You're very welcome to this Yoga Nidra.
For the next little while.
This is a chance to step away from the constant stimulation of the day.
To let things become Little quieter.
And give your body and nervous system some proper TLC.
Without having to do very much at all.
Before you get settled.
You might like to take a little moment to make your space as comfortable as you can get it.
Close the door or the curtains.
Grab a blanket.
Maybe put on some headphones.
It's really worth getting everything just right before we start.
So that once you're settled,
You can stay where you are comfortably.
Yoga Nidra is traditionally practiced lying down.
So if that feels good for you today,
You might like to come to lie on your back now.
Let the legs find a comfortable distance apart.
Perhaps allowing the feet to fall gently out to the sides.
Find an easy place for the arms to rest And if lying down doesn't work for you today,
You can of course find another position where you can be completely supported and physically at ease.
And take your time here.
Getting yourself as comfy and cozy as possible really does make all the difference in the practice of yoga nidra.
Making any last little adjustments you need to make now.
Shifting the head or shoulders.
Pulling the blanket around you adjusting your clothes so that everything is sitting just right.
And when you're ready,
Let the eyes close down.
You might think of how we arrive as Yoganidra.
A little like a snow globe after it's been shaken.
All that snow swirling around inside.
A lot like all the activity we can carry after a full and busy day.
Thoughts still moving.
The body and nervous system still taking everything in.
And with a snow globe,
You don't have to do anything to allow the snow to settle.
You just stop shaking it.
Give it a little time.
And little by little the snow begins to settle all by itself.
And in many ways,
That's what we're doing here in Yoganidra.
Becoming still for a while stepping back from all the usual input and activity.
And giving the body,
Mind and nervous system a little time and space to settle in their own way.
And we'll start with three slow breaths together.
Take a breath in through the nose and then a second smaller sip of air in at the top.
And let it all go with a long unhurried breath out through the mouth again breathing in through the nose Another little sip of air at the top And a long,
Slow breath out.
And once more,
Breathing in.
Another little zip at the top.
And as you breathe out,
Feel the weight of the body releasing down into the surface beneath you.
The muscles softening.
Body becoming a little heavier giving over more and more of its weight and letting the breath return to its own natural rhythm now.
Perhaps noticing the environment you've created for yourself here.
A little quieter.
A little softer the whole body supported beneath you Nothing you need to hold up.
And from here could you invite your sankalpa to arrive a source,
Positive intention,
Or resolution.
Repeat it silently to yourself.
If you have one already that you work with.
Allow that to come to mind now.
And if you don't,
You can of course use this one.
I allow myself to rest deeply.
I allow myself to rest deeply.
Mentally whispering those words to yourself three times And now we'll travel through the body slowly.
There is nothing particular you need to feel and no need to move any part as it's named.
Just let your attention gently land at each point.
Beginning with the rice bus.
Could you become aware of the big toes?
The second coat.
Third.
4,
Little toes All five toes together.
The tips of all five toes.
The spaces between them the underside of the toes where they meet the foot.
Allowing attention to spread to the ball of the foot.
The soft hollow of the arch.
The heel.
Top of the rice push.
Awareness throughout the whole right foot now and sensing deeper inside the small bones and joints held within the whole rice was.
Resting.
And support it.
And from the foot,
Allowing attention to travel upwards.
Through the right angle.
The lower leg,
Calf and chin.
Into the knees.
The kneecap at the front the softer hollow at the back of the knee.
Upwards through the right thigh.
I'm seeing here if you can sense the thigh from the inside out the muscles of the thigh.
And the long bone held deep within.
Towards the hips.
Feeling into the place where the thigh meets the pelvis The ball and sockets joint held deep inside.
Upwards through the right side of the lace.
The ribs.
Right side of the chest.
To the right shoulder Spending a little time here.
Feel into the muscles.
The shoulder joint.
And from the shoulder down through the upper arm elbow.
Forearm.
Rest.
And into the right hand could you sense the palm of the right hand?
I'm noticing here any sensations that might be present any warmth or coolness.
Maybe a little tingling awareness to the tips of all five fingers now and again sensing any subtle sensations already present at the tips of all five fingers the whole right hand.
The whole right arm.
Allowing attention to travel into the right side of the neck towards the right side of the jaw the cheek.
The air.
The right eye.
Eyebrow temple.
The right side of the forehead moving upwards now into the right side of the scalp all the way to the crown of the head.
