Yoga Nidra For Migraine Sufferers & Their Caregivers

This yoga Nidra is created to provide relief and healing from chronic migraines of all types, intractable or intermittent, with pain or without, with aura or without. It is also designed to provide relief for the migraine patient's caregiver(s) so as not to experience compassion fatigue. The accompanying music is low and subtle. The material was drawn from a variety of experiences, research, and the participation of a case study group.

Transcript

Welcome to this Yoga Nidra for Migraine Sufferers and their caregivers.

My name is Mary Catherine and this Yoga Nidra is a vehicle for relaxation,

A support to specific parts of the body to aid recovery.

Think of it as a fun,

Playful experiment that helps redirect the mind away from pain by training the brain to relax.

So let's begin by getting comfy cozy.

Hair loose and liberated,

Perhaps flowing onto a pillow below.

Head cushioned and supported.

Neck fluid and relaxed.

Gentle alignment.

Cradled.

Shoulders sinking away from the ears as if your higher power were gently massaging away the tension.

The spaces between the vertebrae open and elongated.

You may have already blocked out sources of light,

But if not,

Feel free to put on an eye mask,

A cloth,

Or maybe even an ice pack.

And if the thought of anything touching your eyes is too much,

Imagine pulling down blackout shades over each eyelid to shield from light and heat.

Feel coolness,

Quiet,

And utter darkness descend over the eyes,

Protecting them.

Even the rod and cone-shaped cells within the globe of the eye surrendering to no light.

The nerves of the eye surrounding it,

Feeding it,

Providing nourishing eye food.

Not the need to look,

Watch,

See,

Scroll,

Or gaze.

Eyes in a state of sweet being.

Do anything to be as comfortable as possible.

Perhaps covering yourself with a blanket,

Or putting a pillow underneath the knees for support.

And if there's something that still feels not quite right,

Feel free to adjust at any moment,

Even if that means stopping the recording.

There's no rush.

Nowhere you need to be.

Welcome to the here,

H-E-A-R,

And now.

Now bring your hands together in prayer hands,

Anjali Mudra.

The blades of the thumbs resting upon your breastbone.

Perhaps giving it a little massage.

Then slowly move the hands up from chest to forehead.

Slowly passing over your face and coming to rest.

And taking the blades of the hands,

Gently move them out along the sides of the face to the temples.

With these blades,

Gently begin to massage the temples in any way that feels satisfying and comforting.

Gently easing away tension.

Perhaps in circles or little back and forth movements.

Even like wings of an angel,

Bring the pinky part of your hand in towards your nose so that you're cupping your orbital bone,

The heel of your hand on the lower orbital bone,

And the rest of your hands over your eyes.

Feeling the heat from your hands soak into your eyes.

Warm blankets.

Just let your hands rest there.

Then take the fingertips and gently massage around your forehead,

Smoothing out over each eyebrow and down again to each temple.

Then again to the hinge of the jaw.

Sweeping out along the jaw line to the chin and around the parentheses of the mouth.

And then back up on either side of the nose.

Moving into the sinuses,

Massaging and palpating underneath each eye before moving up and perhaps pinching the bridge of your nose,

A place between the eyes.

Massaging in there to release tension.

When that seems complete,

Just relax your arms and rest them wherever you'd like,

Down by your sides or on your stomach.

Release all parts of the body,

Communing with the surface below.

Basking in the warm glow of affection since members of your healing fan club surround you.

Maybe you recognize them and maybe you don't.

But they are here to help you just by showing up.

Even if you don't feel them,

They are there,

Gathering around you with unconditional love.

Now bring your attention to your heart,

All of your focus on your heart space.

Wide open,

Enlargening with every breath and every beat of your heart.

And then imagine you can breathe through a tiny little portal in your heart.

All of your attention and focus on breathing through this tiny little portal in your heart.

You might even like to place your hands at your heart,

Just to orient the sensation of breathing in and out of your heart.

Remember there's no way to do this practice wrong.

Just welcome in each breath,

Each exhalation.

Perhaps beginning to notice the pauses between each breath.

A tiny little place where it almost seems like your breath has stopped.

The turning point of the breath.

