As we begin to prepare for yoga nidra,
Find a comfortable place to lie down,
Probably on your back,
With whatever support is needed.
This practice is all about complete relaxation,
So take a moment to really set yourself up for comfort.
You may want a pillow under your head to support your neck.
A bolster or a rolled up blanket under your knees can release tension in your lower back as well.
Perhaps a blanket over your body to keep you warm as your body temperature naturally drops during deep rest.
If you have one,
Maybe an eye pillow or a small towel over your eyes.
Maybe you want socks on your feet,
Or another pillow under your arms.
There's no right or wrong way to do this,
Just make sure you are as comfortable as possible,
Giving yourself permission to get really settled.
And if anything doesn't feel quite right,
Adjust it now.
Move that pillow,
Shift your hips,
Wiggle your shoulders until they release.
This is your time.
This is sacred time for deep rest and healing.
You deserve this.
So now settle into your position,
And let your legs relax,
Falling open naturally,
Your feet just dropping to the sides.
Let your arms rest alongside your body,
Palms facing up in a gesture of receiving,
Or if that doesn't feel comfortable,
Resting your hands on your belly or your chest.
Allow your body to become heavy.
Imagine yourself sinking,
Melting down into the surface beneath you.
Release the weight of your head into the pillow,
Let your shoulders drop.
Feel the floor,
Or mat,
Or whatever surface is underneath you.
Feel it rising up to meet you,
Supporting you completely.
You don't have to hold yourself up anymore.
You don't have to do anything at all.
Just letting go.
Let the earth hold you.
Let gravity do its work.
Take a deep breath in,
And let it all go with a sigh.
You are safe.
You are supported.
You are exactly where you need to be.
Settling into your position now.
Allow your body to become heavy,
And releasing fully into the surface beneath you,
Closing your eyes gently.
And now as we enter this liminal space between waking and sleeping,
I invite you to set an intention for this practice.
This is a short positive statement about healing your relationship patterns.
It may be something like,
I am creating secure and loving relationships.
I am worthy of consistent love and care.
I trust myself and others.
I am healing my attachment wounds with compassion.
Choose the statement that resonates most deeply with you,
Or come up with your own.
State it silently to yourself three times,
With emphasis and feeling.
This intention,
Or sankalpa,
Is a seed that you're planting in the fertile ground of your subconscious mind.
We plant the seed in yoga nidra,
And it will grow.
And now bring your awareness to your body.
As we begin to rotate through different parts of the body,
As I name each part,
Simply bring your awareness there briefly,
Without moving.
Just awareness.
Begin with your right hand,
The right hand thumb,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Fourth finger,
Fifth finger,
The palm of the right hand,
The back of the right hand,
The right wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
And shoulder,
The right side of the chest,
Right side of the waist,
Right hip,
Right thigh,
Kneecap,
Shin,
Calf,
Right ankle,
Top of the right foot,
Sole of the right foot,
Right big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe.
And now the left side,
The left hand thumb,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Fourth finger,
Fifth finger,
Palm of the left hand,
Back of the left hand,
Left wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Left side of the chest,
Left side of the waist,
Left hip,
Left thigh,
Kneecap,
Shin,
Calf,
Left ankle,
Top of the left foot,
Sole of the left foot,
Left big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe.
Bring your awareness to the back of your body,
The right shoulder blade,
The left shoulder blade,
The right hip,
The left hip,
The spine,
The whole back body,
And now the front of the body,
The top of the head,
Forehead,
Right eyebrow,
Left eyebrow,
The space between the eyebrows,
Right eyelid,
Left eyelid,
Right eye,
Left eye,
Right ear,
Left ear,
Right cheek,
Left cheek,
Mouth,
Nose,
Tip of the nose,
Upper lip,
Lower lip,
Chin,
Throat,
Right collarbone,
Left collarbone,
Center of the chest,
The heart space,
Navel,
Lower belly,
Pelvis.
Become aware of your whole body,
Your entire body lying here all at once,
Held and supported,
Heavy and relaxed.
