Yoga Nidra: Opening Up To Loss

Loss surrounds us on a daily basis. Letting go and grief are natural human experiences. It is only natural to want to avoid these uncomfortable human experiences - and yet to heal it we need to feel it. In this session today we will use the ancient meditation practice of Yoga Nidra to gently welcome these painful parts of being human so that we can move forward into our lives with more ease and peace.

You may choose to practice sitting comfortably or lying down. If you choose to lie down, having a pillow or blanket beneath your head and knees can add comfort. You may also like to use an eye pillow, and cover yourself with a blanket - our bodies tend to cool as we relax.

Thank you for joining us and sharing the gift of your presence.

Audio editing and mixing by Ben Martins
Background music by Narek Mirzaei, Music of Wisdom

Transcript

Hello,

This is Dr.

Caitlin Clark.

Welcome to today's Yoga Nidra meditation on loss.

As humans,

We experience loss every day,

Every season.

Some of us might be dealing with loss in a really poignant way.

It could be the loss of a loved one,

Either from passing away and leaving this physical plane,

And the human grief that comes along with that very real loss.

It could be loss of a job,

Loss of an identity,

Loss of a way that you walk through the world,

A belief that you held to be true,

That when you open up to it,

It really falls away,

Loss of what we know.

And with primary losses like a job or a human or animal being,

A home,

There comes secondary losses as well,

Which are just as important for us to honor and recognize.

So for example,

When a loved one passes away,

It's not only them that we are mourning the loss of,

But also the things that you used to do together.

Walks in the woods might feel different.

You might mourn the possibilities of what could have been in the future.

And even if not death,

Divorce,

Moving away from a new awareness that you no longer share the same values or aspirations.

The more our human mind becomes comfortable and used to certain things being a certain way in our lifetime,

The harder it is to let go when they change.

Just as leaves fall from trees,

They must be let go from the branches.

From the branches.

And this is important so that new leaves can emerge,

New relationships can be born,

A really aligned and vibrant career or job can land in your pathway.

New animals to meet,

New ideas and concepts to open up to.

But yes,

With loss and the pain of it,

We feel the very real feelings and emotions associated with that loss.

And at the same time,

We open up to rebirth of new.

So with that in mind,

We'll be using the ancient practice of Yoganeesha today to welcome the very real human experience of sadness and grief.

When any loss arises,

Even if the loss is a welcome one.

So go ahead and settle yourself into your Yoganeesha cocoon,

Whatever that looks like Yoganeesha cocoon,

Whatever that looks like and feels like for you today,

It might be sitting,

Maybe laying down.

Wherever you are in space,

Just take a moment to really arrive.

Shifting and moving to allow yourself to feel even slightly more comfortable.

Inviting a full,

Deep breath now into your body,

Filling your belly,

Ribs and chest with air.

And letting it go.

One more time,

Inhaling fully.

Letting it go with an audible sigh.

Letting go of anything that's not serving you in this moment.

Stepping more fully into our space together today to meet the intention of welcoming loss and grief.

Noticing your brow.

Softening your brow and the space between your eyebrows.

Softening your eyes,

Perhaps so much that they close.

Closing your eyes is not imperative to go inward,

But it does help.

So you may choose to keep your eyes open,

Just softening your gaze,

Casting your gaze downward slightly.

Softening your jaw and your mouth.

Releasing your tongue from the roof of your mouth.

Tension softening in your neck and shoulders,

Arms,

Torso,

Legs.

And just letting go of anything that's holding you back.

Tension softening in your neck and shoulders,

Arms,

Torso,

Legs.

Your entire body and mind settling into feeling at rest and at ease.

And during our practice of yoga nidra today,

I invite you to welcome every experience you have as a messenger.

Every thought,

Emotion,

Sensation,

As an invitation toward healing and wholeness,

Toward health.

Welcome every messenger as it arises with curiosity and openness as best you can.

Know that it's okay if you do not hear everything that I say.

It's natural for the mind to wander in and out of conscious hearing.

If you notice that your attention has wandered away,

Gently bring it back to the sound of my voice.

Allowing my voice to become your voice.

Your voice.

Knowing that the deepest part of you is always listening.

Your voice.

Knowing that the deepest part of you is always listening.

Always hearing.

Settling in now for even deeper awareness and connection to all aspects of your being.

Noticing all of the places your body is touching a surface that's supporting it.

Perhaps envisioning roots growing down into those surfaces deep into the earth beneath you.

Notice the gentle rise and fall of your already breathing.

Notice sound in your environment.

Taste lingering on your tongue,

In your mouth.

Color and light behind your closed eyelids.

And the feeling of letting go and being at ease throughout your entire body and mind.

Stepping into your inner being.

The place within you where you already feel a sense of calm and ease.

If it's helpful,

Envisioning a special place that you feel at ease in.

And if it's helpful,

Envisioning a special place that you feel at ease in.

If it's helpful,

Envisioning a special place that you enter into a room,

A secret garden,

A beach.

Using all of your senses to allow the experience to really come alive.

Using all of your senses to allow the experience to really come alive.

