Hello,
This is Pavlina.
Welcome to this guided practice to cultivate your inner sanctuary.
As I tell you a little bit more about the practice itself,
I invite you to start creating a comfortable space,
Your Yoga Nidra nest,
Where you can lie down and settle in.
In Yoga Nidra there is a beautiful tool that brings us an internalized sense of safety and security.
We refer to it as inner sanctuary,
Inner resource,
Your refuge or sometimes safe haven.
It's this felt sense of ease,
Well-being,
Inner peace and safety.
It is innate to you and independent on the external circumstances.
When cultivated on a regular basis,
This felt sense becomes so familiar that you will be able to bring it up consciously or even make it arise spontaneously when you encounter challenges.
We will cultivate this felt sense with a practice first by settling in,
Calming your nervous system so that you can rest in stillness and I will then guide you through some pointers that will help you create these sensations.
It is a somatic body felt sense that's independent from any imagery even though we will use visualization as a tool to evoke the desired felt sense.
Do not put any pressure on getting it right.
Maybe more approach it like an ever-evolving process,
A process of exploration and creation.
So if you aren't there yet,
Lie down,
Settle in,
Either on your back,
On the side or if you tend to fall asleep,
Maybe sit up but really comfortable and held.
Give yourself this encouragement to remain awake and alert throughout the practice,
Inviting my words through your ears,
Opening,
Perceptive,
Effortlessly following the guidance.
You might want to close your eyes to invite your awareness inwards and notice your physical body resting on the earth.
If there is anything you need to do to make yourself that 1% more comfortable,
Maybe a pillow underneath your neck,
Some more support beneath your knees,
Anything that makes you feel held and safe.
Once you are in what feels the most comfortable you can be in this moment,
Inviting stillness,
Knowing that if you need to move your body throughout the practice you can do so before we're turning back to the restful stillness.
Notice your breath in this moment in time traveling through your body,
Through your nostrils and let each exhalation bring you closer towards the ground.
Each exhalation releasing any accumulated tension.
If you would like to join me you can even use the breath to blow away any constriction,
Any worries.
So let's inhale through the nose,
Filling up your belly and your chest and through gently pursed lips allow the exhale to escape.
Again filling up your lungs through the nose,
Gently pursing the lips,
Exhale as long as you can.
Two more inhale,
Allow for the exhale to be long and steady.
Last time just like that.
Now releasing any control of your breath,
Letting your body breathe you in and out through the nose.
You can now welcome your sankalpa,
Your heart's desire.
You might have one that you're working with,
Otherwise you are welcome to join me by repeating the words,
I carry peace and refuge wherever I go.
And as we repeat silently inside the mind these words,
Let them be more than just words,
But the true commitment to this felt sense that evaporates through every cell in your body.
So let's repeat your heart's desire three times silently inside your mind,
Either your own or I carry peace and refuge wherever I go.
As the sankalpa dissolves into every cell of your body and infuses this practice with deeper meaning,
Let's move the awareness through your physical body,
Resting still.
Allowing for your mind to move seamlessly,
Fluidly from one body part to another.
Simply resting there and becoming aware of the body.
Let's begin by bringing your awareness to the space between your eyebrows,
Your mind centre.
Become aware of your left eye resting deeply.
Your left ear open and listening.
The tip of your chin.
The tip of your nose.
The bridge of your nose.
Your right eye resting deeply.
Your right ear open and listening.
The tip of your chin.
The pit of your throat.
Your left shoulder.
Left elbow.
Wrist.
Your hand with the five fingers.
The first finger.
Second.
Third.
Fourth.
Fifth.
The left hand with all five fingers.
Elbow.
Shoulder.
Pit of your throat.
Right shoulder.
Elbow.
Wrist.
Right hand with five fingers.
First.
Second.
Third.
Fourth.
Fifth.
The whole right hand with five fingers.
Right elbow.
Shoulder.
Pit of your throat.
Your breastbone.
Left side of your torso.
Right side of your torso.
The whole torso.
Belly button.
Pubic bone.
Left hip.
