Yoga Nidra: Your Nervous System Called And Wants To Play!

This is a guided Yoga Nidra practice based on Stephen Porges PolyVagal theory. Tapping into our playful sides to bring feeling connection, wholeness, and ease...All you need to do is find a comfortable place to lay down and follow along. Enjoy.

Transcript

Hi and welcome.

I am Sydney and today I'm going to guide you through a yoga nidra style meditation exploring the fun and playful side of our nervous system.

The side of our nervous system that helps us relax and regenerate our bodies and reconnect our minds.

Take a moment to gather the items around you that will make your meditation nest as comfortable as possible.

Consider a bolster for under your knees,

An eye mask,

Even a blanket for extra warmth.

Build your nest in the location that will allow your mind to wander without too much distraction or worry.

For some this may even include closing the blinds and locking your door.

Give yourself permission to use any and all props that will allow you to settle into your body fully for the duration of our meditation.

Being comfortable is key and while this meditation is extra luxurious,

Traditionally being done lying on your back or side,

One could choose to sit propped up against the wall or in a chair.

This is the time to give yourself exactly what you need to feel supported.

Our body has about seven trillion nerves and one of these lovely highways of communication is called your vagus nerve.

This is the tenth cranial nerve and one of the longest nerves in your body,

Spanning from your brain all the way down into your reproductive organs.

According to Stephen Porges' polyvagal theory,

We can actually nurture the branch of this nerve that's responsible for relationship bonding,

Creativity and relaxation through simple exercises that connect to the mind to the body.

Yoga Nidra happens to be an excellent and very gentle example of a tool that we can use to foster this connection.

Make your final adjustments,

Snuggling into your nest just a little bit more.

All you have to do now is follow my voice as a guide through an exploration of your mind-body connection.

Tapping into stillness in our minds and bodies is always a little bit easier after we've shifted any stagnant energy out of our joints.

To do this we're just going to start by shaking our hands.

Nothing too intense,

Very gentle.

Just flick out all the unnecessary energy and shake until you feel stillness start to creep into your bones.

Really get into it now.

Allow the shaking to travel all the way up your arms,

Into your shoulders,

Maybe you shimmy a little bit.

Let the shaking spread through your spine and ribs.

And pay attention,

Maybe you start to notice changing sensations throughout the body.

Keep up that gentle shaking.

Naturally the vibrations will spread through your entire body,

Head to toe.

This is what we want,

We're discharging energy.

Give a couple more shakes.

And when you're ready settle into stillness.

Scan your body for any new or heightened sensations.

There isn't a wrong or bad sensation,

We're just noticing.

As your energy begins to settle become aware of your chest rising and falling as you breathe.

All you need to do is observe the cycle.

Just watch for it.

Is it possible to deepen your inhales and lengthen your exhales by about 2%?

Explore how this small increase of range creates a ripple effect for your whole body.

A beautiful fact about our breath is its ability to soothe and regulate the nervous system.

When the breath is slow and deep we communicate to the brain that we are ready to shift into a space of relaxation.

Release the need to change anything about your breath.

Simply observe without altering your next few cycles of inhales and exhales.

With curiosity observe your chest expanding on the inhale and effortlessly contracting with the exhale.

Notice how the breath creates a gentle tide of movement in this container of your body as if the waves of breath are connected to your internal waves of water.

Allow your mind and body to be rocked into ease by this rhythm,

Your life's rhythm of breath.

Can you imagine a small ball of light hovering just above your chest similar to a rubber bouncy ball allowing this glowing orb to gently pulse up and down with the rhythm of your heartbeat before settling down into the center of your chest?

Watch as the glow of your light fades into your heart space like the embers of a fire.

This is a great time to ask your heart for permission to be around or inside your heart and whether you hear a yes or a no just being near the heart is enough.

Just asking permission is enough.

Can you hear the quiet song of your heart?

Can you search its lyrics for a message from the heart about who you are?

In yoga nidra we call this a sankalpa.

If you already have a sankalpa you're working with,

Recite it a few times now while you're in this heart space.

But if you need a little inspiration a phrase such as I am can cover all the basics or you can incorporate an antidote to a limiting belief that you are currently healing.

For example a short statement like I am worthy,

I am lovable,

Or I am enough always does the trick.

When you found a statement that you like repeat it three times and allow it to land inside your chest and plant in that heart space.

The practice of yoga nidra begins now.

We are going to take this ball of light and use it to bring connection to your entire body.

