Loving Kindness Yoga Nidra Meditation

In this meditation, we will explore spacious Awareness which can be identified by drawing our attention away from the outside world and focusing on our internal witness… or observer… we will also offer ourselves… loved ones… and others… even those we find difficult loving-kindness… when we attune to positive higher vibrations… our choices become clearer… we become less reactive… we can see the bigger picture and deal with situations with love and kindness… rather than stress, fear or anxiety…

Transcript

This meditation practice is best done lying down.

Lie down on your bed,

On a mat,

Or on a rug,

In a place that you will be undisturbed,

And gently close your eyes.

And notice if there are any adjustments or distractions that you could eliminate before you begin your practice.

Welcome this refuge from your day.

A moment that you can have just to yourself.

A place that you can be wholly you.

Nowhere to be.

Nothing to do.

Now let yourself rest deeply.

Now is time to let go and be.

To go inwards and find the stillness within.

What can you do now to bring yourself fully in to the present moment?

Scanning the body to make yourself more comfortable.

What are you letting go of as you arrive here?

There is a mindset shift as you begin your practice.

Letting go of the external distractions of the world.

You've chosen to be here in this moment.

How do you want to use this time?

Feel into your response.

I'll give you a few moments to set your intention now.

Begin to notice the space around you.

All five senses opening to the space around you.

Feel the touch of air on your skin and the surface the body is resting upon.

Notice any smells or fragrances in the air.

And now sound.

Notice the sounds close by.

The sounds further away.

And all the sounds travelling through space.

Welcome any colours or images behind your closed eyelids.

And now the tongue.

Notice any tastes.

And notice the space all around you.

Feel into the space in front of you.

Behind you.

To the left.

To the right.

And allow everything that you hear,

Think,

See or feel be just as it is.

This simple feeling of being open.

Mind.

Heart.

And invite the sensations of ease,

Peacefulness,

Safety,

Calmness into the body.

Fully relaxing here into a meditative state.

Simply just be.

Nowhere to go.

Nothing to do.

And bring your attention to the breath and the body.

Take nice slow deep breaths.

Take a deep inhale.

And feel your belly rise.

Exhale.

And let your belly sink.

Continue to breathe.

And relax.

As I count down from 10 to 1.

10.

Feel your head and neck sink into the mat.

Relax the muscles in your face.

8.

Feel your shoulders and shoulder blades melt into the mat.

7.

Relax your arms and hands,

Releasing any tension.

6.

Feel the back of your ribs touch the mat.

5.

Let your lower back relax into the mat.

4.

Feel your buttocks sink into the mat.

3.

Relax your pelvis,

Legs and thighs.

2.

Feel your calf muscles on the mat.

Let your feet fall out to the side.

Continue to breathe deeply.

Take a deep inhale.

And as you exhale,

Let your entire body fall completely heavy onto the mat.

And again.

Deep inhale.

And exhale.

Completely letting go.

Let your body fall heavy.

Sinking deeper.

And deeper.

Just letting go.

Now bring your awareness to the entire physical body.

Lying on the floor in complete stillness.

From the top of your head to the tips of your toes.

Feel the body become heavier and heavier.

The legs are heavy.

The arms.

The back.

The whole body melts.

Letting go.

Notice what's present now.

This spaciousness.

The body dissolving into space.

Now as I guide you through the body.

Feel into the spaciousness of each part of the body.

Draw your attention to your mouth.

Feel into the spaciousness of your entire mouth.

Relax your tongue.

Jaws.

Teeth.

Lips.

Left side.

Right side of the mouth.

And feel the hollow spaciousness inside the mouth.

Draw your attention from inside the mouth to the ear canal.

Explore the hollow tunnels of the ear canal.

And the space around the ears.

Experience the ears inside and outside.

And feel into the spaciousness of the ears.

Experience the hollow spaciousness inside each nostril.

Experience the air flowing in and out through the hollows of the nostrils.

Feel the entire nose.

A spacious sensation.

Now experience the hollows of the eye sockets.

A spacious sensation that holds the eyes.

Allow the eyes to drop back and relax.

Trace the sensation from behind the eyes into the head.

Exploring the inner surfaces of the head.

The sensations behind the forehead.

Underneath the crown of the head.

The back of the head.

Feel into the spaciousness of the head.

Now draw your attention to your neck.

Experience the neck.

The throat.

Back of the throat.

And the spaciousness inside the throat.

Experience the hollows of the right armpit.

Left armpit.

The hollows of the elbows.

Right elbow.

Left elbow.

The hollows in the palms of the hands.

Left palm.

Right palm.

Now the hollow cavity of your chest.

Experience the entire chest filled with space.

Air flowing in and out.

Sense the hollow of the abdomen.

Feeling the space of the abdomen when you breathe.

Now the left hip.

Right hip.

The space behind the back of the knees.

Front of the knees.

Arches of the feet.

Left foot.

Right foot.

Now feel into the spaciousness of the entire body.

The entire body spacious.

And feel into the innermost centre of the body.

And the outermost periphery of the body.

The body light.

Radiant.

Expansive.

And feel into the boundary of the body.

The space of the body.

And into the space around the body.

And now feel the spaciousness of the body.

Dissolve into the space around the body.

Your body permeating the space all around.

To the left.

Behind the body.

Out in front.

Below the legs.

And above the head.

The body and space dissolving into one another.

Sense the body breathing itself.

