Welcome,
My name is Gemma and this is a yoga nidra practice for burnout recovery and deep nervous system rest.
It can also be used for deep rest and restoration for tired,
Overworked minds and bodies.
This practice is completely effortless.
Nothing needs to be achieved here.
No striving for improvement or efficiency.
There is no pressure to perform.
It's okay to let that all go now.
This is simply a space to stop.
And you are invited to turn up exactly as you are.
So take your time now to settle into a comfortable and supportive position.
Traditionally this is lying on your back with your legs slightly apart and arms by your sides.
Find a position that is most comfortable for you.
You might choose to have your hands resting gently on the belly.
A pillow under the knees.
And close down the eyes if that feels comfortable.
Perhaps using an eye pillow to support you in going inwards.
And move away from the outside world for just a little while.
Once settled,
Take a few grounding and releasing breaths here.
Inhaling through the nose and filling the belly.
And a long extended exhale releasing any tension in the shoulders,
The neck.
Another breath here.
And just notice if there's any efforting with the breath.
And see if you can let that go just a little more.
A smooth and gentle pace with the breath.
One that lets your body know it's okay to slow down now.
Each in-breath followed by a slow out-breath.
Return to the natural breath now.
There's no need to change it in any way.
Just notice how the breath feels in the body.
On each out-breath can you soften a little more?
Notice the forehead smoothing out the space between the eyebrows.
Notice the jaw softening the hinges of the jaw.
Shoulders releasing the sense of any weight carried on the shoulders.
Soften the arms,
The chest and all the way down through the legs to the feet.
Allow the weight of the body to surrender to gravity.
Releasing the body into the support beneath you.
In Yoga Nidra we use a Sankalpa,
A heartfelt intention to guide our practice.
You can think of Sankalpa like a North Star guiding the way.
You may have a particular Sankalpa you are working with or if it feels supportive you might use one of the following.
I allow myself to rest or it is safe for me to stop now.
Perhaps I surrender to stillness.
Equally it may feel more supportive to have no intention,
To allow yourself to simply be as you are.
If you are choosing to use a Sankalpa today you can repeat it now three times quietly.
Moving into the rotation of consciousness now we'll begin to move awareness gently through the body.
There is nothing to do here except simply notice and allow.
If you become distracted you can bring your awareness back to my voice and the body.
And if you begin to drift off into sleep at any point that's okay too.
Just allow your body to tell you exactly what it needs.
Starting at the top of the head,
Notice the scalp,
Sense into the sensations over and around the top of the skull.
Move your awareness down the back of the head,
Sensing the support that cradles the back of the skull.
Notice the center of the forehead.
The eyes,
The eyeballs in the sockets,
The temples,
Cheekbones,
Bridge of the nose,
Inside the right nostril,
Inside the left nostril.
Notice the air moving in and out of both nostrils,
Upper teeth,
Right inside cheek,
Left inside cheek,
The tongue inside the mouth,
And all the way down to its base inside the throat.
Notice the jaw and base of the throat.
Notice the collarbones.
Notice the right shoulder,
Top of the hand,
Right hand thumb,
First finger,
Second finger,
Little finger,
Center of the chest,
Left shoulder,
Top of the hand,
Second finger,
Little finger,
Palm of the hand,
Center of the chest,
Top of the hand,
Notice the expansion and contraction with the breath,
Top of the foot,
Right big toe,
Little toe,
Sole of the foot,
Back of the knee,
Back of the thigh,
Right glute,
Shin,
Top of the foot,
Second toe,
Little toe,
Sole of the foot,
Middle of the back,
The whole spine from the lower back to the base of the skull.
Bring awareness to the whole body now.
The whole body breathing as one.
The whole body just as it is.
Bring your full awareness to the breath now.
The breath moving naturally through you.
No need to change anything here.
Gently sense the breath moving through the body like a soft wave.
As you inhale,
Feel a quiet expansion.
As you exhale,
A gentle settling.
Imagine the breath as a gentle current of energy flowing through the body.
With each inhale,
This current spreads softly through the body.
With each exhale,
It settles and integrates.
Nothing for you to do here except rest with this gentle rhythm.
Energy circulating.
A gentle current moving through you like a wave,
Nourishing the body from the inside.
Release the attention from the breath now.
And can you notice any areas of tension in the body?
Bring soft awareness to where the body may still be holding.
Simply notice tension where it exists.
And now invite in the sense of release.
A small letting go.
A softening.
Breathe in a sense of softness to the body.
Notice any tension once again.
Any areas that find it hard to let go.
Just notice.
No need to change anything.
And bring awareness back to a sense of release now.
Inviting in the softness once again.
And now can you allow both sensations of tension and release?
To coexist.
Noticing areas of both tension and softness simultaneously.
Breathing into the spaces of tension and release together.
Letting that go now.
Allow the mind to become receptive to imagery.
Whether visual or a felt sense.
Imagine snow slowly melting.
A heavy coat being set down.
A clenched fist gently opening.
A fern leaf unfurling in the sun.
A knot loosening.
A snow globe gently settling.
Leaves softly drifting down to the ground.
Dew drops sliding from a blade of grass.
Mist lifting in the morning light.
Allowing sensations to come and go.
Resting beyond sensation.
Into stillness.
Begin now to gently return awareness to the breath.
Notice the body resting here.
And bring your sankalpa back to mind if you are using one.
And repeat it quietly here.
Letting it settle.
You might take a long deep cleansing breath in here.
And release the exhale with an audible sigh if that feels good.
Begin to invite small movements back into the body.
Into the fingers and toes.
Taking any gentle stretches.
And when you are ready,
You might roll onto one side and pause there.
And send some acknowledgement and thanks to yourself.
And to your body.
For taking this time to rest.
You can slowly make your way back to a seated position.
And take a moment before opening the eyes just to notice how you feel.
And when it feels right,
You can gently open the eyes.
And just allow yourself to be a little longer.
Thank you for practicing Yoga Nidra with me today.
My name is Gemma and I hope you are feeling some sense of release and peace.
And I wish you all the best in your rest and recovery.