Follow my cues as I name a body part and place your ball of light on this spot.

Begin with the light on the right side of your body.

Bring your light and awareness to your right thumb.

Index finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger,

Pinky finger,

Palm of your hand,

Back of the hand,

Wrist,

Forearm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

Shoulder,

Underarm,

Right side of the rib cage and lung,

Waistline,

Right thigh,

Right knee,

Lower leg,

Right ankle,

Top of the right foot,

Sole of the right foot,

Big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

Baby toe.

Hold the entire right side of your body in your awareness.

Light up your whole right side.

Fill your right side with the warm glow of your light.

Shift your light into your left hand thumb,

Index finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger,

Pinky finger,

Palm of your hand,

Back of your hand,

Wrist,

Forearm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

Shoulder,

Underarm,

Left side of the rib cage and lung,

Waistline,

Left thigh,

Left kneecap,

Shin,

Ankle,

Top of the left foot,

Sole of the left foot,

Big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

Baby toe on your left foot.

Wash the entire left side of your body with your light.

Feel the entire left side of your body glowing.

Now we'll explore the back of your body moving from right to left fairly quickly.

Light up the sole of your right foot,

The sole of your left foot,

The soles of both your feet together,

The back of your right heel,

The back of your left heel,

Both heels together,

The right calf,

The left calf,

Both calves together,

Back of your right knee,

Back of your left knee,

The backs of both your knees simultaneously,

Right hamstring,

Left hamstring,

Both sets of hamstring together,

Right buttocks,

Left buttocks,

Both sides of your buttocks together,

Back of your pelvis,

Lower back,

Middle back,

Upper back.

Feel your right shoulder blade.

Feel your left shoulder blade.

Feel both shoulder blades together.

Back of the right arm,

Back of the left arm,

Both arms together,

Back of your neck,

Back of your head,

The crown of your head.

Feel the light glowing from your entire back body.

Now feel the crown of your head light up,

Your forehead,

Your right eyebrow,

Left eyebrow,

Both brows together.

Brow center,

Right eyelid,

Left eyelid,

Both eyelids together,

Right eyeball,

Left eyeball,

Both eyes together.

Feel your right nostril,

Your left nostril,

Both nostrils together,

The bridge of your nose,

Tip of your nose,

Your entire nose.

Feel your upper lip,

Lower lip,

Both lips together.

Feel your chin.

Feel the right side of your jaw.

Feel the left side of your jaw.

Feel both sides of your jaw together.

Feel your whole face.

Feel into the right side of your head,

The left side of your head.

Now feel both sides of your head together.

Feel the right side of your throat,

Left side of your throat.

Now your whole neck and throat together.

Feel your right collarbone,

Your left collarbone,

Both collarbones together.

Light up the right side of your chest,

The left side of your chest,

Both sides of your chest,

Your whole chest together.

Feel the area of your abdomen from your ribs to your belly button,

Low belly,

Pelvis,

Root of your pelvic bowl,

Both thighs,

Both kneecaps,

Both shins,

Both ankles,

Tops of both your feet.

Feel your right leg from your toes to your hip.

Now feel your left leg from your toes to your hip.

Feel the entirety of both your legs together.

Feel your right arm from your fingertips to your shoulder,

Left arm from fingertips to shoulder,

Both arms entirely.

Keep your arms and your legs in your awareness and add your entire torso,

Including your head,

To your feeling experience now.

Feel and sense your entire body,

Your whole body.

Feel your whole body together simultaneously now.

See your whole body glowing,

Your whole body is glowing.

Come back to your heart light.

Allow this light to float up once again like a balloon tugging along on a string.

Watch your light bob its way from your chest to the space between your eyes,

The home of your pineal and pituitary glands and the chakra of the third eye.

Behind the third eye lives the port between conscious and subconscious life,

A neutral place you can return to anytime during this yoga nidra.

Imagine the gentle whirling of energy at your brow center,

Like water draining from a basin.

Notice if the energy of this space has a particular direction,

Spinning counter or clockwise or even a mixture of both.

Observe with curiosity your perception is unique to you.

Allow your attention to flow into this vortex of energy and as you journey inside,

Notice the continuous outline of your body dissolving.

Imagine yourself melting like an ice cube,

Becoming a vast puddle of consciousness,

Spreading out across your entire space.

Imagine what it feels like to be expansive and liquid.

Hold this sensation in your body.

Like the ocean reaches all the world's shores,

Continue to expand.

Naturally your tide changes and you begin to call your liquid self back into your form.

