Rest To Rise

Rest is crucial in the struggle against injustice because it allows individuals to recharge and sustain their efforts over the long haul. When well-rested, people can think more clearly, make better decisions, and maintain their physical and mental health. This resilience is essential for facing the challenges and stress that come with activism. Additionally, rest fosters creativity and problem-solving, enabling more effective strategies in the push against injustice.

Overall, rest ensures that activists can continue their work with renewed energy and focus.

Transcript

This is a yoga nidra,

A relaxation,

A guided relaxation,

And the one that I have chosen to do is specifically around allowing those who are fighting for injustice to keep their strength and to know the importance of rest at this time when we are trying to be a voice for others who may not have a voice at this time who are merely trying to survive.

And this rest being crucial,

It allows us to recharge,

Sustain our efforts over the long haul as well.

So it's very important that we think about if we have been offered the privilege to rest,

That we use it so that then we can come up from that,

Rise up from that and resist and keep our resilience going as well.

It helps us to think clearly too when we come to do a yoga nidra,

So it might help us come up with any other plans and ideas and ways of helping and fighting injustice as well.

So I invite you to get comfortable,

That would be the main thing is to become very comfortable,

Whether you're lying down on your back or on your side,

Whether you're sitting up,

You can do this practice sitting up,

Just make sure that you are comfortable and you might like a pillow or cushion under your head or something under your knees to give you that little bit of support as well.

Everything in this yoga nidra is an invitation,

So if there's something that you hear that might not necessarily sit with you,

That's okay,

That's perfectly fine.

If you fall asleep,

That's okay as well,

This sometimes happens.

If you need to rest,

You rest.

I often say there is no right or wrong way of doing this,

Do it in a way that feels comfortable for you.

So welcome yourself now to wherever you are,

Wherever you come to rest,

Welcome yourself to this space,

Allow yourself to land on the land,

Invite the earth to come up and meet you by taking a nice breath in and then as you breathe out,

Imagining or feeling or sensing the body sinking down a little bit more.

We might do this two more times,

Give yourself a nice long slow full deep breath in and on the exhale,

Letting the body release a little bit more into the ground and know that the earth,

The steady solid earth is there underneath you holding you up.

And last time exhaling,

Allowing this sense of rest to begin and then bring the breath back to an everyday pace,

Maybe noticing each breath in and each breath out.

Now your eyes can be open or closed for this practice,

Wherever the hands rest,

Notice where they are,

Whether they're touching onto the body or onto the ground or the bed.

And you become aware of where the feet are,

Picking out points of contact that the feet make with the ground or whatever it is that you're lying on.

And then come to notice that point at the back of the head,

Whether you're resting on a pillow or directly onto the floor or again whatever furnishings that you might find yourself in as you take this time out to rest.

So as we settle a little bit more into the ground,

Into that steady solid earth that holds us up,

I'm going to take a little map,

A little journey around the map of the body.

As each part of the body is named,

You might like to either repeat it mentally or you can let all your focus,

Your attention come to this place.

Sometimes I invite people to maybe place a starlight or a flower if you've got a nice flower that you like,

To place a flower at each point as it is named out.

I'm going to begin at the top of the head.

So letting your attention,

Your focus,

That focused concentration to that place at the top of the head.

And with that same awareness,

Bring it down to the space in between the eyebrows and then to the right eyebrow and the left eyebrow,

The right eyelid,

The left eyelid,

The right cheekbone,

The left cheekbone,

The tip of the nose,

The top lip and the bottom lip.

And then we bring that awareness a little bit deeper now into the mouth.

Can you become aware of the top teeth and gums,

The roof of the mouth,

And then the lower gums and the lower teeth,

The inside of the right cheek,

The inside of the left cheek,

The tip of the tongue,

The back of the tongue,

The center and sides of the tongue.

And then bring your awareness back out again to the sides of the mouth and the chin,

The right ear and the left ear,

And then to the neck,

The front,

Back and sides of the neck,

The space in between the collarbones,

Just at the neck there,

That little hollow at the neck.

And then let your focus come across to the right shoulder and then the elbow and the wrist and the back of the hand and the palm of the hand and the right thumb,

Index finger,

Middle finger,

Fourth finger,

And then the little finger.

Move that awareness up through the wrist again,

The elbow,

The shoulder,

Back to that space in between the collarbones.

Across now to the left shoulder,

Left elbow,

Wrist,

Back of the hand,

Palm of the hand,

A left thumb,

Index finger,

Middle finger,

Fourth finger,

And then the little finger.

Moving back up again through the wrist,

The elbow,

The shoulder,

Back to the space in between the collarbones.

And then move the focus over to the right side of the chest and then the left side of the chest and then back to the centre of the chest.

The right side of the waist,

Left side of the waist,

And then the belly button.

The right hip and the left hip and the space behind the pubic bones.

