Welcome to your Yoga Nidra practice.
This practice has been inspired by the astrological sign of Cancer,
The crab.
Cancer is the fourth sign of the zodiac.
It's the ruler of the fourth astrological house and is ruled by the moon.
Cancer is the sign of the home and family,
Of motherhood,
Domestic activity,
Care and nurture.
The visualizations in this practice have been inspired by the sign of Cancer.
The practice is suitable for everyone,
But if you have a significant cancer placement in your chart,
You may find it to be especially useful or insightful.
So make yourself comfortable as you prepare to begin.
Take the time to support yourself and to bring your body into a position that you'll be able to rest in without feeling distracted by any physical discomfort.
For the duration of the practice,
Wherever you're resting is going to be your home.
So make it a cozy and comfortable home.
Take any blankets,
Pillows and support that you need.
And take the time now to make yourself really comfortable.
If it feels good for you to lie on your back,
Then lie on your back,
Perhaps supporting your ankles,
Legs or head with pillows or blankets.
Or if you don't feel like you'll be able to rest comfortably on your back for the whole practice,
Then find another position that works for you.
And feel your body relaxing into this position.
Feel your body relaxing into the comfort of the surface beneath you.
Relaxing into the support of any pillows or blankets around you.
With every breath,
Feel your body becoming more relaxed.
Feel tension gently releasing from the muscles.
With every breath,
Feel your body melting more deeply into relaxation.
And now visualize your breath flowing over the whole of your body like a wave.
Breathe in from the top of your feet to the top of your head.
And breathe out from the top of your head back to your feet.
With every exhalation,
Feel the wave washing away anything that you no longer need to carry with you into your practice.
Any worries or problems,
Any thoughts about things that have happened today,
Or that are going to happen later.
Feel the wave washing away all of those thoughts and worries that will not serve your relaxation.
And with every breath,
Feel yourself relaxing even more deeply.
Now become aware of the sounds you can hear in your environment.
Notice all of the different sounds.
Just let your awareness jump from sound to sound without getting too involved in what they are or where they're coming from.
Become aware of the sounds in the distance,
Of sounds that are closer to you,
Of the sounds of your breath and of your heartbeat.
And welcome all of the sounds,
Knowing that they're not going to disturb you as you practice,
But will only help you to relax even more deeply.
Feel how safe and comfortable you feel,
How secure you feel,
How easy it is for you to surrender into relaxation.
What can you do to feel even more safe,
Even more secure,
Even more comfortable?
Invite any impressions to arise that will add to your feeling of safety.
Perhaps remembering a time when you felt very safe and secure,
Or imagining a situation which has everything you need to feel safe,
Well and secure.
Feel this feeling of safety intensifying.
Welcome it into your body.
Safety,
Security,
Absolute wellness and comfort.
This is your inner resource.
You can return to this feeling at any time that you need it during the practice.
Safety,
Security,
Absolute well-being.
And if you would like to send a positive wish or a prayer to a family member or a loved one,
Take the time now to make a positive intention for that person.
If you like,
You can intend for the benefits of this practice to extend to them.
Or you might like to take a moment to send a prayer for healing,
Or to send them blessings.
And now we'll begin the rotation of consciousness around the body.
Float the awareness to each part as it's named,
And feel into that part of the body.
Feel the sensations present in each part of the body.
We'll begin at the tip of the tongue.
Bring the awareness to the tip of the tongue,
And feel into the tip of the tongue,
And the whole of the tongue.
Feel into the whole of the tongue,
And the roof of the mouth,
The bottom of the mouth,
The gums,
The teeth.
Feel into the whole of the mouth,
And bring the awareness to the upper lip.
Feel into the upper lip,
And the lower lip,
The chin,
The jaw,
The cheeks,
The nose,
And the eyes.
Feel into the eyes,
The eyeball,
The eyelids,
The eyelashes,
The eyebrows,
And the eyebrow centre.
Feel into the forehead,
The top of the head,
The back of the head,
The back of the neck.
Feel the sensations present in the right shoulder,
The right upper arm,
The right elbow,
The right lower arm,
The right wrist,
The right hand,
The right thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
And little finger.
Feel into the left shoulder.
Feel the sensations present in the left shoulder,
The left upper arm,
The left elbow,
The left lower arm,
The left wrist,
The left hand,
The left thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
Little finger.
Feel the sensations in the right collarbone,
The left collarbone,
The space between the collarbones,
The left side of the chest,
The right side of the chest,
The centre of the chest,
The navel,
The lower abdomen,
The right hip,
The right thigh,
The right knee,
The right lower leg,
The right ankle,
The right heel,
The sole of the right foot,
The top of the right foot,
And the right toes.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Feel into the left hip,
The left thigh,
The left knee,
The left lower leg,
The left ankle,
The left heel,
The sole of the left foot,
The top of the left foot,
The left toes.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
And now feel sensation in the back of the body.
Feel into the right heel,
And the left heel,
The right buttock,
And the left buttock.
Feel into the whole of the spine.
Feel the awareness flowing up every vertebrae of the spine.
And feel into the right shoulder blade,
The left shoulder blade,
The back of the head,
The top of the head,
And the whole body together.
Feel into the whole of the body together.
The whole of the body together.
The whole of the body together.
Bring the awareness to the breath.
Follow the gentle movement of the breath as it flows in and out of the body.
Observe the natural cycle of the breath.
