Welcome to Sunday Scaries,
By Yoga Nidra for resetting before the week begins.
My name is Sarah.
If you find this practice supportive,
You're warmly invited to follow me here on Insight Timer.
I share yoga nidra meditations designed to help you soften,
Step away from constant responsibility,
And reconnect with a sense of ease.
This practice is an invitation to pause,
Especially if you notice your mind already moving ahead into tomorrow.
Thinking about everything waiting for you.
The emails you need to answer.
The meetings on your calendar.
The people who may need something from you.
The things you didn't get done this weekend.
Or simply that familiar feeling that Sunday is ending and another busy week is beginning.
Perhaps you've already started making mental lists.
Planning tomorrow.
Thinking about what you should have done today.
Or feeling your body begin to tense at the thought of everything coming next.
Maybe you've noticed that it's difficult to fully enjoy this moment when part of your mind is already living in tomorrow.
If that's where you are tonight,
You are not alone.
And you don't need to force yourself to feel excited about the week ahead.
You don't need to convince yourself that everything will be easy.
You don't need to solve Monday tonight.
For these next few moments,
Tomorrow can wait.
The week will still be there when you need to meet it.
But you don't have to experience it early.
Today's practice is an opportunity to create a little space between where you are now and everything that comes next.
To let your body know that you are here.
It is Sunday.
You are safe to pause.
And there is nothing you need to do right now.
Throughout this practice,
I'll gently guide you through body awareness,
Breath,
And a peaceful journey into a cozy space where you can set down the week ahead for a little while.
There is no way to do this practice wrong.
You don't need to clear your mind.
You don't need to make yourself feel calm.
Simply become comfortable and allow yourself to be guided.
Let's begin with a slow breath in.
And a long,
Easy breath out.
Allow yourself to settle into a comfortable position now.
You may lie down.
Recline,
Or remain seated if that feels supportive for you today.
Make any small adjustments you need,
Perhaps shifting your pillow.
Pulling a blanket a little closer.
Allowing your body to feel supported.
There is nowhere you need to be for these next few moments.
Nothing to answer.
Nothing to finish.
Nothing waiting for your immediate attention.
Take a slow breath in and perhaps exhale with a sigh.
Again,
Inhale.
And exhale.
Allow your shoulders to soften.
Your jaw to release.
Your hands to relax.
And perhaps notice if there is any part of you already reaching towards tomorrow.
You don't need to follow it.
You don't need to plan.
You don't need to prepare.
Just for these few moments,
Tomorrow can wait.
Now we'll gently count our way towards stillness.
5.
Soften the whole body.
Four,
Let go with the breath.
3.
Allow the mind to slow.
To unwinding.
Releasing.
One,
Resting here.
Exactly as you are.
There is nowhere to get to.
Nothing to accomplish.
Nothing to prepare for.
Only this moment.
If at any point during the practice you would like an extra sense of comfort,
Imagine a place that feels cozy,
Peaceful,
And safe.
Perhaps somewhere familiar,
A favorite room.
A quiet corner of your home.
A comfortable chair.
Or simply a feeling of warmth and quiet.
There is no need to create it perfectly.
Simply sensing its atmosphere is enough.
Warm.
Supportive.
A place where you don't have to be on.
A place where nothing is expected of you.
And before we continue,
Gently bring to mind a quiet intention for your practice today.
Perhaps I can meet the week one moment at a time.
Or I don't have to carry tomorrow tonight.
Or simply,
I am here.
Choose whichever feels supportive for you.
Repeat your intentions silently to yourself.
And again.
Allowing the words to settle gently into awareness.
You don't need to believe them perfectly.
You don't need to make anything happen.
Simply allowing the intention to be here.
Now allow your awareness to move slowly through your body.
Simply noticing each area as it is named.
No effort required.
Nothing to change.
Nothing to fix.
Nothing to manage.
Simply noticing.
Bring awareness to the face.
Ciao.
Cheeks.
No.
Ears.
Bye.
Forehead.
The whole head.
Heavy.
Quiet.
Resting.
Notice the neck.
Shoulder.
Perhaps becoming aware of any tension you may have carried throughout the weekend.
Any place that feels like it is already preparing for the week ahead.
Allow the shoulders to soften.
Notice the arm.
Hand.
Palm.
Finger.
Nothing to hold right now.
Become aware of the chest.
Heart space.
Belly.
