Welcome,
Welcome,
Welcome to this practice of Yoga Nidra.
Depending on the number of blankets or pillows you have,
Maybe put a little low support for your neck or a blanket folded under your thoracic spine or maybe a bolster or pillows under your knees and if you've got another blanket,
Maybe put that under the ankles to give some more support.
The really key thing here is to go for comfort and save yourself one blanket to put over you so you can tuck yourself in for a sense of containment to really be in your nest.
Traditionally we practice Nidra in Shavasana,
So on your back.
Hands can be by your size or on your belly and maybe tuck in hands around the excess of your blanket on top of you.
If you have an eye mask or eye pillow,
Remember to put the pillow on the actual bones of the eyebrow rather than on the eyes themselves.
This will initiate a lovely,
Lovely flow of serotonin which as we know is the feel-good hormone.
Anyone with low blood pressure,
We recommend that you practice in a reclining position,
Making sure that you have lots of support behind your back.
And play around to get comfortable,
Really,
Really comfortable.
So as you're settling,
I will be guiding you through the practice with my voice.
But if for any reason you'd prefer to let go of my voice,
That's absolutely fine.
Just trust yourself and what you're feeling.
And likewise for any suggestions or invitations I give for visualization,
Thoughts or feelings,
If you'd prefer to go with your own intuition,
Go with your flow.
Fully trust yourself and your experience.
And remember you can't get Yoganidra wrong.
There's no expertise or prior knowledge required.
Just a connection to yourself and a willingness to be in the present moment.
This is your practice.
So take what you need and leave what you don't.
There is an invitation to stay awake during the practice,
But if you fall asleep,
Again,
Don't worry.
Just let yourself do what's needed for you today.
Your body knows best.
And know that it's perfectly normal if emotions come up during and after practice.
And if you'd like to chat about anything that comes up after practice,
Just know that I'm around and can be contacted.
So now let your eyes close and invite stillness.
As much stillness as your body can give today.
And if you're uncomfortable in any way during any part of this practice,
Feel free to change position to a more comfortable shape,
Mindfully and gently.
The single most important thing is for you to be as comfortable as possible.
There is nothing for you to do.
Just to be here is enough,
Exactly as you are.
Nothing to do,
Nowhere to go,
No one to tend to other than yourself.
All the doing is invited to stop and just be.
There's nothing for you to achieve in this practice.
Whatever you experience is just as it should be,
And know that you can show up here just as you are and that every bit of you is welcome,
Just as you are.
Take the invitation to allow a sensation of comfort to drop richly in now.
Quieten your mind and let go of all thought.
Release all that has been and all there is to come and simply welcome what is present.
Feel everything soften,
Your face,
Your eyes,
Your temples.
Let go of all tension,
Your mouth,
Your jaw,
Your teeth and your tongue,
Everything softening.
Your shoulders melting into the floor,
Releasing,
Unburdening.
Your chest and your pelvis sinking deeper into the ground beneath you,
The earth rising to meet you,
To support you.
Feel both legs releasing effortlessly onto the ground.
Allow your bones to lay heavy,
Your muscles to relax and lose their grip.
As you let go,
Sink deeper still into comfort,
Welcoming your body into rest,
Welcoming your body home.
Now bring your attention to your navel.
Watch as it rises as you inhale and falls as you exhale through your nose.
And just bear witness to this,
The most natural process,
Your breath,
Your prana,
Your life force entering and leaving your body,
Feeding your body,
Nourishing your body and taking away all the things you no longer need,
All on its own,
The body breathing itself.
Nothing to do but bear witness with no judgment,
With no control.
Be aware of the sensation of air in your nostrils as it moves with ease in and out of your body.
Maybe notice the sensation of breath inside the body,
Perhaps a feeling of warmth inside the body.
And now notice all the points where your body meets the floor,
Where your body is supported by the floor.
Your heels,
Calves,
Buttocks,
The parts of your back that connect to the floor,
Your arms if they're by your side,
Your shoulder blades,
The back of your head.
Notice the weight of these parts of your body as they sink ever deeper into the earth which rises to meet you.
Now notice those parts of your body which are not connected with the floor,
The soles of your feet,
The back of your knees,
The small of your lower back,
Your neck.
Become increasingly aware of your body as a whole,
Laying on the ground,
Taking up this space,
Your rightful space to rest.
And now become aware of sounds around you,
From your own breath to the sound of my voice,
Perhaps other sounds around you and again just bear witness to them without engagement.
Just be aware,
Observing.
Feel a sensation of your clothes and blankets on your skin as they wrap around you giving you warmth and comfort.
And acknowledge how good it feels to give yourself this time,
This rest.
