Inner Resource Yoga Nidra

This Inner Resource Yoga Nidra meditation is for finding your unique inner sanctuary. It’s an iRest style of Yoga Nidra to create your inner refuge and is great for building emotional resilience. In Yoga Nidra, especially Integrative Restoration or iRest, created by Richard Miller, there is a concept called the inner refuge where during the guided relaxation we visualize a peaceful sanctuary to create the somatic feelings of peace, wellbeing, equanimity, and contentment. I hope you enjoy it! Namaste.

Transcript

Namaste.

In this experience we are going to develop and strengthen your inner resource.

This practice is one that I've found has provided me with a deep sense of inner resiliency through all of life's circumstances and it's one that I've learned from a dear mentor,

Richard Miller and his life's work with Integrative Restoration and Yoga Nidra.

So please take a moment to get comfortable and settle in as we begin to contemplate the inner resource.

So your inner resource is completely unique to you.

It's your own experiential feeling of inner calmness,

Trust or well-being and masking in presence with these felt sensations.

And with your inner sanctuary you will be inviting all five senses into the experience.

And in the beginning what we'll do is create imagery,

So using your imagination along with the images that you welcome,

Also bringing in the accompanying sounds and fragrances and sensations and really noticing where you're feeling the sensory experiences within your body such as warmth,

Floating,

Relaxation or some it'll feel like expansiveness or maybe a feeling of being supported or unconditionally loved.

So spending time creating and developing your inner resource as a felt sense in your body and over time and practice the felt sensations of your inner sanctuary will be available to you at any time throughout any experience not only when you call upon your inner resource but also as the backdrop from which your entire life is unfolding from.

So present with you through every moment and experience and your trusted ally through thick and thin.

The concept of the inner sanctuary is from this ancient practice of ashraya meaning refuge,

Safety,

Trust or home.

So your inner refuge is a deep grounded foundational stone that helps you to meet whatever circumstance that you're facing with a sense of underlying inner peace or well-being.

And as you create your inner resource it will be completely unique to you.

So you might be cultivating a sense of peace or ease or spaciousness or groundedness and the sense of refuge might include safety or security support or presence love connectedness.

It could be a feeling of being empowered or stable expansive maybe flowing or open or even a deep state of stillness perhaps it's clarity or balance contentment or an unshakable sense of well-being.

So for each person it'll be slightly different what their inner resource consists of.

So let's begin by taking a deep breath in through the nose and letting it go.

And then begin to invite your body to get comfortable if there are any little adjustments that you need to take.

Just laying on your back settling in for yoga nidra practice.

Relaxing into the jaw from the tip of the tongue to the root of the tongue.

That presence soak into all of the skin the whole face.

Just the awareness of a softening migrating through all of the tissues of the face and the eyes the forehead all the way through the scalp.

Sensing the ears listening.

Both ears simultaneously.

Ears and awareness becoming receptive open.

And connecting now to your sankalpa.

Your own sankalpa or you might welcome the sankalpa or the intention to nourish the body with rest or connect to a deeply felt sense of peace and well-being.

Your inner self welcoming your sankalpa by stating it now three times.

Welcoming the mind's eye center.

The center of the forehead between the brows.

The center of the throat.

The center of the heart.

The right shoulder.

The right elbow.

The right elbow.

Wrist.

Center of the palm.

Tip of the thumb.

Tip of the index finger.

Tip of the second finger.

The ring finger.

Tip of the little finger.

The center of the palm.

The wrist.

Elbow.

Shoulder.

Right side of the chest.

Waist.

Hip joint.

Knee.

Ankle.

Center of the sole of the foot.

Tip of the big toe.

Second toe.

Third.

Tip of the fourth toe.

Tip of the little toe.

Center of the sole of the foot.

Ankle.

Knee.

Hip.

Waist.

Right side of the chest.

The whole right hemisphere of the body simultaneously.

And then moving into the left shoulder.

The elbow.

The wrist.

The palm of the hand.

Center of the palm.

The tip of the thumb.

Tip of the first finger.

The second finger.

The tip of the ring finger.

The tip of the little finger.

The tip of the little finger.

The center of the palm.

The wrist.

Elbow.

Shoulder.

Sensing the natural rhythm of the breath without altering the flow of air in and out.

The whole left side of the chest.

The waist.

The hip.

Knee.

Ankle.

Center of the sole of the foot.

The tip of the big toe.

