Welcome to this Yoga Nidra practice,
A journey today to help you connect with your heart energy and cultivate deep self-compassion.
As you prepare for this session,
Find a quiet,
Comfortable space where you won't be disturbed.
Lie down on your yoga mat or in bed and take the position of Shavasana.
Allow your legs to be comfortably apart,
Arms resting beside you with your palms facing upward,
Ready to receive the calming energy of this practice.
Close your eyes and allow yourself to settle in.
Take a few moments to adjust your body,
Making any final movements to ensure you are perfectly comfortable.
Before we begin,
Take a moment to acknowledge why you may have come to this practice today.
Perhaps you've been feeling overwhelmed by the demands of daily life,
Carrying the weight of stress or anxiety.
Maybe you've been struggling with self-criticism,
Feeling that you're not enough or that you've made mistakes.
Or perhaps you're here because you have experienced a challenging situation recently,
One that has left you feeling vulnerable or in need of comfort.
Whatever brought you here today,
Know that this is a safe space to explore your emotions,
To offer yourself kindness and to let go of any burdens you've been carrying.
There's no need to change anything or force anything to happen.
Simply allow yourself to be as you are and know that you are deserving of love,
Compassion and healing.
I am recording this Yoga Nidra from a sacred place,
Cambodia,
Siem Reap.
You might hear some noises in the background,
But I truly hope that you can feel the sacred energies from this place,
From the temples,
All the way to where you are today.
Now begin by taking a deep,
Full breath in,
Filling your abdomen as you inhale.
Hold your breath for a moment and then slowly exhale.
Feel your body soften and release tension.
Take another deep breath in,
Fill your lungs completely and let it out with a sigh.
Releasing any stress or worries.
One more time,
Inhale deeply and as you exhale,
Feel yourself sinking deeper into relaxation.
Now allow your breath to return to its normal rhythm,
Soft and effortless-less.
With every exhale,
Feel your body becoming heavier,
More relaxed and fully supported by the surface beneath you.
We will now move to a detailed rotation of consciousness,
Bringing awareness to every part of your body.
As I mentioned,
Each area,
Bring your focus there and feel it soften and relax.
Begin with your toes,
Feeling the tips of each toe on your left foot,
Then your right foot.
Notice the sensation in your big toes,
Second toes,
Third toes,
Fourth toes and little toes.
Feel the warmth and relaxation spreading through them.
Now bring your awareness to the soles of your feet,
Noticing any sensation or subtle energy here.
Feel the connection to the earth grounding you.
Now move your attention to your heels,
Feeling their contact with the surface beneath you.
Now bring your focus to your ankles,
Noticing the softness in this area as you allow tension to melt away.
Move up to your chins,
Feeling the front of your lower legs,
Imagine any tension here being gently released.
Now shift your awareness to your calves,
Notice the muscles soften and relax with each breath.
Bring your attention to your knees,
Feeling the space around your knee joints.
Allow any tightness to dissolve.
Now move up to your thighs,
Starting with the front of your thighs and feel the large muscles here relaxing deeply.
Again bring your focus to the backs of your thighs,
Allowing them to sink into the surface beneath you.
Now focus on your hips,
Noticing any sensations in your hip joints.
Allow your hips to release any tension they may be holding on to.
Now move your attention to your pelvic area,
Feeling the connection between your pelvis and the earth.
Imagine a sense of grounding and stability here.
Bring your awareness to your lower abdomen,
Noticing the gentle rise and fall with your breath.
Feel a warm,
Soothing energy in this area.
Shift your focus to your navel,
Feeling the center of your body and the connection to your core.
Move up to your stomach,
Allow the muscles in your abdomen to fully relax,
Letting go of any tension.
Now bring your awareness to your chest,
Feeling the expansion with each inhale and the release with each exhale.
Imagine your heart space softening and opening.
Now move to your ribcage,
Noticing the subtle movement as you breathe.
Allow any tightness to melt away.
And bring your focus to your upper back,
Feeling the muscles along your spine softening and relaxing.
Imagine tension dissolving from your shoulder blades.
Now shift your awareness to your shoulders,
Noticing if they are still holding any tension.
Allow them to drop away from your ears,
Feeling a sense of release and lightness.
Move down to your upper arms,
Feeling the muscles relax from your shoulders to your elbows.
