Hello and welcome to this yoga nidra practice for ambitious dreaming.
I invite you to begin by relaxing the body,
Laying down on a yoga mat,
Your bed or your couch.
Bring in any props,
Pillows or blankets to maximize your comfort in this practice.
This practice is done in a shavasana or lying down position the entire time,
So make sure you get as absolutely relaxed and comfortable as you can.
Once you have settled in to the body and found that nice relaxed position,
We'll start with a body and breath linking practice called tighten and release to release any tension within the body and shift into nervous system down regulation.
As I call out each part,
Inhale through the nose and squeeze that part tightly,
Then on my cue exhale out the mouth to fully release and relax.
Start by taking a deep inhale through the nose,
Clenching both of your legs,
Squeezing the feet and toes,
Tighten the calves,
Thighs and glutes.
Take a deep inhale and exhale,
Fully release,
Uncurling the toes,
Let the legs be heavy on the ground.
Your next inhale,
Squeeze both of the arms into the midline,
Clench the shoulders,
Biceps and triceps,
Squeeze your hands into fists,
Then exhale,
Fully release,
Let it go.
Inhale,
Squeeze the pelvic floor,
Tuck the tailbone in,
Clench the abdomen and chest,
Big deep inhale and exhale,
Soften and release,
Creating space along the spine.
Your next inhale,
Scrunch up your face including your forehead,
Cheeks,
Jaw,
Ears,
Neck and throat,
Making a funny face,
Then exhale,
Completely release,
Relaxing your face.
Final deep inhale through the nose,
Squeeze your whole body in,
Contract every muscle in your body tightly,
Then exhale,
Expansive release,
Relax every muscle and melt the entire body into the ground.
As you settle into the earth,
Begin to shift your attention into your body,
Drop that awareness even deeper,
Becoming fully aware of your bones.
Capricorn,
As the ever steady and reliable earth sign,
Rules the bones,
The sturdy structures in our body.
Feel the steadiness within you,
Feel the skeletal structure that supports the frame for your whole body.
Begin to take a mental scan from top to bottom,
Starting at your skull and making your way down to your ankles and toes.
Become fully aware of every bone connecting to every joint that extends to every ligament.
Be as detailed as you scan.
Now become aware of your entire skeleton and acknowledge how you surround this inner frame.
Honor the structure of who you are at your core.
In the space deep within your bones,
Embed the following words by repeating to yourself three times.
Here begins the practice of yoga nidra.
I will stay awake and receive what I need.
Repeat three times.
I am the force that turns my dreams into reality.
Self-restraint is an act of love for my future self.
To absorb this intention or sankalpa,
Start by tuning into the physical layer of your being.
I'll guide you to cycle your awareness across the 61 vital energy points on your body.
Bring your focus to that specific point to calm the nervous system and settle your energy field.
As I call out each point,
Soften that area into stillness.
Start by becoming aware of the space between the eyebrows,
Your third eye center.
Become aware of the base of the throat,
Right shoulder,
Right elbow,
Right wrist,
Right thumb,
Right pointer finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger.
Shift awareness back into the right wrist,
Right elbow,
Right shoulder.
Return to the base of the throat.
Become aware of the left shoulder,
Left elbow,
Left wrist,
Left thumb,
Pointer finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
And pinky finger.
Return awareness to the left wrist,
Left elbow,
Left shoulder.
Arriving back at the base of the throat.
Move awareness down to the center of the chest,
Right side chest,
Center of the chest,
Left side chest.
Moving awareness down to the navel,
Right knee,
Right ankle,
Right big toe,
Right second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe.
And pinky toe,
Right ankle,
Right knee,
Right hip.
Returning awareness to the pelvis.
Moving awareness over to the left hip,
Left knee,
Left big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
And pinky toe.
Becoming aware of the pelvis.
Shifting awareness back to the navel,
Center of the chest,
Base of the throat.
Returning to the third eye center,
The space between your eyebrows.
Now scan your body and notice where your body touches the earth.