And then down both legs,

Both thighs,

Front,

Backs and sides of both thighs,

The knees,

The knees,

The shins,

Calves,

Both heels,

The top of the feet,

The soles of the feet,

The big toes,

Second toes,

Third toes,

Fourth toes,

And the little toes.

Backs of the heels,

Backs of the knees,

Back of the pelvis,

Along the spine,

The lower back,

Middle back,

Upper back,

Right shoulder blade,

Left shoulder blade,

Back of the head,

Back of the head,

Crown of the head again,

The space in between the eyebrows,

The space in between the collarbones,

The space at the centre of the chest,

The space behind the belly button,

The space behind the pubic bones,

And then bring the attention back again to the centre of the chest.

Letting your focus rest here for a moment or two at the heart centre,

The centre of the chest.

Can you become aware now of each breath in and each breath out?

Perhaps noticing that movement in the chest as you breathe in and out.

As you're breathing in,

An expansion on that inhale.

As you breathe out,

A letting go or moving down on the exhale.

Staying with this breath now for a few more moments.

Expansion on the inhale and contraction or letting go on the exhale.

And as we let the attention rest here at that heart centre,

If you like,

Begin to imagine yourself standing in a very serene,

Quiet,

Calm forest,

And you're surrounded by these ancient trees.

Their leaves rustle softly in the breeze,

And the sun filters through the canopy.

Maybe making a little sparkly,

Dappled light on the forest floor.

On this forest floor,

There's a riot of wildflowers here,

All different colours.

And you know,

As you look at this place,

And you know,

As you look at this place,

It is a place of peace and restoration,

Of calm.

And you continue to walk through this forest,

And you come to a clear,

Tranquil stream.

It flows gently over smooth stones,

A reminder of the persistence and quiet strength that resides in each of us.

You kneel by the stream and dip your hands into the cooling water,

Feeling its refreshing energy flow through you now.

You take a look around.

You know this is a place of sanctuary,

The importance of nature,

The importance of rest.

Just as the forest thrives through cycles of growth and rest,

So too must we honour our need for rejuvenation.

It is in the fertile ground from which hope springs,

And our self-confidence to keep going goes and grows.

Bring to mind now a moment,

If you like,

When you felt a deep sense of hope.

Perhaps it was a sunrise after a long night,

Or the first bloom of spring.

Begin to sense,

Feel or imagine that felt sense of hope.

Allow it to fill your heart and know that hope is a powerful force that can illuminate even the darkest of times.

Next,

Bring to mind a time when you felt truly confident in yourself.

Maybe it was a moment of accomplishment,

Or a time when you stood up for what you believed in.

See how it is now to get a felt sense of that self-confidence within you,

Solid,

Unwavering as the mountains that stand tall and strong against the sky.

Bring the attention then back to noticing the breath,

Each breath in and each breath out.

And as you do this,

Again,

Sense,

Feel or imagine these qualities of hope and confidence intertwining,

Creating a strong foundation within you.

This foundation will sustain you in going forward.

It's what gives you the resilience to rise after every setback,

The strength to continue when the path is difficult.

Know that by taking this time to rest and renew yourself,

You are not only caring for your own well-being,

But also preparing to help those who need it most.

Just as the trees in the forest provide shelter and sustenance to the creatures that live among them,

Your renewed energy and spirit will support and uplift those around you.

Giving yourself a nice,

Long,

Slow,

Full,

Deep breath in,

Drawing in the peace and strength of this moment.

And as you exhale,

Gather in a sense of readiness and resolve.

Allow this to settle within you.

Know that you are connected to the earth,

To the cycle of rest and growth,

And to the unbreakable power of hope and resilience and confidence and strength.

Gathering yourself now back again,

Noticing the breath,

The body where you lie,

Maybe seeing in your mind's eye where you're positioned,

In the space that you're in,

The ceiling,

The walls.

Welcome in sounds that you can hear around you.

Maybe even give yourself three big breaths as you breathe in rejuvenation and freshness,

As you breathe out,

Coming back a little bit more to waking life.

As you inhale,

Welcoming in a refreshment,

A rebalancing,

That strength,

Resilience,

Having rested,

And as you breathe out,

Coming back a little bit more to waking life.

And then one last big breath in,

Breathing in hope and rest,

Resilience,

Confidence,

Into every cell,

Into the body.

And as you exhale,

Coming back completely,

Fully awake and balanced and rested.

Maybe invite a little bit of movement into fingers and toes and hands and feet.

And then take your time,

And this is important as well,

To take your time to come back up to a seated position.

So it might be that you lie to your side to begin with,

Take a breath or two there,

Maybe even reflect on that journey of rest that you've taken.

And when you feel ready,

Whenever you feel ready,

Bringing yourself back up to a seated position,

Knowing that this practice of Yoga Nidra is now complete,

This practice of Yoga Nidra is now complete.