So make sure that you're comfortable now and if there's anything else that you need to do,
Any last adjustments or any extra support that you need to take or anything that you can do to make yourself even more comfortable,
Just make any of those final movements now.
So that perhaps you can make yourself so comfortable that you might even be able to forget that your body's there.
Just feel the feeling of your body beginning to let go,
Beginning to surrender into the surface beneath you.
And just send your awareness over your body to notice if there are any places that are a little tighter,
A bit more uncomfortable.
And if you do find any of those places of tension,
Take a breath into that area.
So breathe into a place that feels tight or uncomfortable and exhale to feel that place beginning to unwind and beginning to release.
And do this with as many parts of your body as you need to.
Sending the inhalation into an area of tension,
Discomfort.
Exhaling to feel that place releasing and relaxing.
And now send the awareness outwards to the sounds that are present in your environment.
And just let the awareness jump from sound to sound.
So without getting too involved in any one sound,
Just observe that those sounds are there.
Just acknowledge them and know that they're not going to disturb you as you practice.
They can only help to enhance your experience.
And if you have an intention for your practice today,
Just take a moment to bring that intention into your awareness.
Whatever has inspired you to show up for your practice.
Perhaps for relaxation,
To relax your muscles or to relax your mind.
To feel more at ease,
More at peace.
For rest or for healing or insight.
Whatever has inspired you to show up for this practice,
Just bring that intention into your awareness now.
And take a moment to acknowledge it.
And if you have a sankalpa,
Invite your sankalpa to arise.
Your heart's prayer or vow.
There's no need to force the sankalpa to come.
Just allow it to arise naturally however it comes for you today.
And if you don't have a sankalpa,
Just rest the awareness at the heart center.
Just observe what's happening at the heart center.
We're going to take a journey around the body.
Rest the awareness at each body part as its name.
We'll begin with the right hand.
Bring the awareness to rest at the right hand thumb.
As the awareness rests at the right hand thumb,
Any tension,
Any stress,
Anything that's no longer needed,
Effortlessly releases from 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 wrist.
The right forearm.
The right elbow.
The upper arm.
The right shoulder.
The right side of the chest.
The right side of the abdomen.
The right hip.
The right thigh.
The right knee.
The lower leg.
The right ankle.
The right heel.
The sole of the right foot.
The top of the foot.
Each of the right toes.
1,
2,
3,
4.
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 side of the chest.
The left side of the abdomen.
The left hip.
The left thigh.
The left knee.
The lower leg.
The left ankle.
The left heel.
The sole of the left foot.
The top of the left foot.
Each of the left toes.
1,
2,
3,
4,
5.
Moving up the back of the body.
Bring the awareness to the right heel.
The left heel.
The back of the right knee.
The back of the left knee.
The right buttock.
The left buttock.
The whole of the spine.
The right shoulder blade.
The left shoulder blade.
The back of the neck.
The back of the head.
The top of the head.
Moving down the front of the body.
Bring the awareness to the forehead.
The right eyebrow.
The left eyebrow.
The eyebrow centre.
The right eye.
The left eye.
The right ear.
The left ear.
The right cheek.
The left cheek.
The nose.
The tip of the nose.
The upper lip.
The lower lip.
The chin.
The jaw.
The right collarbone.
The left collarbone.
The space between the collarbones.
The right side of the chest.
The left side of the chest.
The centre of the chest.
The navel.
The lower abdomen.
The right hip.
The left hip.
The right knee.
The left knee.
The right ankle.
The left ankle.
The right toe.
The left toes.
The whole of the right foot.
Awareness on the whole of the right foot.
The whole of the right leg.
The whole of the right arm.
The whole of the right side of the body.
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.
The whole of the body together.
Awareness on the whole of the body.
Together.
Bring the awareness to the breath.
Follow the natural flow of the breath.
Watch the air coming in.
Flowing back out of the body.
Bring the awareness to the spaces in between the breaths.
After each inhalation.
And after each exhalation.
There's a short pause.
Bring the awareness to rest at these pauses.
The breath happens naturally.
The awareness rests at the spaces in between the breaths.
Notice how still your body has become.
Notice your body resting.
Completely still.
As if fast asleep.
Rest the awareness on the sleeping body.
But although the body is sleeping.
The awareness is still awake.
Become aware of the awake awareness.
Sleeping and waking together.
Become aware of the body.
Fast asleep.
The consciousness awake and aware.
At the same time.
This is yoga nidra.
Observe the eyebrow centre.
Notice what's happening.
Notice any shapes,
Any patterns or colours.
Or images.
Or perhaps just darkness.
Without forcing anything.
Just observe the eyebrow centre.
And keeping the awareness at the eyebrow centre.
I'm going to name some different things.
Allow an impression of each one to arise as its name.
Without forcing anything to come.
Just allow each one to come for you.
Wherever it comes.
Starting with a clear blue sky.
A cave.
A snowflake.
A unicorn.
A string of Tibetan prayer flags.
An empty room.
An atom.
A seed.
A fairy.
Stars sparkling in the night sky.
Bring the awareness to the heart centre.
Rest here in the peace and stillness of the heart.
If you have a sankalpa.
Recall your sankalpa noun.
Your heart's prayer or vow.
Welcome it as it arises naturally.
If you don't have one.
Keep the awareness at the heart centre.
Observe the heart centre.
And before you complete the practice.
Take a moment to acknowledge that you will be carrying the peace.
You have cultivated.
Out into your life.
Know that you will be returning to your day.
With peace.
To live through your day with ease.
With a relaxed body.
And very slowly begin to turn the awareness back outward.
Notice any sounds that are present in your environment.
Just let the awareness jump from sound to sound.
Just acknowledging that they're there.
Feel into the feeling of your body resting into the surface beneath you.
The feeling of the air against your skin.
Of your clothing or blanket against your skin.
Watch the breath flowing in and out.
And out of your body.
And when you feel ready start to make some small movements.
To reawaken the body.
Moving the fingers and the toes.
The hands and the feet.
Give yourself a stretch in any way that feels good for you.
And then when you're sure that you are feeling wide awake again.
Slowly blink your eyes open.
To complete the practice.
