Yoga Nidra for Self Love + Acceptance (Non-Sleep Deep Rest)
by Meghan Kemp
This gentle Yoga Nidra practice plants seeds of self-love, self-worth, and self-acceptance at the core of our being. My teacher Hilary Jackendoff says, “When we deny ourselves the right to rest, we deny ourselves an embodied experience of self-love.” This nourishing, restorative practice of resting honors our innate enoughness and allows us access to a deeper sense of self and unconditional acceptance. Turn on do not disturb, set yourself up in a comfortable resting position on the ground, on your bed, or however is most supportive for you, get cozy under some blankets, and settle in. Side note: if you’re concerned about falling asleep, set a gentle alarm to wake yourself up afterward.
Transcript
Welcome to your Yoga Nidra practice.
My name is Megan Kemp and it is an honor to be a guide on this path towards self-love,
Self-worth and self-acceptance through this particular practice.
Self-love is a way of being that must be embodied through intentional daily choices and actions.
And when we deny ourselves the right to rest,
We deny ourselves an embodied experience of self-love.
So I invite you to explore rest as a practice of self-love.
Through approaching it in this way,
You may start to realize that you actually have nothing to prove.
When we rest,
We honor our innate enoughness,
Gaining access to a deeper sense of self,
An unconditional inner sense of self that allows us to realize that we are inherently worthy without having to do or achieve anything.
By practicing resting,
We can start to unwind the patterns and beliefs that dictate our inner monologue and influence our actions and relationships.
Yoga Nidra will show you the way and be the container for this practice of self-love.
So being physically comfortable in your Yoga Nidra practice is essential.
In order to experience deep rest and relaxation,
We need to attend to our body and make sure that we're truly comfortable.
By taking time and proper care to prepare ourselves and our space for Yoga Nidra,
We're practicing nurturing and honoring ourselves,
Recognizing our bodies are the sacred vessels that they are,
Worthy of luxury,
Pleasure,
And comfort.
So get your space super cozy and set up with blankets,
Pillows,
Any props that you might need to support your body for maximum comfort.
The practice is done typically laying in Shavasana on your back,
Either on the ground or on top of the bed.
Make sure that you will be warm enough for the body temperature will drop a few degrees during the practice.
And I always recommend cozying up with socks or sweaters or an eye mask,
Even in warmer climates and environments.
Now,
If there's anything you can do to make yourself marginally more comfortable for deep rest,
For letting go,
Set your body up in that way here and now.
Move towards stillness for the duration of the practice.
Keeping in the back of the mind that if you do need to make any adjustments,
You're certainly welcome to do so.
But it's always encouraged to pause and observe where the desire for an adjustment is arising from,
Whether that's a craving for something to feel differently,
Or whether that's an actual uncomfortable sensation and needs attending to.
Now we'll begin the practice of yoga nidra.
Begin by scanning the body as it is right now.
Swiftly trace your attention around your body.
You can start with the awareness at the top of your head,
Down towards the shoulders,
To your sternum,
The chest,
Abdomen,
Pelvis.
And hips can sometimes hold a considerable amount of tension.
So just by merely intending to release tension,
You're beginning to let go even deeper.
Continue moving on to the next body part without needing to label tension as an experience that's good or bad.
As you continue down your legs into your feet,
You may notice areas of the body that are speaking a little more loudly in this moment.
Acknowledge them.
And in that acknowledgement,
Let them go so your awareness can expand towards the next area of the body.
Scanning from the head to the feet,
Awareness from the feet towards your head,
The front side of the body to the back side of the body,
The left to the right.
Witnessing if there are any points of tension,
Any gripping,
Any holding arising within the field of your somatic awareness.
It may be helpful to introduce an exhale into that space to further their relief.
Simply visualize that area of the body as you inhale,
Keeping that area of the body in your awareness as you exhale,
And invite in softening so you can then move your awareness towards the next space of the body that could let go a little bit easier,
A little bit softer,
Gracefully letting go.
And begin to shift your awareness from the scan of the body,
From any tensions in the body,
Just the full presence of this moment,
Taking account of where you're at today,
The quality of your thoughts,
The texture of your breath,
The feelings in your heart.
And then begin to shift your awareness to sounds,
Briefly scanning the environment for sounds,
Sounds in the distance,
Sounds within your space,
Sounds closer to the body,
Such as the breath or even the subtle heartbeat.
And then beginning a sound and moving to the next,
All the way to the sound of the body breathing.
Breathing in,
Drawing in what you need,
Breathing out,
Letting go of anything you're holding onto a little too tightly.
And in the practice,
We will now invite in a sankalpa,
An intention,
The deepest longing of your heart's desire.
You can bring this in as a short positive phrase in the affirmative,
As if your sankalpa has already come alive within you,
As if time is merely catching up.
If you already have a sankalpa that you're working with,
Invite it into the space now and repeat it at the level of thought three times.
If this is a new practice for you,
Then you're welcome to adopt one of the following intentions or sankalpas.
I am enough.
Or I am loving awareness.
Invite your sankalpa three times silently at the level of thought,
Enlivening it within your consciousness.
Let go of sankalpa.
The awareness will now go on a journey around the body,
A sacred pilgrimage,
If you will.
When each body part is named,
Imagine a butterfly softly landing on the body.
Feel into this with a silent repetition of each body part's name.
Beginning with the right hand thumb,
Imagine how a butterfly landing on the right hand thumb would feel,
And silently repeat right hand thumb.
Index finger.
Middle finger.
Ring finger.
Pinky finger.
Palm of the hand.
Back of the hand.
Wrist.
Lower arm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
Armpit.
Right side of the chest.
Waist.
Hip.
Right thigh.
Knee.
