Hello and welcome to Shea Love Yoga and Breath.
My name is Natalie and today's practice is a yoga nidra meditation for mom rage.
There are many reasons we may experience rage and today's practice focuses on the nervous system.
When we're overwhelmed,
Our bodies can move into a state of urgency.
We may find ourselves responding from the sympathetic nervous system,
The fight or flight response.
Heart beating faster,
Our breath becoming shallow,
Our muscles tightening,
Or our thoughts beginning to race.
And this practice is designed to give you a few moments to slow down,
Notice what's happening in your body,
And reconnect with a sense of safety.
You don't need to wait until you're already at your breaking point,
Until you're already full of rage.
This is a practice for noticing those early signs of activation and creating a little bit more space before you react.
For the next few moments,
You can simply pause,
Breathe,
And be with yourself.
Let's get started.
I invite you to prepare for Yoga Nidra.
Lie down on your back with your body straight from head to toe.
Or if that's not accessible to you,
You may take any position that feels best to your body.
Your comfort and your needs are the most important.
Once you're settled in,
Try to make yourself even just 1% more comfortable.
Now gently close your eyes if that feels good to you.
And relax the muscles of your face,
Your neck,
And your shoulders.
Develop a deep feeling of relaxation in your body,
Like the feeling that comes just before sleep.
We're going to do a breathing exercise that will help your body feel even more relaxed and even more comfortable.
And we will do this simply by making the exhale longer than the inhale.
When the exhale is longer than the inhale,
It sends your body a message to move away from the sympathetic nervous system and into the parasympathetic nervous system or rest and digest.
It basically sends your body the signal that everything is okay.
You can relax.
I'm going to guide you to take an inhale for three counts,
Followed by an exhale for six counts.
However,
If this does not feel comfortable for you,
You can simply lay there relaxed,
Focusing on the natural rhythm of your breath.
However,
If you would like to follow my counts,
We're going to get started now.
Inhale 2 3 exhale 2 3 4 5 6 inhale 2 3 exhale 2 3 4 5 6 inhale 2 3 exhale 2 3 4 5 6 inhale 2 3 3,
Exhale 2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
Inhale 2,
3,
Exhale 2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
I'll give you a couple of moments to continue that on your own.
Nice,
Very good.
Take a moment to notice how your body feels returning to your natural breath,
No longer controlling.
And now we'll move to the sankalpa.
So a sankalpa is simply an intention,
A short phrase or a feeling that you choose to carry with you through the practice.
There's no right or wrong sankalpa,
And you don't have to choose one at all.
However,
For this practice,
You might choose one of the following.
I am okay in this moment.
Or I am safe.
Another one could be,
I can meet this moment.
You might find that one of these feel right for you,
Or maybe another phase may arise on its own.
Choose the one that feels most supportive to you right now.
Once you've chosen your sankalpa,
Repeat it silently to yourself three times.
We'll now move into a body scan.
I'll guide your attention through different parts of your body.
And as I name each body part,
Simply bring your awareness there.
You don't need to move or change anything.
Simply notice.
Allow your awareness to move from one place to the next,
Following the sound of my voice.
There's nothing to accomplish and there's nothing to change.
And if your mind begins to wander,
That's okay.
That's what the mind does.
Simply come back to the voice and continue moving your awareness from one body part to the next.
We're going to begin with the right side.
Right hand thumb.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
Little finger.
Right palm.
Back of the hand.
Rest.
Forearm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Right shoulder.
Right armpit.
Right side ribs.
Waste.
Bye.
Me.
Calf.
Ankle.
Right heel.
Sole of your right foot.
Top of your right foot.
Big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Little toe.
Left hand thumb.
Second finger.
Third finger.
4th finger.
Little finger.
Palm of the left hand.
Back of the hands.
Rest.
Forearm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
Left armpit.
Left side ribs.
Left waist.
Bye.
More.
Calf.
Ankle.
Left heel.
Left sole of the foot.
Top of the foot.
Left big toe Second toe.
Their toe.
Fourth toe.
Little toe.
Now both heels.
Both calves.
Back of both knees.
Both sides.
Products.
Lower back.
Middle back.
Upper back.
Back of shoulders.
Back of neck.
Back of head.
Top of the head.
Forehead.
Eyebrows.
Space between the eyebrows.
Eyes.
Cheeks.
Nose.
Lips.
Jaw,
Roads.
Chest.
Heart space.
Upper abdomen.
Belly.
Pelvis.
Whole right side of the body.
Imagine your whole right side of your body.
Breathing with sensation.
And now your left side of the body.
Imagine your whole left side of the body breathing with sensation.
And now imagine both your right side and your left side simultaneously.
Your whole body.
Your whole body.
Notice your breath.
How does your breath feel without trying to control it?
Just notice.
And now start counting your breaths from 18 down to zero.
So inhale,
18.
Exhale,
18.
Inhale,
17.
Exhale,
17.
And continue until you reach zero.
And if you lose track,
That's okay.
Just start again from 18,
Working your way back down to zero.
Gently let that go and bring your awareness to the space between your eyebrows.
And bring your sankalpa back to your mind.
Repeat your Sankalpa silently to yourself three times,
Allowing the words to settle into you.
And slowly begin to bring some movement back into your body.
As we conclude today's session of yoga nidra.
So you may try to bring some gentle movement to your fingers.
Gentle wiggle of your toes.
Maybe move your head slightly from side to side.
Slowly make those moves a little bit bigger.
Maybe moving your arms a little and your legs.
Perhaps rolling on to one side.
Taking a few moments to let today's practice integrate.
Gently open your eyes.
Notice your surroundings.
Slowly sit yourself back up.
Thank yourself for giving yourself this moment.
And remember,
You are safe.
You are okay in this moment.
You can move through this moment.
You have everything that you need.
You are a wonderful,
Wonderful mother.
Take good care.
I hope to see you again.
Namaste.