And now bring your awareness to the natural flow of your breath without trying to change it or control it,
Simply observe.
Notice the breath entering the nostrils,
Cool air flowing in.
Notice the breath leaving your nostrils,
Warm air flowing out.
The breath is happening on its own.
There's nothing you need to do.
Inhaling,
Exhaling,
Inhaling,
Exhaling.
And now begin to count your breaths backward from 27 to 1.
If you lose count,
Simply start again at 27.
Breathing in,
27.
Breathing out,
27.
Breathing in,
26.
Breathing out,
26.
Breathing in,
25.
Breathing out,
25.
And now let go of the counting and return to natural breath awareness.
We'll begin to explore pairs of opposite sensations.
Without forcing anything,
Just allow whatever arises to arise.
Bring your awareness to the sensation of heaviness,
Your body heavy on the floor,
Feeling heavy,
So heavy,
Sinking,
Melting,
Letting go.
And now shift to the sensation of lightness,
Your body feeling light,
Almost floating,
Weightless,
Buoyant,
Light as a feather.
Heaviness again sinking deep,
Lightness floating upward.
And now awareness of heat,
Of warmth spreading through your body.
Warm,
Comfortable warmth,
Glowing heat.
Shifting now to coolness,
A gentle,
Refreshing coolness.
Cool,
Calm,
Soothing.
Heat warm and radiant.
Coolness now,
Refreshing and calm.
And now become aware of the sensation of pain or discomfort anywhere it exists in your body.
Not the physical pain,
But the emotional holding,
Tightness,
Constriction,
Guarding.
And now shift to pleasure and comfort,
Ease,
Softness,
Relaxation,
Safety.
And now back to pain or discomfort,
Acknowledging it without resistance.
And now moving to pleasure and comfort and allowing this experience fully.
Recognizing that both can exist,
Both are welcome.
Lightness and heaviness,
Warmth and coolness,
Comfort and discomfort,
Pain and pleasure,
Both can exist,
Both are welcome.
And now I invite you into a visualization.
See yourself walking along a gentle path.
Feel your feet on this path.
Maybe it's soft earth,
Maybe smooth stone,
Maybe cool grass.
Notice the rhythm of your steps,
Slow and easy.
This path is leading you to a secret garden,
Your inner sanctuary.
This is a place that exists only for you,
A place of complete safety and peace.
With each step,
You feel yourself moving deeper into this sacred space,
Leaving the outside world further and further behind.
As you approach the entrance to this garden,
You notice a beautiful gate ahead of you.
It might be wooden and weathered,
Ornate,
Decorated with vines,
Or maybe simple and elegant,
Whatever feels right to you.
Maybe there's ivy climbing up its sides or roses woven through.
Maybe there are wind chimes hanging nearby that create a soft and welcoming sound.
See the entrance to this garden and place your hand on the gate and feel its texture beneath your palm.
Is it warm from the sun,
Smooth or rough?
Is it cool metal or worn wood?
Feel the weight of it as you push it open gently.
Hear the creak of the hinges,
Or perhaps it swings open silently,
Effortlessly.
Step through now,
Crossing the threshold into your garden.
Take a deep breath.
The air here is different.
Notice how it smells,
Perhaps like fresh rain on soil,
Or blooming jasmine,
Pine trees,
Or maybe the ocean.
The air is clean,
Pure,
Exactly the temperature that feels most comfortable on your skin.
Look around now and notice the colors everywhere.
The light here is perfect,
Maybe golden and warm like late afternoon sun filtering through leaves.
Maybe soft and silvery like twilight.
Maybe bright and clear like a spring morning.
The shadows are gentle here.
Everything glows with life.
What grows in your garden?
Walk slowly and notice.
Are there flowers,
Wildflowers scattered like confetti,
Or roses heavy with blooms?
Maybe lavender swaying in the breeze.
Are there trees in this garden,
Ancient oaks with thick trunks,
Willows with cascading branches,
Fruit trees bending with abundance?
