Welcome to your Yoga Nidra practice.
This practice is a way to care for your nervous system.
Through this practice your body shifts into deep restoration repairing itself.
You can just follow along with my voice and allow your body to nourish and restore itself.
Whether you are seated or lying down just make sure you're comfortable and warm and start to settle in.
Can you make yourself even 1% more comfortable?
Taking two sips of air in through your nose and exhale through your mouth.
Repeat that two more times.
As you inhale your body presses down against the surface beneath you and as you exhale the surface rises up as your body sinks down.
Inhale your body presses against the surface beneath you.
Exhale the surface rises up as your body sinks down.
Create more space in your body with each breath.
Gently softening visualizing down into the ground beneath you.
Seeing roots of plants,
Rocks,
Maybe a rabbit's burrow and roots of trees spreading out the layers of earth and seeing down into the center of the earth grounding yourself.
Feeling the gravity's pull.
If you're working with a sankalpa or intention you can say it now.
If you don't have a sankalpa you may wish to use one like I'm worthy of love compassion and kindness from myself and others or I allow joy to flow freely through my life.
You can say your sankalpa internally three times.
Now I'll take you through a body scan.
I'll name certain parts of your body and as I do you can bring your attention to each point.
You may even see each part glowing.
Beginning with the roof of your mouth,
Your tongue,
The floor of your mouth,
The inside of your right cheek,
The inside of your left cheek,
Your top lip,
Your bottom lip,
Both lips together,
Your nose,
The space between your nose and your upper lip,
Your right eye,
Your left eye,
Your mind's eye,
The crown of your head,
The back of your head,
Your right outer ear,
Your right inner ear,
Your left outer ear,
Your left inner ear,
The center of your head,
Your throat,
Your entire neck,
Your right shoulder,
Upper arm,
Elbow,
Wrist,
Palm of the hand,
Thumb,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Fourth finger,
Little finger,
All of your fingers,
The space between your fingers,
Your entire right hand,
Your entire right arm,
Your right collarbone,
Your left collarbone,
Left shoulder,
Wrist,
Palm of the hand,
Thumb,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Fourth finger,
Little finger,
All of your fingers,
The space between your fingers,
Your entire left hand,
Your entire left arm,
Your sternum,
Your ribs,
Your belly,
Your right hip,
Right thigh,
Knee,
Ankle,
Sole of the foot,
Top of the foot,
Big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Little toe,
All five toes,
The space between your toes,
The entire right foot,
The entire right leg,
The pelvis,
Your left hip,
Left thigh,
Knee,
Lower leg,
Ankle,
Sole of the foot,
Top of the foot,
Big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Little toe,
All five toes,
The space between your toes,
The entire left foot,
The entire left leg,
Your tailbone glowing red,
The space two inches below your navel glowing orange,
Your upper abdomen glowing yellow,
Your heart space glowing green,
Your throat glowing light blue,
The center of your forehead glowing dark blue,
The crown of your head glowing purple,
Your entire spine shimmering.
Now bring your attention to the entire right side of your body and bring your attention to the entire left side of your body,
The right side of your body and the left side of your brain,
Left side of your body and right side of your brain.
The right side of your body and left side of your brain.
The left side of your body and right side of your brain.
Your whole body,
Your whole body illuminated.
Now visualize a path or a trail.
You can be walking,
On a bike,
Or flying,
Whatever appeals to you.
You're following the path over hills,
Around corners,
Admiring the scenery.
As you inhale,
Your body feels so light,
You float up the hill.
As you exhale,
Your body feels so heavy,
As you glide down the hill.
Inhale,
Floating up the next hill,
You feel weightless.
Exhale,
Soaring down the hill,
So heavy.
Inhale,
Floating up the next hill.
Exhale,
Drifting down the other side.
Inhale,
Floating up the next hill.
Exhale,
Drifting down the other side of the hill.
Continue following the path up and down the hills,
And you start to feel that you're getting closer to your destination.
You see a body of water,
Surrounded by lush,
Colorful plants,
With a gentle waterfall flowing down into the pool.
You have this space all to yourself.
The waterfall is giving off a light mist,
And you can see a rainbow through it.
You can stand under the waterfall,
And feel the water lightly flowing downward,
Massaging your scalp,
And running down your body.
Sometimes a drop of water will separate from the waterfall,
And fly up independently,
Before floating down.
These drops of water look like tiny jewels,
As they sparkle in the light,
Reflecting the colors of the scene around you,
Before they land in the pool,
Leaving a series of ripples.
Choose a word to describe this scene,
Like calm,
Beauty,
Or joy,
And let this word flow around you in the waterfall.
You can also place this word in your heart,
And carry it with you.
Returning now to your sankalpa,
The ones I suggested earlier were I am worthy of love,
Compassion,
And kindness from myself and others,
Or I allow joy to flow freely through my life.
Now counting from 1 to 7.
Inhale 1.
Exhale 1.
Inhale 2.
Exhale 2.
Continue until you reach 7.
Visualizing the surface beneath you,
And the corners of the room you are in.
Visualizing the outline of your body.
You can lightly touch your thumbs to your index fingers.
And continue touching your thumb to each finger.
Then open up each palm,
And give your hands a stretch.
You may wish to stretch your arms up over your head,
And circle your wrists.
And when you are ready,
Open your eyes,
And as you return to your day,
Remembering the word that you placed in your heart.
Thank you for meditating with me today.