Feel a real sense of contentment as you sink deeper still into the ground supporting you,
As it rises up to meet you.
Feel your whole body resting here in comfort and at rest.
Breathe into your body,
Your wonderful whole body,
Your whole body.
Now take a moment to sense where the centre of your being is.
Perhaps it's your heart centre,
Your belly or between your eyebrows at your third eye.
Take some time to sense where this is for you.
And on the next inhale really breathe into this place and feel it,
Knowing this is your inner resource,
The centre of your wellbeing,
Your home within yourself.
Exhale and let everything go.
And know that during this practice if you ever want to return to this place,
Your centre of inner resource,
That it's always there for you,
A steady place of comfort and of rest.
And now if you would like I invite you to make your sankalpa,
Your intention,
Your heartfelt desire.
And let this be something you wish to have more of in your life.
And whatever your sankalpa,
Create a short positive statement in the present tense.
Perhaps I am at peace.
Everything in my life is at peace.
All things are at peace.
And really feel that attribute now.
See it,
Repeating your sankalpa silently and wholeheartedly to yourself three times.
And if nothing comes immediately that's okay.
Invite a space for your intention to become clear and trust whatever comes.
And if nothing comes today,
Maybe just stay with your inner resource,
Knowing it is enough.
You are enough just the way you are.
And now imagine the sky above you.
Maybe it's still light.
Maybe it's coming to the end of the day,
Slowly turning to dust before the evening begins.
Perhaps the evening chorus of Birdsong has begun,
Heralding the end of another day.
The sky is turning into blue,
Pink and purple hues from the sunset.
And whilst it may still be light,
The stars above the earth are still there.
Way above the clouds in the cosmos,
The thousands and thousands of stars are all consistently shining their light down onto the earth,
Both night and day.
Now imagine there is one star,
Way above you,
Millions and millions of miles away,
That you are drawn to.
The perfect star for you.
And imagine the most beautiful light from this star beaming down as you lay on your mat or your bed.
A beautiful golden beam that gently,
Ever so gently and lightly,
Tips the crown of your head.
And as the light gently tips your head,
You may feel a gentle pressure.
And you notice this starlight has become the most beautiful golden jewel.
Perhaps a golden topaz or yellow sapphire.
The light shimmers through this jewel,
Making it translucent,
Shining so,
So brightly.
And now notice another small golden jewel appear in between your eyebrows at your third eye.
Again,
Perhaps notice a very gentle pressure,
As you feel the gentle light weight of the jewel shimmering and shining softly on your skin.
Now become aware of your right hand thumb and the very tip of your thumb.
Notice a smaller golden jewel light up the very tip of your right hand thumb and then on your first finger,
Second finger,
Third finger and little finger,
Your thumb and fingers together.
And now notice a jewel appear in the palm of your hand,
On the back of your hand,
On your right wrist,
Your forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Armpit,
The right side of your torso,
Your waist,
Right hip,
The front of the thigh and the back of the thigh,
Your knee and the space at the back of the knee,
Your shin and your calf,
Right ankle,
Heel,
Sole of the foot,
Top of the foot,
The very tip of your right big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe and little toe,
All your toes together,
The whole of your right side of your body,
The whole of your right side of your body shining bright with this exquisite light.
Now bring your attention to your left hand and see one of your beautiful jewels of light shining on the very tip of your left hand thumb,
Then on your first finger,
Second finger,
Third finger and little finger,
All these jewels of light on your thumb and fingers together,
And then notice another in the palm of your hand,
On the back of your hand,
Your left wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Armpit,
The left side of your torso,
Your waist,
Left hip,
The front of your thigh and the back of your thigh,
The knee and the space at the back of the knee,
Your shin and calf,
Left ankle,
Heel,
Sole of the foot,
Top of the foot,
The very tip of your left big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Little toe,
All your toes together,
The whole of your left side of your body,
The whole of your left side of your body shining bright with this exquisite light.
Now take your attention back to the crown of your head and see your jewel there shining brightly,
A smooth warming sensation,
Nourishing you,
Revitalizing you.
Now notice smaller jewels light up your right eyebrow,
Your left eyebrow,
Around your right eye,
Your left eye,
On your right ear,
Left ear,
Your nose and the very tip of your nose,
Your upper lip,
Your lower lip,
Your jaw,
Your teeth and your tongue,
Your chin,
Your throat,
See them illuminate your right collarbone,
Your left collarbone,
The right side of your chest and left side of your chest,
Your right groin,
Left groin,
The pelvic floor,
See all your beautiful jewels light up the whole of your right leg,
The whole of your left leg,
Both legs at the same time,
Both legs together.