Soft.
Easing.
Nothing to brace against.
Notice the shoulder blades.
Between the shoulder blades.
The entire back.
Support it.
Hips.
Legs.
Toes.
And now feel the whole body together.
The whole body resting.
Notice the surface beneath you.
Supporting your weight.
You don't need to hold yourself up.
You don't need to carry yourself through tomorrow right now.
For these moments.
You can simply be supported.
Perhaps notice the difference between preparing and resting.
The mind may want to prepare.
The body may want to get ahead.
Right now,
Nothing is required.
Let the surface beneath you hold you.
Let your body become a little heavier your shoulders.
Her arms.
Your leg.
Your whole body.
Settle in.
There will be time to move again.
There will be time to work again.
There will be time to answer what needs answering.
But for now.
You are allowed to rest.
Bring awareness now to your natural breath.
Nothing to change.
Nothing to deepen.
Nothing to control.
Simply noticing the body breathing itself.
Feel the inhale arriving.
Feel the exhale leaving.
Inhale.
Exhale.
And perhaps notice how the breath doesn't need to know what tomorrow will bring.
The next breath doesn't need to prepare for the one after it.
It simply arrives.
And leaves.
Arrives.
And leaves.
With each inhale.
Simply notice that you are here.
With each exhale.
Allow yourself to settle a little more deeply into this moment.
Here.
This moment.
You don't need to be in tomorrow.
You don't need to replay yesterday.
You can simply be where you are.
Right here.
Right now.
Continue in your own rhythm now.
And now,
Gently become aware of the feeling of anticipation.
Perhaps the Sunday evening feeling.
Knowing the weekend is coming to an end.
Knowing there are things waiting for you tomorrow.
Perhaps noticing thoughts about your calendar.
Your responsibilities.
Your unfinished lists.
Your inbox.
Schedule.
Or simply the feeling of wanting to hold onto the weekend a little longer.
Notice how anticipation feels in the body.
Without judgment.
You don't need to make it disappear.
Simply notice you.
Now,
Become aware of the opposite experience.
A feeling of being here.
Steady.
President.
Support it.
Nothing happening right now except this moment.
The body resting.
The breath moving.
The surface beneath you supporting your weight.
No need to experience tomorrow yet.
Nothing to solve.
Nothing to prepare.
Nothing to anticipate.
Just being here.
And now gently move between the two.
Anticipating.
And present.
Thank you,
Nahed.
And returning here.
Preparing.
And resting.
Tomorrow.
End now.
And notice both together.
You can care about what is coming.
And still allow yourself to rest tonight.
You can have responsibilities waiting for you.
And still have this moment.
You can prepare when preparation is useful.
Without preparing every moment before it arrives.
Nothing needs to disappear.
You're simply creating a little more space around what is here.
You And perhaps notice you don't have to experience Monday before Monday arrives.
For these few moments,
Let tomorrow remain tomorrow.
And allow yourself to simply rest.
You And now you are going on a journey.
You may begin to see yourself from above.
Or perhaps from behind.
Standing outside a warm and welcoming home at the end of a Sunday evening.
The light inside is soft.
One.
Inviting.
The world outside is beginning to grow quiet.
Perhaps the sky is deepening into evening.
The day slowly settling around you.
You walk towards the door And as you step inside,
You immediately notice the warmth of the room.
A soft lamp glows nearby.
Perhaps there is a comfortable couch.
A folded blanket.
A warm mug waiting on a small table.
Everything feels quiet.
Simple.
On hurry.
There is nothing you need to accomplish here This is simply a place to pause.
You walk slowly towards the couch.
And settle comfortably into the cushion.
Perhaps you wrap the blanket around yourself.
You pick up the warm mug.
Feeling its gentle warmth in your hands.
You take a slow breath in.
And perhaps notice the comforting scent.
Tea.
Coffee.
Cocoa Whatever feels soothing to you.
You take a slow sip.
And allow yourself to settle a little deeper.
Outside the window,
The evening continues.
The world is still moving.
But you don't need to move with it right now.
You notice a small table beside you.
And on the table is a simple basket.
A place to set things down.
And perhaps you begin to imagine placing some of tomorrow's responsibilities into the basket.
The first thing that comes to mind.
Perhaps an email.
A meeting.
A task.
Conversation.
A decision.
You don't need to forget it.
You don't need to solve it.
Simply place it in the basket.
