Hi,
I'm Christy Kelly and welcome to the practice of Yoga Nidra,
A practice of returning home,
Home to your heart.
This practice of Yoga Nidra is focused around a reset for the nervous system.
You're welcome to meet this practice lying down or seated,
Making use of any props to enhance the sense of support and relaxation.
However you choose to meet this practice,
Do so with intentionality,
Being deliberate about how you place the body.
As you begin to settle towards stillness,
Notice the parts of you connected with the surfaces beneath.
When you rest your body into the support,
Notice what you bring with you,
Allow it to be,
Making space for it to be.
We will begin to move through a progressive muscle relaxation.
A region of the body will be named and you'll be invited to gently squeeze and tense the muscles for a few moments before releasing and moving on.
Become aware of the features of the face,
The mouth,
The eyes,
The eyebrows,
The cheeks,
Scrunch the muscles of the face,
Squeezing,
Holding,
Tensing and release,
Soften.
Your awareness rests with the torso,
The shoulders,
The arms,
The hands.
Gently scrunch the shoulders towards the ears,
Tensing the muscles of the arms,
Curling the hands into fists,
Tensing the abdomen,
The muscles of the back,
Hold,
Creating tension,
Holding and releasing,
The shoulders drop away from the ears,
The hands unfurl,
The abdomen,
The back,
Soften.
Wrap your awareness around the hips,
Buttocks,
Legs,
Feet,
Tense the buttocks,
Tensing the legs and curling the toes towards the soles of the feet,
Creating tension,
Hold,
Hold,
Release and release the buttocks,
The legs,
Unfurl the toes,
Soften,
The body resting more and more into the support beneath you.
Give your weight to the support and begin to connect with the rhythm of the breath,
Perhaps sighing the breath out,
Energetically releasing any tightness or tension you may be unwittingly holding.
Each out breath is an invitation to allow the tension to fall away.
Begin to observe the breath moving fluidly in and out through the nostrils,
The whole body breathing,
The breath attuning to the natural rhythm,
Slow,
Strong,
Steady,
Diminishing and expanding,
Expanding and diminishing.
The body breathes as the earth breathes,
The earth breathes as the body breathes,
Diminishing and expanding,
Expanding and diminishing,
Resting with the breath as you are held by the earth.
How does it feel to expand with each breath?
How does it feel to inhabit the entire space within and around you?
The in breath energizing and enlivening,
Expansive.
And how does it feel to fall back toward your center with each out breath?
How does it feel to return to your center within?
The out breath gifts you with a sense of inward focus,
Calling you back toward your center.
The interplay of the in breath with the out breath,
The out breath with the in breath.
And here you are with everything you need to soften,
To settle,
To rest.
The earth holds you,
Your form is entirely supported.
Notice how you meet the earth and how this may have shifted from the beginning.
Notice what is true for you in this moment.
Notice your entire presence.
Noticing what is alive for you in this moment.
Your thoughts,
Your emotion,
Making space for it to be.
Gently let this go,
For it is done.
The in breath inspires and enlivens you.
The body breathes as you begin to emerge from this reset.
Perhaps taking the arms overhead,
Stretching long between the tips of the fingers and the toes.
And if you are lying down,
Gently roll to your side and pause.
Becoming intentional with how you move the body from the earth to an upright seat.
Allow the heart to lead the way as you press yourself toward a comfortable seat.
The heart leading the way,
The head last to arrive.
The practice of yoga nidra is now complete.
You're welcome to bring your left hand to the heart,
The right hand resting on the left.
And in this moment,
Giving yourself thanks for all that you were,
All that you are,
And all that you are yet to become.