Follow the breath flowing in through the nostrils.
Traveling down the windpipe into the lungs.
And follow the breath back out again.
Out of the lungs,
Up the windpipe,
And out of the nostrils.
Now bring the awareness to the heart.
Become aware of the beating of the heart.
And bring the awareness to the blood flowing around the body.
Watch the blood flowing all the way around the body.
And can you perceive the oxygen nourishing the blood as it moves through the lungs into the bloodstream?
Can you perceive the carbon dioxide leaving the blood,
Entering into the lungs and flowing out of the body?
Observe this flow of the breath and the blood,
Cycling throughout the body.
Oxygen travelling through the nostrils,
Into the lungs,
Into the bloodstream.
Carbon dioxide leaving the bloodstream,
Entering the lungs,
Flowing up the windpipe and out of the body.
Continue to observe this cycle of the breath and the blood.
Now invite to arise again the feeling of absolute safety and security.
Invite the feeling of security to arise in your body.
Where do you feel security?
Become aware of the sensations that arise with the feeling of security.
The feeling of security.
Intensify this feeling of security.
And now invite to arise the feeling of insecurity.
What do you feel in your body as you invite insecurity to arise?
The feeling of insecurity.
Feel it vividly.
Insecurity.
And are you able to feel both of those at the same time?
Can you invite the feelings of security and insecurity to arise together?
Are you able to feel security and insecurity together?
Security and insecurity together.
Now invite the feeling of contentment.
Welcome the feeling of contentment as it arises in the body.
What do you feel as you experience contentment?
Intensify the feeling of contentment.
Welcome contentment.
The feeling of contentment.
And now the feeling of discontentment.
Invite the feeling of discontentment to arise.
What do you feel in your body as you experience discontentment?
Intensify the feeling of discontentment.
The feeling of discontentment.
And are you able to experience both of those at the same time?
Are you able to feel contentment and discontentment together?
Contentment and discontentment together.
Now invite the feeling to arise of feeling very closed.
The feeling of keeping things hidden inside.
Of being very closed.
How does that feel inside your body?
The feeling of being closed.
Intensify this feeling.
Experience it fully.
The feeling of closed.
The feeling of keeping things hidden.
And now invite the feeling of being very open to arise.
How does it feel to feel very open?
Welcome the feeling of openness.
Feel it intensely inside your body.
And is it possible to feel both of those at the same time?
Are you able to feel very closed and very open at the same time?
Can you feel open and closed together?
Open and closed together.
See yourself carefully tending a nest of eggs.
Doing everything you need to keep the eggs warm and safe.
See yourself carefully tending to each individual egg in the nest.
With love and devotion.
Slowly the eggs begin to crack.
And from inside each egg emerges a tiny duckling.
You care for each of the ducklings with devotion.
You give them food,
Water,
Warmth and shelter.
Do everything that you need to do to care for the ducklings.
And watch the ducklings slowly grow.
Each of the ducklings gradually becomes bigger.
And you continue to care for them with love and devotion.
The happy ducklings grow and grow.
Safely nurtured,
Warm and fed.
And the time comes for you to set the ducks free.
To send them out into the world.
You carefully carry them to the river.
And one by one you place them onto the water.
You watch them happily splash in the river.
You watch them swim along.
You watch them fly into the sky.
And knowing that they're safe and happy.
And ready to enjoy the world.
You let them go.
See yourself standing inside an empty room.
This room is yours to decorate and furnish however you like.
To make into a cosy home for yourself.
There are no limitations.
Decorate the room however you please.
Bring in the furniture that you wish for.
Bring in any objects that you wish to have in the room.
Take the time to decorate your room.
And make a cosy and happy home for yourself.
Fill it with everything that you love.
And if there are any other people that you would like to invite into the room.
Invite those people to enjoy the room with you.
Welcome them into your space.
Now make for yourself a comfortable bed to rest in.
Take everything you need to make the cosiest,
Most comfortable resting space.
And relax into your bed.
Feel yourself relaxing into deep peace and stillness.
Feel yourself relaxing deeply into your body.
And feel yourself relaxing into your heart.
Send your awareness into your heart.
At home in your heart,
You are free to enter into complete relaxation.
Relax into the home that is your heart.
Welcome home.
If you made an intention for a loved one or for a member of your family at the beginning of the practice.
Recall that intention now.
Recall your prayer or blessing.
Or make the intention again for any benefits of the practice to extend to them.
And now recall your feeling of safety and well-being.
Invite the feeling to arise again of absolute safety,
Security and well-being.
Feel it vividly.
This is your feeling that you can return to at any time.
During the practice and during your life.
Now slowly turn your awareness back outwards.
And become aware of any sounds that are present in your environment.
Allow the awareness to jump from sound to sound.
There's no need to get too involved in any one sound.
Just acknowledge that the sounds are there.
And become aware of the feeling of the air against your skin.
Of your clothes against your skin.
And the feeling of your body against the surface beneath you.
Can you create a picture in your mind of your body?
Safe and warm.
Peaceful and still.
And now begin to deepen the breathing as you prepare to end the practice.
Make some small movements with your fingers and your toes.
Make some circles with your ankles and wrists.
And stretch yourself in any way that feels good for you.
Take your time.
There's no rush.
When you feel ready,
Slowly blink your eyes back open.
This practice of Yoganidra is now complete.
Thank you for listening.