Tip of the second toe.

Third toe.

Fourth toe.

Tip of the little toe.

Center of the sole of the foot.

Ankle.

Knee.

Hip.

Waist.

The whole left side of the chest.

Awareness saturating the whole left side of the body now.

The whole left side of the body.

Experiencing the whole body now as a boundless field of evenly hovering awareness.

Shimmering with sensation and aliveness.

Warmth.

Radiance.

Allow your attention to draw into the breath without needing to shape or control the breath in any way.

And just relaxing into the simplicity of the body breathing itself.

The simplicity of being breathed.

Sensing the natural rhythm in and out.

Just a natural pace of the breath.

This easy and effortless rhythm.

Continuing to tune into this feeling of being held by the earth.

Letting the whole body rest upon the earth.

And as you breathe in,

Welcoming the mantra soul.

As you breathe out,

Welcoming hum.

As you breathe out,

Welcoming hum.

Inhaling the soul.

Exhaling hum.

Natural pace of the breath.

Inhaling the soul.

Exhaling hum.

I am that.

I am all that there is.

Without shaping the breath.

Just natural waves of respiration.

Inhaling the soul.

Exhaling hum.

Soul.

Soul.

Soul.

Bringing awareness now gently to the mind's eye.

The center of the forehead.

And we'll begin with a visualization to create the inner resource.

But eventually we'll let the visuals go.

And this can be a real or imagined place.

And the images could include anything that helps you to create the feeling of peace in your body.

And these images could include people or animals,

Favorite items or symbols,

Archetypes,

Scenes in nature that include sounds,

Colors,

Aromas,

Light,

Perhaps even tastes.

So I'll begin by taking you on a journey of my inner resource and then guiding you through an inquiry of your own inner resource.

My inner resource is in a beautiful sanctuary in the jungle.

It's a place that I have been many times in the mountains of Costa Rica.

It's a lush and beautiful jungle with waterfalls and wildlife all around me.

The colors are vibrant and the earth is so full of prana.

The waterfalls and pools of water all around are heated by volcanic springs.

And so the water itself is deeply nourishing and full of beautiful minerals.

The water is warm and the wildlife that surrounds me includes toucans,

Hummingbirds,

Turquoise basilisks and sloths,

Blue morpho butterflies floating around me.

And it brings me a deep sense of relaxation and peace simultaneously.

But also I'm floating in the water.

The water is warm and nourishing and I'm floating in Shavasana.

So there's zero effort.

I'm not trying to swim or keep myself upright.

There's a sense of trust and effortless floating.

There's a sense of warmth and peace and nourishment.

I can sense all around me the beautiful sunlight beyond the canopies.

And also all of the aromas and fragrances not only of the hot springs but of the flowers and foliage all around.

The sounds are that of birds singing and water flowing.

As I release the imagery I'm left with this sense of warmth,

Of trust and floating,

Effortless floating,

Peacefulness.

A deep sense of trusting that I can let go and float.

So let's begin to explore your inner resource completely unique to you.

Allowing your imagination to flow freely.

And as you cultivate your inner resource experiencing a sense of well-being that you can come back to no matter what your current circumstance.

So this is a deeply personal experience and a safe haven where you can feel not only secure and safe but at ease,

Peaceful.

And you have that beautiful sense of well-being that arises naturally.

Providing now a scene or situation where you feel completely at ease.

It could be a memory or completely imagined.

Any scene in which you feel completely peaceful.

It could be a scene in nature surrounded by beautifully serene landscapes and foliage.

Perhaps pure crystal clear healing waters or sunlight shadows that are present.

And letting the sounds and sensations start to arrive.

Perhaps you're not out in nature,

Perhaps you're inside a space that feels particularly safe and tranquil.

Warm or cozy.

So begin to welcome your surroundings here.

Letting your imagination create the imagery naturally.

Maybe there are others surrounding you.

Loved ones or people who make you feel connected or easeful.

Or perhaps there are animals present.

Beloved animals or wildlife.

Perhaps you're just resting in the sanctuary in solitude.

Feeling the connection of nature around you or the tranquility of your space.

Perhaps you're seeing yourself experiencing something that you love that brings you a great sense of joy or gratitude.

Letting your imagination create the inner sanctuary.

And the only thing that is for certain is that you experience yourself in a state of complete ease within the surroundings.

A place that brings you a state of complete ease.

And seeing yourself in this imagined scene as if it's happening currently.