Maybe there's water here,
A small stream trickling over stones with that gentle,
Constant music.
A still pond reflecting the sky like a mirror.
A fountain bubbling and splashing softly.
Listen to the sounds,
Birds singing,
Leaves rustling,
Wind moving through branches,
Water flowing,
The hum of bees,
Or perhaps it's completely quiet,
The most peaceful silence you've ever known.
Feel the ground beneath your feet,
Soft moss,
Warm stone,
Cool grass.
You might want to take your shoes off and feel the earth directly.
Find a place to sit or lie down in this garden.
Maybe there's a bench waiting for you,
Sun warmed wood under an arbor.
Maybe a soft patch of grass calls to you.
Maybe there are cushions arranged in a quiet corner,
Or a hammock swaying between two trees.
Settle yourself here,
Feel how perfectly this place holds you.
This is your sanctuary,
Nothing harmful can enter here.
The walls around this garden are strong,
The gate is protected,
You are completely and utterly safe.
Rest here for a moment,
And breathe in the peace of this place.
Feel it settling into your bones.
As you rest in this space,
You become aware of a presence.
Notice that a younger version of you appears at the edge of the garden.
This child you,
At whatever age,
Needs your presence most right now.
They're here in the garden with you.
Watch them for a moment.
And notice how they move as they come closer.
Do they walk slowly or hesitantly?
Or do they run towards you?
Do they look around at the garden with wonder?
Or keep their eyes down?
See what they look like.
Really look at them.
Notice their hair,
The way it falls.
The color in this light.
Their eyes,
What expression do they hold?
Their size,
Are they small and fragile looking?
Or are they bigger than you remembered?
What are they wearing?
Notice the details.
A favorite shirt,
Maybe with a stain on it.
Shoes that are too big or too small.
Maybe clothes that don't quite fit right.
Or maybe their special outfit,
The one they felt really good in.
Look at their face.
The expression here.
Are they smiling tentatively?
Are they serious and guarded?
Are their eyes wide with uncertainty?
Are they holding back tears?
There's a story written in that face.
Notice their body language.
How do they hold their shoulders?
Whether their hands are clenched or open.
If they're making themselves small or standing tall.
This younger you has been carrying something heavy.
You can see it in the way that they move.
In the weight that they bear.
Perhaps it's fear.
Fear of being left behind.
Fear of being too much for people to handle.
A fear of never being enough,
No matter how hard they try.
Perhaps it's confusion about what love means.
Or whether they're truly safe.
About whether they can trust.
Perhaps it's a loneliness so deep it feels like an ache in their chest.
A hollowness that nothing seems to fill.
You can feel what they're carrying.
Not just see it,
But feel the heaviness of it.
The way that it's shaped them.
Simply witness them with compassion.
You don't need to fix anything right now.
You don't need to take the weight away.
Not yet.
Just be present.
Let them know with your eyes and with your energy that you can see them.
All of them.
The hurt and the hope.
The fear and the strength.
The loneliness and the longing.
You see them and they are safe here with you.
Your younger self moves closer to you now.
They're seeking something that they didn't always have.
Maybe it's consistency.
Maybe it's validation.
Maybe it's permission to need and want.
Maybe it's the promise that they're lovable no matter what.
Imagine offering them exactly what they need.
If they need to be held,
Imagine embracing them gently.
If they need to hear words of reassurance,
Speak to them now in your mind.
You are safe with me.
Your feelings matter.
You don't have to earn love.
You are inherently worthy.
I will not abandon you even when things are difficult.
You can trust that I'm here and I will never leave you.
Take time here.
Breathe with your younger self.
Let them feel what it's like to be truly met,
Truly seen,
Truly held with consistency and care.
You are safe with me.
Your feelings matter.
You don't have to earn love.
You are inherently worthy.
I will not abandon you even when things are difficult.
You can trust that I'm here and I'm never leaving you.
Notice if anything shifts in their body,
In their expression.
Perhaps they begin to relax.
