As a more sensitive person,
It's so vital for us to take time in a quiet space to recharge and to release.
So throughout this yoga nidra practice,
I want you to focus on just that.
Go ahead and lay down on your back if you're not already there.
You might want a little pillow under your knees or something to cover your eyes.
Make sure you'll be warm enough throughout this practice as you'll remain in stillness laying on your back throughout the rest of our time together.
Now just begin by taking a deep breath in,
Exhaling to ground deeper into the floor or bed beneath you.
Continue to breathe naturally and start to get a little curious.
Observe if you have any thoughts running through your mind that may not even belong to you.
As more sensitive people,
We can sometimes act as sponges,
Absorbing the feelings or stressors of the people in the world around us.
So if you do have any worries or distracting thoughts,
They may belong to you and they may not and that's okay.
Shift your awareness now to your body.
If there's anywhere in your body here that you're carrying tension,
That you feel tight or tense,
You may even feel some pain,
This too could be pain or tension that belongs to you or it may not belong to you.
Either way,
We're just observing without wrapping a story around it.
Now open your mind up to the idea of completely relaxing,
Giving yourself this much-earned space and time to recharge,
Not for anyone else but for you.
Just follow along with the sound of my voice,
Remaining awake,
Aware and relaxed.
Now allow the sound and the easy rhythm of your breath to further relax your mind and your body,
Inviting each breath to flow through you like a rolling ocean wave.
As you surrender into relaxation,
Notice the spaces between your body and the floor or bed beneath you becoming smaller and smaller.
Your body is feeling deeply,
Deeply relaxed.
Whenever thoughts or distractions creep back in,
Just let your breath guide you right back to the sound of my voice.
Now start to become aware of your body from the crown of your head to the tips of your toes,
Full awareness of your body in this space.
As you silently acknowledge the practice of yoga nidra is beginning,
You are awake and relaxed.
Observe the breath moving through you like an ocean wave.
As you inhale,
The air fills your body from the tip of your toes all the way up to the crown of your head with fresh oxygen.
As you exhale,
You release stale air from the crown of your head all the way down to the tips of your toes,
Surrendering further down into the space beneath you,
Inhaling fresh oxygen from toes to crown,
Exhaling as you soften from crown to toes.
And as you drop deeper into the state of relaxation,
You open up to the possibility of releasing any lower vibrational feelings,
Sensations,
Or thoughts that may or may not belong to you.
Now it's time to state your sankalpa.
This is a goal or dream that you want to come to life.
You'll state it in a short positive phrase in present tense as if it's already taking place,
Starting with I am.
If you'd like a few suggestions,
Focusing on being an empowered empath,
Here are three options.
Maybe you choose one that speaks to you.
No matter what comes my way,
I am calm,
Protected,
And divinely supported.
I am an observer,
Not an absorber.
I am committed to filling my own cup before helping others.
Once you've chosen your sankalpa,
Repeat it silently and clearly to yourself with deep meaning three times.
Slowly,
Gently come back to the awareness of your breath moving through your body with nothing to control,
Change,
Or fix.
As we scan through the body now,
Just continue to follow along with the sound of my voice.
Start by feeling the weight of the entire back body sinking deeper into the floor beneath you.
Feel the heels,
Hips,
Shoulder blades,
And a heaviness in the back of the head.
Now feel the weight of the right side of the body.
Back of the right hand,
Right thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
Little finger,
Right arm,
Shoulder,
Right side waist,
Leg,
Right foot,
Big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe,
Entire right side of the body,
Heavy,
And relaxed.
Now feel the left side of your body.
Back of the left hand,
Thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
Little finger,
Left arm,
Shoulder,
Left side waist,
Leg,
Left big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe,
The entire left side of your body is heavy and relaxed.
Now feel both sides of your body,
The right side and the left side,
Heavy,
Relaxed,
And at ease,
Releasing any tension that you've been carrying around.
As you shift your awareness back to your breath,
Observe how the simplicity of each exhale invites a deeper sensation of surrender.
Your body and mind are simultaneously softening as you remind yourself that you are awake,
Relaxed,
And exactly where you need to be.
Now it's time to state the same sankalpa silently to yourself three times.
If you'd like a reminder from the three that I offered earlier,
They are,
No matter what comes my way,
I am calm,
Protected,
And divinely supported.
I am an observer,
Not an absorber.
I am committed to filling my own cup before helping others.
State your sankalpa three times silently to yourself now.
Take a deep breath in and a big old release as you exhale.
For a moment,
Just allow the quiet to wash over you as you feel the bones and muscles in your body totally melting into the floor or bed beneath you.
Being present with the experience as the powerful practice of yoga nidra takes a moment to integrate.
Just remain here with your breath.
Observe what shows up.
Welcome any release and continue to revisit the sound and sensation of your breath as it supports you through this stillness.
Keeping your eyes closed,
You can gently start to become aware of your breath and your body taking up space.
Allow your mind to awaken to your entire body,
Feeling calm,
Peaceful,
And at ease.
Feel free to stay here laying down as long as you'd like.
Ready to move,
Take your time.
Wake the body up gently first before rising to a seat.
Take a moment to land in gratitude,
Maybe bringing the palms together in front of the heart center with gratitude for showing up here for yourself to release and to recharge.
Practice of yoga nidra is now complete.
