Hello,
Sweet friend.
I'm grateful you're here.
Welcome to this inspiring yoga nidra practice for nurturing joy.
True joy is not in things.
It's in us.
Just as spring awakens the earth,
This practice invites you to awaken the beautiful garden of your heart,
Where joy,
Love,
And gratitude grow freely.
In our busy lives,
Joy can sometimes feel distant,
Hidden beneath the layers of stress or responsibility,
Hidden by worry,
Financial burdens,
Or by torn and tattered friendships and relationships.
But honestly,
Joy is always within you,
Waiting,
Like a seed beneath the soil ready to bloom.
As you settle into stillness,
Know that this time is yours.
There is nothing to do,
And no place to go.
Simply rest,
Breathe,
And allow your inner garden to flourish.
Let's begin by finding a safe,
Comfortable place to rest the body.
Lie down on your back,
Or if you're pregnant,
Lie on your left side.
Cover your eyes,
Or gently close them.
Separate the teeth to relax the jaw.
Soften the muscles on your forehead,
Around your eyes,
The mouth.
Allow your face to become expressionless.
Take a deep cleansing breath in through your nose.
Pause for a moment,
And then slowly release the breath.
Normal breath in,
Normal breath out.
Now feel your heart.
Ask yourself the question,
What does my heart need today?
What is my intention for this practice?
Notice the joy that arises just from asking the question.
Letting your heart be heard.
Set an intention for your practice.
If you're working on an intention,
You're welcome to use your own.
Otherwise,
Feel free to choose one of the following.
Whichever one speaks to your heart today.
I am open to joy and allow it to bloom within me.
I am nurturing my heart with kindness and gratitude.
Or,
I am rooted in love and my joy grows effortlessly.
I am open to joy and allow it to bloom within me.
I am nurturing my heart with kindness and gratitude.
Or,
I am rooted in love and my joy grows effortlessly.
I am open to joy and allow it to bloom within me.
I am nurturing my heart with kindness and gratitude.
Or,
I am rooted in love and my joy grows effortlessly.
Your heartfelt desire should light you up from inside,
Making every cell of your body smile.
If it doesn't,
Let yourself keep feeling it.
Let it unfold,
Knowing our thoughts create our reality.
Make a promise to nourish this heartfelt desire,
Giving it everything it needs to become a reality.
Let these words settle into your heart,
Like seeds planted in deep,
Rich,
Fertile soil,
With patience,
Trust,
And care.
They will take root and flourish.
Now take a moment and bring your awareness back to your physical body.
Feel it resting on the surface beneath you.
Feel the whole body resting.
Resting on the surface.
Feel the back of the body.
Feel the back of the body.
Feel the points of contact with the surface.
Notice the front of the body.
Relaxed.
Resting.
Effortlessly.
Feel the right side of the body resting deeply.
Feel the left side of the body.
Resting deeply with ease.
Now bring your awareness to your right hand.
Thumb.
First finger.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
Palm of the hand.
Back of the hand.
Right wrist.
Forearm.
Bicep.
Shoulder.
Side of the chest.
Sternum.
Clavicle.
Right side of the ribcage.
Right side of the abdomen.
Right hip.
Thigh.
Right kneecap.
Right calf.
Right ankle.
Heel of the foot.
Arch of the foot.
Bridge of the foot.
The toes of the right foot.
Bring your awareness to your left hand.
Thumb.
First finger.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
Palm of the hand.
Back of the hand.
Left wrist.
Forearm.
Bicep.
Shoulder.
Side of the chest.
Sternum.
Clavicle.
Left side of the ribcage.
Left side of the abdomen.
Left thigh.
Left knee.
Heel of the foot.
Arch of the foot.
Bridge of the foot.
The toes of the left foot.
Bring your awareness to your pelvis.
Lower back.
Base of the skull.
Crown of the head.
Feel the sensation in your whole body resting effortlessly.
Feel your whole body resting.
In your mind's eye,
Imagine yourself walking.
Walking along a path bathed in the golden light of the warm spring afternoon.
The air is rich with the scent of wildflowers and fresh earth.
A gentle breeze carries the distant hum of bees.
And the cheerful chirping of songbirds.
You take a deep breath in,
Letting the warmth of the sun sink deep within your skin.
And feel a sense of ease washing all over your body.
Along the path,
There's a beautiful garden gate slightly ajar,
As if waiting for you to step inside.
You realize this is your garden.
The garden of your heart.
A space where joy,
Love,
And gratitude flourish.
As you move through the gate,
You're greeted by an expanse view of vibrant blossoms swaying in the breeze.
Lavender,
Daisies,
Roses in every shade bloom freely.
Their petals opening like smiles toward the sky.
The air is alive with soft rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze.
And the delicate flutter of butterfly wings.
You wander deeper,
Noting a small patch of earth waiting for you.
Silently calling to you.
A space just for you to plant seeds of intention.
Kneeling down,
You press your hands into the soil.
Feeling its warmth,
Its richness,
Its promise of growth.
You reach into the small satchel of seeds,
Each one holding a quality of you.
A quality you wish to cultivate.
Perhaps a seed of self-love.
Another of kindness.
Another seed of pure joy.
With care,
You plant them into the earth,
Gently covering them with soft soil.
Knowing deep in your heart that in time,
With patience and with nourishment,
They will grow.
A soft spring rain begins to fall,
Gentle and warm,
Soaking into the soil and nourishing your new seeds.
You feel the earth come alive beneath your fingertips.
You smile,
Knowing that you have everything you need,
Right within you,
For these seeds to thrive.
As the rain clears,
The first tiny green shoots push through the soil.
Stretching toward the sun.
Reaching toward the sky.
Each breath you take is like sunlight pouring down,
Feeding them,
Helping them to grow stronger,
Taller and brighter.
With each inhale,
Joy expands within you.
With each exhale,
You release everything that no longer serves you.
Soon your garden is in full bloom.
It's lush,
Colorful,
Vibrant,
Filled with beauty,
Love and abundance.
You run your fingers over velvety petals.
You inhale the fragrance of blossoms.
Feel the sun on your skin and listen to the soft hum of life around you.
This joy is yours.
It has always been here,
Waiting for you to nurture it,
To embrace it,
To claim it as your own.
Abiding in pure awareness.
Abiding in joyful silence.
Bring back the intention you set earlier.
Silently repeat it to yourself.
I am open to joy and allow it to bloom within me.
I am nurturing my heart with kindness and gratitude.
Or,
I am rooted in love and my joy grows effortlessly.
As this journey comes to an end,
Take a moment to cherish the garden within you.
It's always here.
Always growing.
Always available to you.
With each breath,
You tend to it.
With each act of self-kindness,
You nourish it.
With each thought,
You either strengthen it or you let it wilt away.
Feel the warmth of joy resting in your heart,
Steady and strong.
Let it settle within you,
As natural and effortless as the breath.
And as you carry this feeling with you,
Know that you are both the gardener and the garden,
The nurturer and the bloom.
And when you're ready,
Invite gentle movement to your body,
Beginning to return to daily life.
Bringing this joy with you,
Knowing that it will continue to grow within you in the days to come.
Until next time,
Sweet friend,
Just breathe.