Perhaps they lean into you.
Perhaps they smile.
You begin to notice a warm and golden light beginning to emanate from your heart space.
This is the light of secure attachment,
The knowing that you are safe,
That you are worthy,
And that you belong.
This light flows from your heart into the heart of your younger self.
Watch as they absorb this light,
The security,
This unconditional love.
The two of you are healing together across time,
Across pain.
You are reconnecting the broken threads.
Your younger self is becoming lighter and brighter and more peaceful.
They know now that they are not alone.
They know that you are here and that you always will be.
Your younger self is ready now to rest in this garden,
To play here,
To feel safe here.
You can leave them in this sanctuary knowing that they are held and protected.
And as you stand to leave the garden,
You notice something.
You're taking something with you.
It's a quality,
A feeling.
Perhaps it's trust.
Perhaps it's worthiness.
Perhaps it's the courage to be vulnerable.
Perhaps it's the peace of knowing that you're enough.
Name this gift silently to yourself.
And now begin to walk back along the path,
Carrying this gift with you.
With each step,
You are bringing it more fully into your conscious awareness,
Into your present life.
And now imagine how this gift will change the way that you show up in relationships.
See yourself in a future situation.
Perhaps a conflict.
Perhaps a moment of intimacy.
Perhaps a fear arising.
But this time you respond differently.
You respond from this new place of inner security.
You trust yourself.
You express your needs clearly.
You allow yourself to receive love.
You don't spiral into panic or shut down completely.
See yourself responding with this new pattern.
Watch yourself navigate relationships with more ease,
More authenticity,
And more groundedness.
This is available to you.
This is who you're becoming.
And now recall your intention from the beginning of this practice.
Bring it back to your awareness now.
State it silently to yourself three times with even more conviction than before.
Feel it resonating in every cell of your body.
This is your truth.
This is your healing.
Begin to bring your awareness back to the room around you.
Without moving,
Begin to notice the sounds in the space.
Whatever they are,
Just notice without any judgment.
These sounds are welcoming you back to the present.
Feel the surface beneath you.
The supports underneath your body.
The pillow under your head.
The blanket over your body.
Feel the weight of yourself solid and present.
Notice the air on your skin.
The temperature of the room.
You are here.
You are safe.
You are grounded in this physical space.
And now start to deepen your breath.
Breathing a little more fully now.
Feeling your belly rise and fall.
Feeling your chest expand.
Each breath brings you more alert,
More present,
More connected to this moment.
Begin to gently move your fingers and toes.
Just small movements at first.
Curling your fingers.
Flexing your feet gently.
Waking up your hands and feet.
These parts of you that touch and interact with the world.
Take a big,
Nourishing breath in and let it out with a sigh.
Maybe another one.
And let any sound come that wants to come.
Rest quietly.
And notice how you feel.
There's no need to analyze or explain.
Simply notice.
The healing that you've done in this deep state of consciousness will continue to unfold in the days and weeks ahead.
This isn't the end of the process.
It's the beginning.
Seeds have been planted in your subconscious mind and they will grow in their own time.
Old patterns will loosen their grip.
You might find yourself responding differently to situations that used to trigger you.
New responses will emerge.
Sometimes surprising you with their wisdom.
You might find yourself speaking more kindly to yourself.
Setting boundaries that you've never set before.
And feeling emotions that have been holding you back.
Trust the process.
Trust yourself.
The work you've done here is profound.
Even if you can't name it all consciously,
Your nervous system remembers.
Your body remembers.
Your inner child remembers that you showed up.
You might feel different today or tomorrow or next week.
You might feel emotional or peaceful or energized or tired.
All of this is okay.
All of this is part of integration.
Be gentle with yourself as you move back into your day.
And when you feel ready,
Slowly begin to blink your eyes open.
Let the light filter in gradually.
Soft focus at first.
And then more clear and more clear.
Thank you for giving yourself this gift of deep rest and healing.
Thank you for showing up for yourself.
The practice of Yoga Nidra has ended.