So in this moment you can look around very slowly.

There's no rush.

Just slowly observing and taking it in.

The wholeness and beauty of this moment you're creating.

You're slowly looking all the way around 360 degrees around you.

Inviting in all of the sights and shapes and colors.

The light and shadows.

Allowing all of these sights to come to you as your eyes stay relaxed.

And soft.

And your whole peripheral vision is just wide open.

Eyes are relaxed and receptive.

Inviting in each imagined detail.

Sensing each detail of your inner resource in this moment.

Orienting to the sounds that might be arriving in the scene of your peaceful sanctuary.

And without straining or striving.

Gently inviting the experience as it comes.

What sounds are you experiencing?

What are these sounds you're listening to that are just arising and fading away naturally?

Imagining those sounds coming effortlessly.

Ears receptive and open.

Basking in your inner sanctuary.

And noticing simultaneously any tastes or aromas that might be present here.

Welcoming the fragrances that come along with your inner sanctuary or inner resource that you're creating.

And letting those two come effortlessly to soothe your whole nervous system as you're resting.

Now fully immersed in this inner refuge.

And the feeling of being completely relaxed.

Peaceful.

Comfortable and at ease in your whole body.

And noticing that experience in your body.

And getting curious about the sensations that are present.

All senses open and receptive.

Getting curious about the sensations that are present and could you bring your awareness to rest in these sensations?

Finding this felt sense somatically in your body.

A felt sense of an inner refuge of peace,

Trust,

Equanimity.

Then losing the imagery.

Let go of the image,

The sound,

The memory.

Taking out the conceptual imagery and keeping the somatic bodily feeling.

Tuning into the felt sense of the inner resource within your body.

Dropping away.

Letting all of the images and the concepts drop away so you're just feeling.

Feeling the sensations of your inner resource.

Begin to welcome your inner resource as an unchanging quality of being that's always available to come back to.

Which you can begin to welcome into all other aspects of your life.

In many ways the practice of yoga nidra and ashraya is this remembering of these aspects of ourselves.

Continuously coming back to our inner refuge remembering and remembering as a practice until this inner refuge begins to remember us.

Begins to unfold naturally.

Begins to infuse our lives naturally.

And the more that we can come back to and remember these aspects and welcome these aspects of our inner refuge.

The more they begin to naturally arise in our states of vishva or waking states.

So just taking these next few moments to bask in the experience of your inner resource.

And feel the weight of your body on the earth.

Bringing awareness back to the sounds within the room.

One by one.

And sensing the room around you.

Laying quietly.

Keeping the eyes closed.

Noticing the effects of this practice on the body,

On the mind.

Continuing to let yourself rest here.

And gently begin to awaken the body.

Making little gestures with the fingers and the toes.

Notting the head from side to side.

You might take a deep breath in through the nose.

Exhaling with a sigh.

And slowly bringing yourself back to an upright position.

And even as you're waking up here,

Could you continue to welcome the felt sense of your inner refuge?

Allowing it to be everywhere.

And could you imagine this inner refuge infusing all of the different aspects of your life?

As you continue to practice and work with your inner resource,

Know that it's always available for you.

It's that trusted ally that you can always come back to deep within yourself.

Please come back to this recording anytime that you'd like to.

And know that the more that you practice with this inner resource,

The more that the inner resource will be present and available in your life through all life experiences.

Whether it's a moment of,

You know,

Total bliss and gratitude or a very challenging moment in your life.

So I continue to nourish and work with my inner resource in Yoga Nidra often.

And I can tell you that it really is a trusted ally that I can come back to any moment that I need to.

All I have to do is welcome it into the foreground of my experience.

And it's just always there for me.

And I can always,

Always rely on my inner resource and just that aspect of nourishing your inner resource.

And really welcoming it and practicing it is so beneficial.

So thank you for practicing with me today.

And I hope to practice again with you soon.

I'd love to hear from you.

And thank you.

Namaste.

Reviews

Amazing introduction to my Inner Resource! I am just starting module four and thrilled to have experienced this before I dig deep into the study. Absolute perfection✨💫🙏🏻😘

Lovely practice and invitation, to develop and strengthen emotional resiliency through this practice. Very welcome in my life atm 🙏🏼✨

Thank you Ally for another amazing Nidra! I have been practicing with you for years and your Nidra has helped me so much. Lately I have struggled to relax and come into the parasympathetic state and this Nidra was so helpful. I loved practicing that inner resource, I was able to find my inner resource feeling and will keep coming back to this one so my inner resource are more readily available. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You have helped me more than you can know 💕 I’m so grateful for you Ally! 💖

I really like the content and always love Ally’s guidance. I like the many other amazing nidra tracks with more somatic focus.

