Yoga Nidra For Loving Acceptance

In this Yoga Nidra, we focus on accepting ourselves, just as we are, right now. Give yourself the acceptance and compassion you so freely give to others. Yoga Nidra allows the body and mind to deeply rest, something that is so important for our overall wellbeing.

Transcript

My name is Jillian Buckley and today I'm going to take you through a yoga nidra practice designed to help you find loving acceptance.

So we'll begin by finding a comfortable shavasana-like shape.

Make sure you feel supported using any props you need to feel at ease.

You might want to take some padding under the head or a cushion behind the thighs and make sure you're nice and warm.

Take a few deep breaths and allow yourself to sink into the ground.

Notice where your body is touching the mat and where it isn't.

The whole body is relaxed.

Yoga nidra is a practice of restful alertness.

The body is relaxed but the mind is actively listening to my words.

Allow my voice to be a rope pulling you away from sleep.

But know that if you do fall asleep that's okay.

You'll still benefit from the practice.

Start to notice the sounds around you.

Move your attention from sound to sound.

What noise do you hear from outside of the room?

Don't worry about labeling the source.

What noises can you hear close by?

Picture a seed,

A small seed with the potential to grow into a strong tree.

What potential lies within you?

We will now set an intention for a practice like planting a seed in the garden of the mind.

The practice of yoga nidra prepares the mind,

Similar to tilling the soil,

To make the ground more fertile for the seed.

We'll state our intention now and at the end of our practice when our mind is calm and more able to receive the attention.

Please repeat silently after me in your mind.

I love and accept myself as I am.

I love and accept myself as I am.

I love and accept myself as I am.

We will now take a journey through the body.

Without moving your body,

Bring your awareness to different parts of the body as I name them.

We will start on the right side of the body.

Bring your awareness to your right thumb,

Index finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger,

Pinky finger,

Palm of hand,

Wrist,

Forearm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

Shoulder,

Right armpit,

Ribs,

Hip,

Your upper right thigh,

Knee,

Ankle,

Right heel,

Sole of the foot,

Top of the foot,

Big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

Fifth toe.

Now bring your awareness to your left side,

Your left thumb,

Index finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger,

Pinky finger,

Palm of left hand,

Wrist,

Forearm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

Shoulder,

Armpit,

Ribs,

Hip,

Your upper left thigh,

Knee,

Ankle,

Heel,

Sole of the foot,

Top of the foot,

Big left toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

Fifth toe.

Awareness now on the crown of your head.

Feel the back of the skull and the curve of your neck,

The back of the right shoulder,

The back of the left shoulder,

The back of your right arm,

The back of left arm,

The back of right hand,

The back of left hand.

Notice your shoulder blades resting on the mat,

Your back right ribs,

Back left ribs.

Become aware of your upper back on the mat,

Lower back,

Your whole back on the mat,

Your whole spine.

Feel the back of your pelvis and your tailbone.

Feel your right buttock sink into the floor,

Your left buttock.

Become aware of the back of the right leg,

Back of the left leg.

Feel the right heel sitting on the floor,

Left heel on the floor,

Bottom of your right foot,

Bottom of your left foot,

Bottom of both of your feet.

Bring awareness to the tips of your right toes,

Tips of your left toes,

Top of right foot,

Top of left foot,

Front of lower right leg,

Front of lower left leg,

Right thigh,

Left thigh,

Genitals,

Lower belly,

Navel,

Upper abdomen.

Feel the whole belly relax.

Become aware of the right side of your chest and the left side of your chest as you breathe in and fill the lungs.

Feel your lungs fill naturally without any effort as you breathe in and out.

Feel the beating of your heart,

Your body's natural rhythm.

Bring awareness to your breath.

Notice where in your body you feel the breath,

The flow of the breath in and out of your nostrils,

The rise and the fall of the chest.

Watch your breath,

The inhales and exhales.

With each exhale,

Count backwards from 27 to 1.

Remain alert.

If you lose track,

Begin again at 27.

You may not get all the way to 1.

That's okay.

You may not get all the way to 1.

Notice the weight of the body on the mat,

The way that gravity is pulling you down towards the center of the earth.

Feel the heaviness of the air on top of you,

Holding you down on your mat.

Each limb is becoming heavier as you sink into the ground.

Now imagine that your light is a feather.

Like you could float away from the floor.

Your head and your limbs are weightless.

The limbs are light and weightless.

Now again,

Feel heavy.

The head is heavy.

The limbs are heavy.

You are sinking into the floor and so relaxed you can barely move.

Feel light,

So light you could float up from your mat.

Feel as if you were made of air.

You are weightless.

Your body is weightless.

Feel heavy again.

Heavy like lead.

Feel light again.

Light as a feather.

Heavy light.

Heavy light.

Like lead,

Like a feather.

Heavy light.

See if you can feel both feelings of heavy and light at the same time.

Welcome both these feelings into your body.

Now let's take a journey through the imagination.

Imagine that the dark space in front of your eyes is a movie screen.

The screen is as high and as wide as the eye can see.

I will now list objects for you to visualize on this screen.

See if you can allow these images to come and go without analyzing them.

If you have trouble picturing one,

That's okay.

Move on to the next one.

A yawn.

A pen.

An apple.

A snowman.

A spoon.

A church.

Icy sidewalk.

A bruise.

A hug from a friend.

Holding hands.

A mask.

A large dog.

A steering wheel.

Pine needles.

A cup of coffee.

Bead of sweat.

The line at a bank.

A sunset.

A deep belly breath.

Toe nail.

A park bench.

A forest path.

Cigarette butt.

Blade of grass.

Stairs.

A candy cane.

Bouquet of flowers.

A deer.

Library books.

Driver's license.

Cinnamon.

A picture frame.

Palm trees.

The quiet before a rainstorm.

Fingers in your hair.

A picnic blanket.

A mug.

An exercise band.

Spreadsheets.

An icicle.

Car headlight.

A snowflake.

The cloud of your breath as you exhale on a cold day.

Imagine sitting by a fire with a blanket wrapped around you.

It's early in the morning and you are by yourself.

Notice the twinkling of the holiday lights around you.

Smell the coffee or tea in your mug.

Listen to the silence as the snow falls.

Feel the rays of the sun as they make their way through the window.

Now sit back and let yourself go.

There is nowhere to be at this moment.

You have all the time in the world.

Close your eyes and allow yourself to relax in this space.

Imagine yourself sinking into your chair.

Feel yourself letting go.

You are calm.

You are at peace.

Come back to your body laying on the mat.

Bring your awareness to your inner heart space.

We will now plant the seed,

The sankalpa,

Into our heart space and allow it to grow there.

Repeat in your mind with me three times,

I love and accept myself as I am.

I love and accept myself as I am.

I love and accept myself as I am.

The practice of yoga nidra is now complete.

Bring your awareness back to the room,

Back to your body on the mat.

Deepen your breath and start to make small movements with the body.

Wiggle your toes,

Move your fingers.

Perhaps roll your head from side to side.

Touch yourself long along your mat or bring your knees into your chest for a hug.

Roll onto your right side and pause there for a few breaths.

Take your time coming up to a seat.

Thank you so much for joining me.

The light in me honors the light in you.

Reviews

I love your yoga nidra practices and your meditations too. Your voice is so calming to me! Namaste 💜