Yoga Nidra For Grief

This gentle Yoga Nidra with Cassandra Varga allows for deep rest and restoration. It is a space where you can breathe, let go, and find peace, especially if you're carrying the weight of grief. No rush, no pressure – just your time to feel whatever you need to feel.

Yoga Nidra is a unique practice that combines the art of relaxation with the science of mindfulness. Unlike traditional yoga, you’ll experience this entirely in a reclined position, making it accessible to everyone, regardless of fitness level.

Transcript

Begin by finding a comfortable position,

Laying on your back with your arms by your side,

And palms facing up.

Or you may feel that it is better for you to place them anywhere on or beside your body.

Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths,

Letting go of any tension in your body.

Take your time,

Adjust your body so that it will be as comfortable as possible for entering deep relaxation.

You may like to have a pillow under your head to support your neck,

Another pillow or a rolled up blanket or bolster under your knees for more comfort.

And maybe even something over your eyes for complete darkness.

If darkness is not what you need,

Feel free to keep your eyes open,

Or just lower them down so that you can allow yourself to enter a relaxed state.

Use a blanket or cover for warmth and coziness.

This practice is designed to help you sit with your grief and find a sense of peace.

We are not wanting to power through or deal with it in any way.

We are allowing our nervous system to feel the pain and be ok with that.

There is a quote that talks about grief being the price we pay for love.

This practice is here for you to see it as not a price to pay,

But as a privilege to have loved and to have been loved.

Throughout this session I invite you to remain still and relaxed,

Allowing yourself to fully experience each stage.

However,

If at any time you need to adjust your body to move,

Open your eyes or make a sound,

Please do so as this is what you need today.

As much as possible though,

Try to remain motionless to allow your body to sink deeper into a state of relaxation.

Throughout the Yoga Nidra I invite you to follow my voice.

However,

If at any time this does not feel right for you or you do not wish to follow any instruction,

You can stop and return to my voice when ready.

As much as possible,

The invitation is to have a small amount of awareness throughout Yoga Nidra.

With this being said,

If you fall asleep,

Then sleep is what you need today.

Now bring your awareness to your heart centre.

Inhale deeply,

Feeling your chest expand,

And exhale letting go of any tension.

Place your hands over your heart,

And if it feels right for you,

Leave your hands there.

There is no judgement here,

There is no one watching you.

You are in a space all your own.

Continue to inhale deeply,

And exhale completely.

Now bring to mind an intention for your practice.

A gentle intention to navigate through your grief.

A gentle intention to find healing.

A gentle intention to embrace peace.

A gentle intention to bring us back to gratitude and love.

For example,

You may say to yourself,

I navigate my grief gently,

Finding healing step by step.

Or you could say to yourself,

I hold peace in my heart as I breathe through my grief.

Or with each breath,

I intend to heal gently.

Or lastly,

I come back to gratitude and love,

Absorbing warmth into my grief.

With each in-breath,

Set your intention.

Repeat it three times.

Now shift your attention to the sensations in your body.

Breathe in,

And out.

Feel where it is warm and gently go there.

Breathe in,

Feel where it is warm and gently go there.

Move your awareness to that place in your body,

And breathe warmth in,

And out.

Breathe warmth in,

And out.

Breathe warmth in,

And out.

Now allow your focus to move.

Allow your focus to flow through your whole body.

Your whole body.

Your whole body.

Let go of the muscles.

Let go of the holding on.

Let go of anything that is tense.

Breathe warmth in,

And out.

Noticing all the sounds.

All the sounds in the room.

Distant sounds outside the room.

And now notice the sound and movement of your own breath.

There is no need to change your breath.

Simply breathe normally and notice the sound and the movement.

In,

And out.

In,

And out.

In,

And out.

Your body breathing itself.

Now return to a long,

Slow,

Deep breath.

Long,

Slow,

Deep breath.

Inhale,

And exhale with the sound,

Ahhh.

