Welcome to this cozy,
Warming autumn yoga nidra.
As we settle into this beautiful autumn season,
Let's take time to turn inward,
Allowing ourselves to rest and rejuvenate.
Find a comfortable position,
Lying down on your back with your arms by your sides,
Your palms facing up and your legs gently apart.
Make sure that you are warm and comfortable,
Perhaps covering yourself with a blanket,
Maybe placing a bolster or pillow underneath your knees.
Now close down your eyes and take a deep breath in and slowly release it,
Extending your exhale.
Now bring your attention to your breath.
Notice its natural rhythm,
The gentle rise and fall of your belly with each breath.
Let your breath be easy and soft.
In the stillness of this moment,
Bring to mind a positive intention or sankalpa.
This is a short,
Powerful statement that reflects what you wish to cultivate in your life.
It could be something like,
I am grounded and calm,
Or I embrace peace within myself.
Repeat your sankalpa silently three times,
With complete belief and trust.
We'll now begin a soothing body scan,
Bringing awareness to different parts of your body,
Warming and relaxing them.
Start by bringing your awareness to your toes.
Feel each of your toes,
From your big toe to your pinky toe,
Feel them soften and relax.
Now move your attention to your feet,
To the tops of your feet,
To your heels,
To the arches of your feet,
Allow them to soften and relax.
Shift your focus to your ankles,
Feeling a sense of ease spreading through them.
Feel them soften and relax.
Bring your awareness up to your calves,
Feel them soften and relax.
Now feel your knees gently relaxing.
Moving up to your thighs,
Feeling them growing warm and heavy,
Feeling them soften and relax.
Let your hips and pelvis surrender,
Let them soften,
Letting go of any tension.
Feel your hips and pelvis soften and relax.
Move your awareness to your lower back,
Gently warming and relaxing.
To your mid back,
To your upper back,
Feel them soften and relax.
Allow your spine to feel supported and at ease.
Feel your belly soften,
Feel your breath warm in your belly.
The gentle movements of your breath making your belly soften and relax.
Move your attention to your chest,
Feeling a soft expansion with each inhale and a gentle release with each exhale.
Feel your shoulders rolling down towards the earth,
Feeling them soften and relax.
Use your hands,
Your fingers,
Your thumbs,
Your palms and your wrists.
Let them feel warm and heavy.
Let them soften and relax.
Now feel your forearms softening,
Your elbows softening,
Allowing both hands,
Arms,
Shoulders to soften and relax.
Finally,
Bring your awareness to your neck,
Allowing it to relax fully.
Relax your jaw,
Soften it,
Let the muscles in your face relax,
Your cheeks,
Your eyes,
Your forehead.
Feel your entire body now warm,
Heavy,
Completely soft and relaxed.
Now imagine yourself standing at the edge of a quiet,
Peaceful forest.
It's a crisp autumn day,
The air cool and refreshing on your skin.
The sky above is a soft,
Pale blue with just a few clouds drifting lazily by.
You begin to walk along a narrow path,
Blanketed in fallen leaves.
Each step you take makes a soft crunch beneath your feet.
You notice the vibrant colors of the season,
Deep reds,
Burnt oranges and golden yellows.
As you continue along the path,
A gentle breeze carries with it the earthy smell of damp leaves and rich soil.
The air feels cold against your face and the crispness of it tingles lightly in your nose as you breathe in.
There between the trees,
You notice a soft glittering,
Sunlight filtering through the branches,
Casting playful patterns of light and shadow on the forest floor.
The leaves overhead sway gently in the breeze,
Some of them drifting slowly down to the ground in a graceful dance.
The path ahead is clear and inviting and as you walk,
You come upon a still,
Glassy lake nestled in the heart of the forest.
The water is calm,
Reflecting the colors of the trees and the clear sky above.
Along the edges of the lake,
A group of ducks swims leisurely,
Leaving soft ripples in their wake.
The sound of their gentle paddling fills the air,
Accompanied by the quiet rustle of the breeze through the leaves.
You spot a wooden bench by the water's edge,
Surrounded by fallen leaves that softly blanket the ground.
Make your way over and sit down.
Feeling the solid support of the bench beneath you,
The air is cool but refreshing and you take a deep breath,
Noticing the crispness in your nose,
The smell of damp earth and decaying leaves.
As you sit watching the lake,
You see a few leaves flutter down from the trees,
Landing softly on the water's surface,
Sending small ripples out across the lake.
The scene is calm,
Serene and timeless.
You feel connected to the stillness of the lake,
To the quiet rhythm of nature around you.
Sitting here,
You allow yourself to fully relax,
Feel the cool air on your skin,
The solid earth beneath your feet and the gentle calm that fills the space around you.
You are part of this peaceful autumn world.
You are held,
Supported and at ease.
Take a few moments to soak in this tranquility,
Knowing that you can always return to this calm,
This quiet,
Whenever you need it.
Now bring your awareness back to your body,
Resting here in the present moment.
Remember the warmth of the golden light and the peace you felt in the autumn forest.
Begin to gently deepen your breath,
Very softly wiggle your fingers and toes,
Bringing subtle movement back into your body.
When you're ready,
Take a deep inhale and a long exhale,
Allowing yourself to slowly come back to the room.
Roll onto one side,
Pausing for a moment and then gently make your way up to a seated position.
Take a final deep breath in,
Bringing warmth,
Peace and gratitude with you into the rest of your day.
Namaste.
