Now it is time for Saraswati Yoga Nidra.
Get comfortable lying down flat on your back in Shavasana.
If you need to,
You can put a little pillow underneath your head,
But you don't want your head to be too elevated.
You can be lying down on the floor,
On a yoga mat,
Or on your bed.
You want to be warm and comfortable and cozy.
So make sure that you have enough layers on and if you need to double up on the blankets,
Now is your chance to get everything arranged just so,
So that you can really let go and relax during the yoga nidra itself.
You won't be moving,
So make sure you're in a position that you can hold completely comfortable.
Palms can be up or down.
The legs are slightly apart.
Just let the feet flop open.
Making any last adjustments now that you need.
And start to deepen your inhales and lengthen your exhales completely emptying of the breath as you exhale.
A few more times like that on your own.
Using your time with every exhale,
Allow yourself to ground in a little more signaling to the body the whole system that now it is time to rest and to receive.
Make the resolution that during this yoga nidra you will not move and that during this yoga nidra you will not sleep.
The body will completely relax and it will be like taking a nap but resolve to yourself to keep your awareness awake and alive but highly attuned even though you're also deeply relaxed.
There's any final adjustments you need to make,
Make them now.
Become aware of your entire body lying on the floor or your bed.
Become aware of your whole body getting heavy and heavy and heavier.
It's like you're sinking down into the floor or into your bed.
It's as if gravity becomes a little stronger than usual and maybe even progressively much stronger and the earth pulls you in and down.
It feels so good to just rest.
Take a moment to call back all of your energy back to yourself.
Remember the mind and the energy has been whatever conversations or work plans worries external demands.
Call all the energy back to your body here and now.
Take a moment to set an intention for this yoga nidra.
It could be small and simple or maybe it's your heart's deepest longing.
Remember it as you choose.
Formulate it into clear simple language and as if it were already true.
Then repeat it to yourself in that way a few times in your mind.
For example,
I surrender and receive the grace of Saraswati that is always flowing to me.
And now release the intention just trusting that by planting the seed that's enough.
Now imagine yourself in some place really beautiful.
Could be real or imagined and in this place you're lying on your back.
It's warm and sunny.
And as you rest here in this beautiful place completely still,
Completely supported by the earth.
Little bit of light rain starts to come down just one drop at a time.
It's still warm and the rain itself is just the perfect temperature on your skin.
This rain that lightly falls from the sky.
Imagine that it is the nectar of Saraswati's grace falling down upon you.
It just keeps coming and coming.
Feel its radiance,
The nourishment it offers,
The gifts and the blessings that come through each raindrop.
Feeling your body and feeding your soul drops of pure creation,
Drops of wisdom,
Drops of deep inner knowing.
And this rain of blessing nectar keeps coming down and soon it forms a gently flowing river.
Allow this river to just pull you in as you float on top.
You're completely in this flow,
Completely surrendered to the flow of life.
You're literally going with the flow,
Taking this super pleasurable ride down Saraswati's river.
Feeling what it's like in your body to be one with the flow that nature wants to take,
That life wants to take.
There's no resistance.
There's no difference between you and this river.
Now you gently are washed upon the shore.
Continue to rest.
Feeling so cleansed and purified by the rain by your ride down the river.
And now we'll do rotation of consciousness.
And as I name each part of your body,
Imagine that part not just filling with Saraswati's grace and energy,
But actually becoming her.
You might imagine as I call out each part that it becomes full of warm white light,
Creating your own body as Saraswati,
Goddess of flow,
Of wisdom,
Intuition,
Creativity,
And the arts,
Transforming into her,
Bringing your awareness to each part of the body as I call it out.
And then when I name the next part,
Simply shifting the awareness smoothly.
Begin with your right hand thumb,
Pointer finger,
Right hand middle finger,
Ring finger,
And pinky finger.
Become aware of the entire palm of the right hand,
The back of the right hand,
Right wrist,
Right forearm,
Right elbow,
Inside of the elbow,
The upper right arm,
Right arm,
Right shoulder,
Right armpit,
The right side of your chest,
Saraswati's chest,
Right side of the waist,
Right side hip,
Right side of the pelvic bowl,
Right side thigh,
Whole upper right leg,
Right side knee,
Back of the knee,
Lower right leg,
Right ankle,
The top of the right foot,
The sole of the right foot,
Right side big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
And pinky toe,
The right side buttocks,
Right side back,
The whole right arm,
The whole right leg,
The whole right half of your torso.
Now bring the awareness to the left hand thumb as it becomes the thumb of Saraswati.
Left side pointer finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
And pinky finger,
The sole of the left hand,
The palm of the left hand,
And the back of the left hand,
Left side wrist,
Left side forearm,
Left side elbow,
Inside of the elbow,
Left side upper arm,
Left shoulder,
Left armpit,
Left side of your chest,
Left side of your waist,
Left side hip,
Left half of the pelvic bowl,
Upper left leg,
Knee,
Back of the knee,
Lower left leg,
Left ankle,
Top of the left foot,
And the sole of the left foot,
Left big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
And pinky toe,
Left side buttocks,
Left side of your back,
Whole left arm,
And the whole left leg.
Become aware of your entire head,
Back of the head,
Back of the neck,
The front of the neck,
The sides of the neck,
The whole neck,
The entire chest,
Entire front half of you,
And the entire back half of you.
Become aware of your right eye,
Left eye,
Right eyebrow,
And left eyebrow,
Forehead,
The right side of your nose,
The left side of your nose,
Left cheek,
Right cheek,
The chin,
Upper lip,
And lower lip,
Your whole face,
The radiant face of Saraswati.
Become aware of the palms of both hands together.
Feel them full of pure creative source,
Tingling with power and imagination.
Become aware of your tongue,
Full of eloquence.
Become aware of your entire body,
Full of pure warm white light,
Full of Shakti.
Becoming aware of your entire body lying on the floor.
Feeling all parts of you that are in contact with the floor.
And then for a moment,
Imagine yourself floating up,
And it's like you're looking down at your body from above.
See yourself as Saraswati.
Taking in the wonder and divinity that is you.
And coming back into your beautiful awakened body.
Start to notice sounds around you near and far together in your environment.
And notice what it feels like to be you in this moment.
Once more,
Reconnect with your intention.
Start to deepen your inhales again.
Lengthen your exhales.
And as you take a few more deep breaths,
As you're ready you can start to wiggle the fingers,
Which are still Saraswati's fingers,
And your toes,
Her toes.
Taking little gentle movements.
Before you open your eyes,
Perhaps you just visualize what it is you want to create in the day ahead of you.
And if nothing arises,
Let it be open and simply invite yourself to trust that Saraswati's energy inside of you,
Saraswati in you,
Will come through.
You just allow yourself to be open to that and to step into her flow,
Receive her flow and go with that flow and let it flow through you as you.
Om.
