Hello and welcome.
My name is Gemma.
In this yoga nidra practice.
Will be returning to the idea of your inner sanctuary.
An inner sense of calm.
Comfort or support.
That you can draw upon whenever you need it.
You may already have a sense of your own inner sanctuary.
Perhaps from my shorter practice connecting with your inner sanctuary.
Or from your own experience.
If this is a new idea for you,
You may like to explore the shorter visualisation first.
Although it isn't necessary for this yoga nidra.
Either way,
This practice offers an opportunity not only to connect with your inner sanctuary,
But to deepen your experience of it as an inner resource.
Something you can rest into.
And return to for support.
Later in the practice you'll also be invited to bring to mind a mildly challenging feeling or sensation.
Nothing overwhelming.
Simply something that feels accessible.
And manageable for you today.
The invitation is not to change or overcome this experience.
But to explore what happens when you remain connected to your inner sanctuary alongside it.
Allowing yourself to experience both the challenge and this sense of inner support together.
And as always,
Take from this practice only what feels supportive for you today.
For now.
Simply allow yourself to settle in.
And give yourself permission to rest.
Take your time to make your space as comfortable and cosy as possible.
Using blankets and pillows if they're available to you.
Perhaps supporting the lower back with a pillow beneath the knees.
Maybe placing an eye pillow or scarf over the eyes.
Take your time to make any last adjustments.
And how might you make yourself even more comfortable?
And as you gently settle into stillness.
You might begin sensing into the surface beneath you.
Allowing the muscles of the back.
The body.
To ease into this support.
Perhaps feeling the temperature of the room against your skin.
The weight of any blankets or clothing.
Softly resting against the body.
And now if it feels comfortable.
Taking three slow breaths here.
Breathing in all the way to the top.
And then letting it go on the exhale.
And again,
Breathing in.
And slowly breathing out all the way.
And one more time.
And now letting go of any control of the breath.
Allowing it to return to its natural rhythm.
And as you continue to soften with each breath.
You might begin to welcome in a sense of your inner sanctuary.
Perhaps you already have a clear sense of this place.
Or perhaps you are meeting it for the first time today.
No need to force an image.
Can you simply allow whatever arises?
To emerge in its own way.
Perhaps your inner sanctuary appears as a place.
And landscape.
Haram.
Perhaps there is a colour.
A symbol.
Even an animal.
Something that seems to embody equalities.
Of this space.
Whatever arises for you is enough.
And as you connect with your inner sanctuary begin to notice the qualities it offers you.
Perhaps a sense of ease.
Calm.
Peace.
Or steadiness.
Or simply a sense of well-being.
And with each breath.
Allowing these qualities to gently move through the body.
From the crown of the head.
Down through the face.
The neck and shoulders.
The chest and back.
Belly and pelvis.
And all the way down through the legs into the feet.
Allowing the whole body to soften.
To become heavy.
And with each breath.
You might imagine this quality moving through the body.
And here you might welcome in a sankalpa.
And intention for this practice.
That resonates with the heart.
Perhaps your sankalpa might be a simple phrase that expresses the quality of your inner sanctuary.
You may already have a clear sense of what this is.
Or if it feels helpful.
You might use a phrase such as.
.
.
I am supported.
From within.
There is a place of peace within me.
Allow whichever words that feel most resonant for you.
To settle into your awareness.
And take a few moments now to connect with your sankalpa.
Repeating it to yourself three times.
Moving through the rotation of consciousness now.
And as awareness moves through the body.
You may continue to notice.
The felt sense of your inner sanctuary in the background.
Bring attention to the space around the heart.
Welcoming a sense of openness.
And release.
Move awareness to the base of the throat.
Notice the jaw.
Easing.
And softening.
The mouth.
And lips.
Teeth.
And gums.
The nose.
And the breath at the nostrils.
The cheekbones.
Temples.
Is.
Simply listening.
The eyes.
Resting in their sockets.
Eyebrows.
Center of the forehead.
The crown of the head.
Back of the head.
Back of the neck.
The upper back.
Collar bones.
Right shoulder.
Right elbow.
Rest.
Palm of the hand.
Right thumb.
First finger.
Second finger.
Third finger little finger.
Bring attention to the left shoulder.
Left elbow Rest.
Palm of the hand.
Left thumb.
First finger second finger.
Bird finger.
Little finger.
Move awareness back up to the centre of the chest.
The ribs.
Goodbye Lee.
Gently moving.
With the breath.
Power this.
Right hip right knee and cool.
Sole of the foot.
Right big toe second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe,
Little toe bring attention to the left hip.
Left knee ankle.
Sole of the foot.
Left big toe second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe,
Little toe move awareness back up to the pelvis.
Lower back middle back I'll put back.
Shoulders.
And the centre of the chest.
Expanding awareness out to the whole body now.
Welcoming the felt sense of your inner sanctuary.
Into the whole body.
The whole body.
The whole body.
Gently allow awareness to settle on the breath now.
The breath.
Moving with ease.
Following its own.
Natural rhythm.
And with each breath.
Perhaps sensing.
The qualities of your inner sanctuary.
Moving through the body.
Breathing in.
Receiving.
Breathing out.
Softening.
And now bring to mind a mildly challenging sensation.
Or feeling.
Nothing overwhelming.
Perhaps.
Little uncertainty.
Or tension.
Notice where you experience this feeling within the body.
There may be thoughts.
Sensations.
Or stories.
Connected to this experience.
And without needing to change anything.
Simply allow.
The felt sense of it.
To rest gently.
In your awareness.
And now begin to reconnect with the felt sense of your inner sanctuary.
Perhaps as a sense of well-being.
Breathe.
And notice where you can sense this quality.
Within the body.
And now returning to the mildly challenging sensation.
Once again.
Noticing where you experience it.
Within the body.
Simply observing.
And then gently returning to the felt sense of your inner sanctuary.
Welcoming yourself back into the sense of well-being.
And now allowing both experiences to be present.
Perhaps noticing.
How it feels to experience difficulty.
While also remaining connected.
To a place of support.
Within yourself.
There is nothing you need to force here.
Nothing you need to fix.
Just allowing the difficult experience.
To be here.
While remaining anchored.
To your inner sanctuary.
And now gently allowing the difficult sensation to fade into the background.
Letting go.
Of the practice of noticing.
And allowing yourself.
To rest fully.
In your inner sanctuary.
Resting in this sense of well-being.
And support.
This sense of steadiness.
Spaciousness.
Allowing yourself to dissolve.
Into this sense of peace.
No longer creating it.
But simply resting.
Within it.
Becoming.
This sense of support.
And thoughts and sensations.
May continue to come.
Go.
Rising and falling.
While you remain resting.
And their spaciousness.
Of awareness itself.
Bring your awareness back to the breath now.
To the gentle rise and fall of the body.
To the surface.
Supporting you.
And before returning fully.
You might bring your sankalpa back into your awareness.
Repeating it to yourself three times.
Allowing these words.
To settle deeply.
Within you.
Perhaps taking a deep breath.
Nourishing breath here as you remain connected.
To this sense.
Have been a support.
And when you're ready.
Begin to gently wiggle the fingers and toes.
Perhaps moving the body in any way that feels natural.
And slowly and gently.
Open the eyes.
Thank you for practicing with me today.
Once again,
My name is Gemma.
And as you go about your day,
May you stay in gentle contact with your inner sanctuary.
Allowing this sense of inner support.
To be with you.
Whatever the day may bring.
