Welcome to this practice of Yoga Nidra.
Begin by noticing the space around you and where you physically are in the space.
Choose the surface that will support you during this practice.
If you're already there,
Maybe move your hands or another part of your skin against the surface.
Feel how cool or warm,
Smooth or rough,
Soft or firm it feels on the palm of your hands.
And as you lie down flat on your back,
Close your eyes and adjust your props to your comfort.
Consider how the purpose of this surface right here and now is to look after your rest.
Holding all of you,
No matter how you're arriving to this meditation.
And as you're here,
Notice whether any parts of your body are tight and holding themselves.
Notice whether any parts of your body are already allowing this surface to hold you,
Letting go.
And notice how your breath is in relation to both of these experiences.
What is the quality of this breath running through you just as it is?
And with gentleness,
See if you can begin to draw out your breath and settle into your surface even just 10% more.
Perhaps you can do this by running your breath along the length of your spine.
With your next inhale,
Pulling up the spine to the base of the skull.
And with your next exhale,
Moving down the spine to where it meets your sit bones.
Inhale up the spine.
Exhale down the spine.
Once more,
Inhale.
Once more,
Exhale.
As you allow more and more of your body to melt into this surface,
See if you can allow your breath to find its own rhythm.
Holding you and being held by you.
And as you do that,
Become curious whether any particular wish for your own well-being arises at this time.
Perhaps it is as simple as,
I am present to what I need.
If nothing arises,
Simply allow the spaciousness at this moment to sit with you and you with it.
See if you can carry this attention that you're placing on your wish or this spaciousness toward your own body.
Beginning with the crown of your head.
And then allowing your attention to wash down your forehead.
To your eyes.
The length of your throat.
The base of your throat.
Along both collarbones as you make your way to both shoulders.
Upper arms.
Elbows.
Forearms.
Wrists.
Palms.
Pointer fingers.
Middle fingers.
Ring fingers.
Pinky fingers.
And the whole of both of your hands at the same time.
Back to your wrists.
Upper arms.
Shoulders.
Along your collarbones.
The fullness of your chest.
Your pelvis.
Now to both hips.
Both thighs.
Knees.
Calves.
Ankles.
Heels.
Soles of your feet.
Big toes.
Second toes.
Third toes.
Fourth toes.
Little toes.
And the whole of both of your feet at the same time.
Back to your ankles.
Calves.
Knees.
Thighs.
Hips.
Pelvis.
Pelvis.
Belly button.
The fullness of your chest.
And into your heart space.
With all of its complexity and intricacy.
All of its power and softness.
All of its fullness.
And in this heart space,
See if you can tap into some felt sense of holding.
Perhaps there is an experience you can connect with to feel this sense of holding.
Related to your day-to-day commitments,
Communities you work alongside,
Or the sense of responsibility you hold to a purpose or mission.
Just notice what it feels like for your heart to be in this way of holding.
Now allow the sense of holding to dissipate in its place.
See if you can find a sense in your heart of being held.
Perhaps connecting to a memory of being held or looked after physically.
Perhaps there is someone or a group of people who have shown up for you.
Or maybe you can connect with that felt sense of being held by an inner belief or an inner knowing that your contributions mean something.
Whatever it is,
Just notice.
How does it feel in your heart to be held fully?
Once again,
See if you can connect with the feeling in your heart of holding.
Holding on to.
Steady,
Firm,
Strong,
All together.
And then switch back to a feeling of being held.
Releasing nothing to do,
Just as you are with your many gifts and messes all held at once.
Now see if you can sense the intersection of these feelings.
Both holding gently and at the same time being held while staying connected with your center.
How does this space feel?
And if it's not there already,
See if you can find your heart accepting this intersecting space.
Even if it's just a little bit.
And notice your breath as you find yourself here.
Inhale by exhale.
Gliding into that heart space of holding on to.
And from that space of being held.
What would happen if this combined sense of holding and being held expanded to the fullness of your body?
Perhaps visualizing yourself moving with a sense of direction.
Playing with gravity to experience this feeling in a new way.
Holding on light enough to almost float away as you move.
How far off the ground do you go?
And at the same time still being held with enough care by the space you're in that you know you can land back down on solid ground whenever you want to.
What's there to support you?
Who is by your side?
Could you see yourself playing with these visuals?
Exchanging this sort of energy with a sense of curiosity and play.
Allowing something bigger than yourself to hold what you cannot.
And inviting what is meant for you to be held by you.
Supported by the power of your gifts.
The gentleness of your inner light.
And the uniqueness of this magical body that's been holding you and being held as one life by you since the beginning.
Imagine this way of being seeping into your muscles,
Bones,
Your organs and nervous system.
An instinct.
An intuition,
A natural reflex for how you meet your days.
A natural reflex for how you meet this moment we're in collectively.
Take a moment to truly allow yourself to soak in this space.
In this space I am present to when I need to be held.
In this space I am present to what and how much I am able to hold.
I am present to what I need in each moment.
I am present to what I need in this very moment.
As I connect back with the gravity and lightness of this physical body.
This body that is connected to the natural breath.
Connected to the surface beneath.
The sounds close by and the sounds further away.
The movement of wrists and ankles.
Fingers and toes.
Neck side to side.
Shoulders up and down and around.
Perhaps even finding a smile on your face or gratitude in your heart.
In your own time you can gently roll over to one side and find yourself upright.
You can stay here a little longer if you'd like.
Or you can drift off to sleep.
Choose what you need most right now.
Thank you so much for giving yourself this moment of rest.
And thank you for your willingness to hold and be held.
And know that with that,
This practice of yoga nidra is now complete.
