Welcome.
I'm Emily and this is a short guided relaxation practice to help you soothe the nervous system and feel renewed and refreshed any time of day.
This practice is a type of NSDR or non-sleep deep rest in which we'll use yoga nidra techniques like breath work and body scanning to stimulate the brain wave states associated with the deep healing stages of sleep.
We'll also be using calming guided imagery inspired by the April full moon.
In some wisdom traditions this moon cycle is known as the pink moon,
Referring to the time in spring when pink flax wildflowers begin to bloom.
We can think of this as a season of revival and reawakening,
Not just for the earth but also for ourselves.
This practice is entirely passive,
Meaning there's nothing you have to do.
Remember that this is your time and everything is just an invitation.
Trust yourself to know what you need today.
Take what suits you and leave the rest.
When you're ready,
Let's begin by finding a comfortable spot to sit back or lie down.
This might be on a couch,
The floor,
Or in your bed.
Feel free to use pillows and blankets to get really cozy,
Maybe placing a little covering over your eyes and gently closing your eyes if that feels safe or just lowering and softening your gaze.
Taking one big breath here to settle in,
Inhaling deeply through the nose and exhaling through the mouth as the body softens and melts.
Noticing already the subtle ways the body is beginning to relax here,
Welcoming the feeling of the earth supporting you,
Allowing yourself to release any gripping or holding and just to melt.
Relaxing the face,
The jaw,
Even the muscle of the mind.
And beginning now to notice the breath without changing anything,
Just noticing the gentle sensations in the body as you breathe.
The sense of expansion on the inhale as the ribs and belly make space to welcome fresh air.
The sense of softening on each exhale as the body relaxes and releases a little deeper.
Inhale,
Expanding.
Exhale,
Softening.
Just noticing this cycle for a few more breaths.
And now turning your attention to the little pauses in between the inhale and the exhale.
Noticing the sense of suspension in these spaces,
The sense of stillness.
Can you focus on these pauses for a few more breath cycles without changing the breath itself?
Inhaling and resting in the pause at the top.
Exhaling and resting in the pause at the bottom.
Letting it be light and easy without judgment or forcing.
Just letting the attention softly occupy these spaces of rest.
Releasing that now,
Let's turn the attention to the center of the chest,
This place of warmth and aliveness,
The seat of the heart.
Focusing your attention here and imagining breathing into and out of this space.
Welcoming the fresh air to revitalize you through the heart center.
Nourishing the heart with a gentle breath and welcoming an intention into this space now.
Something that feels real and deeply true for you.
For today,
You might use the phrase,
With every breath I am renewed.
Breathing into your intention as you state it three times,
As though the breath itself could imprint the words into your heart.
Expanding awareness now to the entire body.
Welcoming the sensation of the entire body and the weight of it supported by the earth.
Resting back as we begin to move a soft focus throughout the body.
Letting the attention be light as a feather.
Lingering briefly on each space before moving to the next.
Beginning by bringing awareness to the feet.
Noticing both feet,
Left and right.
And then each of the toes,
Beginning with the littlest toes and moving all the way up to the big toes.
Bringing awareness now to the soles of the feet,
The top of the feet,
The ankles,
The calves and the shins,
The knees,
The upper legs,
Front and back,
The pelvis,
Attention landing lightly on the points of the hip,
Left and right,
The lower belly,
The upper belly,
The length of the back body,
Moving slowly from the lower spine all the way up to the upper spine,
The shoulders and the shoulder blades,
The upper arms,
Left and right,
The elbows,
The lower arms,
The hands,
The wrists,
The backs of the hands,
The center of the palms,
Each of the fingers,
Starting with the littlest fingers and moving all the way up to the thumbs.
Moving awareness now to the center of the chest,
The center of the throat,
The back of the neck,
The back of the head,
The whole face,
The space between the eyebrows,
The eyebrows themselves and the eyes soft and at rest,
The forehead,
The scalp,
The crown of the head.
Feeling the whole body now,
The whole body soft and relaxed,
Resting back in stillness,
Feeling the whole body breathing here,
The breath effortless and natural,
The air limitless and refreshing,
The inhale and the exhale easy and automatic as though the body was breathing itself and turning the attention to the exhale,
Welcoming each exhale to allow you to melt a little further into relaxation,
Exhaling and sinking deeper into the support of the earth beneath you,
Exhaling,
Letting the tissues become soft and receptive,
Breathing here.
Could you picture yourself now in a field of pink wildflowers,
The grass like a green velvet cushion beneath you,
Soft and inviting,
The field like a pink patchwork quilt in shades of blush,
Rose and cotton candy with flowers stretching all the way to the horizon,
Pillowy clouds drifting overhead in a bright blue sky,
The sound of birdsong in the distance.
Could you feel the subtle touch of the breeze on your skin?
Could you be nourished and revitalized by the soothing sense of fresh air,
Rich earth and blooming flowers,
Listening with the entire body to the serene sounds of nature,
Letting the alternating sunshine and shadow wash over you as clouds pass gently by?
Could you feel the body itself as serene,
Soft and wild,
Allowing the edges of perception to diffuse into the scenery,
Vital and free,
The whole body peaceful,
The whole body at rest,
Dissolving here into pure awareness and feeling the echo of your intention here once again,
Sensing the words within you and all around you as if your intention was washing over you like sunshine,
Like the wind.
Repeating it in your heart.
With every breath,
I am renewed.
Welcoming back awareness now to the body and the breath.
Sensing the room around you.
Feeling the weight of the body on the support beneath you.
And taking a big inhale through the nose and letting it out through the mouth.
Slowly reawakening the self.
When you're ready,
You can blink the eyes open.
Take a good morning stretch.
And then give yourself as much time as you need to return fully to your day.
Thank you so much for practicing with me today.
Thank you for remembering the importance of rest.
And for making the time to return to yourself.
You can save or bookmark this recording and return to it anytime you need a little self care or just to refill your cup.
I hope to practice with you again really soon.
Until then,
And always,
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be peaceful.
May you be free.
