Welcome to this Yoga Nidra practice today.
This practice is designed to help you clear away any anxious thoughts and worries and find a place of stillness and calm within you.
If you're practicing in the morning,
Start fresh and clear-minded.
If you're resting during the day try to pause and tidy up your thoughts and to return to your day a little lighter,
Clearer and more peacefully prepared for whatever the day might bring.
We'll practice at the end of the day to find rest and stillness to drift off into the beautiful nothingness of sleep.
Take time to get comfortable for your practice laying on your back or in a comfortable and restful position arranging any props and blankets that you might need for maximum comfort for your practice today.
Take a deep breath in through the nose and out through the mouth extending the exhalation.
Deep breath in and as you exhale feel your body relax a little further into the surface beneath you.
One more deep breath in and let it go,
Let it go.
Take a moment to set an intention for this practice or your Sankalpa.
Perhaps you can choose I am calm and deeply resting.
Mentally whisper your intention to yourself three times.
Focus again 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 place in the body to the next attention flowing smoothly like water.
Start by placing all of your attention in the mind's eye centre the centre of the forehead the right eyebrow the right eye the left eyebrow left eye the tip of the nose notice the air moving in and out of the nostrils the upper lip the lower lip the tip of the tongue roof of the mouth the teeth and the gums the centre of the throat right shoulder elbow wrist the palm of the hand and the back of the hand all five fingers on the right hand the space between and around the fingers the wrist elbow shoulder the right side of the chest the right side of the belly the right hip knee the sole and the top of the right foot all five toes the space between and around the toes and now bring your attention throughout the right side of the body throughout the right side of the body notice if there's any sensation or tingling awareness throughout the right side of the body the left shoulder elbow wrist the palm and back of the left hand the right hand all five fingers and the space between and around the fingers the wrist elbow shoulder the left side of the chest the right left side of the belly the left hip knee ankle the sole and top of the left foot and all five toes the space between and around the toes and now feel sensation throughout the left side of the body bringing your attention throughout the left side feel any sensations throughout the left side of the body allow your awareness to fill your whole body now the left side and the right side dividing your attention equally between both sides of the body the left and the right return your attention to the breath the air naturally moving in and out of the body like waves of respiration in and out easy and rhythmic just sensing the expansion and release of the breath letting go of thoughts now let your attention turn inwards to the space of awareness within you on your next inhalation imagine you can breathe in from the palm of the right hand all the way up to the heart centre exhaling from the heart centre down the left arm and out of the left arm inhale from left arm to heart centre exhaling down the right arm continue to breathe in an easy natural rhythm inhaling hand to heart exhaling heart to hand just imagining letting go of that and sinking back into spacious awareness bring your attention to the space behind your closed eyes notice the darkness there it might feel soft or light a quiet peaceful space now begin to welcome the image of tiny raindrops softly falling onto the surface of still water imagine these delicate drops descending slowly one by one as each drop meets the surface of the water notice how it creates a small perfect ripple the ripple expands outward in gentle circles spreading calm and peace across the water's surface feel the rhythm of the rain soft steady and soothing washing away worries and tension with every ripple allow yourself to sink further into tranquility the water is calm the rain is gentle even as the rain ripples the surface the deep water below remains calm and still untroubled by the movement above rest here a few moments simply observing the raindrops the ripples and the serene water beneath and welcome back your intention,
Your Sankalpa allow your heart's vow to rest here with you and when you're ready slowly start to awaken the body making slow gentle movements taking your time to return to the waking state thank you for practicing Yoga Nidra with me today Namaste
