow to yourself three times.
Now,
Allow your attention to move through your body following the guidance of my voice.
Imagine your attention fluidly moving from one point to the next,
Creating a stream of awareness flowing throughout your body.
Start by placing attention at the centre of the forehead,
The mind's eye.
The right eyebrow.
Right eye.
Cheekbone.
Left eyebrow.
Left eye.
And cheekbone.
Tip of the nose.
Right nostril.
Left nostril.
Tip of the tongue.
And all the way down to the root of the tongue.
Back of the neck.
Right shoulder.
Elbow.
Wrist.
Right thumb.
First finger.
Second.
Third.
Little finger.
Wrist.
Elbow.
Shoulder.
Base of the throat.
Left shoulder.
Elbow.
Wrist.
Thumb.
First finger.
Second.
Third.
Little finger.
Wrist.
Elbow.
Shoulder.
Base of the throat.
Right side of the chest.
Centre of the chest.
Left side of the chest.
Waist.
Navel.
Pelvis.
Right hip.
Knee.
Ankle.
Big toe.
Second toe.
Third.
Fourth.
Little toe.
Ankle.
Knee.
Pelvis.
Left hip.
Knee.
Ankle.
Big toe.
Second toe.
Third.
Fourth.
Little toe.
Ankle.
Knee.
Hip.
Pelvis.
Navel.
Heart centre.
Base of the throat.
Mind's eye centre.
The whole body now,
Radiant with sensation.
Awareness throughout the whole body.
Notice the natural rhythm of breath moving your body.
The natural flow of air in and out.
The body effortlessly breathing itself.
Without changing your breath in any way,
Start to count your inhalation and exhalation.
Inhaling 10.
Exhaling 10.
Inhaling 9.
Exhaling 9.
Continue counting down at your own pace.
And now,
Welcome the feeling of softness in your body.
Sensing all of the places where a natural softness is occurring.
Feel all the places in your body where softness resides within you.
How does softness feel in your body?
Where do you feel it?
And now,
Welcome the feeling of rigidity in your body.
Dense and rigid feeling occurs.
Feel all the places where hard,
Rigid tissues reside within your body.
How does rigidity feel in your body?
Where do you feel it?
Coming back to the feeling of softness.
Feeling all of the areas that are soft.
Then,
Welcoming density and rigidity again.
And now,
Go back and forth between feeling soft and rigid.
Back and forth between the two at your own pace.
And now,
Sense them both at the same time.
Welcoming the feeling of being soft and rigid at the same time.
Bring awareness now to the space in front of your closed eyes.
Rest your mind in this infinite space.
Become aware of the darkness and any light,
Colour,
Patterns or images that may appear.
Resting back into spacious awareness for the next few moments.
Into this space,
Welcome back your Sankalpa.
Allow your heart's vow to rest here with you.
Mentally whispering your own,
Or,
I accept myself just as I am.
I accept myself just as I am.
Accept myself just as I am.
Begin to sense the flow of breath in your body.
Feel the solid earth beneath your body.
Notice any sounds in your environment,
Near or far.
With eyes still closed,
Become aware of the space around you.
Take a deep breath and start to awaken your body slowly.
Nodding the head,
Moving the fingers and toes.
And when you feel ready,
Fluttering the eyes open.
Continue to experience the peace that you have cultivated within you as you return from the state of deep restorative rest.