Maybe noticing the height of the breath and the depth and the width of the breath.

Each inhalation expanding the chest forward and each exhalation pushing it back.

Each inhalation a breath of hope and each exhalation fulfillment of that hope.

Now it's time to create a sankalpa or intention.

It can be as simple as I am migraine free or even simpler a wordless sankalpa,

A heartfelt desire that manifests in a color,

A taste or even just the simple sensation of relief.

Spend a few moments sensing just what this heartfelt desire might be without trying.

Just notice what arises and if you can repeat this to yourself three times or however many you feel like.

We'll rotate our awareness around the body now.

Be aware of your entire body.

Imagine noticing the mouth,

Sensation in the mouth,

Root of tongue and tip of tongue.

Most buds alive and welcoming.

Bumpy on top and smooth on bottom.

Upper gums and the teeth set in them,

Rooted.

Lower gums and the teeth set in them,

Anchored.

The outer rim of the right ear and the inner opening.

The outer rim of the left ear and its inner opening.

Sensation in the cheeks,

Right and left.

The skin above and the muscle below.

Smooth in the rim of the right nostril and the rim of the left.

And in both nostrils as you breathe in and out.

Right eye floating in a quiet pool of sensation.

Left eye light as a feather.

Upper orbital bone on the right and lower orbital bone on the right.

Upper orbital bone on the left and lower orbital bone on the left.

Both stable and secure.

Circling the globes of the eyes and protecting them from unnecessary sensation.

Lens on the outside of the right eye and cooling,

Moving inwards to cornea and retina.

Lens on the outside of the left eye and cooling sensation,

Moving inwards to cornea and retina.

Sense both eyes resting together at ease,

Inactive,

Just resting.

Notice the forehead and the scalp,

Quiet awareness covering the entire scalp.

Back of the head and back of the neck,

Striations of muscles,

Loose and limp,

Free from tension.

Drawing awareness inside the head,

The lobes of the brain,

Right and left.

The corpus callosum membrane in between,

Fostering soft,

Balanced communication.

The front of the brain connected to the center,

That piece.

Quiet awareness of the brain behind the right ear and then the left.

Then to the interior of the front of the face.

The sinuses on the right and then the left.

Open spaces,

Unblocked.

Noticing the throat,

Unconstructed,

Allowing the free flow of expression as illuminated.

Open by the glow of the heart.

Spend a moment here,

Absorbing this gentle radiance.

Witnesses this liberated space broadens to include the shoulders,

Right and left,

Front and back.

Moving down into the right arm and then the left.

The palm of the right hand and the palm of the left.

Both hands together.

Tender illumination flowing from the center of each palm out to the tips of each finger.

On both the back and front of each hand.

An offering,

Whatever that might be.

Something beautiful you've ever gifted another human being.

Then guiding this offering back to your own heart space.

From outpouring to pouring back in.

Restoring energy given in all forms.

Moving down into the belly and pausing at the tip of the vagus nerve.

Healthy and processing smoothly without provocation.

Once the right side of the stomach and then the left.

Then follow the vagus nerve up along the inside of the spine.

All the way up into the face.

Where we will trace sensation in all the nerves.

Becoming a little more specific.

There are 12 pairs of nerves in the head.

One set each of right and left.

Regulating.

Listen as your body relaxes and responds as we pause on each of these pathways.

Even if the names sound weird or you haven't heard of them before.

Your body knows exactly where they are.

And responds by healing accordingly.

Olfactory nerve.

Governing sense of smell on the right and left.

Ocular motor nerve.

The ability to move and blink your eyes.

On the right and left.

The trochlear pathway.

Moving your eyes up and down.

Back and forth.

Right and left.

Pathway on the right.

The trochlear pathway on the left.

The trigeminal nerve.

Governing sensations in your face and cheeks.

Taste and jaw movements.

On the right.

And then the left.

The abducens nerve.

Ability to move your eyes.

Right and left.

Facial nerve.

Governing facial expressions and sense of taste.

The right.

And then the left.

Auditory.

Governing sense of hearing and balance.

Right and left.

Colosso-pharyngeal.

Ability to taste and swallow.

Right and left.

Vagus nerve on the right.

