Welcome to Yoga Nidra,
Cloud meditation.
Take your time to set up and get very comfortable.
You will be lying on your back for the duration of this meditation,
With your arms at your sides,
Palms up and legs extended with feet about hip width apart.
In preparation,
Find a quiet,
Restful space such as your bed or mat.
You may consider the use of props such as a small pillow beneath your head and neck or a small blanket rolled up and placed beneath your knees to offer additional support.
Choose whatever is best for you and will allow you to hold the pose with the greatest comfort and ease.
Cover yourself up with a soft,
Warm blanket as you settle into the mat,
Taking your time to adjust in any way you choose to be as comfortable as you can be.
Allow yourself to relax,
Feeling the weight of your body on the mat beneath you.
Let your arms hang by your side,
Resting comfortably,
Legs extended,
Feet hip width apart.
Allow yourself to take a deep breath and let go,
Sinking into the surface beneath you.
Feel your whole body resting with ease.
Now focus on your breath and find the gentle rhythm of your own natural breathing.
Repeat to yourself silently,
I am awake and aware.
Breathe in and out gently and naturally in line with your own rhythm.
Feel your body resting on the mat and let your breath continue to flow naturally.
Repeat to yourself,
I choose to remain still,
I am awake and aware.
Inhale,
Exhale at your own natural pace.
With every breath,
Feel yourself relaxing a little bit more as each part of your body feels a little more at ease and at rest.
And repeat,
I choose to remain still,
I am awake and aware.
Now listen to the farthest sound outside as far away from you as you can hear.
Feel your body resting on the surface beneath you and listen closer to the sounds nearby inside the room.
Take a deep breath,
Now listen to the sounds within yourself,
Your breath,
Your heart beating.
Take a moment here as you prepare to begin your yoga nidra practice,
Feeling the weight of your body beneath you and the sound within yourself.
Let your body rest and be still and as you listen inward,
See if you can find an intention,
A hope for yourself.
Allow it to rise up in you gently in the form of a few short words,
They may be,
I am calm and clear,
I relax and take it easy,
I see clearly and follow my instincts.
Gently find the words and repeat your intention three times.
We will now draw your attention to the body.
Draw your attention to your right side,
Your right thumb,
First finger,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Fourth finger,
Palm of the hand,
Back of the hand,
Wrist,
Lower arm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Armpit,
Right waist,
Right hip,
Thigh,
Knee,
Calf,
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole of the foot,
Top of the foot,
Big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe.
Left side,
Left thumb,
First finger,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Fourth finger,
Palm of the hand,
Back of the hand,
Wrist,
Lower arm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Armpit,
Left waist,
Left hip,
Thigh,
Knee,
Calf,
Heel,
Sole of the foot,
Top of the foot,
Big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe.
Your right shoulder blade,
Left shoulder blade,
Right buttock,
Left buttock,
The spine,
The whole back,
Top of the head,
Forehead,
Both sides of the head,
Right eyebrow,
Left eyebrow,
Space between the eyebrows,
Right eye and eyelid,
Left eye and eyelid,
Right ear,
Left ear,
Right cheek,
Left cheek,
Nose,
Tip of the nose,
Upper lip,
Lower lip,
Chin,
Throat,
Right chest,
Left chest,
Middle of the chest,
Navel,
Abdomen,
The whole right leg,
The whole left leg,
Both legs together,
The whole right arm,
The whole left arm,
Both arms together,
The whole back,
Buttock,
Spine,
Shoulder blades,
The whole front of the body,
Abdomen,
Chest,
Both the front and back together,
The whole head,
The whole body together.
Picture your head in a cloud.
It is a tangled web of air.
Envision ahead of you a veiled thin gray mist.
Feel the cool air touching your skin.
Breathe in the cool refreshing air and breathe out all stress,
Old energy that you no longer need.
Feel the weight of your body floating on a cloud light and soft beneath you.
Feel the heaviness of your body resting on the surface below.
You are safe.
You are held in place and secure.
Picture the soft quality of the cloud.
Feel the warmth of the blanket wrapped around you,
Embracing you,
The clouds offering you comfort,
Nurturing.
Feel again the weight of your body,
The heaviness of your arms,
Chest,
Abdomen,
Thighs,
Calves,
Feet,
And back up to your chest,
Arms,
Shoulders,
And your head.
Now picture your body very,
Very heavy as if inside you is solid cement.
Feel your body tighten,
Tension,
Holding the weight,
Heavy and solid as you rest on this soft,
Comfortable cloud.
Now release and soften.
Picture your arms filled with cotton,
Soft as a cloud,
Your chest,
Abdomen,
Thighs,
Calves,
Feet,
And back up to your chest,
Arms,
Shoulders,
And head.
Feel your shoulders and picture them filled with cotton,
Soft,
Durable,
Gentle.
Feel all tension leave.
Feel yourself filled with a spirit of calm and lightness.
Know it is safe to feel everything you need to feel at this moment.
Know that you are safe and held.
The softness of the cloud will carry you,
Cradle,
Hold,
And support you.
Softly,
You are carried down to the earth and feel the sturdy surface on the floor beneath as the cloud dissipates.
And before you,
You see very clearly what you need,
Where you are,
What you feel,
And what the next right action is before you.
You are rested,
Safe,
And secure.
Coming back to your breath now.
Inhale and exhale at your own natural pace.
Breathe in relaxation and breathe out,
Releasing all tension.
Feel each inhalation moving through your body,
Filling you with calm and peace.
Feel each exhalation creating greater space for relaxation,
Calmness,
And clarity.
Slowly bring your awareness back into your room throughout your body.
Gently breathe in and out,
Noticing the weight of your body on the mat and the space around you.
Slowly begin to move your fingers and your toes.
And when you are ready,
Feel free to stretch your arms and your legs however you choose to that feels most natural and comfortable for you.
Taking a moment here.
And when you're ready,
Roll over onto your right side.
Repeat to yourself three times the intention set at the beginning of practice.
As your yoga nidra practice draws to close,
Draw in three breaths at your own natural pace and release all with grace and ease.
Thank you.
