Wonderment

This piece is a collaboration with one of my oldest friends, Jackson M Phoenix.

A meditation on wonderment through two lenses – Yoga Nidra for me, visual art for Jackson.

Exploring Wonderment. The wonder inherent in love, in two souls connecting and, through this, remembering themselves to be, in truth, One.

Transcript

Welcome to this yoga nidra.

My name is Lucy McCarthy and this journey is an invitation into the great unknown.

To dive into the vast mystery.

To prepare for the practice,

Come lie down on your back in a comfortable,

Quiet and soothing environment.

It is helpful to set up your body for optimal comfort and ease.

A couple of light pillows underneath the backs of the knees,

A thin pillow under the head,

A light covering for the eyes and a blanket over top all begin to send the body a message of support,

Steadiness and deep relaxation.

To lull you into the lost art of surrender.

To shed any binding,

Tense energy in order to open into new inner terrain.

Make any final adjustments to your posture so that you can melt into stillness for the duration of the practice.

If you have not already,

Softly close the eyes so that we may journey more fully within.

Take a long,

Slow,

Deep breath in.

As you exhale,

Sigh out through the mouth.

Allow for a softening.

Once more,

Inhale deeply through the nose.

Exhale with a sigh out through the mouth.

Repeat a few more times until you feel a shift internally.

Now return to your natural breath.

The Yoganidra is a sacred,

Ancient practice of profound self-observation.

It creates a space in which we can remember and reclaim who and what we truly are.

The physical body is drawn into a deep state of relaxation whilst the conscious mind stays awake and aware.

This practice allows us to temporarily shift from the conscious to the subconscious realms of the mind where deep alchemy and transformation can take place.

So take this moment to pledge to yourself that you will stay awake and aware for the duration of the practice.

The practice of Yoganidra begins now.

Bring your awareness to the connection of your body with the earth beneath you.

Sense all the points of contact the back body has with the ground beneath you.

Back of the skull,

Shoulder blades,

Pelvis,

Legs,

Heels.

Release the weight of your body earthwards.

Soften the sheath of your skin.

Now become aware of the placement of your body in the space you are lying within.

Sense the space above you,

Below you,

Out to the right and out to the left.

Then glide your attention deep inside.

Sense the breath naturally filling and emptying the inner body.

Each exhale calling you to relax deeper and deeper.

Now listen deep within and invite a rising up of what is referred to in this practice as sankalpa.

Sankalpa is a deep inner longing,

A vow towards your highest truth.

That which you most sincerely yearn for at the soul level.

There has always been there,

But has not necessarily had the chance to manifest fully.

We state our sankalpa in the present tense,

In positive language starting with the words I am followed by whatever your deepest wish is.

Examples could be I am at peace,

I am worthy or I belong.

Turn within,

Listen and let yours reveal itself to you.

Now state it three times silently in the garden of your mind.

We will move through a rotation of consciousness through the physical body.

Each body part named.

Simply place your awareness there and sense what you can feel at this point.

We will move through 61 points in the body known as shava yatra,

Pilgrimage of the inner body.

With reverence glide your awareness to the point between the two eyebrows.

Pause,

Sense and observe what you feel here in between the two brows.

Now flow your awareness into the centre of the throat.

Right shoulder joint,

Right elbow joint,

Right wrist joint.

Each point named,

Bring your awareness there.

Feel,

Sense,

Observe.

Tip of the right thumb,

Tip of the right index finger,

Tip of the middle finger,

Tip of the ring finger,

Tip of the right baby finger.

Centre of the right wrist,

Centre of the right elbow,

Centre of the right shoulder.

Flow your awareness back into the centre of the throat,

Over into the left shoulder joint,

Left elbow joint,

Left wrist joint,

Tip of the left thumb,

Tip of the left index finger,

Tip of the left middle finger,

Tip of the left ring finger,

Tip of the left baby finger.

Awareness flows into the centre of the left wrist,

Centre of the left elbow,

Centre of the left shoulder,

Back into the centre of your throat.

Glide your awareness into the centre of the chest.

Right side chest,

Back to the centre of the chest,

Left side chest,

Heart centre behind the breastbone.

Solar plexus just in line with the diaphragm.

Naval centre,

Two inches below the belly button.

Awareness into the right hip joint,

Right knee joint,

Right ankle joint,

Right big toe,

Tip of the second toe,

Tip of the third toe,

Tip of the fourth toe,

Tip of the fifth right toe.

Centre of the right ankle,

Centre of the right knee,

Centre of the right hip.

Naval centre,

Two inches below the belly button,

Left hip joint,

Left knee joint,

Left ankle joint,

Tip of the left big toe,

Tip of the second toe,

Tip of the third toe,

Tip of the fourth toe,

Tip of the left fifth toe.

Centre of the left ankle,

Centre of the left knee,

Centre of the left hip.

Naval centre,

Two inches below the belly button.

Solar plexus,

Heart centre,

Centre of the throat and then all the way back to the brow centre,

The point in between the two brows.

Now feel all the 61 sacred points in the body,

Lit up with the light of awareness.

Feel the whole body now.

The whole body,

The whole body felt now.

Put your awareness onto your natural breath.

Sense the soft ebb and flow of the breath across the inner shores of the body.

Resist any urge to change or control the breath.

Simply watch in wonder at the majesty of the breath breathing you,

You being breathed.

The inhalation expansive and opening.

The exhalation rooting and releasing.