Inhale,

And exhale with the sound of ahhh.

Letting go of all the tension you are holding in your body as you exhale.

Now inhale,

With an awareness of your tummy and chest rising.

And then exhale again with the sound,

Ahhh.

Continue in your own rhythm.

Letting go of all stress.

Letting go of all tension.

Letting go of all thoughts.

Now become aware of your whole body.

Your whole body.

Your whole body resting.

Resting.

Letting go.

Be still.

We will now move through a body rotation.

And as I name each point,

I invite you to bring your attention to that specific area and breathe into that space.

Breathe warmth into it.

Allowing a deep sense of relaxation to unfold.

Begin by bringing your attention to the mouth.

Upper lip.

Lower lip.

The tongue.

Whole mouth.

Attention now at the nose.

Right nostril.

Left nostril.

Both nostrils.

Right eyebrow.

Left eyebrow.

Space between the eyebrows.

Right forehead.

Left forehead.

Middle of the forehead.

Right ear.

Left ear.

Both ears.

Notice the chin.

The whole front of the face.

Back of the head.

Top of the head.

The whole head.

Neck.

Throat.

Right shoulder.

Left shoulder.

Both shoulders.

The whole right arm.

The whole left arm.

Sensing both arms.

Let go of the muscles.

Let go of the holding on.

Let go of anything that is tense.

Breathe warmth in.

And out.

Breathe warmth in.

And out.

And out.

Breathe warmth in.

And out.

Bringing your attention now to the right hand.

Left hand.

Both hands.

Both arms.

Middle of the chest.

Right side of the chest.

Left side of the chest.

Middle of the chest.

Navel point.

Middle of the pelvis.

Aware of your right hip.

Left hip.

Both hips.

Right knee.

Left knee.

Both knees.

Right ankle.

Right ankle.

Left ankle.

Both ankles.

Right foot.

Left foot feet.

Sensing and releasing stress from both feet.

Sensing and releasing tension from both feet.

Sensing and releasing emotion from both feet.

Both ankles.

Both knees.

Both hips.

Pelvis.

Whole reproductive area.

Sensing and releasing stress from your whole reproductive area.

Sensing and releasing tension from your whole reproductive area.

Sensing and releasing hurt from your whole reproductive area.

Sensing and releasing pain from your whole reproductive area.

Breathing warmth in and out.

Navel point.

Middle of the chest.

Throat.

And now rest at the space between your eyebrows.

Feel your whole body.

Let go of the muscles.

Let go of the holding on.

Let go of anything that is tense.

Breathe warmth in and out.

Notice sensation.

Any sensation.

Meet whatever you feel.

Meet whatever you feel with love.

Meet whatever you feel with gratitude.

Meet whatever you feel.

If you feel yourself with a lot of thoughts,

Release them to a cloud in the sky and let them float away.

If you feel yourself with a lot of emotions,

Release them to a cloud in the sky and let them float away.

And now shift your focus back to your breath.

Breathing warmth in and out.

I invite you to now imagine your body is divided into two equal parts.

Begin to breathe up and down the right side of your body.

You are breathing with warmth and love on the right side of your body.

You are breathing with warmth and love on the right side of your body.

In and out.

Out.

Up.

And down the right side of your body.

At the top of the next inhale of breath,

Move to the left side.

Inhale at the right side and then exhale down the left side.

Now imagine your body on the left side of your body with awareness of your breath.

In and out.

Up and down the right side of your body.

Find your rhythm.

Breathing in and out.

Up and down the left side of your body.

Breathe warmth in and out.

Breathe love in and out.

At the top of the next inhalation,

Move to the front of the body.

Inhale up the left side of the body,

Then exhale down the front of the body.

You are now breathing in and out.

Up and down the front of the body.

Breathing in and out.

Up and down the front of the body.

You are breathing with warmth and love.

Up and down the front of the body.

Slow and with awareness.

