Lotus Blossom Yoga Nidra

A deep, guided Yoga Nidra which will be helpful in restoring restful sleep, soothing anxiety, reducing tension and stress, and promoting an overall feeling of wellbeing. The listener will feel supported and held during the practice and the benefits are long-lasting and cumulative.

Transcript

So taking just a few moments to get as comfortable as you possibly can, Using pillows or blankets, An eye pillow over your eyes might be really nice. And just snuggling in and settling in to the surface that you're lying on. And you might begin with some deeper exaggerated inhales and just allowing the exhales to be a release, A letting go, A nourishing full inhale, Allowing the exhale to just fall away. Perhaps doing that a few more times. And taking a moment to notice, Can you soften the tongue, Allowing the tongue to rest on the bottom of the mouth, Softened through the palms of the hands and the fingers. Perhaps check in with your belly, Imagining liquid belly, Soft belly. Sometimes it's even nice to take a few breaths into the belly, Intoning soft as you breathe in and belly as you breathe out, Soft belly, Soft. And allowing that receptivity, That softness to come up around the heart center. And if it's helpful, You can label the next inhale open and the next exhale heart, Open heart. Perhaps taking the next few breaths to just scan what else can soften. Can you imagine breathing more spaciousness into the armpits, Encouraging the shoulders to let go. Perhaps once again, Softening the belly. Now imagining a gorgeous white lotus blossom in your mind's eye. And softly taking one of the petals from that lotus blossom and placing it on your crown, Signifying connection, Unity, Oneness. Taking another lotus petal and placing it on the place between your eyebrows, Signifying wisdom, Clear sight, Insight. Another lotus petal in your mind's eye, Placing at the hollow of the base of the throat, Signifying truth, Honesty, Awareness. Placing another lotus petal at your heart center, Signifying love, Acceptance, Openness. Finding the soft space just below the solar plexus, Placing another lotus petal on that space, Signifying your inner sun, Inner expansiveness. Another lotus petal is softly placed on the space a few inches below the navel, Signifying playfulness, Flow, Fluidity, Creativity. And a lotus petal at the base of your spine, Signifying belonging, Groundedness, Connection to the earth, Supportedness. Returning your awareness to your breath. And for the next several breaths, Imagine breathing in only through the left nostril. And the exhale comes only through the right nostril. Breathing in through the same side, The right nostril. Breathing out through the left nostril. Breathing in left, In right, Out left, Continuing at your own pace. When you're ready, Allow your breath to return to normal, Noticing perhaps a sense of clarity, Ease or spaciousness in the mind. And allow your awareness now to travel to the heart center. Notice if there's a wish in your heart, A sankalpa, Just listening to your heart, Not searching, Being receptive. If a sankalpa, An intention arises, And you're aware of words, State the sankalpa in the moment. And release your heart's desire, Your deep heartfelt wish to the universe, Allowing it to merge with universal consciousness. Now entering the practice of Yoga Nidra. We'll begin with rotation of consciousness, A body scan. And there are several different levels at which you can practice this rotation of consciousness. The first is, When I mentioned a part of the body, Just bring your awareness to that part of the body without needing to do anything. Just simple awareness, Or mentally repeating that part of the body to yourself. Now, Another option is to place a highly charged word, Such as love, Acceptance, Peace, In that part of the body, Whatever part of the body I mentioned, Or a symbol that's meaningful to you, Such as a lotus flower, Or another symbol that speaks to you. Now, Another option is to place a point of light, Like a star in each body part in succession, As I name it. So beginning once again with the crown of the head, Bring your awareness to the crown of the head, To the eyebrows, To the hollow at the throat, Moving to the heart, The space a few inches below the diaphragm, The solar plexus, A few inches below the navel, The root of the spine. Allow your awareness now to come to the pelvis, The right buttock, Right knee, Right ankle, The sole of the right foot, Right big toe, Second toe, Third toe, Fourth toe, Fifth toe, Left ankle, Right ankle, Right knee, Right buttock, The pelvis, Left buttock. Awareness to the left knee, Left ankle, Sole of the left foot, Left big toe, Second toe, Third toe, Fourth toe, Fifth toe, Left ankle, Knee, Left buttock, The belly, The belly, The belly. Bring your awareness to the center of the chest, Right side of the rib cage, Center of the chest, Left side of the rib cage, Center of the chest, The space under the right arm, The right shoulder, Right elbow, Wrist, The tip of the right thumb, Tip of the right index finger, Tip of the right middle finger, Tip of the right ring finger, Tip of the small finger, Palm of the right hand, Back of the right hand, Wrist, Right shoulder, Right armpit, Hollow at the base of the throat. Allow your awareness to come to the space under the left arm, Left shoulder, Left elbow, Left wrist, 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 pinky finger, Tip of the pinky finger, Palm of the left hand, Back of the left hand, Left wrist, Left shoulder, Left armpit, Hollow at the base of the throat. Bring your awareness to the chin, Upper lip, Inside of the left cheek, Inside of the right cheek, Roof of the mouth, Bottom of the mouth, The lower lip, The tongue, The whole mouth, Including any sensations of warmth, Moisture, Dryness, Tingling, Vibration, The left cheek, The left ear, The right cheek, The right ear, The base of the nose, Both nostrils, Sensation of the breath inside the nostrils, The right eyelid, The