Knee.
Left foot with five toes.
First.
Second.
Third.
Fourth and fifth toe.
The whole left foot.
Knee.
Hip.
Pubic bone.
Right hip.
Right knee.
Ankle.
The right foot with five toes.
First.
Second.
Third.
Fourth and fifth.
The whole right foot.
Knee.
Hip.
Pubic bone.
The whole pelvis.
Heart center.
Your whole body.
Resting.
Present.
The left side of your body.
The right side of your body.
The right side.
And the left side.
Become aware of both sides of your body,
The left and the right,
Simultaneously.
Distributing your attention evenly through the entire body.
Can you now notice your breath coming and going without trying to control it in any way?
Simply noticing this even rhythm,
The coming and going.
The rising and falling of your chest,
Of your belly,
Without trying to make anything happen.
Tuning into the effortless nature of your breath.
Let's now invite your inner sanctuary.
It can be an imaginary place,
Or a beautiful memory.
A place that's unique to you.
A space that makes you feel safe to be yourself.
Completely at ease.
At peace.
It could be a place in nature.
Maybe a forest.
Maybe by a lake.
Your favorite beach.
It could also be your childhood home.
Or somewhere completely imaginary.
It could also be in company of another being.
Or even of a pet.
Anything that makes you feel safe.
Take your time.
Allow for the answer to these questions to arise naturally,
Effortlessly.
Knowing that it might shift and morph until it settles in what feels right and supportive for you.
It doesn't need to be perfect.
Simply inviting that space that feels welcoming,
Holding for you.
Imagine it with all the details,
As if you were taking care to color in every little detail.
Looking around.
What does it look like?
Noticing the little pieces,
The colors,
The shapes.
Or maybe what is more present for you is a sound.
It could be the sound of gentle wind playing with the leaves.
Maybe a familiar piece of music.
Maybe the absence of sound is what makes you feel at ease.
The silence.
What about smells?
Is there anything that smells so good?
It gives you this inner sense of Is there anything that you can touch?
Feeling your fingertips,
Your body,
Your skin,
Caressed.
What's the texture?
The temperature?
And finally,
Is there anything you can taste?
Maybe a certain flavor that reminds you of moments of joy.
Notice in your body,
Through all of your senses,
This safety,
Warmth,
Expansion.
Notice in your own body,
Where do you feel the sensory experience and the accompanying feelings like relaxation,
Softening,
Warmth maybe.
It might be subtle.
What does it feel like to be at ease?
To whatever degree you can,
Soften into it and leave aside the visuals,
Simply staying in that felt sense of security,
Of peace.
With the imagery fading away,
Allow for the sensations to strengthen,
To grow,
To expand,
To fill your entire body and maybe beyond.
The radiating sensation of effortless peace.
And rest here for a little while,
Knowing that thoughts will come and go.
By turning back and stoking that felt sense of security and peace with your awareness and attention,
Infuse it in every cell of your body with repetition.
Knowing that this felt sense is innate to you,
Always present,
When you remember how to return here.
And then releasing any effort,
Returning your awareness back to the rhythm of your breath.
Maybe taking a slightly deeper inhale and a releasing exhale.
Take a couple of these breaths,
The exhale might come out through the mouth,
As if you were washing off any effort.
And letting this breath travel through your physical body,
As you notice the touch points between the earth beneath you and your physical body.
And starting to wake up,
Maybe through gentle movements,
Maybe through a whole body stretch.
You might blink your eyes open just for a moment,
Taking in the outer space,
And then closing your eyes again,
Returning back to your inner body.
Opening your eyes,
Welcoming the outer environment.
Closing your eyes,
Attention inwards.
And the next time when you open your eyes,
Can you keep your awareness inwards,
Inside and outside.
With this integration of your inner experience and the outer world,
As you start welcoming your everyday life.
Remember that this inner resource resides within you.
This felt sense of security,
Peace and possibility is always present,
And you can always come back home,
No matter the circumstances.
Thank you for practicing with me,
And I hope to be able to guide you soon again.
Www.
Mooji.
Org
