Self-Love Yoga Nidra | Rest, Receive And Restore

This Yoga Nidra is a gentle journey into self-love, self-acceptance, and deep rest. Through guided relaxation, you’ll be led to a peaceful sanctuary of rest — beside a quiet pond beneath the soft branches of a willow tree — where you can soften, receive, and reconnect with the quiet truth that you are enough exactly as you are.
This practice is designed to support your nervous system while creating space for compassion, healing, and inner peace. Perfect before sleep, during stressful times, or anytime you need to receive an act of soul care.

Transcript

Welcome to this practice of deep rest and self-care. I like to think of it as soul care because it goes beyond simply taking care of ourselves. It is a gentle returning, A space to reconnect with the deeper part of you. So give yourself the gift of comfort and complete ease and permission to be. You may choose the position of Shavasana, Lying on your back, Or take whatever position that requires no effort of your body, Using pillows, Blankets or other props to settle into rest. You might choose an eye covering to block out any light, To relax more deeply. During this practice, If the mind becomes distracted from time to time, Simply bring your attention back to my voice. If you become aware of thoughts, Sensations or feelings, Just notice what is there and then continue to listen to my voice. Let's begin by taking a deep inhale through the nose and another sip of air in, Long slow exhale out through the mouth, Emptying the lungs fully, Sensing your body relaxing. One more time this way, Deep inhale through the nose, Another sip of air in, Long slow exhale out through the mouth. Feel the whole body surrendering to gravity. This requires no effort, Just a letting go, Letting gravity take over. Feel the whole face relaxing, The eyes, The jaw, The skin, The arms relaxing, The torso, The hips and the legs fully relaxing. Let the whole body sink into the surface below. Now bring your attention to the centre of your chest, The heart space, The sacred space of yourself and as you inhale, Feel this space filling with love and as you exhale, Release anything that might be telling you that you are not enough. Inhale, Filling with love, Exhale, Releasing and as you focus here on the heart space, We will connect with a powerful tool of intention, A sankalpa, Our heart's deepest desire. Sometimes this is already known and sometimes we are in the process of discovering it. Take a moment to ask yourself what is it that your heart truly desires. If you don't have one or are unsure, You might choose, I am enough and I accept myself completely or I meet myself with kindness, Patience and understanding. Choose one that resonates with you. Repeat it to yourself three times with full belief that you deserve it to be true and that it will be true. And now we will rotate awareness throughout the body and bring love and appreciation to all the parts of ourselves. You might imagine bathing each part with loving acceptance. Bring your awareness to the mouth, All the sensations inside the mouth, Sensing the tongue, Tongue, Teeth and gums, The upper lip, Lower lip, The space between the lips, The right ear, Left ear, Right nostril, Left nostril. Sense the air flow in and out of both nostrils, The right eyelid, The points of contact of the upper and lower lid, The whole right eye, The left eyelid, The points of contact of the upper and lower lid, The whole left eye, The space between the eyebrows, The right hemisphere of the brain, The left hemisphere of the brain, The crown of the head, Back of the head, Throat, Right collarbone, Right shoulder, Upper arm, Elbow, Forearm, Wrist, Tip of the right thumb, Tip of the second finger, Tip of the third finger, Tip of the fourth finger, Tip of the fifth finger. Sense the space between the fingers, Back of the hand, Wrist, Elbow, Shoulder, Centre of the chest, Left collarbone, Left shoulder, Upper arm, Elbow, Forearm, Wrist, Palm, Tip of the left thumb, Tip of the second finger, Tip of the third finger, Tip of the fourth finger, Tip of the fifth finger. Sense the space between the fingers, Back of the hand, Wrist, Elbow, Shoulder, Centre of the chest, Right side of the chest, Right waist, Hip, The entire thigh, Lower leg, Ankle, Top of the foot, Right big toe, Second toe, Third toe, Fourth toe, Fifth toe, Sole, Heel, Lower leg, Thigh, Waist, Awareness to the left side of the chest, Left waist, Hip, The entire