right eye, The space behind the right eye, The space in front of the right eye, The right eye, Including all the space in front of the right eye, The space surrounding it, The space between the eyebrows, The left eyelid, The left eye, The space behind the left eye, The space in front of the left eye, The whole left eye, Including all the space surrounding it, The third eye center, The forehead, The space between the temples, The space inside the forehead, Center of the mind, Center of the mind, Center of the mind, The crown of the head, The back of the head, The space inside the entire cranium, The back of the neck, The space inside the throat, The back of the right shoulder, The space inside the whole shoulder joint on the right side, The center of the chest, The back of the left shoulder, The space inside the whole shoulder joint on the left side, The space under both arms, The space inside both arms in their entirety, Including the space inside the hands and fingers, The entire back, The entire spine from the base of the neck down to the tailbone, Imagine the entire spine suspended inside the body, Imagine the entire spine lying on the ground, Both buttocks, The backs of both thighs, The space behind both knees, Both calves, Both heels, The space inside the entire body, The entire body, The entire body. Moving on to the study of opposites. Inspiration. Remember a time you inspired someone or someone inspired you. The sense of inspiration. And now remember a time you oppressed someone or felt oppressed. Oppression. Returning to inspiration and once again to oppression. Inspiration. Is it possible to find the space between the two opposites or perhaps sensing both opposites at the same time? Inspiration and oppression. Releasing those words. Judgment. Remember a time you judged someone or felt judged. Acceptance. Bring to mind a time you felt accepted or you accepted someone else. Going back to judgment. And back to acceptance. Is it possible to find a space between the two opposites or even imagine feeling both judgment and acceptance at the same time? Elation. Remember a time you felt elated. Despair. Perhaps there's a time where you felt despair. Moving back to elation and back to despair. Is it possible to find the space between elation and despair or perhaps it's possible to notice both elation and despair at the same time? And releasing the study of opposites. Noticing what's there in its absence. And take a moment now to ask yourself this question. What do I need to let go of in order to allow the light of healing to enter my heart? Who would I be? What would it feel like if I were willing to let go of this limited space? This limitation that's coming to my mind right now. Who would I be? How would I feel? And now imagine a roaring fire. A bonfire. Or a fire in a fireplace. The most gorgeous, Biggest fire you care to imagine. Watch the fire crackling. Hissing. Imagine the colors. The sounds. The movement. The energy of this fire. Can you see the fire? Can you see it? Can you feel it? Can you smell it? Now bring to mind this thing you wanted to let go of in order to allow the light of healing to enter your heart. Whatever arose, The first thing that comes into your mind, Take a deep inhale. And as you exhale, Imagine being able to breathe out this limitation. Imagine it leaving out your mouth as you exhale and jumping into the fire. Watch as the fire devours this thing you're ready to let go of. Be with this sensation for a moment. And now as you're watching the fire, A healing golden light emerges from the fire in front of you. Now, This is your limitation, The fear, The sadness or doubt transformed into light, Into a golden, Healing, Powerful light. Imagine this powerful, Golden, Healing light now entering into your body. Through the top of the head or your heart or your belly. Imagine this powerful, Healing, Golden light infusing, Spreading into every cell of your body, Every atom, Every molecule, Every tendon, Muscle, Infusing your mind, Infusing your heart, Filling your heart, Informing your heart, Infusing your soul, Every fiber of your being. Watch it spread. Can you feel it? And now imagine placing yourself into your own heart and allow yourself to imagine a small child, A young child, Perhaps a baby, Perhaps between four and seven years old, Vulnerable, Open. Perhaps you're imagining one of your children or a child you know, A neighbor or a friend's child. And begin to say to this child very gently, You are divine. You are light itself. Though confusion and sorrow may arise, None of these feelings are you. You are divine. You are light. You are love. You are powerful. You are loved. You are free. You are divine. You are light itself. You are love. Realizing this child in your heart is you. Imagine golden radiant light shining from your heart into this child, This child who is you. You are divine. You are light itself. Though confusion and sorrow may arise, None of these feelings are you. You are divine. You are love. You are light. You are powerful. You are loved. You are free. Imagine these words, These truths healing every cell in your body, Healing your past, Healing your present, Healing your future. You are divine. You are light itself. Though confusion and sorrow may arise, None of these feelings are you. You are powerful. You are divine. You are love. Pausing for a few moments to allow these words to infuse, To penetrate, To inform, To enlighten. You are divine. You are love. You are loved. I will leave you now. Allow yourself to stay as long as it feels nourishing, Healing, Soothing for you. Namaste.

Reviews

Monika, was so happy to see you gifted us a new practice. I absolutely love your Chakra Nidra from a few years back and now I love this new incredibly creative practice also. Thank you so very, very much.

So incredible. I have listened to this many nights in a row. So much beauty. I usually fall asleep early on but stayed awake tonight to listen to all of it. Thank you from all of my heart. Namaste 🙏