So let's settle down.
There's going to be a little bit in the nidra today where I invite a little bit of the night sky.
And we're going to use that starlight if you want,
If you find it nice to use a starlight or a blue light to help with that rotation of consciousness.
So each time I mention a part of the body,
You might sense,
Feel or imagine a little starlight landing on each part of the body as it is named.
Thanks,
Connie.
As it is named.
And as we go around the body and I might kind of use a visualization of the sky and the constellations and the cosmos.
I kind of like doing that when there's a new moon because if you're lucky enough and the sky is wherever you are,
If it is dark and you are able to see the stars,
It's nice.
But then if you feel like you want to visualize that you can too.
So we're going to let our light shine our inner light shine this evening as we begin to settle down,
Settle down.
I'm going to try not be so giddy as well.
So we're going to settle down wherever you are if you need to put a pillow under your head,
A pillow under your knees.
Beginning to settle.
And see is there anything there that you could do to make yourself five to 10% more comfortable.
So if you know that you are having to get up and move around.
After the practice,
Maybe don't put something over your eyes if you're wanting to go sleep afterwards,
Make sure your room is dark.
Comfortable,
Comfortable and warm.
As we begin to settle down.
Become aware maybe of sounds that you can hear in and around you.
So we welcome in the sounds that are around us.
Without labeling,
Noticing.
And we invite a stillness and the fullness that's in silence to enter as well.
If you're doing this practice in the morning,
You may say to yourself,
I am awake,
I am doing yoga nidra.
If you're using this practice in the middle of the day,
I am awake,
I am doing yoga nidra.
If you're doing it at night,
I am awake,
I'm doing yoga nidra for now,
But I may fall asleep.
Okay.
And yoga nidra is the form of awareness and we allow this awareness to come down to where our heels,
The backs of the feet,
Where they rest.
Can you become aware of the weight of the heels or maybe points of contact that the heels make,
The back of the feet where they make with the bed or the ground or your mat.
And then allow this awareness move up through the backs of the legs.
Notice any supports under the backs of the legs.
The back of the pelvis,
The lower back,
Middle back,
Upper back,
The right shoulder blade and then the left shoulder blade and then the back of the head.
Can you sense,
Feel or imagine a point at the back of the head that's connecting you to the pillow,
To the bed,
To the ground,
The mat,
Whatever surface you're on.
The whole back body and then the whole body.
The weight of the whole body being supported by the bed or the mat or the ground,
But being supported by the earth.
Turn the awareness now to the breath,
Let the awareness come to the breath.
Begin to notice the breath in and the breath out.
Can you sense,
Feel or imagine what's happening as you breathe in as the breath is being welcomed in.
And then what happens is the breath leaves the body,
Making space almost for the next breath to be welcomed in.
Watching the body breathe itself,
Noticing any movements,
Any sensations that happen in around the breath.
And if you like,
Slowly and gently begin to lengthen and deepen that breath,
Breath by breath.
This is an invitation.
If this is something that you are not comfortable doing,
That is perfectly fine.
Go back to a breath or a pace that is comfortable for you.
This is your time now.
And then how would it be to slowly inhale and then slightly slower on the exhale?
Slow inhale.
And just a slightly slower exhale as you breathe.
Continue to do this for a few more moments with your own breath at your own pace.
How would you or how would it be even to bring to mind your safe haven?
That person,
Place or thing that evokes a felt sense of well-being,
A felt sense of security,
Of calm,
Of peace.
That person,
Place or thing that allows you to feel safe,
Secure,
Grounded and perhaps an overall well-being.
Thank you,
John.
If you have a sankalpa,
An intention,
A positive statement or an affirmation,
Something that you say to yourself in the present tense.
If you have a sankalpa,
And don't worry if nothing comes to mind straight away.
And repeat it here mentally three times.
I am practicing yoga nidra.
I am practicing yoga nidra and yoga nidra is the form of awareness.
And we're going to take this form of awareness on a little trip around the body as if the body was going to light up like a nice little galaxy in the sky.
And it's a time that a part of the body's mentioned,
Perhaps a little starlight lands and rests on this part of the body.
So if we brought the attention to the right hand thumb and a starlight lands on the thumb.
And then another one onto the index finger and then the middle finger,
The fourth finger and then the little finger.
And then the awareness or the starlight moves up to the wrist to the elbow to the shoulder armpit side of the chest side of the waist,
Right hip,
Thigh,
Knee,
Shin,
Ankle,
Top of the right foot,
Sole of the right foot,
The instep of the right foot,
The big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe,
All the toes on the right foot.
And then this starlight moves over and across to the left hand,
To the left hand thumb.
And then to the index finger,
Middle finger,
Fourth finger,
Little finger,
All the fingers on the left hand sparkling with these starlights.