And now allowing your awareness to expand throughout the whole right side of the body.
The whole right side of the body soaked in awareness and could you welcome the left hemisphere of the brain into your awareness too the left half of the brain.
The entire right side of the body and the left hemisphere of the brain.
Together and letting that go now could you allow all your attention to gather at the left foot starting with the toes the big toe.
Second.
Third forward.
Baby toe Sensing all five toes together.
The underside of all five toes.
The ball of the force.
The arch.
Heal,
The upper surface of the foot Sensing the whole left foresnoot.
Could you sense deeper into the whole left foot?
And sensing all the tiny muscles.
Deep within the whole left version Pull left foot together.
And allowing your attention to make its way upwards through the ankle the lower leg.
The knee,
Kneecap the hollow behind the knee.
Into the side.
The whole left thigh.
Sensing into the muscles surrounding the long bone within to the hip.
Perhaps sensing deeper into the ball and socket joints Continuing upwards to the left side of the waist.
Ribs chess.
Left shoulder.
I'm letting awareness linger here for a moment.
Around the curve of the shoulder.
And deeper into the joint itself.
Then to the upper arm.
Elbow.
Four arms.
Breath.
Could you feel into the palm of the left hand?
Again noticing any sensations that might be present here maybe a faint tingling the touch of hair against the skin or perhaps very little at all sensing all five fingertips together awareness throughout the whole left hand now the whole left arm.
To the left side of the neck.
Left side of the jaw the ears Hi.
.
.
Eyebrows temples.
Left side of the forehead up through the scalp.
To the crown of the head and allowing your awareness to expand downwards now.
Throughout the whole left side of the body.
The entire left side of the body.
So thin awareness.
And could you welcome the right hemisphere of the brain into awareness too?
The right half of the brain.
The entire left side of the body.
And the right side of the brain together and letting that go now.
Allowing both sides of the body to come into awareness together the whole right side and the whole left side both sides at the same time both hemispheres of the brain awareness throughout the whole body And now could you allow your attention to settle on the easy,
Already happening rhythm of the breath.
Just noticing the natural breath as it comes in And as it flows back out.
No need to.
.
.
Change or deepness in any way here Just noticing the natural breath.
Oh,
No,
No.
And if paying attention makes you control the breath a little,
Don't worry about that.
Work with whatever rhythm is here for you today.
And now could you see if you can sense the very end of the exhale?
That tiny space after the breath has left the body before the next inhale arrives just noticing that natural little pause and allow your awareness to and at the other end of the breath the top of the inhale.
Where the breath finishes flowing in.
And naturally begins to turn towards the exhale Nothing to hold here.
Just noticing that tiny turning point and now perhaps sensing the whole rhythm together the breath flowing in turning gently at the top flowing out.
A little space at the bottom.
And then beginning again in space.
Have space.
Just noticing.
And letting that go now.
Could you invite a sense of warmth?
To make its way throughout the whole body.
A sense of warmth throughout the whole body now perhaps remembering the feeling of sunlight against your skin or stepping into warm,
Balmy air.
Warmth moving through the entire body.
Across the skin deeper into the muscles whole body steeped in warmth.
And letting that go now Could you welcome the opposite sensation?
Coolness.
Perhaps imagining a cool breeze moving across the entire body.
Fresh air all around.
Allowing the body to imagine the sensation of coolness the whole body cool.
And letting that fade.
Returning once more to warmth.
A sense of warmth throughout the whole body letting that go now and returning to coolness throughout the whole body Could you now see if you could allow both sensations to be present at the same time?
Both warmth and coolness throughout the whole body at the same time.
And there's no particular way this needs to feel just trusting whatever your body and mind make of it warmth and coolness together in the body at the same time I'm letting that go now the whole body resting here The whole body completely supported.
Nothing you need to do here for the next little while just rest and now allowing your sankalpa to return If you use the one I offered I allow myself to rest deeply repeat that to yourself three times.
And this time now that the snow has settled see if you can allow those words to land a little more deeply as if the whole body could receive them and now sensing the whole body lying here again Sensing its weight.
And shape.
Noticing the feeling of the support beneath you and introducing some small movements back into the body wiggling the toes and fingers.
Maybe gently opening and closing the mouth a slow turn of the head from side to side And when you're ready,
Open the eyes.
Letting the life return to you thank you for practicing with me
