Let's begin today's practice by finding a comfortable position.
You can lie down on your back with pillow under your head and a blanket over you.
Adjust your position until you feel completely at ease.
And whenever you feel completely at ease,
See if you can get just 10% more comfortable.
Today's practice will help you gently guide yourself into sleep.
So for that reason,
There will be no ending words or bell to allow you to have the space to gently fall into sleep.
I want you to bring awareness to your breath.
Notice what it's doing.
Start to notice the surface on which you're sleeping tonight.
And notice any parts of your body that calm.
Any parts of your body that still are energized from the day.
Notice any parts of your body that feel tension.
And any parts of your body that feel relaxed.
As we begin to settle into today's Yoga Nidra,
I want you to just slightly deepen your breath.
Let it come into your nostrils or your mouth with ease.
Almost as if it were meant to be there.
Let it fill your lungs and restore a sense of peace in your body.
If your mind wanders at all,
It's okay.
You can go with it,
Knowing that your thoughts are just thoughts.
You can begin to think of them as separate from you,
As if you're watching them instead of thinking them.
In today's practice,
We're going to explore the concept of sankalpa.
A sankalpa is a positive intention or resolve that you set for your practice.
Its short and affirmative statement resonates deeply with what's on your heart.
And you can say it in the present tense.
Allow your mind to bring forward an intention that you would like to set in today's meditation.
It could be something like,
I embrace rest and relaxation.
Think of it now.
And when you have it in your mind,
I want you to think of it three times.
Hold this intention softly on your heart as we continue.
Breathing in softly,
Easily.
Your breath naturally deepening.
Naturally slowing.
You may even begin to feel your belly rising.
And dropping.
As you settle into your comfortable position,
I want you to think about getting just 10% more comfortable.
How can you adjust yourself so that you sort to iron out any more tension?
Notice the space you're in and how it supports you.
Feel free to make any adjustments.
Allowing yourself to sink into the surface beneath you.
Feeling fully supported and at ease.
Almost like you're floating.
I want you to now bring your awareness to your senses.
Notice the sounds around you.
The temperature of the room you're in.
And the sensation of the fabric against your skin.
Allow these sensations to gently fade into the background.
As you turn your focus inward.
Now let's begin with a journey of relaxation throughout your body.
Bring your awareness to your right eyebrow.
The left eyebrow.
Feel any tension melting away.
The tip of the tongue.
As you progress through this practice,
Continue to bring awareness to each part of your body.
Allowing relaxation to deepen.
Feeling any tension melting away.
Notice the tip of your nose.
Your right eyelashes.
Then your left eyelashes.
Feeling your eyes soften.
And move backwards.
And become heavier.
Shift your focus to your right cheek.
Your left cheek.
Relaxing your jaw.
The space between your lips.
Inside of your mouth.
Now bring your focus to your ears.
Notice the right ear.
Then the left ear.
Feel the inner ear.
On the right.
And the inner ear on the left.
Feel the crown of your head.
The back of your head.
And the back of your neck.
Relaxing deeply.
The right side of the throat.
The left side of the throat.
The left side of the neck.
The right side of the neck.
The left side of the neck.
The place where your neck meets your collarbone.
Your shoulders.
First the right shoulder.
Then the left shoulder.
Feeling as they ease into relaxation.
The thumb on your right hand.
Right index finger.
Right middle finger.
Right ring finger.
Little finger.
Tips of your fingers.
Palm of your hand.
Back of the right hand.
Wrist of the right hand.
Right forearm.
Upper arm.
Right shoulder.
Right side of the torso.
Right waist.
Right hip.
Right knee.
Right ankle.
Right heel.
The sole of the right foot.
The top of the right foot.
The right big toe.
The right second toe.
The right third toe.
The right fourth toe.
The right fifth toe.
Now shift your awareness to your left side.
Your left hand thumb.
Your index finger.
Your middle finger.
Your ring finger.
Your little finger.
Feel each finger.
One by one.
Tips of your fingers.
And the palm of your hand.
Back of the hand.
And the left wrist.
Now to your left forearm.
Left elbow.
Upper arm.
Left side of the torso.
Left waist.
Hip.
Thigh.
Left knee.
Left heel.
Left sole.
Top of the foot.
And each toe.
The left big toe.
The left second toe.
The left third toe.
The left fourth toe.
The left pinky toe.
Let your shoulders drop naturally.
Releasing any weight they may carry.
Find the place where your spine meets your skull.
Feeling the right side relax.
And then the left side.
Feel the space where your neck meets your back.
First the right side.
And then the left side.
Feel the right shoulder blade.
Left shoulder blade.
Right ribs.
And left ribs.
Stomach.
Kidneys.
Feel the right lungs.
And the left lungs.
Feel the space where your shoulder meets your arm.
And the right side.
And where your shoulder meets the arm on the left side.
Now starting at the very top of the spine.
Feel all of the vertebrae.
One by one.
As they settle in.
And relax.
First in the neck.
Then near the shoulders.
Feel the vertebrae.
Releasing tension.
Falling sweetly towards the earth.
Realigning.
Releasing any tension.
Feel the vertebrae.
In your mid back.
In your lower back.
Down to your tailbone.
Gently releasing any tension.
Or discomfort.
Your right sit bone.
Your left sit bone.
Your right femur.
Your left femur.
Your right kneecap.
Your left kneecap.
Your right shin.
Your left shin.
Your right ankle bone.
Your left ankle bone.
Top of the head.
Bottom of the feet.
Right pinky.
Left pinky.
Right side of the body.
The left side of the body.
The front of the body.
Back of the body.
Feel the place where the hair meets the skin.
On your head.
Feel the place where your eyelids meet your eyes.
On the right side.
On the left.
Gradually allowing every bit of tension to just be released.
As if you could float.
Right there,
Lying on your bed.
As you drift into a restful sleep.
Notice the place where your teeth meet your gums.
Where your tongue meets your throat.
Where your jaw meets your skull.
Feel where your skin meets your muscles.
And your muscles meet your bones.
Feel the pores in your skin.
As you gently assess what you feel on your skin.
Feel your breath gently rising and falling.
As it guides you into a state of calm.
Embrace the quietness within you and around you.
The whole body.
Resting.
Relaxing.
And releasing any remaining tension.
Feel as a wave of energy and relaxation flows through your entire body.
Slow like honey.
Wherever it touches.
Ironing out any last tension.
Discomfort.
Or holding that still exists within your body.
Allow yourself to drift asleep.
Releasing the contact between you and your soul.
Knowing that you are supported and cared for.
And that there's nothing to do.
Nothing to be.
Nothing to think.
Nothing to feel.
And as you rest let the soothing energy of relaxation flow all through your body.
As you drift into a peaceful sleep.
Knowing that you are supported and at ease.
Music by Ben Thede
