Welcome to this Yoga Nidra practice.
Yoga Nidra is traditionally practiced in the yoga posture Shavasana.
Lying on your back with your legs open to a little wider than hip distance and with your arms a little away from your sides with the palms of the hands facing upwards.
But for some people Shavasana isn't the most comfortable position to stay in for a long time.
So if you don't feel like you'll be able to comfortably lie in Shavasana for the practice,
Find another position that feels better for you.
You could bring your feet to the mat at hip distance and let your knees drop in together.
Or bring the soles of your feet together,
Opening the knees out to the sides.
Or you could lie on your side if that feels best.
Or maybe do the practice sitting.
Take as much support as you need.
Make use of pillows and blankets to make your body as comfortable as it could possibly be.
So that perhaps you could forget that it's even there as you rest.
Once you've made yourself comfortable,
Bring your awareness to your breath.
And follow the natural flow of the breath coming in and going out.
Watch the breath flowing into your lungs.
Into your chest.
Into your belly.
And is there anywhere else in your body that the breath is naturally flowing to?
Notice how with every breath your body becomes a little more relaxed.
With every exhalation tension releases from the muscles.
And your body sinks a little more deeply into the surface beneath you.
Begin to see your breath like a wave,
Washing over the whole of your body.
As you inhale the wave washes from your feet to your head.
And as you exhale it washes back from your head to your feet.
Washing away any tension from your body.
Washing away any thoughts or worries that you don't need to bring into your relaxation.
Washing away anything that does not serve your time of deep rest.
Now send the awareness outwards to the sounds that you can hear in your environment.
And just become aware of any sounds that are there.
Allow your awareness to jump between the different sounds.
Just acknowledging them.
Without getting too involved with what they are or where they're coming from.
And know that the sounds aren't going to disturb you.
They can only serve to enhance your relaxation.
And just take a moment now to acknowledge that this is your time for your rest.
That there is no way to get this practice wrong.
You can continue to follow my voice for as long as that feels useful for you.
But you're also free to drift away and ignore me.
And if you do fall asleep,
It just means that your body needs to sleep.
And is taking advantage of this restful time to get the rejuvenation and healing that it needs.
So knowing that you can't get this wrong,
Welcome whatever the practice has for you today.
And give yourself permission to surrender into peaceful healing rest.
We're going to take a journey around the body.
Allow your awareness to move to each part as its name.
Beginning at the right hand.
Bring your awareness to rest at the right hand thumb.
The right index finger.
The right middle finger.
The ring finger.
The little finger.
The palm of the right hand.
The back of the hand.
The right tourists.
The right forearm.
The right elbow.
The upper arm.
The right shoulder.
The right armpit.
The right side of the chest.
The right side of the abdomen.
The right ways.
The right tip.
The right thigh.
The knee.
The lower leg.
The right ankle.
The right here.
The sole of the right foot.
The top of the right foot.
Each of the right toes.
One,
Two.
3.
.
.
4.
.
.
Bring the awareness to the whole of the right foot.
The hole of the right clay.
The whole of the right arm.
The whole of the right side of the body.
And moving to the left side,
Bring the awareness to the left hand thumb.
The left index finger.
The left middle finger.
The ring finger.
The little finger.
The palm of the left hand.
The back of the hand.
The left wrist the left forearm.
The left elbow.
The upper arm.
The left shoulder.
The left armpit.
The left side of the chest.
The left side of the abdomen.
The left waist The left hip.
The left thigh.
The left knee.
The lower leg.
The left ankle.
The left ear.
The sole of the left foot.
The top of the thread.
The left toes one 3 4 the whole of the left foot.
The whole of the left leg.
The whole of the left arm.
The whole of the left side of the body.
And the whole of the body together.
Awareness on the whole of the body together.
The whole of the body together.
Bring the awareness to the breath.
Follow the breath as it flows in and out.
Watch the chest rising and falling with the inhalation and exhalation.
Now begin to count the breaths backwards from 27 to zero.
Like this.
Breathing in,
27.
Breathing out,
27.
Breathing in,
26.
Breathing out 26.
Breathing in,
25.
Breathing out,
25.
And so on,
All the way to zero.
If you make a mistake or if you reach the end.
Go back to 27 and start again.
Continue following the breath and counting.
Stop counting and move the awareness to the heart center.
Rest at the heart centre.
Here you are free to completely surrender into quiet peace.
Keeping the awareness at the heart center.
See a tiny flickering flame at the centre of the hat.
Awareness on the frame at the center of the heart.
And now very slowly begin to turn the awareness back outward.
Notice any sounds that are present in your environment.
And just let the awareness jump from sound to sound.
Without getting too involved in anyone's zone.
Just acknowledging that they're there.
Feel into the feeling of your body resting into the surface beneath you.
Feel the breath flowing in and out.
And very slowly begin to reawaken your body.
Moving your fingers and toes.
Wrists and ankles.
And give yourself a stretch in any way that feels good for you.
When you feel ready,
Slowly open your eyes.
Thank you for practicing with me today.