Continue to observe the natural spontaneous breath.

As you inhale,

Begin to visualise pristine white light pouring down into the crown of the head,

Down into the root of the pelvis.

As you exhale,

The brilliant white light rising back up from the root to the crown.

Continue to follow the breath and the light for a few rounds of breath.

Natural inhale,

White light pouring down,

Crown to root.

Natural exhale,

White light rising back up,

Root to crown.

Be with the breath.

Be with the light.

Now begin to see if you can sense the energy beneath the breath.

This vital life force energy that flows both within and beyond the physical body.

A soft hum,

A pulsation that surrounds and animates the entire physical and energetic body.

Whole body vibrantly alive,

Meeting with radiant presence.

From here,

Anchor your awareness back to the point between the two brows and ever so slightly back into the midbrain.

This place known as Chidakas will be our home base to return to as we play with pairs of opposites.

Chidakas,

A place of limitless possibilities and potentialities.

Each sensation or emotion named awaken as fully as you can in the present moment whilst remaining as relaxed as possible.

Awaken the sensation of disappointment.

What does disappointment feel like?

When you feel let down,

Dejected,

Hurt.

If any old memories or stories arise along with the sensation of disappointment,

Let the story itself go.

Simply allow yourself to hold this feeling.

Let disappointment be felt whilst remaining deeply relaxed.

Now let that go fully.

And now call forth the sensation of contentment.

What does contentment feel like?

To feel truly content from the inside out.

Satisfied.

Not needing anything.

Not wanting anything.

Total contentment and ease.

Let it fill up your whole being.

Now release that fully too.

And return your awareness back to the brow center.

Bring forth a feeling of being jaded.

What does it feel like to be jaded?

To feel like you have seen it all before.

A weary sense of familiarity and foreboding.

Allow the quality of feeling jaded to fill you.

Now surrender that fully.

What is it like to be surprised?

To be terrified?

To be taken aback?

How does the feeling of surprise manifest in your body?

Notice any thought forms,

Sensations or images that rise up alongside this feeling of surprise.

Now let that go.

Bring your awareness back to the brow center.

This place of infinite possibilities.

Now awaken the feeling of apathy.

What does it feel like to be apathetic?

Underwhelmed by all.

Unmotivated.

Detached.

Uninterested.

Unmoved.

Let apathy fill you as you notice where and how it manifests in your body and being.

Now let that fall away.

And bring forth,

Cultivate the feeling of awe.

To be awestruck.

Stopped in your tracks by the unexpected wonder of it all.

How does awe feel?

Where does awe settle within you?

Let the state of awe permeate and fill every cell of your being.

Be awestruck.

Now surrender that fully.

And guide your awareness back to the point between your brows and slightly into the midbrain.

Chitrakash.

This place of unity beyond all the seeming differentiation and division.

This place of unity.

We will now move into the field of our inner visioning.

Rapid images will be named in quick succession.

Simply from the blank canvas of the mind,

Create these images from nothing as fully as you can.

Flickering candle flame.

The grand canyon.

And landing on the moon.

The thick roots of a banyan tree.

A soul leaving its physical form.

The rushing sound of a huge waterfall.

Children playing.

A shooting star.

A thousand petalled lotus flower.

A newborn baby.

The vast open desert at night.

The Milky Way constellation.

Now envision,

Sense or imagine yourself floating in outer space.

High up in the sky.

In the outer stratosphere of the earth.

Sense the piercing,

Vast darkness all around you.

Surrounded by stars.

You look around to orient yourself.

As you look down,

You see planet earth beneath you.

It stops you in its tracks.

Takes you by surprise.

Seeing this planet from above that has housed you for so long.

Now seeing it from on high.

Spinning below in all its glory.

The green of the land.

The vast blue of the great oceans.

Its beauty and preciousness floors you.

Transfixed in a sacred rapture of this vast,

Great unknown.

Wonderment.

Wonderment.

Wonderment.

Rest here in pure presence.

Gazing at this sacred earth beneath.

Awestruck.

Gazing at this sacred earth beneath.

Gazing at this sacred earth beneath.

Gazing at this sacred earth beneath.

From this wide open place your sankalpa organically arises.

Your I am statement.

This ancient coding of becoming.

Once more stated three times.

Silently.

Within the fertile realm of the subconscious mind.

Stated with love.

Commitment.

And an openness to it already now.

Slowly,

Sweetly,

Flow yourself back down to mother earth.

Laid back into your physical body.

In this precious,

Never to be repeated again moment in your life.

Feel the density of your bones rooted into the earth.

The touch of the air on your skin.

Returning to the here and now.

Sounds in your environment meeting your ears.

Breath filling and emptying your lungs.

The practice of yoga nidra is now complete.

Begin to gently deepen your breath.

Bringing light movements into your fingers and toes.

Wrists and ankles.

Then one by one hug your knees up into your chest.

Roll onto one side and pause in this seed like position.

Notice the quality of your mind.

How you feel at this closing stage of the practice.

Keeping your eyes closed.

Awareness inwards.

Gently press up to a comfortable tall seat.

Place your hands over the centre of your chest.

Palm upon.

Hari Om Tat Sat.

Hari Om Tat Sat.

As above,

So below.

All is one.

Many blessings.

Hari Om Tat Sat Sat.

You you

Reviews

If I could rate this wonderful yoga nidra with more stars, I would 🙏 wonderment 💫

Beautiful! ❤️ Thank you so much, I feel so relaxed now.