And welcome to this practice of Yoga Nidra.
And in this practice we are honouring the new moon in Pisces.
The new moon representing our time for resting,
The time of darkness,
To allow new ideas and creative inspiration to begin to emerge.
And what better time to do that than in this dreamy and imaginative sign of Pisces.
And so we start the practice by getting comfortable.
Lying down is best.
So you might like to lie down onto the floor or your sofa.
Perhaps have something soft beneath your head.
Maybe some support beneath the back of the knees.
If you're pregnant you might like to lie on your left hand side,
Perhaps with a blanket beneath the bump.
Make sure that you are warm.
Take blankets,
Socks,
Jumpers,
Anything that you need.
So that you can really allow yourself to settle into stillness,
Becoming more warm,
More comfortable.
And beginning to let the weight of the body move down.
And know that this practice is really a practice of effortless meditation.
Closing the eyes and simply letting your body sink into a state of deep rest.
Nothing to do and nowhere else to be.
You are enough right now as you are.
And so you receive this practice.
A journey to the heart.
The heart of your own being and the heart of all being.
The heart of yoga.
And so start now to invite the body closer into stillness.
Notice the breath and the loyalty of the breath as it comes in and moves out.
Coming in and moving out in its own natural rhythm.
No need to change or alter the breath.
And so as you give in to that urge that we all have at times to surrender the efforts,
The striving and straining and simply just to be.
Know that we embark on this journey of yoga nidra by taking our awareness around the body to each part of the body that I mention.
Imagine that you are being anointed with a drop of warm,
Fragrant oil.
The crown of the head.
Imagine that drop of oil resting onto the crown of the head,
Spreading all over the scalp.
Warm and soothing.
The eyebrow center.
The throat.
The drop of oil resting onto the right shoulder.
The inside of the elbow.
Inside of the wrist.
The drop of oil resting on the tip of the right hand thumb and the index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger and little finger.
Back to the wrist.
Anointing the outside of the elbow,
The front of the shoulder.
Back to the throat and across to the left shoulder.
A drop of oil resting on top of the left shoulder,
The elbow and the wrist.
The tip of the left hand thumb and the index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger and little finger.
Inside of the wrist.
Back to the elbow,
The front of the left shoulder and the throat.
Sense the arms now.
Resting and warm.
Anointed with this delicate oil.
Place drops of this oil now onto the breastbone,
To the left breast,
To the left breast and back to the breastbone,
To the right breast and back to the breastbone,
The navel and the pubis bone.
And an oil drop landing onto the right hip,
Right knee,
Right ankle.
Onto the tip of the right big toe and the second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe and little toe.
The right ankle and knee.
Back to the hip,
Back to the pubis bone.
Drop of oil here.
And then oil landing on the left hip,
Knee,
Left ankle.
Drops of oil on each of the toes,
The left big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe and little toe.
Back to the ankle and knee and hip.
Pubic bones and both legs.
How heavy and warm the legs can feel.
And pelvis.
And then oil resting back again at the navel,
Again at the breastbone,
Again to the throat and back to the eyebrow centre.
And allow your awareness to be at the eyebrow centre.
Sensing the breath.
The coming and going of each breath as the body simply rests in this deep state of yoganidra.
Body resting,
Mind awake and alert.
Breath coming in and breath going out.
And imagine now that this space at the eyebrow centre was full of light.
And as you breathed in,
This light spread from the eyebrow centre down through the whole of the body.
And as you breath out,
All that light gets drawn all the way back to the eyebrow centre.
Breathing in and feeling this radiant light as though it were pouring down the arms and the legs.
Feeling the whole body and then exhaling and feeling that light journey all the way back to that point of awareness at the eyebrow centre.
And breathing this way down to the fingers and the toes,
The whole body full of light.
And as you exhale,
All that light gathers back to the eyebrow centre.
And feel this light as a flow of movement,
Just like the breath.
Coming and going.
And simply know I am practising yoganidra.
Be aware of the body.
The whole right side of the body,
The arm,
The hand,
The leg,
The foot,
The right side of the torso,
The whole right side of the body.
And then take your awareness to the left side,
The left arm and hand,
Leg and foot,
The whole left side of the body.
And as you breathe in,
Imagine filling the whole body with the breath.
And as you breathe out,
Feel the right side of the body.
Breathe in,
Feeling the right side.
And breathe out,
Feeling the left side.
Breathing in,
Feeling the whole left side of the body.
And breathing out,
Feeling the whole right side of the body.
And breathing this way.
At the top of the inhale,
Pause and then breathe out,
Feeling the other side of the body.
Next time you breathe in,
Feel the whole body with the breath and then breathe out.
The whole body.
Breathing in,
Left side,
Right side,
Whole body and breathing out.
The whole body,
The whole body,
The whole body is resting here.
And the breath returns to its own natural rhythm.
Take your awareness to the space in front of the closed eyes.
And in that dark,
Dark space,
Imagine that an horizon is beginning to emerge.
You start to see a thin ray of light in the horizon.
You watch this light and the sky begins to glow.
This dark space begins to fill with purples and blues,
Reds,
Yellows and oranges,
Glowing white.
And imagine now this dark space in front of the eyes filled with radiant light,
Like the most glorious sunrise you've ever seen.
Notice any shapes,
Images or feelings as you allow this kaleidoscope of colours to dance in front of the closed eyes.
And simply know,
I am practising Yoganidra.
I am practising Yoganidra.
I am practising Yoganidra.
And keeping the eyes closed,
Begin to picture your surroundings,
What shapes and colours there might be around you,
The quality of the light,
The time of the day.
Picture where you are,
The space that you are in,
How you are being supported by that space.
And know that we are journeying back to a more normal state of awareness,
A more familiar state of awareness.
As we come towards the end of this practice of Yoganidra,
Gently put a little bit of movement into the fingers and the toes.
And allow the breath to become a little fuller and deeper.
As you sigh,
Stretch your arm.
And slowly begin to stir the body,
Taking your time.
And as we come to the end of this practice,
Know that there is no need to rush.
You can stay lying for as long as you like.
But when you are ready,
Allowing the eyes to open and coming back to being wide awake,
Wide awake,
This practice of Yoganidra is over.
Thank you for listening.
Namaste.
