So,
Welcome to this practice of Soma Nidra.
And this is for releasing self-defeating patterns and embodying a new way of being.
So let's settle into a comfortable position,
Arrange yourself so you feel supported,
Into insoling a deep sense of comfort,
Trust,
And letting go.
So as you are settling in,
Just let your body relax into the position,
Into your comfortable position.
And then take your hands together and begin to rub them gently,
And then more vigorously so you start to create some heat.
And then place your palms gently over your eyes to block out any light,
Just resting the fingers on the forehead.
And take in the darkness and warmth from your hands.
Take a few breaths,
Sensing the energy pulsing in the hands and drawing that energy in through the eyes,
And allow your body to settle.
And then just begin to massage little circles around the eyes,
And sliding the fingers up over the brow center,
And sliding the eyes apart over the forehead as though rubbing out any creases,
Clearing away any busy thoughts.
And then start to massage the temples,
Right down to in front of the ears,
And then just slip your hands like Spock fingers in front and behind the ears,
So we access the vagus nerve directly.
And this begins to shift the parasympathetic nervous system into gear.
And just take a few more moments to continue to massage down to the jaw,
Letting go of any tension in that area,
The cheeks,
Around the mouth.
And then just rest your hands back over your palms,
Back over your eyes,
Taking in the darkness again,
The warmth,
And invite a big breath in,
And then let all the tension dissolve with an outgoing breath,
Melting into the earth.
And then bring your arms back to your sides,
Letting the eyes gently close.
Maybe you have an eye pillow,
And put over the eyes,
And allow all expression to fade from your face.
And as you soften into the earth beneath you,
Know you're welcome here,
In this space,
Here together,
On this land,
Fully welcome.
And whatever arises within,
Be it sensations,
Feelings,
Emotions,
Thoughts,
Desires,
Images,
Or if any distractions arise from outside,
Allow it all to be here with a sense of welcoming,
An invitation to move you more deeply within,
Knowing all along that you're held here in a safe space.
As we enter a quieter state of being,
Invite your inner sanctuary to come alive within you,
And take a moment to ask yourself what is needed to invite a deeper sense of felt safety?
Is it an animal,
A power animal,
Or a wise one,
A place in nature,
Or an element of nature like a plant or tree,
Or a special connection with another realm?
Being open to whatever shows up to offer you a deeper sense of well-being that allows you to connect to a deeper felt sense of safety,
Protection,
And trust within yourself.
And let this felt sense of safety and protection and trust amplify through your whole being.
Let it settle you more deeply into your ground of being,
Which can never be touched by any outside forces,
And know you are held safely here.
Know that you can call forth this inner sanctuary anytime at a moment's notice.
And we will now explore our body's sensations from toes to head.
Allow the sound of my voice to be your guide.
Without comment or judgment,
Rest your full attention on each body part as I name it,
Accompanied by a sensation of heaviness.
Both feet and ankles sinking heavy like a rock.
Both calves and knees very heavy.
Thighs,
Hips,
And pelvis heavy like stone.
Belly,
Chest,
And back melting down into the earth.
Shoulders,
Arms,
And hands so very heavy.
Face and entire head drawing down to the pull of gravity.
Offer the whole body over to the loving pull of the earth sinking deeper and deeper.
Letting go into stillness and silent awareness.
Now rest your full attention on each body part,
Accompanied by a feeling of lightness.
Letting all heaviness drain back into the earth,
Leaving you light as a feather.
Both feet and ankles light.
Both calves and knees ever so light.
Thighs,
Hips,
And pelvis weightless like a cloud in the sky.
Belly,
Chest,
And back floating.
Shoulders,
Arms,
And hands light and free.
Face and entire head empty,
Rising skyward like a balloon.
Offer the whole body over to the loving vast open sky.
Letting go,
Free of thoughts,
Worry,
And tension.
Just like the sky allows unattached for the passing of clouds.
Whole body now settling into stillness and silent awareness.
Whole body.
Feel the whole body contained within vast,
Spacious,
Silent awareness.
Become aware of the body breathing,
And the flow of the breath as sensation in the nostrils.
The abdomen gently rising as breath flows in,
And releasing as breath flows out.
The body breathing naturally and rhythmically.
In-breath,
Abdomen rising.
Out-breath,
Abdomen releasing.
No need to change anything.
The body breathing itself.
Now,
While gently retaining the breath at the top of the inhalation,
Bring your attention into the left side of the body.
And while exhaling and inhaling,
Welcome sensation throughout the whole left side of the body.
Then,
While gently retaining the breath at the top of the inhalation,
Bring attention into the right side of the body.
Then exhaling and inhaling,
Welcoming sensation throughout the right side of the body.
Then going back and forth from one side to the other at your own breathing speed.