And then the left.

Governing digestion and heart rate.

A long pathway.

Coursing the entire length of the body from face to belly.

Accessory nerve on the right.

And then the left.

Managing shoulder and neck muscle movement.

And finally the hypoglossal nerve on the right.

And then the left.

Governing the ability to move your tongue.

Now imagine you are floating at the top of the room.

Look down and see your entire head,

Neck,

And shoulders.

Soothed by healing white light.

Each and every constriction.

Open.

Wide.

Glowing with freedom from tension.

Able to process easily.

Un-inflamed.

Spend a few moments absorbing this beautiful healing.

Now repeat your intention to yourself three times or however many you'd like.

I am migraine free but remember it can be anything.

Whatever feels right to you today.

Let it soak in.

Sealed in your subconscious.

Now allow yourself to greet and welcome in the following affirmations.

As if spoken to you by you.

Even if you don't believe or agree with them.

I am smart.

I am kind.

I am important.

I am beautiful.

I am doing a great job.

I am thoughtful.

I am generous.

I am creative.

I am loving.

I am wise.

And I am gifted.

I am interesting.

And I am unique.

I am patient.

I am fun.

I am funny.

Maybe even hilarious.

I am always more than good enough.

I am totally adequate for all situations.

I am responsive,

Not reactive.

I am powerful.

I am comfortable with myself.

I am adventurous.

I am serene.

I am non-judgmental.

I am intuitive.

I am worthy.

I am whole and complete,

Just as I am.

I am lovable.

I am forgiving.

I am free from pain,

Illness,

And suffering.

I am a miracle.

Integrating all the beauty that resides in the pathways of the brain,

We draw attention back into the body by using our senses to call ourselves back to the present moment,

The here and now.

Noticing any sounds in the distance,

From first the right ear,

And then the left.

Unnoticing sounds nearby,

From first the left,

And then the right.

Perhaps hearing and feeling the breath of any pets who may have joined you for your journey inward.

Soft and gentle.

Feeling the surface upon which you are resting.

Maybe even the soft fur of your pet.

Becoming aware of the length and breadth of your body at rest.

The temperature of the room.

Perhaps any fragrances floating on the air.

The lingering sense of your fan club gathered around you with love.

Then take the time to repeat your sankalpa to yourself one more time.

I am migraine free.

Making any movements that your body is asking you to make.

Trusting in the perpetual quietness of the heart which informs the belly and the brain.

To feel yourself rise back into consciousness,

Wiggle your toes and fingers.

Do your part and let your higher power take care of the rest.

This ends today's yoga nidra practice.

Many thanks for your participation in this sacred pause of co-creation and self-healing.

All is well.

Namo borrower,

Am Dar Management

Reviews

I found this helpful and soothing for my migraine that is worse when lying down. It's a pleasant distraction, relaxing and helped me drift into sleep. I listened to it twice in this past week. Glad to have found it! Thank you.

Thank you so much. A meditation from a teacher who really understands migraines! Soothing, calming, helping.. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🌻🪻

Very helpful at the tag end of migraine. So glad to have found this yoga nidra meditation to use at start of next migraine event. Specific focus on nerves very helpful and informative. Thank you

Wow - simply beautiful! I’ve not managed to not fall asleep yet during this to be able to get to the end of the meditation. I adore the gentleness with self and the self message, your efforts to deeply encourage calm and rest are also hugely appreciated. Thankyou 💕🙏

Thank you 🙏 Feel much calmer.

A really well made meditation with lots of good stuff in there. Thanks, very helpful

So much detail about our miraculous body and very healing. With much thanks and appreciation.

Lovely and unique meditation, lots of care and thought put into it.
Myself and my cat thoroughly enjoyed it) cat counts as the carer, right?) 💖

Thank you. 🙏🏼

Awesome thanks

Very calming and soothing. My eyes and body feel rested and my mind very quiet and still🙏🏾

Amazing!!

Wonderful practice that really alleviated symtom dramatically

I loved the focus and refocusing of this nidra. The self massage was surprising addition and the affirmations at the end ❤️

Amazing!

Thank you so much.

This was what I needed when I needed it - thank you!

Vfff