Now bring your focus to your elbows,
Noticing the sensations of the small but often tense area.
Move down to your forearms and feeling the relaxation spreading through these muscles.
Bring your awareness to your wrists,
Noticing any subtle sensations here.
Imagine a sense of ease and relaxation.
Shift your focus now to your hands,
Starting with your palms.
Feel them soften and relax,
As if they were gently holding warm sand.
Now bring your awareness to your fingers,
Feeling each one individually,
From your thumb to your little finger.
Notice the tips of your fingers and the space in between.
Let your hands and fingers fully relax.
Now move back up to your neck and throat,
Noticing any lingering tension.
Allow your neck to lengthen.
Feel your throat soft and open.
Shift your awareness to your jaw,
Often a place where tension is held.
Let your jaw unclench and relax,
Allowing your teeth to part slightly.
Now bring your focus to your mouth,
Feeling your lips soften and the space inside your mouth relax.
Move to your nose,
Noticing the breath flowing in and out,
Cool air entering and warm air leaving.
Bringing your attention to your cheeks,
Letting them soften and relax.
Now focus on your ears,
Noticing the sensations around your earlobes and the space inside your ears.
Shift your awareness to your eyes,
Feeling your eyelids gently resting over your eyes.
Imagine your eyes sinking back into their sockets,
Fully relaxed.
Move to your forehead,
Noticing any tightness or creases and allowing them to smooth out.
Feel a sense of spaciousness in your mind.
And finally bring your awareness to the crown of your head,
Feeling the top of your head and imagining a warm gentle light resting here,
Spreading relaxation through your entire body.
Take a moment to feel the whole body as one,
Completely relaxed,
Heavy and at ease.
Now gently shift your awareness to the center of your chest,
To your heart space.
Imagine a warm gentle light beginning to glow here,
Representing your inner compassion and your capacity for love and kindness towards yourself.
With each breath,
See this light growing brighter,
Expanding with each inhale and spreading throughout your body with each exhale.
Feel this warm soothing light filling your entire chest,
Wrapping your heart in a gentle healing embrace.
As this light grows,
It begins to dissolve any feelings of self-judgment,
Criticism or doubt.
These feelings gently melt away,
Replaced by a deep sense of understanding and kindness towards yourself.
Imagine this light now spreading through your arms and down to your hands,
Flowing through your torso,
Down your legs and into your feet.
Feel it moving up into your neck and head until your entire body is filled with this warm compassionate light.
You might hear it slightly on the background in this recording,
That at this very moment there are some sacred prayers going on in the temple here in Siem Reap in Cambodia.
You might not understand the language,
But I do hope that you can feel its energy and significant message for you and for your heart.
Now silently repeat to yourself,
I am deserving of my own love.
I forgive myself for my imperfections.
I accept myself just as I am.
Let these words resonate deeply within your heart,
Feeling their truth.
Now visualize this light expanding beyond your body,
Creating a bubble of self-compassion that surrounds you.
Within this space you are safe,
Protected and deeply loved.
Take a few moments to rest in this bubble of light,
Letting the feelings of self-compassion and love grow stronger with each breath.
As you rest in this space of self-compassion,
Gently consider the following questions.
What is one thing I can forgive myself for today?
How can I show myself more kindness in my daily life?
What is one positive quality about myself that I can embrace more fully?
There is no need to find immediate answers.
Simply allow those questions to flow through your awareness,
Planting seeds of reflection that will continue to grow.
Now gently bring your awareness back to your physical body,
Lying here in Shavasana.
Feel the support of the surface beneath you,
Feel the air on your skin and the gentle rhythm of your breath.
Slowly start to wiggle your fingers and your toes and gently reawaken your body.
Take a deep breath in and as you exhale,
Roll onto your right side,
Using one of your hands as a pillow for your head and the rest here,
Cradling yourself in a fetal position.
And slowly,
Slowly,
When you feel ready,
Use your hands to press yourself up into a comfortable seated position,
Keeping your eyes closed.
Take a moment to notice how you feel,
Carrying the sense of self-compassion with you as you continue your day.
Thank yourself for taking this time to nurture your heart and soul and remember,
Self-compassion is a practice you can return to at any time.
Whenever you are ready,
Gently open your eyes and come back to the space around you.
Until next time,
Namaste.
