Getting ready now to relax.
This is a nurturing meditation so take a few moments to make yourself as comfortable as possible with cushions or blankets or anything you need.
Setting yourself up on a chair or mat or bed and adjusting your position and surroundings for maximum comfort.
Allow yourself to relax right into that support.
On the next breath out deepen that relaxation even more and on the next breath out relax again.
Imagine relaxation moving from the top of your head in a wave all the way down through your body all the way to your toes.
Relax and settle into the stillness for this meditation.
Notice sounds in the distance.
Move your awareness from sound to sound.
Noticing all the sounds outside the space that you are resting in.
Move your awareness now to closer sounds.
Sounds in the space that you are in.
Noticing the sounds without judgment or analysis.
Notice if you can hear your own breathing.
Now observe what you can see behind your closed eyelids.
Just passively observing what you can see.
Move your focus to notice if there is any taste in your mouth.
Notice if you can smell anything in this moment.
Now become aware of the sensation of pressure of your body on the surface beneath you.
Notice sensations on your skin,
Your clothing or air moving and rest into the stillness.
This is now the time to set the affirmation or resolve or sankalpa for this meditation.
The sankalpa for this meditation is my heart is free from burden.
If you wish to change this sankalpa or affirmation to suit you in this moment,
Create this now.
Just ensure that it is simple and positive.
Repeat the resolve for the sankalpa three times in your mind with awareness and feeling and emphasis.
My heart is free from burden.
The resolve you make during yoga nidra is bound to come true in your life.
Now we move attention through the body.
I will guide you to sense awareness through the body as you move from point to point.
We will start with the right hand and the right hand thumb.
Become aware of the right hand thumb,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Fourth finger,
Fifth finger,
Palm of the hand,
Back of the hand,
Wrist,
Right lower arm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Under the right arm,
Down to the side of the ribs,
Right side of the waist,
Right hip,
Right thigh and upper leg,
Knee,
Lower leg,
Right ankle,
Heel,
Sole of the foot,
Top of the foot,
Right big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe.
Now sweeping awareness over to the left hand and the left finger,
Palm of the hand,
Back of the hand,
Wrist,
Left lower arm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Under the left arm,
Down to the left side of the ribs,
Left side of the waist,
Left hip,
Left thigh and upper leg,
Knee,
Lower leg,
Left ankle,
Heel,
Sole of the foot,
Top of the foot,
Left big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe.
Move your awareness to the top of the head,
Forehead,
Right eyebrow,
Left eyebrow,
The eyebrow centre,
Right eyelid,
Left eyelid,
Right eye,
Left eye,
Right temple,
Left temple,
Right ear,
Left ear,
Right cheek,
Left cheek,
Nose,
Upper row of teeth,
Lower row of teeth,
Upper lip,
Lower lip,
Jaw,
Chin,
Throat,
Right collarbone,
Left collarbone,
Right side of the chest,
Left side of the chest,
Middle of the chest,
The heart space,
The heart,
Upper abdomen and all parts of the upper abdomen,
The lower abdomen and all parts of the lower abdomen.
Moving to the whole of the lower back,
The whole of the middle back,
The whole of the upper back,
Right shoulder blade,
Left shoulder blade,
Back of the neck,
Back of the head,
Crown of the head,
Awareness down the whole of the right leg,
Then down the whole of the left leg,
Now both legs together,
The whole of the right arm,
Whole of the left arm,
Both arms together,
The whole of the back,
The whole of the front,
The whole of the head together,
The whole of the body together,
The whole of the body together,
The whole of the body together.
Keep your focus on listening and following along,
Now bring your focus to the breathing,
The feeling of the breath in and out,
The movement of the body as you breathe.
Notice how the chest gently moves with each breath in and out,
As you focus on the chest and the breath,
Count the breaths down from 54 to 1 like this,
54 chest rising as you breathe in,
54 chest falling as you breathe out.
53 chest rising,
53 chest falling,
52 chest rising,
52 chest falling and so on,
Repeat the words and the numbers mentally to yourself as you count down to 1,
Stay focused on the chest and the counting of the breaths.
If you do lose count,
Just start again at 54 and count down to 1.
Leaving the counting now,
And bring your awareness to the heart and the space around the heart.
This area is also known as the heart chakra or the Anahata chakra,
That unites the upper and lower chakras of the body,
Balancing the material and the spiritual worlds and physical and emotional well-being.
It is a centre of giving and receiving unconditional love.
Place all your focus on the heart.
Maintain awareness only on that part of your body,
Just that space.
You may notice some new sensations as your energy focuses here.
Maintain the focus,
Focused awareness on your heart.
Focused awareness.
Now let go of that focus,
And expand your awareness out to your entire body.
Your whole body is now what you are aware of.
Awareness of the whole body.
Your awareness encompasses the entire body,
All of your body at once.
Now expand that awareness out even further,
To encompass the room that you are resting in.
Allow the awareness to expand further still,
Out to encompass the entire building that you are resting in.
Maintain that open awareness of the whole space.
You may experience new sensations as you expand this awareness.
Expanded awareness.
Expanded awareness.
Expanded awareness.
Now bring your awareness back in,
Bringing your awareness back to focus on the heart.
Focus now on that energy centre for balance and love.
Focusing just on the heart only.
Focused awareness of the heart.
Focused awareness.
Now with this awareness,
Come back to the body,
And with awareness see yourself resting.
Notice how your awareness is aware of what you are doing and thinking.
And so from this place of open awareness,
You are without judgement.
Notice what happens when you ask your heart now if it wishes to relieve itself of any burden or condition.
Welcome any answers or any sensations.
Imagine you are welcoming what you become aware of or attuned to now,
Even if it's not positive.
When you welcome,
You remove resistance.
So welcome just what is,
And continue noticing and welcoming sensations.
Notice answers.
If this becomes very heavy for you,
Just move your awareness out so that you are further away from your body,
Looking down at your body.
Noticing what it is doing.
Noticing that it is welcoming any sensations.
Notice any answers or sensations move or shift or change as you welcome any and all messages.
Maintain this state of openness.
Continue noticing what comes through for you.
Continue welcoming anything that comes through in this state.
If you begin to feel sensations thinning out or moving up into the face,
You may choose to gently help the sensations dissipate by breathing into the feeling.
Regardless of the messages you receive or sensations you feel,
You may choose to thank your heart and your body and mind.
And if you dissipated any heavy feelings or thoughts or emotions,
Thank all parts of yourself for this.
Sitting in awareness a little longer.
Now is the time to restate your affirmation,
Your sankalpa or resolve that you made at the beginning of this meditation.
Repeat your sankalpa three times in your mind.
My heart is free from burden.
If you created your own affirmation,
Repeat this now three times instead.
Breathing into your body.
Gently bring in a little movement,
Wiggling your toes or your feet,
Your fingers and hands.
Notice the sounds around you and outside the room.
Remembering where you are.
And in your own time,
You may open your eyes.
This practice is now complete.
