If you're feeling overwhelmed and perhaps a little frantic right now,
It is okay for you to pause and to take a few moments for yourself.
It is okay for you to slow down and recalibrate.
So take a moment now to find a comfortable position,
Whether lying down or finding a quiet place to sit.
Take your time.
There is no rush.
Settling in now and slowing down.
You might like to close down the eyes.
And just take a few long,
Slow,
Deep breaths now.
Inhaling through the nose with a brief pause at the top.
Before releasing with a slow,
Extended exhale through the mouth.
Again in your own time,
Inhaling through the nose,
Filling all the way up,
Pausing at the top.
And then exhaling long and slow through the mouth,
Letting go.
One more time now.
Inhale gently all the way to the top.
And then a long,
Slow exhale,
Breathing out all tension.
Move awareness through the body now.
Bring awareness to the top of the head.
The forehead.
The forehead.
Softening the space between the eyebrows.
The eyes.
Ears.
Cheeks.
Nose.
Nose.
Notice the air moving in and out of the nostrils.
The teeth and gums.
Softening the jaw.
Back of the neck.
Both shoulders.
Elbows.
Tips of the fingers and thumbs.
Notice both sides of the torso.
The gentle expansion and contraction of the ribcage with the breath.
Both hips.
Feet.
Tips of the toes.
The whole body now,
All the way from the feet up to the head.
The whole body as one.
The whole body softening with the breath.
Bring all your attention to the breath now.
The gentle rhythm of the breath in the body.
Welcoming in softness on the inhale.
And allowing the softening of the body on the exhale.
Can you welcome in a sense of coolness on the inhale?
Sensing any areas of coolness in the body.
And now can you welcome in a sense of warmth?
Noticing any areas of warmth in the body.
Can you notice now areas of both coolness and warmth simultaneously?
Noticing both coolness and warmth in the body.
Releasing that sensation now.
Come back to the breath once again.
The natural breath in the body.
Notice the body in contact with the support beneath you.
Bring attention to any sounds around you.
And just take one more moment to check in with how the body feels.
Just notice what's there.
And you might want to take a gentle stretch here,
Bringing movement back into the body.
And can you acknowledge yourself for having taken the time you needed to slow down?
Thank you for taking your time to do this short yoga nidra practice with me.
And know that you can return here any time to give yourself pause.
My name is Gemma and I wish you well in easing back into the day ahead.
