Radiant Leadership Relaxation

This Yoga Nidra-inspired meditation is designed to help you deeply relax and connect to the radiant leader within. Through intention and body scanning, release limiting beliefs and prepare to shine brightly and share your gifts. Healing and leading in the world begins with healing and leading yourself.

Transcript

Hello,

And welcome to this guided meditation on radiant leadership.

In this meditation,

I will guide you through a series of offerings to help you unleash the brightest,

Most radiant leader within you.

In this meditation,

We will cover not only how we show up to lead ourselves,

But also set intentions for how we wish to lead and contribute in the world.

By doing the inner work of connecting with our deepest selves,

We can then show up fully and respond to the present moment and what that moment calls forward in us.

I'd like to begin by offering that you sit up on something if you are on the floor,

Or you may be seated in a chair or perhaps laying down on your bed.

Move around and try to get about 10% more comfortable.

You may stretch.

It may feel good to open and close your mouth,

Open and close your eyes,

Maybe open and close your fists.

Take any movement that you feel called to make.

And then once you have settled,

Arrive.

Take a deep inhale through your nose,

Feeling the expansion of your belly,

Holding the breath of the top,

And take a nice big exhale out the mouth.

Take one more inhale through the nose,

Hold at the top,

And another big exhale out through the mouth.

Arrive.

I'll invite you to listen to the furthest sound that you can hear.

Without attaching to it,

Just notice that sound.

No story,

Just witnessing.

Then I'll pull your attention back to the closest sound that you might hear.

Maybe it's your breath.

Maybe there's a soft hum in your room.

Begin to let these sounds lull you into a deeper state of relaxation.

Perfectly still,

But knowing you can move at any time to make yourself more comfortable.

Arrive.

If you haven't already,

I'll invite you to lower your gaze or perhaps soften your eyes,

Softening the muscles above,

Around,

Behind,

Below your eyes.

Notice if you see any images behind your eyelids.

Any shapes,

Perhaps replays from your day.

Just notice them drift by,

Not attached,

Perfectly still in your mind,

Like you're watching clouds drift by,

Like you're watching a movie.

Inhale deeply through the nose.

Hold.

And this time,

Exhale deeply through the nose.

Feel that breath completely traveling out of your body as you start to feel yourself becoming more and more relaxed.

Throughout the duration of this meditation,

I'll now invite you to really focus on the natural rhythm of your breath,

Not trying to manipulate nor alter your breathing,

Witnessing and allowing whatever feels natural to you.

As you begin to arrive,

I'll invite you to consider what your intention is.

What is that desire that you have for your life?

What is it that you wish to contribute to do more of?

Is it to spread peace,

To leave others in a state better than you found them?

Feel where that shows up for you.

You may feel an expansion over your heart as you consider connecting and letting your gifts shine.

What are you called to do?

How are you called to show up in the world and contribute?

What might you do if you knew that there were no limitations or nothing holding you back?

Invite this intention in and state it in the present.

For example,

You may state,

I want to be healthy and radiant.

You can silently state,

I am healthy and radiant and showing up in my best way.

Notice any sensations that arise when you state your intention or your sankalpa,

Which is your intention,

Your purpose in that present tense.

Feel it as if it is already true.

If nothing arises today,

That's all right.

Start noticing it even after the session.

If your attention brings you to a certain direction,

Maybe your intention,

Your purpose will come forward.

Now direct your intention to an anchor.

Could be a word or a phrase,

Maybe it's a sensation or an image that leaves you feeling calm,

Grounded and safe.

It could be something or someone or a moment when you realize you're part of something larger,

When you feel wrapped in love.

Feel this moment,

Feel it true today,

Right here.

And notice where it shows up in your body.

Remember at any point you can use this anchor to come back to you at any time,

Not only during this meditation,

But also throughout your day to evoke those feelings of focus,

Clarity,

Calm,

Peace and love.

Now I'll invite you to begin mindfully relaxing different areas of your body.

You may notice certain sensations arising or not.

