To this guided yoga nidra session designed to help you connect with the boundless cosmic energy that surrounds you.
Find a comfortable position,
Either lying down on your back or in a seated position,
Supported with your spine nice and elongated.
Bring your eyelids to heavy and gently close over your gaze.
Take a deep cleansing breath in through your nose and exhale through your mouth,
Releasing any tension.
As we embark on this journey,
Allow your awareness to settle into the present moment.
Feel the weight of your body on the surface beneath you.
Sense the space all around you,
Embracing you in tranquil embrace.
Breathe naturally,
Without effort.
Each inhale,
Visualize that you are drawing in the pure essence of the universe,
The very energy that flows through the galaxies and stars.
As you exhale,
Release any worries or distractions.
Let them dissolve into the vast expanse around you.
Throughout practice,
I invite you to become a witness to all the internal and external sensations,
Thoughts and emotions you possess.
You are not these things,
Rather the witness of them all.
Let them come,
Let them go.
Set the intention in your mind now to remain awake,
Aware and deeply relaxed.
Set your own intention,
Your resolve or deepest wish for transformation.
Let it bubble up inside of you and holding this intention in mind,
Repeat it back to yourself three times silently now.
Let's move your awareness around your body as I bring your awareness to a part of your body.
Bring your mind mentally echoing it back to yourself simultaneously.
Travel your awareness to your right thumb,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Fourth finger,
Fifth finger,
The top of your right hand,
The palm of your hand,
Your right wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Elbow crease,
Upper arm,
Right shoulder,
Rib cage,
The space between each of the rib bones,
The length of your right waist,
Outer hip,
The top of your right thigh,
The back of your right thigh,
Your thigh bone resting between the two,
Your right knee,
Knee,
Shin and calf.
Notice your right ankle,
The top of your right foot,
Your right heel,
Sole of your foot,
All five toes.
Be aware of the space between each of the toes.
Move your consciousness up towards your left thumb,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Fourth finger,
Fifth finger,
The top of your left hand,
The palm of your hand,
Your left wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Elbow crease,
Your left shoulder,
Armpit,
Rib cage,
The space between each of the rib bones,
The length of your left waist,
Outer hip,
The top of your left thigh,
The back of your left thigh,
The bone between the two,
Left knee,
Shin,
Calf.
Notice your left ankle,
The top of your left foot,
Your heel,
The sole of your foot,
All five toes,
The space between your toes.
Now move your awareness to the back side of your body.
Notice your glutes,
Right and left,
Your lower back,
Middle back.
Be aware of the entire length of your spine.
Notice the back of your neck,
The back of your skull,
The crown of your head.
Be aware of the smooth muscle around your face,
Both eyebrows,
Your eyeballs resting in the cradles of the eye sockets,
Your eyelids resting gently over your gaze,
The bridge of your nose,
The tip of your nose,
Both nostrils,
Both ears,
Your cheekbones,
Jaw,
Upper lip,
Lower lip,
Your teeth resting in your mouth,
Your tongue resting in the bed of your lower teeth,
The front of your neck,
Your throat,
Both collarbones,
Your chest,
Your heart resting in your chest,
Both lungs breathing,
Your belly softening,
Your organs restful in your belly,
Your pelvis and the contents of your pelvis.
Notice the right side of your body,
The left side of your body,
Your entire body in space.
Be aware of your entire body in space.
Now,
Draw your attention to the natural ingoing and outgoing breath.
Feel the breath going in and out of your lungs.
Try not to change the rhythm of your breath.
The breathing is natural.
You are not doing the breath.
There is no effort.
Maintain awareness of your breath.
Continue in complete awareness.
As you breathe,
Imagine yourself floating in the vast expanse of outer space.
Your body is weightless,
Untethered.
With every inhale,
You feel as if you are drawing in the very essence of the cosmos itself.
As you breathe in,
Your lungs expand to capture the cosmic breath.
You sense the universe flowing through you.
As the universe flows,
You feel it filling you with its boundless wisdom and wonder.
With each exhale,
Your breath mingles with the cosmic currents,
Creating ripples that echo across the space around you.
Each outward breath carries with it any tension,
Worries or concerns you might have had.
You watch as your exhalations merge with the infinite space,
Dissolving into the void like a gentle offering to the universe.
As you continue observing your breath,
Visualize becoming attuned to the rhythm of the universe itself.
Inhale by inhale,
You feel more connected to the mysteries that lie beyond human comprehension.
Exhale by exhale,
You release the trivialities that often confine your mind.
Allow your consciousness to expand into the cosmic tapestry.
With each inhale,
Envision yourself absorbing the radiant energy of the universe.
With each exhale,
Release any constraints that hold you back.
Watch as they dissolve into the cosmic void,
Leaving you lighter and more attuned to the infinite possibilities that stretch before you.
As you witness the dance of inhales and exhales,
The cosmic symphony,
Become aware of the profound interconnectedness of all things.
Just as the stars are born from the depths of space and return to it when their brilliance fades,
So too do your breaths echo the eternal cycle of creation and dissolution.
Now bring your awareness back to my voice.
Gaze through your forehead now to the center of your mind.
Project your mind into the space,
Imagining before you a transparent screen through which you can see infinite space,
A space that extends as far as the eyes can see,
As low or as high and as wide as you can see.
Watch the darkness that you see before you very carefully.
Be totally aware yet uninvolved.
Rest your mind in this friendly darkness.
As you're here,
Become aware of any images that manifest within the dark space,
As if you are watching a movie.
You may see colors or patterns.
Simply notice these and continue with your awareness.
Know that these things are the manifestation of your subconscious mind.
If thoughts bubble up,
Let them come and let them go.
But continue watching the dark space.
There should be no effort,
Just awareness.