Feel your liquid particles pulling themselves back together,

Your oceanic tendrils coming home,

Your melting self shifting from thine to solidifying.

Explore the sensations of hardening,

Becoming a solid shape,

Firm edges,

Defined boundaries supporting you from liquid to solid rock.

You become like the cliffs that overlook the ocean.

Feel your borders solidifying,

Rest here on this solid foundation.

Now,

Sense a gentle sublimation happening to your structure.

Your outline begins to shift from solid to a gaseous state.

The particles of your being begin to vibrate at a soothing frequency.

Everything your fragments become is as light as air.

You are the clouds.

You are the wind.

You are a zephyr gliding through our cosmos.

Feel your cells drift and swirl like a soft morning mist.

Stay floating in this sensation for a little moment.

You hear the gentle call of your brow center.

Begin to ground yourself like a million little feathers gently floating back down to this neutral spot behind your third eye,

Settling back into the familiar shape of your being.

Notice any sensations whispering in your particles.

Imagine the gentle light pulsing in your heart space again.

Draw your awareness in closer.

Notice what you can see inside your light as we start to explore ourselves just a little deeper.

At any time during our journey,

Know that you can return to your port of neutrality behind your brow center.

Imagine a comfortable and peaceful room somewhere that feels like you can breathe deeply and let the tension in your body float away.

It could be somewhere you recognize or have a space from your imagination.

You can feel that this room is welcoming and especially designed for you.

Imagine yourself standing inside of this place that's just for you.

The energy of your room feels like exactly what your nervous system has been craving.

The smell and the temperature are cozy and nourishing.

Your eyes notice movement through a sunny window in the room.

Curiosity calls you over to have a look through the window.

You see your past and future versions of yourself.

They're laughing and playing with each other.

Feel the walls of your room melting away.

And you naturally feel called to join in the game that yourselves are playing.

It's a game that you love and you cannot resist joining in.

All around you,

You hear their innocent laughter and you cannot help but to laugh with them.

Your body remembers how it used to feel whenever you'd play this game and your soul feels at total ease.

All of any remaining physical and emotional tensions fade away.

You are totally present.

Soaking up the familiar energies around you as you play.

You feel seen and connected to yourself and those around you.

Give yourself permission to allow the sense of belonging to imprint into yourselves.

You deserve to absorb what your body is craving from this scene.

I'll come back for you in about two minutes.

All you have to do now is play and soak it all in.

You you you you It's time to leave this place.

Slowly begin to dissolve back into your body.

You have an innate knowing of how to return to this internal place of comfort whenever you need.

The laughter and carefree sounds of the day begin to soften into a peacefully dark internal silence.

Repeat your sankalpa now into the darkness.

Follow the sound as you hear it echo through every cell in your body.

The practice of yoga nidra is now complete.

Notice the rise and fall of your breath.

Gradually deepen your inhales and lengthen your exhales.

Luxuriate in the shifts.

Wiggle a little energy into fingers and toes and allow it to rake up the rest of your cells.

Allowing your body to naturally take the stretch and openings that you crave.

Taking your time,

Roll over onto any side that you prefer.

And notice if you have any lingering sensations.

It may feel helpful to keep your eyes closed to allow your external environment to slowly titrate back into your senses.

Stay here or come up to a seated position when you're ready.

Keep your eyes closed and stay focused on your breath.

There is a power in play and imagination that can help us reconnect our minds to our bodies which ultimately connects us to our best internal resource which is ourselves.

When we're connected we nurture the parts of our nervous system such as the vagus nerve that can calm us and help us regenerate our physical and energetic selves which helps us flourish in our worlds.

Take a few more moments.

It might feel nice to send your past present and future self a thought of heartfelt gratitude for making the space to relax.

And perhaps you'll feel like setting an intention for the rest of your day or your week.

May you nurture yourself always.

Hari Om Tat Sat

Reviews

After the first practice with you I realized that you haven’t been active on here for awhile. So sad, I absolutely love your poetically and educational practices. I’m grateful to have that which you have created and hope you will create more someday if the calling comes to you. Either way I appreciate you.

That was lovely. Thank you for such a refreshing meditation. Ohm Shanti.

Ha, I relaxed and drifted off during your guidance😆. Thank you for this unique track🦋

Enjoyed this very much. Playful but relaxing. Cool!

Thank you Syd, as always your voice & soul is a beautiful guide ♥️ I played on the beach like we did in immersion again, I needed that :)