Your experience is perfect for today.

Most importantly,

Try to stay connected to my voice.

As you bring your attention to the inside of your mouth,

The roof of your mouth,

The floor of your mouth and underneath your tongue,

Relax your tongue.

Notice the inside of your left cheek,

Your right cheek.

Begin to feel your tongue relaxing.

Sense your lips,

Where they connect,

Upper lip,

Lower lip,

The back of your throat.

Notice your teeth.

Notice the entire inside of your mouth completely relaxed.

Begin to notice your left jaw muscles.

Feel them relax.

Notice your left ear,

Inside of your ear,

Outside of your ear.

Notice your right jaw muscle.

Let it relax.

Notice your right ear,

Inside of the ear,

Outside of the ear,

Completely relaxed.

Without changing your breath,

Begin to notice the left nostril and the sensation of air passing in and out of your left nostril.

Feel your right nostril.

Sense air in and out.

Notice its temperature,

Texture.

Sense the muscles of your left cheek and your right cheek.

Your eyebrows,

Starting with your left eyebrow and then your right eyebrow.

Draw your attention to your forehead and begin feeling the muscles there,

Melting,

Relaxing.

Feeling that bright white light at the top of your head,

Connecting to healing.

Sense the back of your head and bring your attention to the back of your neck and let it go.

Let your entire head be supported.

Sense the left side of your neck,

The front of the neck,

And the right side of the neck.

Feel your entire neck and throat as one unified sense.

One unified sensation.

Bring your attention to your left shoulder and observe any sensations and follow that sensation down your left arm,

Left elbow,

Left forearm,

And left wrist.

Following that sensation as it fills up your left palm,

Your left thumb,

Forefinger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger,

And pinky.

Feeling your entire left arm and hand in its entirety.

Now bring your attention to your right shoulder.

Follow that sensation as it moves down your right arm,

Right elbow,

Right forearm,

Right wrist,

And palm,

Feeling your right thumb,

Forefinger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger,

Pinky.

Feeling the entire sensation of your right arm,

Hand,

Completely relaxed.

Bring your attention to your left hip.

Relax your hip and follow that sensation down your left thigh,

Knee,

Left calf and shin.

Feel your right ankle and feel that bright sensation around your left foot,

All the way up and into your toes.

Feel the weight of your entire left leg,

Completely relaxed.

Then bring your attention to your right hip and observe any sensations.

Follow that sensation as it moves down the right thigh,

Right knee,

Right calf,

Shin,

And right ankle.

Follow that sensation as it fills up the entire right foot up to the tips of your toes.

Then feel your entire right side of your body completely relaxed,

Heavy,

And supported.

Notice the sensation of the entire left side of your body.

Notice the sensation of the entire right side of your body.

Sense the front of your body and the back of the body.

Sense the entire body right now as one unified sensation.

As you sense your body,

I'll invite you to once again notice your breath,

The temperature,

And qualities of the air moving in and out of your nostrils.

Just observe.

You are completely connected to this present moment.

Visualize that healing white light traveling all the way through your body to any areas that might need extra love or healing.

Navigate into those areas with a full body breath.

At any moment you can return to the breath here in yoga,

Nidra,

Or meditation.

The breath will help you arrive at any moment that you find yourself in.

Coming up your entire body with air,

Breathing into all the spaces that might feel contracted,

Leaving your body expansive,

Rested,

Grounded.

Notice if any sensations are arriving in your body.

They could be temperature,

Maybe a tingling,

Perhaps a feeling,

An emotion.

Just notice.

No need to alter or suppress anything that arrives.

Witnessing how emotion manifests in our body,

How it feels,

How with the breath we can transform and release anything that is not serving us.

With the exhale,

We let go.

And with our inhale,

I'll invite you to think back to your intention.

What do you wish to invite into the space?

Perhaps it's a feeling of joy.

Where does that feeling of joy land in your body?

When you think of your word,

Where does that word land in your body?