thigh, Knee, Lower leg, Ankle, Top of the foot, Left big toe, Second toe, Third toe, Fourth toe, Fifth toe, Sole, Heel, Lower leg, Knee, Thigh, The entire pelvis, Lower abdomen, Upper abdomen, The heart centre. And now welcoming the breath into your awareness, The breath flowing effortlessly. If you like, You could imagine breathing in and out of the heart centre. Feel the easeful breath coming in and going out from the heart. And on the in-breath, The heart opening, Filling with love. And on the out-breath, The heart softens, Releasing. Inhale, Heart opening to love. Exhale, Heart softening. Keeping the breath at this easeful natural state, You might count backward from 27. Inhale, 27. Exhale, 27. Inhale, 26. Exhale, 26. Keep going, Counting backward. If you lose count, It's okay, Just begin again. And now let the counting go and we'll explore opposites in our awareness. Imagine the air around you is becoming heavy and you sense your body also heavy. Your legs and your arms, Your torso, Feel weighted down like a rock. Feel the whole body so heavy, Like the front body is sinking down into the back body. Feel heaviness. And now let the heaviness go and imagine lightness in the body. The air around you becoming lighter. Your legs and arms and torso feel so light, As if floating, Like the back body is floating up into the front body. Feel lightness. And now let your awareness go from heaviness to lightness. Feel heavy, Then feel light, Going back and forth between the two. And then can you feel both together, Heaviness and lightness? And I will now name a series of symbols. Notice what arises as you see the image in your mind's eye. And then continue on listening to the next symbol. Visualize light rain drizzling on leaves. Light rain drizzling on leaves. A red setting sun. A red setting sun. Warm wind caressing your face. Warm wind caressing your face. A sound of wind chimes in the breeze. A sound of wind chimes in the breeze. A field of lavender gently swaying in the wind. A field of lavender gently swaying in the wind. A field of lavender gently swaying in the wind. A dove taking flight. A dove taking flight. A lotus flower opening. A lotus flower opening. Gentle waves lapping up on the shore. Gentle waves lapping up on the shore. Clouds drifting across a wide blue sky. Clouds drifting across a wide blue sky. A calm lake reflecting the moon. A calm lake reflecting the moon. See yourself now walking through an open meadow near a quiet pond. Flowing green and beige grasses wisp against your ankles as you walk. The sun feels warm on your skin and a soft breeze is blowing and you hear whispered on the wind, To love and to be deeply loved, This is your birthright. Up ahead beside the pond stands an ancient and majestic weeping willow tree. A protector of this place of calm and peace. You pause to take in its presence. Its cascade of long flowing arms arch and drape over the pond's edge, Swaying in the light breeze. You walk up and part the branches of this curtain and step carefully into the shade of the space underneath its branches of protection. The energy of love and grace are here. There is a blanket placed by the tree just for you and you sit down there. You close your eyes, Feeling your heart filling with love. And you feel this love flowing out of you and all around you. You pause and feel this expansion of your heart. You symbolically place your hands on your heart and bow your head and bathe for a while in this healing energy flowing within you and all around you. Recall now your heart's intention or sankalpa. I am enough and I accept myself completely or I meet myself with kindness, Patience and understanding. Repeating the same one as the beginning with feeling and emotion. And now bring your attention back to the breath. Feel the touch of air at the nostrils. Trace with your mind the entire length and shape of your body as it rests here. Tracing from the head to the toes. And sense the whole body supported and at rest. Notice the effects of your practice today. And now take a deep inhale through the nose and an exhale out through open mouth. And begin to bring in some movements. Perhaps the fingers and toes wiggling. The head slowly moving side to side. You could bring your knees into the chest and give your whole body a hug, A loving embrace. And when you're ready roll to one side. Bring yourself to a seated position. Pausing there with hands on your heart. Acknowledging and honouring the light and love within you.