Noticing sights,

Sounds,

Tastes,

Smells,

And sensations.

But bring a soothing balm to all levels of your body,

Spirit,

And mind by being in this special place.

And noticing where this special place resides in your physical being.

Your inner refuge alive within you.

Affirming that you can return to your inner resource.

You can return to this refuge at any time,

Day or night,

Or during our practice together today.

Any time you need to step away,

To regroup,

To recharge,

So that you may meet whatever arises more fully in presence.

Bringing your awareness now into your mouth.

Feel your mouth,

Your mouth,

A field of radiant sensation.

Left nostril,

Right nostril,

The flow of air and sensation inside both nostrils.

Left eye,

Right eye,

Both eyes at the same time.

Left ear,

Right ear,

Both ears together.

From the inside out noticing sensation of your forehead,

Scalp,

Top of the head,

Back of the head,

Neck,

Your entire face,

Head,

And neck,

A field of radiant sensation.

Left shoulder,

Left arm,

Left hand,

And fingers.

Right shoulder,

Right arm,

Right hand,

And fingers.

And fingers,

Both arms and hands together at the same time.

Upper chest,

Solar plexus,

Belly,

Pelvis,

Upper back,

Mid back,

Lower back.

The sensation of the entire front of your torso,

Entire back of your torso,

Back of your torso.

Entire torso now front and back,

Inside and outside radiant with sensation.

Feeling your left hip,

Left leg,

Ankle,

Foot,

Toes.

Your entire left leg and foot,

Right hip,

Right leg,

Right foot,

And toes.

Your entire right leg and foot,

Both hips,

Legs,

And feet all together now.

Radiant and shimmering.

Notice the entire back of your body,

A field of sensation.

Front of your body,

Inside your body,

Outside of your body.

Your entire body expanding and shimmering.

And feel this body breathing itself in the natural flow of energy and sensation as breath enters and leaves your nostrils.

Feel the gentle rise and fall of your abdomen and chest.

Silently affirm to yourself,

I am practicing yoga nidra.

My body is deeply at rest,

Perhaps even asleep.

But I am aware,

At ease,

Attentive,

And awake.

Allow into your awareness now,

Your experience of loss.

And as you allow this idea or notion to come into your,

About your awareness,

Notice how it is arising in your physical being.

This image arising as a felt sense in your body,

Can you meet it there?

With open curiosity,

This sensation of being,

Gripping,

Sinking,

Hot,

Cool,

Heavy,

Pressure.

However you are experiencing this sensation,

Knowing that you can always step back into the safe haven of your inner refuge at any time.

And meeting it again.

And letting go of all of the negative thoughts that you may be experiencing right now.

Notice if this sensation takes a form,

Almost as if we could take it out of your body and hold it between us.

If you could see me holding this loss,

What would it look like to you?

What shape,

Color,

Form,

Texture,

Is this?

Is there a feeling of warmth?

Is there a feeling of lightness?

Is there a feeling of lightness?

Is this?

Is there a heaviness to it?

If so,

How heavy?

Is there a movement to this?

Or is it fairly still?

No right or wrong here.

Opening up to your experience of loss,

However it arises in this moment.

And as we hold this between us,

Notice what else is arising in your awareness.

It may be memories.

It may be a sound or a new sensation.

It may be a new emotion,

Anguish,

Sadness,

Guilt,

Anger,

As well as joy,

Happiness,

Nostalgia.

Open up to whatever is here,

Your experience of loss,

Your unique experience of this ubiquitous human condition.

Can you meet it with an open curiosity,

Falling back to your inner refuge at any time?

And notice what's here now.

Notice thoughts,

Emotions,

Sensations,

Emotions,

Sensations,

Images,

Memories,

Maybe some peeking out from behind.

Can you welcome them?

And if resistance is here,

That too is your experience and it is perfect.

Can you welcome resistance?

Some part of you understandably protecting you from pain.

Think this part of you.

And beginning to fall back now.

Falling back to that place behind your eyes,

Behind your imagination.

So the observer,

You witnessing these experiences,

The pain,

The discomfort,

The joy,

The memory,

As separate from you.

The observer,

You behind your eyes,

Witnessing these experiences and falling even further back.

So further back to that place behind your imagination.

Where all sense of separation dissolves.

Where you become one with awareness itself.

All separation dissolves.

Resting here in just being.

Just being.

Beginning to come back now.

Coming back into your physical body more fully.

Inviting some deeper,

Gentle breaths into your abdomen and chest,

A slow release.

A slow re-entry.

Feeling once more all of the places your body is touching a surface that's supporting it.

Feeling those deep roots into the earth beneath you.

Feeling grounded and connected.

Invite some small movements into your fingers and toes.

Letting your head gently rock side to side.

Coming back more fully into the room that you're in before opening your eyes.

Take a moment to notice the effect of this yoga nirvana.

Practice on your body,

On your spirit,

And on your mind.

As we opened up gently to the experience of grief and loss.

And perhaps there's some wisdom here.

Some new knowing or understanding to carry forward with you in the coming moments and days ahead.

Namaste,

My dear friends.

Reviews

Good.