And then the starlight lands on the wrist on the elbow,
The shoulder,
The armpit side of the chest side of the waist,
The hip,
Thigh,
Knee,
Shin,
Ankle,
Top of the foot,
Sole of the foot,
The big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe,
All the toes on the left foot.
Awareness,
Into the whole of the left leg,
Into the whole of the left arm,
The whole of the left side of the body.
And then awareness into the whole of the right leg,
The whole of the right arm,
The whole of the right side of the body.
And then we let a starlight come and land in between the eyebrows.
And then from the right eyebrow over to the left eyebrow.
And then the left eyelid over to the right eyelid.
Right cheekbone over to the left cheekbone.
Left side of the jaw over to the right side of the jaw.
The tip of the nose.
The top lip,
The bottom lip,
The tip of the chin.
Awareness to the left ear,
The right ear.
And then to that point in between the collarbones up the nape of the neck.
Then down to the centre of the chest.
Down to the navel.
To the pubic bones.
And then the starlight moves down through the legs to the backs of the heels again.
The backs of the knees,
The back of the pelvis.
Lower back,
Middle back,
Upper back.
Right shoulder blade,
Left shoulder blade.
Back of the head,
Crown of the head.
Around again to the centre of the eyebrows.
Down to the space in between the collarbones.
And then it comes to rest in the centre of the chest,
The heart centre.
The whole body resting now.
The whole body shining,
Twinkling in the cosmos.
The whole body,
A constellation of stars shining brightly in the dark sky.
The whole body resting.
The whole body resting.
The whole body resting.
And then let the attention come to the breath as the body rests deeply.
Begin counting each breath silently backwards from seven to one.
Breathing in,
Abdomen rising seven.
Breathing out,
Abdomen releasing seven.
In breath,
Belly or chest or both rising six.
Out breath,
Belly,
Chest or both releasing six.
Continuing counting,
Breathing in your own natural rhythm.
At your own pace.
Don't worry if you lose count,
You can start again.
Letting go of the count.
No need to reach number one if you haven't got there.
Become aware of the flows of sensation through the body.
The body like a radiant field of sensation.
The whole body from the tips,
The fingers to the tips,
The toes to the crown of the head.
The whole body vibrant,
Radiant,
Shining.
Can you become aware of all that's present now in your awareness?
Feeling yourself as the one who is aware of everything that's now present.
Sensing what is present.
Welcoming everything just as it is.
Experiencing yourself maybe dissolving being the field of awareness in which everything is arising.
You can take any time to come back to the breath,
To come back to the sensation of the body,
The weight of the body grounded to the earth.
Bringing the attention now if you like to feelings that are present in the body such as warmth or coolness,
Heaviness or lightness.
Comfort or discomfort.
Everything just as it is.
Whatever it is.
And if you come across a sensation or a feeling in the body,
Can you find its opposite?
Stay there for a moment.
And move between the two.
So if you're feeling coolness,
Find warmth.
Heaviness,
Find lightness.
Move from one to the other.
Welcoming in all sensations just as they are,
However they are.
How would it be to hold both those sensations at the same time welcoming in the opposite fully into the body and then both fully into the body at the same time without thinking?
Simply experiencing.
Being aware now of all that is present,
Welcoming all,
Feeling yourself as the one who is aware of everything that's now present.
Experiencing yourself as the field of awareness in which everything is arising.
Remember there's no right or wrong way to do this.
And at any time,
You can come back to your anchor of your breath,
Or the sense of the whole body supported and grounded with the earth.
Welcoming in again,
Your sankalpa,
Your intention,
Positive statement.
Affirmation.
Becoming aware again of sounds around you.
Perhaps seeing in your mind's eye where you are positioned in the room in your space.
Imagining the walls,
The ceiling,
And the floor.
Sensing the weight of the body again onto the ground,
Onto the floor.
And as we begin to draw this practice of yoga nidra to its completion,
Reflect on the journey that you have just taken.
This gift of time and rest and deep healing that you have given yourself.
That you have welcomed everything just as it is,
However it is.
That you have given yourself permission to rest.
Welcome in a sense of smell the next time that you breathe in.
Welcome in the sensation of touch,
The warmth of clothing or blanket on the body.
Coolness and lightness of air on the skin.
And if you were using the practice to return to sleep,
Gently roll over onto whatever side is comfortable.
Continue with your rest for the night.
If you were practicing this during the day or in the morning,
Welcome in with your next inhale,
A full,
Wakeful,
Energizing breath.
And if you feel like you need to do that again,
Do that again and stretch.
Bring a little bit of movement into fingers and toes and hands and feet.
This practice of yoga nidra is now complete.
