Welcome to this yoga nidra practice for self-compassion.
Find a comfortable lying down position,
Preferably with a blanket to keep yourself warm as your body temperature may drop,
And a pillow under your head.
Once you're there,
Starting to close your eyes,
Allowing your entire body to soften against the bed or the floor.
Taking deep in-breaths in through the nose,
And deep breaths out through the nose.
Allowing the breath to fill up your belly,
Ribs,
And chest.
And as you exhale,
Deflating your chest,
Ribs,
And belly.
We'll now begin the practice of yoga nidra.
I invite you to repeat to yourself after me internally three times.
I'm doing the best I can,
And that is enough.
And now you can set an intention of your own,
Of self-love,
And say back to yourself three times if you feel invited to do so.
Now focus on your breath.
Focus on your left thumb.
Can you relax it?
Left index finger softens.
Left middle finger releases.
Left palm and top of the hand.
Release the left wrist.
Lower arm and left shoulder is melting into the ground.
Your entire left arm is relaxed.
Leave it behind.
Focus on your right thumb.
Right index finger softens.
Right middle finger.
Ring finger.
Right palm and top of the right hand softens.
Right wrist.
Right lower arm is dissolving.
Upper arm and shoulder.
Your entire right arm is relaxed.
Remain still and alert.
Focus on your left big toe.
Can you relax it?
Second toe.
Third toe.
Left fourth toe.
Soften your left sole and ankle.
Left calf muscle relaxes.
And hip is melting into the ground.
Your entire left arm is relaxed.
Left leg is relaxed.
Leave it behind.
Now focus on your right big toe.
Second toe.
Fourth toe.
Relax your right sole and ankle.
Your entire lower body is now completely relaxed.
Leave it behind.
Your belly is loose.
Your chest heavy,
Sinking deeper into the floor.
But your heart remains light.
Your lower back,
Middle back and upper back is sinking,
Slowly getting heavier and heavier.
Forehead.
Space between your eyebrows.
Left cheek.
Right cheek.
Release your tongue.
Now focusing on your internal organs,
Starting with your lungs.
Your liver on the right side.
Kidneys on the lower back.
Intestines in the middle.
Bladder towards your lower belly.
As your body sinks deeper and heavier into the floor.
Now visualize yourself walking along a long concrete road,
Carrying a heavy backpack.
Feel the sweat under each strap that's pressing into the skin.
Your shoulders.
Each step you take feels harder as the weight presses down.
Notice the back feeling strained.
Your breath shortening while the road feels endless.
And now picture yourself pausing.
And you realize that you can take off that backpack.
You put it on the ground and you open it.
A heavy rock inside that you do not need.
You reach into the backpack to take the rock out.
Lifting it up with all your might and you set it down onto the road right beside you.
You close the backpack and you put it back onto your back.
Instantly your body feels so much lighter as if you might fly off your feet.
Your breath deepens and the path ahead feels easier.
And as you carry each step forward you notice your feet lighter.
Your heart lighter and your spirit freer.
You do not need to carry it all.
Now imagine you are in a boat anchored at the edge of a river which you notice has frozen over.
Ice,
It's thick,
Unmoving,
Solid,
And silent.
And you also feel the stillness around you as you sit in this boat.
Perhaps a sense of being stuck,
Unable to move forward,
Unable to steer.
Now you feel the sun's warmth beginning to shine down,
Its rays tickling your face.
Slowly you notice the ice starting to crack and melt and the boat slowly begins to tip left and right as the river beneath the frozen ice starts to reveal itself very much alive,
Flowing and moving with its own perfect rhythm.
As the boat starts to move it is no longer stuck.
It simply needed to unlock that movement that was already there.
It just needed to wait for the right timing for the sun to come up.
And you recognize that not everything is in your control.
And just like the river you are flowing in your own time,
In your own way.
Now repeat to yourself three times after me.
I am doing the best I can and that is enough.
I am doing the best I can and that is enough.
I am doing the best I can and that is enough.
And now recalling the intention that you set for yourself if you had one at the beginning and repeat that to yourself three times.
Now resting your mind in the temple of your soul,
The right side of your heart,
The size of a thumb,
Your spiritual heart.
And slowly coming back to the body,
Back to the space.
Slow movement through your fingertips and your toe tips.
A gentle shake of the head side to side,
Allowing each ear to kiss the mat or the bed.
Drawing your knees to your chest,
Giving yourself a gentle hug.
And perhaps a gentle pat or a rub on the shoulder.
As you release your legs and arms,
Deep inhale through the nose,
Exhale,
Sigh it out.
Two more just like that.
Inhale through the nose,
Through the mouth,
Let it go,
Sigh it out.
And gently opening your eyes and taking as much time as you need to slowly make your way back up into a seated position and continue the rest of your day.
May you have a day full of love and light.
Thank you so much.
My name is Kathy and hope to see you again soon.
