In this Yoga Nidra session,
We will take the theme of Sousha a bit deeper.
We will rest,
We will release and we will embody Sousha through the stillness of Yoga Nidra.
Get yourself comfortable,
Preferably in Shavasana on your back.
Arms slightly apart,
Away from the body,
Your palms facing upward.
Shavasana is also called the corpse pose or the dead man's pose.
And it's one of the most comfortable poses in Yoga because it doesn't require any effort.
Allow your legs to rest gently apart.
Make sure your body is comfortable,
Your body is supported.
And let your eyes close softly.
And if you are doing the Yoga Nidra practice sitting down,
That too is perfectly fine.
Simply make sure that your back is upright and your hands are resting on your knees with your palms facing upward.
This is your time.
There is nothing to do,
Nothing to fix.
All you need to do is rest,
Listen.
Follow my instructions.
Let your body become completely still.
Allow the earth to hold you completely.
And start to notice the natural rhythm of your breath.
Don't force it.
Don't control it.
Simply be aware that you are breathing.
Air is entering into your body and air is being released from the body.
You are entering a space between waking and dreaming.
You are entering a space of deep clarity,
A space of deep rest.
And bring to mind a Sankalpa,
Your intention,
Your resolve,
A heartfelt intention.
If possible,
Tie it with the theme of clarity,
Purification or renewal.
Or it could be any intention that you wish to bring to the session.
And silently repeat your Sankalpa three times with complete feeling and complete emotion.
We now go into the rotation of consciousness.
We rotate awareness throughout the body.
As I name each part,
Simply feel it.
Let your awareness flow like a warm light touching each point without moving.
We start with the right side.
Right hand thumb.
Index finger.
Middle finger.
Ring finger.
Little finger.
The palm of the hand.
The back of the hand.
The wrist.
Forearm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
Right armpit.
Waist.
Hip.
Thigh.
Knee.
Calf.
Ankle.
Heel.
Sole.
Top of the foot.
The big toe.
Second toe.
Third.
Fourth.
Fifth.
Now the left side.
The left hand thumb.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
Fifth finger.
The palm of the hand.
The back of the hand.
Wrist.
Forearm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
The left armpit.
Waist.
Hip.
Thigh.
Knee.
Calf.
Ankle.
Heel.
Top of the foot.
The big toe.
Second toe.
Third.
Fourth.
Fifth.
Now go to the back side of the body.
The right shoulder blade.
The left shoulder blade.
The upper back.
The middle back.
The lower back.
The buttocks.
Now go to the front side of the body.
Go to the top of the head.
The forehead.
Eyebrows.
The space between the eyebrows.
The eyelids.
The eyes.
The nose.
The cheeks.
The lips.
The chin.
The throat.
The right collar bone.
The left collar bone.
The chest.
The heart center.
The ribs.
The abdomen.
The navel.
The pelvis.
Now the whole right leg.
The whole left leg.
The right and left leg together.
The whole right arm.
The whole left arm.
Both arms together.
The whole back.
The whole front.
The whole head.
The whole body together.
The whole body together.
Let your entire body be bathed in awareness.
Rest in stillness.
Now bring your attention to your breath.
Do not change it.
Simply observe.
Feel the breath at the nostrils.
The cool air as it enters.
The warm air as it leaves.
Feel the rise and the fall of the chest.
Feel the rise and the fall of the chest.
Feel the gentle expansion of the belly.
Imagine your breath as a wave.
Arriving.
Dissolving.
Arriving.
Dissolving.
With each breath imagine a subtle cleansing.
A soft wind brushing through your inner landscape.
Clearing tension.
Clearing thought.
Move your awareness through the senses.
Is there a scent in the air?
Is there a taste in your mouth?
Is it subtle?
Or is it strong?
Be aware of the weight of your body on the surface that it is resting on.
And behind your closed eyelids.
Notice darkness.
Light.
Colors.
Simply observe.
You are the calm witness.
And now imagine a landscape forming behind your closed eyes.
Imagine a landscape forming behind your closed eyes.
Let the mind's eye open gently.
Let the mind's eye open like a lens focusing on a dream.