A wonderful, intimate yoga nidra practice that I will surely return to, again and again. Thank you so much for this, Ally, I can tell that this is going to provide me with comfort and strength as I continue to develop my inner resource.

Thank you very much for this. I have a new perspective on my Inner Resource now! It has been a journey for me to shape and articulate for myself an Inner Resource and this has helped tremendously. 🙏🏻

Absolutely loved this meditation. Thank you! I will return to this 💛

Thank you, Ally
I love these inner resource practices. Sometimes they show me something surprising. Today for my felt experience of being connected to the Earth, surrender and trust in the Divine and complete acceptance of myself I became part of another land and culture and could feel that energy Alive in my body
Thank you. I enjoy the cultivating of asraya and bhavana in this Module 4 of YNTT
🙏❤️🙏

The most amount of talking in yoga nidra i ever heard. Didn’t like it at all. 5 stars not to bring overall score down

Wow, that was so special. I had the funniest thing happen: right as we began to cultivate our inner refuge, I had two giant sneezes come out of nowhere, and I started laughing, seeing as I was breathing peacefully with my body completely relaxed, then immediately my two best friends (who are brothers), my bandmate and manager, appeared with one of their dogs, 🐶bisou, with us in a forest that we had all been to together while recording an album. I am allergic to some doggies and most things from nature (I'm a little allergic to bisou, and I accept that I am a bit of a bubblegirl 🫧). This was such a special time in my life. I went trail running daily during this recording retreat and even got lost on the mountain for 3 hours. In my place of refuge, we were all hugging, especially my bandmate and me; we tend to hug in the most random places, like at the entry to the supermarket. They are so important to me, and at this time in my life, I had overcome great adversity and was filled with energy, creativity, gratitude and joy for life.
The three of us, including Bisou, the dog, hugged each other next to a large mossy rock, and I began laughing and crying. Images of the lake nearby rushed through my mind, along with the sounds of the leaves, trees, birds, rain, bugs, and animals.
It was so funny to sneeze and then to be transported to this place. I haven't sneezed in probably a week!
Thank you so much! Your meditations are always a joy, and I hope to visit the incredible inner refuge sanctuary you described in the mountains of Costa Rica.
With warmth and love,
Ra

Beautiful voice . Powerful exercise I will continue to use as a resource

Thank you Ally. I was in a state of nidra, neither awake nor asleep. This happened more and more. And I was in my innate refuge. Feeling calm, at peace and a lot of clarity. Thank you. Practiced on February 8th, 2024, 1.52pm. 🙏🏻🤍✨

Fantastic ★彡 thank you so much for the wonderful meditation!

Love this one! So beautiful to come back to my inner home 💫

That was so powerful for me. I wasn’t sure I would, but I now have a beautiful, blissful place and experience to go to when I need it. Thank you so much. My inner sanctuary is in the home of my inner mentor, who looks after me. She lives in the forest and I can hear and see the birds in the trees through the open doors, feel the sun on my body while lying in a soft and comfortable hammock with a cup of warm sweet tea. Hmmmm. I want to go there again soon.
I love all your nidras. You have brought me such healing.

So peaceful- thank you 😊 needed right now in this time of grief.

This was amazing🤩😇🤩😇
Will be returning many times
Thank you 🙏

I love your inner sanctuary example so much I made it my own!

What a gift. My inner resource was in the forest where I lay on a cozy blanket, gazing up at the towering redwoods, pines, and eucalyptis trees overhead. Warm sun on my skin. Sweet sounds of the leaves rustling in the wind and a crystal clear streaming washing by. Birds singing and calling. The scent of slightly moist tree bark and pungent forest flowers in the air. A felt sense of grounded peace, stillness, ease. The simplicity of the now moment in its eternity. Feeling cradled and cocooned yet infinitely expansive. Deep, nourishing warmth in my soul, my body, and on every level of my being. I am home ❤️🌲☀️Practiced 9/6/22 at 10am ~Sara H.

Another time listening to this, it’s so relaxing and peaceful, I have loved finding my inner refuge and building on it with each listen. Thank you Ally 💫