Experiencing sensation first on one side of the body,
Then the other side.
Give time during retention for sensation to completely shift across the midline.
And when you are ready,
While holding the breath,
Sense the entire body simultaneously,
While allowing the body to then return to its own natural breathing rhythm.
Noticing as the cycles of breath ebb and flow.
Letting yourself melt back into simply witnessing the comings and goings.
Witness the tides of sensations,
Emotions,
Thoughts,
And images flowing in and out.
Be curious about any sense of resisting.
Is there a feeling of wanting anything to be different?
A sense of needing to control?
Or is there an accepting of what comes and goes?
What is the feeling of resistance or control?
Tune into the expression of control in your body.
How does that feel?
Is it a tension or contraction somewhere?
Does it feel like a tightening in a particular part of the body?
Or does it have a certain quality to it?
What is the quality of control?
Feel into control.
Perhaps a memory brings forth the experience of control.
And now,
Play with the feeling of surrender.
What is the feeling of surrender?
Tune into the expression of surrender in the body.
How does that feel?
Is it an opening or softening somewhere?
Does it affect sensation in a particular part of your body?
Or does it have a certain quality to it?
What is the quality of surrender?
Feel into surrender.
Perhaps a memory brings forth the experience of surrender.
How does control feel different from surrender?
Now move between the two expressions of surrender and control.
Sensing now how you might hold or experience both surrender and control at the same time within your awareness.
Now let yourself simply feel with open curiosity what's present.
Without any effort.
Being with just this.
Just this.
Reach with your awaring presence into all directions.
Above you.
Beneath you.
To your right.
To your left.
In front.
Behind.
Sense your body just like this planet earth surrounding,
Surrounded.
Sense your body just like this planet earth surrounded and infused by wide,
Open space and stillness.
Rest in vast,
Open space.
Trusting fully that you are held in an ocean of compassionate,
Loving awareness.
You are the space of loving awareness.
The substrata of everything that is seen,
Felt,
And experienced.
Deeply rest here.
Without effort.
Without struggle.
Just allowing whatever comes into your field of awareness to be present without judgment or commentary.
Let go of any need to make anything happen.
Sense the presence of universal life force surrounding you and guiding you.
Always.
Resting in the vast,
Open knowing of your heart and soul's deepest wisdom.
If you have any self-defeating patterns,
Habits,
Or a narrative that are holding you back,
That you want to be freed from,
And you're ready to step out of,
Make that your intention now.
Now invite an image or felt sense of a path that leads to a whole new way of being.
This path could be a trail,
Stairs,
A road or bridge,
Or perhaps a trail of stars.
See the path and feel what it's like to not know where you are heading.
Bring along any elements or beings or resources to help you feel secure and ready to take the next step.
Imagine,
Sense,
Or feel taking that first step on this path towards somewhere new and embodying a new way of being.
Feel what happens in your body.
Listen for or notice the story or vision that emerges and give it time over the following month to naturally unfold,
Noticing what happens as you take steps forward,
Not needing to know anything right now.
Simply shifting towards a new direction and way of being.
Connected to your deep heart in full trust of its power,
Radiating from the timeless being that you are,
Aligned to your source nature.
Experience the feeling of joy or happiness expanding throughout your body,
Every cell in your body shining with this timeless wisdom and welcoming its natural feeling of joy and happiness,
Weaving together in harmony all parts within you,
Changing you from the inside out.
Bathe in the complete sense of relief and trust that you have all you need within you.
You are unburdened and free.
Now begin to become aware of the rising and falling of your belly with your breath.
Slowly sense yourself rising to the surface of awareness.
Feel your body resting and supported by the earth mother beneath you.
Feel the quality of air,
The earth's breath,
As it touches your skin.
The feeling of the in and out flow of your own breath,
Like the ocean waves lapping on the shores.
Feel free to remain still for as long as you like,
Or begin to gently move and stretch and yawn in your own time.
Whatever brings delight.
Remain open to the whisperings of your soul and let them inform your waking hours.
Whole body is vibrating at a whole new frequency different from anything you've ever felt before.
The channel is open with a new sense of fulfillment,
Freedom,
And joy filling your being.
Know that every time you practice,
You are realigning with your source nature and embodying a new way of being.
Gradually begin to move the body as though waking from a restful sleep.
If there is an impulse to remain still,
Feel free to follow that.
If it's the end of your day,
Let yourself drift into rejuvenating sleep.
If the day lies ahead of you,
Slowly roll over and rest on your side.
Sense the residual effects of the practice echoing through your body.
When you are ready,
Gently ease your way back up into a seated position.
Take your time.
Do not hurry.
And when you are ready,
Gradually open your eyes.
Trust you have received exactly what you need from this practice.
This practice of Yoga Nidra is now complete.
We come in peace.
We go in peace.