And let it wait.
Perhaps there is something else.
Another responsibility.
Another thought.
Another concern about the week ahead.
Place that one in the basket too.
One at a time.
Everything that doesn't need your attention tonight.
Can rest here.
You may notice that the basket begins to fill.
And perhaps you notice something else.
The room doesn't feel more chaotic because you set these things down.
They are simply contained.
Hell.
Waiting for the time when you are ready to meet them.
You don't need to carry them in your mind all evening to make sure they still exist.
They will be there tomorrow.
The basket will be there tomorrow.
And you can open it when you are ready.
For now.
Your hands are empty.
Your shoulders are softer.
Your breath is easier.
You settle back into the couch.
Perhaps you feel the softness of the blanket around you.
The support beneath your body.
The scent cascading from the mug.
Perhaps you look around the room.
A soft light.
Quiet.
Familiar comfort of being somewhere you don't have to perform.
Nothing is asking you to be productive.
Nothing is asking you to make a decision.
Nothing is asking you to prepare.
This moment belongs only to you.
And perhaps you notice.
The week ahead doesn't need to be perfect.
You don't need to know exactly how everything will unfold.
You only need to meet what comes.
One moment at a time.
One morning at a time.
One conversation at a time.
One breath at a time.
You don't have to live the entire week tonight.
You don't have to carry Monday on Sunday.
For now.
There's only this room.
Is formed.
This breath.
This moment of rest.
Perhaps take another slow sip from your mug.
Feel the warmth move through your hands Allow your body to soften into the couch.
Outside,
The evening continues to settle.
And inside.
You are allowed to settle to.
Nothing to solve.
Nothing to manner.
Nothing to anticipate.
Just here.
Just now.
Resting.
You'll perhaps notice the week will come whether or not you spend tonight preparing for every possibility.
You don't need to use your Sunday evening to make yourself ready for every moment of Monday.
You can trust yourself to meet what comes.
When it comes.
For now.
Let the basket hold what belongs to tomorrow.
And let yourself receive what belongs to tonight.
Breaths.
Space.
And permission to simply be.
And now gently return to your quiet intention you set at the beginning.
Perhaps I can meet the week one moment at a time.
Repeat it silently once.
And again.
Or return to whichever words you chose.
Allowing them to settle naturally.
You don't need to know how the week will unfold.
You only need to remember,
You can meet it when it arrives.
Slowly beginning to return now.
The cozy room remains behind you.
The soft light.
The warm mug.
Comfortable couch.
The basket holding everything that can wait until tomorrow.
You can return to this feeling whenever Sunday begins to feel heavy.
Whenever your mind races ahead.
Whenever you notice yourself living tomorrow before it arrives.
Five,
Feel steady.
Present.
Support it.
4.
.
.
Become aware of yourself as the witness.
Observing body.
And experience.
Free,
Notice thoughts,
Sensations.
And sounds returning to awareness.
Two,
Notice your breath.
Allowing it to deepen slightly.
One,
Sense your whole body resting here.
Gradually becoming more awake and aware.
Begin to invite small movements back into the body.
Wiggling your fingers.
Moving your toes.
Perhaps rolling your shoulders or taking a gentle stretch.
Take a fuller breath in.
And a slow breath out.
Notice how you feel.
Perhaps you still have things waiting for you tomorrow.
Perhaps there are responsibilities.
Appointments,
Messages.
Decisions.
And things you need to do.
But perhaps they don't need you tonight.
You can meet them when the time comes.
And perhaps Sunday evening doesn't have to be the beginning of Monday.
It can simply be Sunday evening.
A moment to pause.
A moment to breathe.
A moment to remember that you are more than everything you accomplish in the week ahead.
You don't have to earn your rest by finishing everything first.
You don't have to prepare perfectly in order to be ready.
You can trust yourself to take the next step when the next step arrives.
One moment.
One breath.
One thing at a time.
And as you continue into the rest of your evening.
Consider this a continued invitation.
To leave tomorrow where it belongs.
And return to where you are.
Here.
Now.
Support it.
And allowed to rest.
Bring your hands to heart center.
Take one final full breath in.
And out.
When it feels right,
Allow the eyes to open to a soft gaze.
May you move into the week ahead with a little more ease.
A little more space.
And the gentle reminder that you do not have to live tomorrow before it arrives.
The light in me sees and honors the light in you.
Namaste.