Now see them light up the whole of your right arm,
The whole of your left arm,
Both arms at the same time,
Both arms together,
The whole of your back,
Jewels of starlight,
Lighting up your buttocks,
Your spine,
Shoulder blades and neck.
The whole of your front illuminated,
Your chest,
Abdomen,
Lower belly,
The whole of your back and front together completely wrapped in this beautiful light of your golden jewels,
Your whole body together,
Shining and translucent,
Radiant,
Inside,
Outside,
To the left,
The right,
The back,
The front,
Every cell,
Every muscle,
Bone and fascia,
Your whole body lighting up,
Your wonderful whole body and just rest in this light,
This beautiful restorative light.
And now return to the centre of your being,
Your inner resource and feel the breath moving gently in and out of the body as the body breathes itself.
The body knows exactly what to do and notice now a sensation of warmth in your body,
A beautiful easy warmth that fills your body,
From the tips of your toes to the crown of your head,
A glowing gorgeous warmth.
Now sense a feeling of coolness in your body,
From the crown of your head down to the soles of your feet,
The body becoming cool and calm.
Perhaps these sensations come and go with your inhale and your exhale.
Maybe on your inhale you feel your body with warmth and comfort and on your exhale you sense the body becoming cool and calm.
And move between these sensations of warmth and coolness in your own time with your own breath.
And now feel both these sensations together.
Feel them in your mind's eye together.
Warmth and coolness together.
Coolness and warmth together.
And bring your awareness back to your breath.
Follow the gentle tide of your inhale and exhale without altering it,
No judgement,
Just an awareness.
Become the observer.
Invisited your breath as the golden light from all your jewels flowing up and down your spine.
With your inhale this light flows from the tailbone to the top,
Top,
Top of your head and with your exhale it flows from your head back down to the tailbone.
A cyclical tide of light,
Of prana,
Life force.
Stay with your breath as it flows up and down your spine.
Golden,
Vibrant,
Radiant.
And notice how it feels to melt the boundaries of being,
Merging into an interconnected whole.
That you are now the observer of all that is unfolding within you,
That you are pure awareness,
Like the air,
Everywhere and nowhere at the same time,
Resting in the freedom of simply being.
And now bring your attention to the space between your eyes.
I'm going to name a few images and as they're named try to visualise them.
If you can't don't worry and again if there is anything suggested which doesn't sit well with you,
Trust yourself to focus on what's right for you.
With your awareness on the space between your eyes imagine a white rose,
Gentle waves on the sea,
The blue sky of a sunny morning,
A peaceful dark night lit up with moonlight and stars,
A white sandy beach,
A field of vibrant wildflowers,
Drizzling rain,
Candle light from a single flame,
A mountain stream,
A red butterfly,
A single drop of water falling from a leaf,
A garden full of flowers,
The rising sun,
A sailing boat,
A verdant green forest with tall trees,
The sound of a bell ringing,
A large lake,
A summer's day,
Clouds gathering in the sky,
A high mountain with snow capped peaks,
A beautiful sunset,
A single pebble being dropped into a still pool of water,
A carpet of autumn leaves,
A stormy night,
A sunflower,
A waterfall,
A full moon,
A single stag on a moor,
A field of lavender,
A quiet space to call your own.
May today there be peace within.
May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others.
May you use the gifts that you have received and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content with yourself just the way you are.
Now we return to our sankalpa,
Our intention.
Repeat your statement again three times,
Silently and wholeheartedly to yourself,
Embodying your intention,
Your heartfelt desire.
Recognize what a wonderful feeling it is to feel this quality,
A full embodiment of this quality.
And remember you can always return to this feeling whenever you want through your awareness to breath.
During your attention back to your breath again,
Notice it flowing through your nostrils with ease,
Breathing softly,
Rhythmically,
Naturally.
Feel you are floating back to everyday awareness.
Take another long inhale through your nose,
Filling your body with beautiful fresh air and exhaling,
Sigh it out and let it go.
Allow an awareness of your whole body as you come back into this space.
Feel your clothes and the blankets that cover you.
Notice a sensation of your whole body on the floor at ease and at complete rest.
Keeping your eyes closed,
Start to imagine the external space around you and slowly,
With no rush,
Drift back into this space,
Inviting the effects of this practice to stay with you as you return back into your body,
Into this space.
Maybe gently start to give movement in your fingers and toes,
Waking up your body as you return to this space.
And when you feel fully awake,
Gently blink open your eyes,
Roll to the right and just stay on your side for a few moments.
There's no rush.
Take all the time you need.
And when you're ready,
Use your left hand to slowly push the floor away from you to come to a seated position.
The practice of Yoga Nidra is now complete.