Acknowledge both what you're letting go of and what you're inviting in.

Acknowledge both of those feelings simultaneously.

Recognizing that where our attention goes,

Our energy and awareness flows.

And that we have an immense amount of control over how we feel and show up in any given moment.

How we experience and how our bodies experience emotion.

Spend a moment or two observing,

Witnessing how your body reacts to thought and sensation that has arisen.

And remember your personal anchor,

That safe place is available to you at any moment.

And with a deep inhale,

Bringing your attention to the present.

Allowing any areas that could use further relaxation of the body to release,

To relax,

And to arrive.

Intellectually knowing that we have discerning abilities to respond with mindful awareness.

To respond from a place of witnessing.

A place of groundedness.

And a place aligned with who we are and how we wish to contribute to the world.

Our reasoning mind has tremendous opportunity to let us bring our gifts into the world.

Without trying to judge.

And without the constraints of any limiting beliefs.

Rather stepping into the pure potentiality that lies before us as leaders.

From here,

What does it feel like to be looked to as the leader?

What space are you stepping into and how are you showing up?

Feel radiant.

Confident.

Collaborative.

Conscious.

Aware.

Where do those sensations show up in your body?

Just notice.

Finally,

Bring your attention to the center of your chest and begin to notice a relaxed warmth.

A sensation of ease,

Happiness,

Safety,

Peace.

A sensation of limitless potential.

Feel into this space and feel that sensation travel through your body.

Feel that radiant light and warmth moving over your chest,

Through your neck,

Head and face.

Feeling that warm light moving outwards to your shoulders,

Filling up your arms,

Hands and fingers.

Noticing that warmth move over your abdomen,

Through your pelvis,

Filling up your legs,

Feet,

Toes.

And feel your entire body awake and alive with the warmth of ease,

Happiness,

Safety,

Security,

Joy.

Feel your entire body filled with joy,

With radiance.

You are the living embodiment of radiance.

You yourself are the living embodiment of joy.

It is your birthright,

This is your natural state.

Stay with this feeling and know you can access it at any time.

No matter what life has in store,

The way we show up to lead ourselves,

We have everything we need already within us.

Now rest in that,

Knowing that the gifts and the resources and the tools that you need are already within.

See yourself going about your day to day life.

From a place of equanimity,

Meaning not attached to any certain outcomes.

Rather,

Moving from the place of connectedness,

Of wholeness,

Of observance.

Observing what is around you,

How it's landing in you.

Thoughts and beliefs.

Visualize yourself opening to the abundant possibilities and saying yes to your personal growth.

To how you are being personally called to serve and bring your gifts into the world.

Perfectly imperfect,

Nothing to fix,

You as you are.

Loving kindness extended to your entire self,

Enveloping your body.

Feeling that loving kindness spread to all of those in your community that you may or may not know.

Loving kindness spread to all the people who make up your nation.

Loving kindness spread to all the souls meditating with you right now.

And loving kindness spread to anyone who needs a little extra love,

Patience,

And compassion to get through their day to day.

Feel that connectedness and what it feels like to be in relation to the plants,

In relation to the animals and the birds,

To the soil,

To the air that you breathe in relation to the water and the fire that fuels and heats your passion.

And brings light into this world.

I'll slowly begin to guide you back to a wide awake state if that is what you choose.

Or simply let you drift into a deeper sleep.

Begin by inhaling a little bit deeper and then let go.

Keep the eyes closed.

And begin to bring tiny movements.

You may wiggle your fingers and your toes.

Moving your hands and your feet,

Begin rolling your shoulders back and opening your chest.

You may start blinking the eyes open and letting light filter back in.

Take any movements rocking perhaps side to side.

Any movements that feel natural to you.

And as you come back to the present moment,

Take with you that intention.

As you step into the world,

As you step into the space of leading yourself,

And perhaps leading others,

And doing so from a place of complete connectedness,

From complete compassion,

Joy and love.

May all beings be happy,

Peaceful and free.

With gratitude and respect,

Namaste.