My name is Emer,
And I'll be guiding you through your Yoga Nidra practice today.
For this practice,
I invite you to lie down on a yoga mat,
Bed,
Or other soft surface.
You might like to place a pillow or a bolster under your knees and a thin pillow under your head.
Relax the shoulders down and away from the ears Let your arms rest comfortably by your sides.
Palms facing upwards.
Move the legs so they're about hip width apart.
And allow the feet to fall open to the sides.
You might like to cover yourself with a blanket.
So you stay nice and cozy and warm throughout the practice.
You can fully close your eyes or have them slightly open,
Whatever feels most natural to you.
You may like to use an eye pillow or a light scarf across the eyes.
Take a few moments now.
To make any other personal adjustments so that you feel completely comfortable and supported.
Yoga Nidra is an experience of deep relaxation.
Where the body can rest and the mind quieten while awareness remains.
Throughout the practice,
Go along with as much or as little as you like.
Begin to settle into stillness now body relaxing into the support of the earth beneath you.
There is nowhere to go.
Nothing to change.
Simply resting in awareness.
Take a slow,
Deep breath in through the nose.
And gently Exhale.
Sigh it out through the mouth.
And again.
Inhale… and exhale,
Release all effort,
Body completely relaxed Continue to breathe deeply.
As you settle in more and more.
Soften the eyes the forehead relax the jaw Relax the hands.
I invite you to.
.
.
Welcome into awareness now.
Your sankalpa.
Your heartfelt pledge if you don't have a sankalpa for this practice you can use something like I am safe.
I trust myself.
I love and respect myself.
Repeat your sankapa quietly to yourself.
Three times now.
And letting that go now.
And continuing to breathe naturally.
Begin to notice your body as it rests here.
There is nothing you need to do.
Simply allow awareness.
To settle into the physical body.
Notice the weight of the body.
Its form.
Its density.
Its solidity.
Notice how the body is supported by the earth beneath you.
There is nothing you need to do.
The body can completely release.
Supported by the earth.
Held by gravity.
Move your awareness to the head now.
Notice the heaviness of the head.
Notice the point or the back of the head.
Makes contact with the floor.
Release any effort or holding in the head or neck and allow the head to be completely supported by the earth.
Allow awareness to ripple downwards to the shoulder blades notice where the shoulder blades make contact with the earth allow the shoulders to soften completely The earth supports them.
No effort required.
Gently shift awareness to the elbows now.
Notice the weight of the elbows Notice how they connect to the support beneath them.
Fully held by the earth.
And now allow awareness to flow down into the hands notice the sense of ease in the hands as you release all effort uh comforting heaviness in the hands still.
Resting in the support of the earth.
Bring awareness to the pelvis now.
Notice its heaviness and sense all effort and holding release completely as you surrender the weight of the pelvis into the support of the earth.
Allow awareness to ripple down from the pelvis to the calf.
Noticing the points where they contact the floor.
Sense the weight of the calf.
Just melting into the earth completely relaxed.
And awareness rippling down to the heels now notice the heaviness of the heels the connection of the eels with the earth.
And now noticing all the points where your body meets the ground.
And notice.
All the places the body feels heavy.
And notice a sense of downwards pull towards the earth The gravitational pull of the earth holds the body in place.
Perfectly supported.
There is no need for you to do anything.
The body can completely release.
The body is connected.
To here.
Held by gravity Fully supported.
And gently move awareness to the breath now nothing to change.
Simply tuning in to the natural rhythm of the breath.
Notice the movement of the inhale Follow the entire arc of the inhale for a moment.
Notice its beginning its progression.
And its completion.
Now.
Notice the movement of the exhale.
Begin to Follow the arc.
Of the exhale now.
Notice its beginning.
Its progression.
And its completion.
Now,
Notice the overall direction of the breath.
Perhaps a sense of rising upwards on the inhale.
And downwards movement with the exhale.
You don't need to change anything.
Just noticing any directional quality of the breath perhaps a sense of rising up from the belly on the inhale and descending down towards the belly on the exhale.
Follow the breath for a few rounds on your own now.
Upwards and downwards.
Now,
If you'd like.
Begin to imagine a warm light glowing at the base of the spine.
Any color that you'd like.
And on the inhale.
Imagine that light.
Rising up through the center line of the body.
To the crown of the head.
And then as you exhale the light flowing down from the crown to the base of the spine again Continuing to breathe.
And following the movement of the warm light.
Up and down the vertical axis of the body.
Now,
Allow awareness to soften.
No longer visualizing the light.
Still sensing the vertical movement of the breath.
And now,
Allow awareness on the breath's movement to soften also.
And continue to breathe naturally as you rest here I invite you to begin to visualize a place where you feel completely safe,
Secure,
And at peace.
It could be a real place.
Or an imagined one.
Or perhaps the mixture of the two.
Maybe a quiet forest a serene beach.
Or maybe your favorite room in the home.
A bench in your favorite park.
Anywhere.
That brings you a sense of safety security,
Peace.
And well-being.
You might be alone in this place.
Or maybe with other people or animals.
Try to imagine the place.
In as much detail as possible.
What do you see around you?
What can you hear?
What kinds of smells or scents surround you?
Allow the rich experience.
Of this place wash over you feeling completely at ease and safe Notice any sensations in the body.
As you bask in the experience of this place Perhaps a warmth.
And openness.
A spaciousness sensing how you are completely supported by this place of your own creation a place within you that you can return to anytime you need.
Where you can feel safe,
Secure.
And support it.
And maybe beginning to let go of the images now but staying with the feelings of safety and well-being.
And perhaps a profound sense of contentment now welcoming whatever arises for you.
And inviting into awareness once more your sankalpa.
Your heartfelt pledge And now let that go.
Begin to deepen your breath Inhaling deeply through the nose.
And exhaling slowly through the mouth.
A few more rounds just like that and now continuing to breathe naturally noticing the rise and fall of the belly and Becoming aware of the body resting again.
Beginning to sense the room around you any sounds in the room any sounds outside.
And when you're ready.
Beginning some small movements.
Wiggle the fingers and toes and at your own pace.
Gently roll onto one side.
And as you're ready make your way to a seated position Thank you for practicing with me here today.
I would love to hear a reflection from you.
How this yoga nidra made you feel.
Let me know in the comments.
Namaste.