And you find yourself standing at the edge of a forest at dawn.
The air is crisp,
Cool and full of potential.
A light mist drifts across the mossy ground.
As you step forward,
Your feet land on soft,
Dewy earth.
With every step,
You feel the stress of your day begin to dissolve.
The world behind you fades and something quieter begins to thrive.
Birds sing softly above you.
The forest feels awake but not rushed.
The trees,
Tall and wise,
Seem to welcome you.
Their trunks are covered in soft,
Green moss.
Shafts of early light filter through the canopy in golden beams.
There's a scent of cedar,
Fresh rain and something sweet.
Perhaps jasmine or wild herbs.
You walk slowly.
Each step a clearing.
Each breath,
Deeper.
You arrive at a small clearing where a stream flows.
Clear,
Cold and alive.
The water sparkles as it moves over smooth stones.
Nearby is a smooth,
Flat rock.
You sit down.
Feel the warmth of the rock under your body.
Listen to the sound of water moving.
A gentle,
Like the earth,
Exhaling.
You look into the stream and see your deflection.
Not just your face,
But the energy you carry.
Your mood,
Your thoughts,
Your inner weather.
Now dip your hands into the water.
It's cold,
Purifying.
You splash it on your face,
Your heart,
Your head.
You feel a release,
Not dramatic,
Just right.
With each rinse,
With each splash,
You wash something away.
A regret from the past week.
A worry that doesn't belong to you.
And old belief that no longer fits.
The stream carries them gently downstream.
No struggle.
No judgment.
Just release.
From the stream a narrow path leads you to a small wooden cabin nestled in the trees.
You walk toward it.
The door opens with ease.
It's your own personal sanctuary.
Inside?
Clean.
Minimal.
Sacred.
Light wood floors.
Linen curtains.
A candle glowing softly.
There's a table with a white flower inside.
In a glass jar.
Everything in this space has purpose,
Breath,
Beauty.
There's no clutter.
No noise.
No shoulds.
Only stillness.
You lie down on a low bed.
The window is open and a gentle wind moves through the room.
This wind isn't just air.
It's clarity.
It sweeps gently through your body and mind,
Brushing away stagnant thoughts,
Leftover conversations,
Guilt,
Overstimulation.
You watch these leave your body as light treads of smoke carried by the breeze,
Dissolving into nothingness.
And now in this deep stillness,
You begin to feel a light awakening inside you.
It starts at the center of your chest.
A soft,
Pearly light.
It's not bright,
But deeply clear.
It expands gently with each breath,
Flowing outward through your ribs,
Your belly,
Your back,
Your arms,
Your neck,
Your head,
Your entire body.
This is the light of Sausha.
It does not judge.
It simply clears.
It does not burn.
It illuminates.
Wherever this light flows,
It leaves behind spaciousness,
Simplicity,
Stillness.
And you feel clean,
Not externally,
But at your core.
This is your natural state.
Not something to earn,
Not something to chase,
Simply something to return to.
The wind begins to soften.
The candle still flickers.
You feel light,
Not empty,
But clear.
You realize you've let go of more than thoughts.
You've let go of noise,
Of holding,
Of tension.
Slowly,
You rise from the bed.
You walk to the doorway of the cabin and step outside.
The forest greets you again.
The sky is brighter now.
The path home is waiting,
But you are not the same.
You walk slowly back toward the stream,
Toward the trees,
Toward the edge of the forest,
Gathering nothing heavy,
Only clarity.
Space and quiet strength.
And now the turn to your Sankalpa,
Your dissolve,
Your intention.
Let it rise again in your heart,
Freshly charged with clarity.
Repeat it inwardly three times.
Feel its resonance and start to return to your body.
Feel your body on the surface that it is resting on.
Feel the points of contact between your body and the surface that it is resting on.
Start to deepen your breath.
Start to move your fingers.
Start to move your toes.
If it feels good,
Stretch.
Reach your arms overhead.
And when you are ready,
If you are in Shavasana position,
Start to sit up and slowly open your eyes.
And carry this clarity with you.
Carry Sausha with you,
Not as a performance,
But as a quiet knowing that you can return to.
Again and again and again.
Namaste