Shin.
Ankle.
Top of the foot.
Sole of the foot.
Right big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
Whole right side of the body.
Whole right side of the body held in the awareness.
Draw the left side out of the darkness into awareness.
Left hand thumb.
Index finger.
Middle finger.
Ring finger.
Pinky finger.
Palm of the hand.
Back of the hand.
Wrist.
Lower arm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
Armpit.
Left side of the chest.
Waist.
Hip.
Left thigh.
Knee.
Shin.
Ankle.
Top of the foot.
Sole.
Left big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
Whole left side of the body.
Whole left side of the body held in awareness.
Shift focus to the back side of the body.
Letting go of mental repetition,
Simply feel into the following body parts named.
Right heel.
Left heel.
Right calf.
Left calf.
Back of right knee.
Back of left knee.
Back of right thigh.
Back of left thigh.
Right buttock.
Left buttock.
Spinal column.
Lower back.
Middle back.
Upper back.
Right shoulder blade.
Left shoulder blade.
Space between.
Back of neck.
Back of head.
Top of head.
Forehead.
Right temple.
Left temple.
Right eyebrow.
Left eyebrow.
Eyebrow center.
Right eye.
Left eye.
Right ear.
Left ear.
Right cheek.
Left cheek.
Bridge of nose.
Tip of nose.
Right nostril.
Left nostril.
Both nostrils.
Whole nose.
Upper lip.
Lower lip.
Both lips together.
Teeth.
Tongue.
Gums.
Whole mouth.
Right side of jaw.
Left side of jaw.
Chin.
Front of neck.
Pit of throat.
Right side of chest.
Left side of chest.
Heart center.
Upper abdomen.
Navel.
Lower abdomen.
The pelvis.
Whole right leg and foot.
Whole left leg and foot.
Both legs and feet together.
Whole right arm and hand.
Whole left arm and hand.
Both arms and hands together.
Whole torso,
Neck,
And head.
Torso,
Neck,
And head together.
Whole right side.
Whole left side.
Whole back.
Whole front.
Whole body together.
Whole body together.
Shift awareness from the body to the breath.
Become aware of the natural breath.
Nothing to do.
No need to change the breath.
Let it be as it is.
As the body breathes in,
Awareness travels up the back.
As the body breathes out,
Awareness travels down the front of the body.
Inhaling up the back of the body.
Exhaling down the front of the body.
Up the back.
Down the front.
Breathing in and up the back.
Out and down the front.
Letting go of that pattern.
Shifting now to breathing in and up the front of the body.
Breathing out and down the back of the body.
Inhale,
Awareness travels up the front of the body.
Exhale,
Awareness travels down the back of the body.
In and up the front.
Out and down the back.
Holding the two together.
Inhale up the front.
Exhale down the back.
Inhale up the back.
Exhale down the front.
In and up the front.
Out and down the back.
In and up the back.
Down and out the front.
Continue.
Releasing the pattern of the breath in this way.
Become still and centered.
Feeling the grounded earth beneath.
Feeling the spacious sky above.
Have the sense that you are the space between earth and sky.
Still and centered between earth and sky.
Become aware of the base of your body and the top of your body.
Attuning to sensations,
Perceiving these boundaries of your form.
Keeping your awareness low to your heart.
Sensing it as the center of your being.
Feel that you are drawing awareness into the very center of this inner space,
Center of your being.
Visualize a blue lotus flower resting in the center of your being.
See the blue lotus flower floating on top of a shimmering pool of water.
The petals are luminous and bright.
With each breath,
See the lotus open and close.
As you breathe in,
See the petals unfurling,
Revealing its golden center.
As you breathe out,
See the petals gently floating back together.
Unfurling,
Revealing its golden center.
Petals gently floating back together.
At the center of this golden lotus,
See your intention,
Your sankalpa.
Repeat it mentally.
I am enough.
I am loving awareness.
Let that rest within your centered self,
Your centered state of being.
Trusting that it is always there within you,
Ready to unfurl.
Begin to release the visualization and deepen your breath.
Feeling into the contact of your body as it breathes.
Reconnecting to the sounds,
The sound of breath.
As you deepen your breath,
Breathing consciously,
Breathing deeply.
Being aware of what your body is touching as you deepen the breath.
Feeling into the space below and the space above.
The contact of the floor and air on the body simultaneously as the breath deepens.
Hearing the breath,
Feeling back into the presence of the body,
Of your body.
Orient your awareness within context of the space that you're in.
Recognize how your body is positioned within the room you're in.
Recall the time of day.
Recall the day of the week.
And know that you have been practicing yoga nidra and the practice is now complete.
Start to invite in small movements into your body to reawaken yourself in this renewed state of being.
Feeling into small movements of your toes and fingers.
Maybe larger movements of wrists and ankles.
Gentle movement and shifting in the body,
Grounding,
Landing back into this present space.
Returning back into your day or your night ahead.
Slowly turn to one side.
Keeping the eyes closed for a few more breaths.
Reclaiming your right to rest as a practice of self love.
Knowing that there's no need to rush into anything,
That you are enough in yourself.
Begin to start making your way from one side upright to a seat.
If you feel particularly floaty or spacious,
You can tap your body a bit to come back into the physical reality of here and now.
And as you're ready,
Blink your eyes open,
Re-enlivening your consciousness with this deeper self love,
Self acceptance,
Self compassion that you have cultivated during your practice of yoga nidra.
Thank you,
Thank you,
Thank you.
4.8 (100)
Recent Reviews
francescwhite
June 20, 2024
Lovely 🥰
Hugo
April 19, 2024
Beautiful Namasté
Lee
July 8, 2023
Beautiful nidra. Thank you and Blessings💕🕊