The gentle rise and fall of the abdomen.

During inhalation and exhalation.

There is no effort.

Just maintain complete awareness of the breath.

Your whole body is breathing.

As the body is inhaling.

Experience the sensations of the movement of the breath.

Flowing in and down into the body.

From the nose.

Down into the throat.

As the body is exhaling.

Experience the movement of the breath.

Flowing up out of the body.

Abdomen.

Out of the lungs.

Throat.

And now begin counting the breaths.

Starting from 8 down to 1.

The breath rises 8.

It falls 8.

The breath rises 7.

It falls 7.

Now continue to count down to 1.

If you're momentarily distracted.

Gently bring yourself back.

To the breath.

Starting from 8 each time you feel distracted.

And let counting fall away.

And draw your attention to the left nostril.

Feel the air entering and leaving the left nostril.

You're breathing through both nostrils.

But your attention is solely focused on the left nostril.

Now draw your attention to the right nostril.

You're breathing through both nostrils.

But your attention is totally absorbed in the right nostril.

Now draw your attention back to the left nostril.

And become aware of your entire left side of the body.

Explore the entire left side of your body as you breathe.

And now draw your attention over to the right nostril.

And become aware of your entire right side of the body.

Explore the entire right side of the body as you breathe.

And begin shifting your attention from one nostril and one side of the body to the other.

And now let that go and draw your attention to both nostrils.

The air flowing in and out of both nostrils.

And sensing into the entire body at the same time.

Feel the whole body is breathing.

Notice what's present now.

And notice how you do not desire for anything here.

Being here is enough.

The world continues out there.

But your attention is totally absorbed in your inner world.

You are in the present moment.

And notice how thoughts,

Images,

Memories,

Sensations come and go.

They move in your awareness.

You're not reactive.

Attached.

You're simply observing.

Notice this observer.

Like observing the earth from the moon.

Free from the impact of your thoughts,

Feelings and emotions.

Welcoming them.

But not attaching to them.

Like a movie they flicker in the screen of your mind.

But there's space.

Freedom.

Effortlessness.

We can see everything clearly.

And my voice may begin to drift in and out of your awareness.

That's okay.

Simply just rest as this awareness.

Awareness open to everything.

Notice how self has dropped away.

Beyond I.

Me.

Or mine.

Our roles no longer exist.

Simply being here is enough.

Now expand your awareness to outside your body.

Feel like your field of awareness is like a bubble.

An orb.

Or an aura.

Expanding further outside the body.

Expanding as big as the sky or space itself.

No centre.

Focus.

Or boundary.

And notice how it includes everything.

All the content of life.

All the good and bad.

Not judging or rejecting.

This field of awareness is vast.

Huge.

Like the sun shining on everything.

Your awareness is accepting of everything.

Grief.

Joy.

Sadness.

It eliminates all of life.

And notice how awareness is beyond time.

Space.

Likes.

Dislikes.

Now draw your attention to your heart area.

Feel into your heart.

And the space around the heart.

Welcome the feelings and sensations of love.

Kindness.

Gratitude.

Compassion.

And if this is difficult,

Bring to mind someone who loves you.

Or someone that shows you love and kindness.

Welcome it fully here.

Receive it.

Bask in this feeling of love.

Have complete acceptance of yourself.

Even if there are parts of you that doubt.

Welcome those too with your loving,

Kind awareness.

All is welcome.

And you may wish to affirm this through silently repeating in your head.

May I be happy.

May I be safe and protected.

May I be healthy.

Focus on loving yourself first.

Receiving love.

Kindness.

Compassion.

Love is limitless.

And now begin to send this loving kindness through your heart.

To someone you love.

See their face.

Even be a pet.

Breathing into your heart.

Offer this person love.

Kindness.

Gratitude.

May he,

She or it be safe and protected.

Happy and healthy.

And begin to expand this loving kindness to more people in your life.

Family.

Friends.

May they be safe and protected.

Happy.

And healthy.

And now bring to mind someone you're having trouble with.

Maybe they harmed you or you find it difficult to interact with them.

They too are human beings with flaws.

Different personalities.

Unique histories just like your own.

They also deserve to be safe and well.

May they be safe and protected.

Happy.

And healthy.

Now offer this to all beings.

All of those who are less fortunate than yourself.

Those living in fear.

Or suffering.

Those going through difficult times.

May they all be safe and protected.

Happy.

And healthy.

And now even in the natural world.

Our earth.

Planet.

Solar system.

Universe.

Expand your awareness to offer each one.

Safety.

Flee from harm.

Radiate your love.

Kindness.

Gratitude.

For all of life.

Eliminating everything with it.

And now set the intention to notice your awareness at different times of the day.

This awareness that welcomes everything.

The good.

The bad.

Without judgement.

Now take a moment as you slowly come back to your body and mind.

Lying on the mat.

And review the journey you have just taken.

Begin to sense the room around you.

And the feeling of beginning to move back into the world.

And take several deeper abdominal breaths.

Begin to wriggle your fingers and toes.

And take a full body stretch.

Bend your knees.

And gently roll onto your right side.

Taking a moment to rest.

And push yourself up into a seated position.

And notice what's present now.

And take this loving kindness out with you into the rest of your day.

Taking your time.

When you're ready.

Begin to reorientate yourself to your surrendering.

Slowly begin to blink your eyes open.

And closed.

Coming back to your wide awake and alert state.