Continue your awareness of this space,
Uninvolved,
Detached,
Relaxed.
Now let go of this awareness and bring your awareness back to your body.
Imagine the whole body becoming light,
As though your body could defy gravity.
The head light and weightless.
The limbs light and weightless.
The torso light and weightless.
The whole body getting lighter and lighter.
Now imagine your body becoming heavy.
Feel the heaviness in all parts of your body,
Each part becoming heavier and heavier.
The head heavy,
The limbs heavy,
The torso very heavy.
Feel your body getting heavier,
Like it's sinking down into the floor.
Now find a neutral resting position for your body and awaken the experience of cold.
Imagine cold in your body,
As if you were outside in a chilly winter,
Feeling the cold air on your skin.
Feel the frigid air permeating your entire body.
Now allow the sensation of warmth to spread throughout your entire body.
Remember the feeling of heat,
As if the sun were directly kissing your skin.
Feel heat radiating onto you,
Heat building up in your body.
Now return to a neutral temperature in your mind.
Bring your awareness back to your mind screen.
As I list a series of images,
Try your best to bring that image to mind.
As I move on to the next,
Let go of the previous image and so forth.
If you have difficulty bringing an image to mind,
Let it go.
Move on to the next.
Imagine on your mind screen a red desert.
A Buddha meditating.
A good night's rest.
A full moon.
Your reflection in a mirror.
A foggy morning.
A shooting star.
The sun shining overhead.
A flickering candlelight.
A time you received help from another.
Cool,
Clear water.
A relaxing afternoon.
A warm embrace.
A starry night.
Dark rain clouds overhead.
A vibrant sunset.
A bowl of oranges.
A deep breath.
A dog stretching.
The sound of my voice.
Your body lying on the floor.
Now remove these images from your mind.
Dash them away from your mind screen.
Visualize yourself in a kayak,
Gliding gracefully across a vast lake as dusk settles in.
The water stretches out before you,
Smooth and serene.
It's a reflection of the soft hues of twilight.
With each stroke of the paddle,
The water barely ripples,
And the tranquil scene is like a painting come to life.
Pause your paddling,
Recline in the kayak,
And visualize yourself gently closing your eyes.
Allow your mind to dance to the rhythm of nature's symphony.
Crickets sing their melodies.
Frogs add their calls to the chorus.
And occasionally,
A fish leaps from the water with a splash that merges back into the calm.
The air is still,
And your kayak rests motionless amidst this orchestra of sounds.
Every inhale,
Invite the crisp evening air into your lungs,
Savoring the tranquility of the moment.
Nature's embrace envelops you as you soak in the beauty all around you.
Eventually,
You decide it's time to return.
You sit up,
Facing a breathtaking sunset.
The sky is awash in deep purples and blues,
And the silhouette of a snow-capped mountain is mirrored in the water's surface.
As the sun dips below the horizon of the snow-capped mountains,
You begin to paddle back towards the dock where your journey began.
Your strokes are measured and deliberate,
Carrying you back with a sense of purpose.
The last glimmers of daylight fade as you reach the dock,
Pulling your kayak from the water and setting it aside for the night.
Far removed from the glow of city lights,
The night sky stretches above you,
Unobstructed by clouds.
You decide to lay down on the dock and gaze upwards.
The stars twinkle like diamonds in the velvet expanse,
Varying in size and brilliance.
Some might be planets,
Others distant galaxies and constellations that paint familiar patterns.
As you lie witness to the night sky,
You ponder the incredible journeys these celestial lights have undertaken to grace your view tonight.
The thought of light traveling for eons just to meet your gaze fills you with awe.
How remarkable that these stars persistently share their ancient stories across time and space.
Reflect now on your own journey through life,
The experiences that have shaped you,
The challenges you've overcome,
And the victories that you've celebrated.
Consider now one aspect of yourself that shines brightly,
Akin to the most luminous star in the sky.
As you do,
Allow a smile to form on your lips as you embrace this aspect of yourself with pride.
Just as the stars change and evolve over time,
You too have grown and transformed,
With each mindful breath taking in this feeling.
These stars above you aren't their most current selves either.
Some may have faded away,
Yet they endure,
Radiating their light even in the universe's depths.
In this peaceful cosmic embrace,
You invite your own light to shine forth.
Continuing with your mindful breaths,
You send your story back to the stars that have witnessed countless tales.
Take a moment to bask in this exchange before preparing to head home.
You take a few more deliberate breaths,
Bridging the space between you and the stars.
In this moment of connection,
You acknowledge the brilliant light within you and the unique narrative you contribute to the universe.
With a heart full of gratitude,
You begin your journey back,
Carrying the gentle glow of the stars in your soul.
Gently come back to the sound of my voice and allow your intention,
From the beginning of this practice,
To bubble up again from the depths of your mind,
Repeating it silently back to yourself three times now.
Bring your attention to the natural breath that flows in and out of your nostrils.
Feel the ebb and flow of each turning breath.
Develop awareness of the physical relaxation of your body in this moment.
Feel your body sinking down into the floor,
Supported.
Remember that you're practicing yoga nidra,
And imagine the surrounding room.
Imagine any people or objects that might be present.
Notice any sounds or sensations that might bring you more into the present moment.
Start moving your body very slowly,
Move your fingers and toes slowly,
Move your hands and feet slowly,
Turn your head left and right,
Massaging the back of your head if it's resting on a surface.
Take all the time you need,
There is no hurry,
And when you're sure that you're fully awake,
Open your eyes and allow the action of seeing to happen.
Try not to focus on any one thing,
Simply witnessing your environment.
Gently bring your hands together in prayer,
Sealing in your practice of yoga nidra,
Sealing in the energy of the cosmos.