Begin to send your breath into the points where your body meets the ground.
Breathing low and deep into these areas.
As you continue to send breath to these areas,
Begin to see roots growing from the points where your body meets the ground.
With each breath,
Your roots descend deeper into the earth,
Grounding you even further,
Anchoring you to safety and stability.
As you inhale,
Your roots draw into your body,
Nourishing you with the earth's energy.
As you exhale,
Your roots expand deeper down,
Reaching a new area of the earth and absorbing its nutrients.
Continue to breathe with your roots,
Feeling them expand deeper into the earth.
On each exhale,
Gently return to your natural rhythm of breath.
Notice how anchored and tethered you feel after breathing alongside the earth.
Growth,
Ambition,
And dreaming can only occur from a place of inner stability.
We'll now experience a series of opposing feelings and sensations.
As I call out each one,
Know that you are safe to experience the feeling or sensation just as it is.
Start by inviting the sensation of grounded stability.
This feeling makes you feel heavy,
As if you are a pile of bricks laying on the earth.
Now feel yourself become light,
Untethered and free,
As if you're weightless on a cloud.
Feel yourself become tense.
Feel yourself become relaxed.
Now experience yourself looking to the future.
Experience yourself looking to the past.
Feel yourself become self-disciplined.
Now feel yourself become free and uninhibited.
Invite the sensation of hustling.
Now invite the sensation of stillness.
Experience accomplishment.
Now experience laziness.
Feel what it's like to have boundaries.
Feel what it's like to be fluid.
Feel what it's like to have a constrained plan.
Now feel what it's like to have absolutely no agenda.
Experience your most ambitious self.
Now experience your most content self.
Now imagine the pure golden light of the sun beaming over you.
It first permeates your skin,
Then penetrates deeper into your muscles and eventually down to your joints,
Into the bone.
Feel the warmth of the sunlight dissolving any outdated visions,
Goals,
And expectations you once had for yourself.
It's okay to let go of these old dreams where they no longer align with your current self.
Surrender and allow your ambitions to evolve and transform into something more authentic to who you are now.
As you complete this clearing,
Invite the Capricorn Sun's energy to illuminate your renewed sense of purpose and direction.
Trust that you have all the resources required to fulfill your aspirations within you.
Recognize your innate ability to redirect your energy towards your evolving dreams and legacy.
As the sun's warmth envelops you,
Feel yourself embodying the endurance,
Discipline,
And passion needed to take aligned action.
Let the sensation of the sun's radiant light fill your soul completely,
Overflowing with warmth and vitality.
Open your mind and heart.
Be present with any sensations that arise,
Allowing yourself to fully immerse in whatever it is your soul wants to achieve.
Express your gratitude to the sun for its energizing presence.
Feel a deep sense of appreciation for this opportunity to align with your most authentic aspirations.
Tell yourself three times that turns my dreams into reality.
Self-restraint is an act of love for my future self.
Gently begin to reawaken.
Coming back into your physical body,
Tap your thumb pad to each of your other fingers,
Sliding them across the other finger pads.
Softly wiggle your toes,
Bringing life back into them.
Roll out the neck by looking side to side.
Take a deep inhale,
And as you do,
Full body stretch,
Reaching for all four corners of the physical space you are in.
Roll over to your favorite side and lie here for just a moment,
Having gratitude for yourself,
Honoring the dreams you came here to fulfill.
You can stay here in a fetal position to close the practice,
Or you can push yourself up to a seat,
Keeping the eyes closed.
Bring your hands to heart center and rub them together to generate heat between them.
Begin to place your palms over your eyes,
Feeling the warmth set over your eyelids.
Gently begin to blink your eyes open behind your palms,
Letting tiny little slivers of light back in.
As you exhale,
Remove your palms,
Letting all the light into your eyes now.
Thank you so much for taking the time to join me on this journey inward.
I see and honor the light,
Love,
And gratitude in each of you.
The practice of yoga nidra is now complete.