On the next inhalation,

Move to the back of the body.

Breathe up and down the back of the body.

Feeling lighter and lighter with each breath.

Feeling lighter and lighter with each breath.

Now breathe the whole body.

Now breathe the whole body.

With awareness.

Slowly breathe in and out through the whole body.

Your body light.

With the breath,

The whole body releases.

With the breath,

The whole body is light.

Let your body determine the rhythm of the breath.

The flow of inhalations and exhalations.

Your whole body is being breathed.

Conscious.

Feel the warm gentle energy flowing through your entire body.

Sense the life force within you.

Sense the life force within you.

Connecting you to the universal energy that surrounds us all.

Sense the life force within you.

Visualise a warm golden light enveloping you.

Visualise a warm golden light enveloping you.

Allowing you to be in this place.

Visualise a warm golden light enveloping you.

Allowing you to be in this place.

Bringing comfort and peace.

Now bring your attention to any areas in your body where you may be holding your breath.

Bring your attention to any areas in your body where you may be holding sadness.

Now stop and notice how you feel in this part of your body.

Begin to feel your body getting heavy.

Sinking into the ground.

Your whole body heavy like lead.

Now back to your breath.

Your body light.

Now feel your body light.

With every breath the body becomes lighter and lighter.

Like a feather.

The body light weightless.

With each exhale imagine releasing the grief.

As a dark cloud dissipating into the vast space around you.

Inhale love.

Inhale love.

Inhale love.

With each exhale imagine releasing the sadness.

As a dark cloud dissipating into the vast space around you.

Inhale warmth.

Inhale warmth.

Inhale warmth.

With each exhale imagine releasing the grief.

As a dark cloud dissipating into the vast space around you.

Inhale gratitude.

Inhale gratitude.

Inhale gratitude.

Notice your heart light and glowing.

Notice the area at the base of your spine.

You are filled with beautiful white light.

Radiant.

Allow yourself to be in this place without judgement.

Allow yourself to be in this place without expectation.

As you continue to breathe deeply.

Visualise a beautiful garden within your heart.

Picture vibrant flowers.

Picture lush greenery.

And a serene pond.

If you can't picture these things,

Think about them as words.

Or feelings.

You are peering into the pond.

Allow yourself to feel a profound sense of joy and peace.

As you sink into this tranquil space.

You are here.

You are safe.

You are held.

As you continue to peer into the pond.

You become aware of messages emerging from the water.

The first message says.

I trust myself.

Feel this.

The second message says.

I trust in the goodness of life.

Feel this.

The third message says.

I trust in the goodness of the universe.

Feel this.

Another message.

I have what I need.

Feel this.

And lastly.

I am open to possibilities and have all that I need.

Feel this.

Allow these feelings to expand.

Filling your entire being with warmth and tranquility.

Now come to the space between your eyebrows again.

Be still.

Let go.

Let yourself be soft.

Feel this.

Experience this.

Be this.

Feel yourself letting go completely.

Soft.

Safe.

Calm.

And free right now.

Without judgement.

Without expectation.

In this state of deep space.

Your intention can be heard.

And it can be integrated.

If you remember your intention.

I invite you to repeat it to yourself.

In your most authentic heartfelt voice.

Now gently bring your awareness back to your breath.

Feel the rise and fall of your chest.

Take a few deep breaths.

Gradually becoming aware of your surrounding.

Wriggle your toes.

Wriggle your fingers.

And when you feel ready.

You may slowly open your eyes.

Welcome yourself back.

And allow gratitude to wash over you.

Gratitude to yourself for allowing this practice today.

And remembering that this practice is here for you.

Whenever you need to navigate through grief.

And find a sense of peace.

Take this feeling with you into your day.

Or your evening.

Allowing it to support and guide you.

Your yoga nidra is complete.

Reviews

So beautiful…thank you

This was so healing. You have a calm, comforting voice that made me feel safe to release some grief.