We're getting ready to do New Moon Yoganidra.
One of the reasons why I wanted to do a Yoganidra for the New Moon is because this is our first lunation of 2021.
It is the first opportunity to work in concert with nature,
With creation,
With the universe,
With God,
With the divine.
And it's timing.
So with the New Moon is the beginning of a cycle for us,
At least here on Earth,
Because it's our moon,
Right?
I can't speak for what's happening on Mars or anything like that.
But for those of us here on Earth,
The New Moon is the beginning of a cycle and it is something that all of us can connect to.
Each of us can connect to the beginning of this cycle.
Now many of us have been mired down with considering,
Oh man,
2021 has started off just like 2020 ended.
Well,
Yeah,
Because nature doesn't give a damn about the Gregorian calendar.
I mean,
Nature is not like,
Oh,
It's midnight 2021.
So now everything's going to reset.
That's not how it works.
However,
How it does work is it does work in that with every time that the sun sets,
That we get to say goodnight to yesterday's problems.
And every time the sun rises,
We get to say hello to the new day's opportunities.
And that rhythm of the daily reminder that we can say goodbye to things and say hello to things and we don't have to carry yesterday's drama,
Trauma or concerns into the next day is something that is reminded to us with each sunrise and sunset.
And with each moon cycle,
We're also reminded of a beginning of an end and end.
I've seen in 2020 that there was no sense of time because most of us were at home so much.
And so it was like,
What day is it?
What week is it?
How is it already this month and things like that?
And so this concept of time really felt like an illusion and it is an illusion.
But it was even more dramatic last year because of all that was going on.
And one of the things that I started to do is really pay attention to the moon cycle because that's what our ancestors did.
The moon,
That was like,
Okay,
It's been four moons since,
Or four dark nights,
Completely dark nights,
Which is the new moon since X,
Y,
Or Z.
That's how they measured time.
That's how they measured whether or not people were pregnant.
That's how they measure whether or not they should stop waiting for someone to come home and all of those things.
So we can still lean into that in our quest for ancestral return because this is how we are able to remain empowered by looking to nature for our clues.
What is the alternative to looking to nature for clues and how we can behave or engage or what have you?
Okay,
We can look to culture.
What does culture look like right now?
I mean,
I don't know what the culture is of your family or the culture is of your friend circle,
But I do know what is the culture of our world right now,
At least in the United States.
And it's quite off,
Right?
So do we want to take our cues from that or do we want to take our cues from something that is going to supersede this moment,
That's going to understand that this is about a moment in time and that we actually are intended to be in this moment right now for the purpose of something.
So these are things that you can consider as we move into our meditation.
And in this meditation,
My hope for you is that you will let go of yesterday,
That you will just leave yesterday alone.
In fact,
You could leave tomorrow alone as well.
And in this meditation,
You will just focus on right now and what it is that you want for yourself based on the clarity that can exist in this moment.
So that is what our focus is.
And let's get ready to meditate.
Let's take this one lying down if you can.
I encourage you,
Even if you're in an office,
Just lie down on the floor of your office.
What's the worst that can happen?
Get comfortable,
Yet not too comfortable,
But just a comfortable,
Relaxed position.
And as you're lying down here,
Lie down with the intention of creating a nook for yourself,
For creating this space that is just for you and nothing else,
No fur babies,
No children,
No anyone else is in this space.
It's just all you,
All you.
Lie down and begin noticing the connection of your back to whatever you are resting on.
Notice.
Notice the connection between your back and the sofa or the ground.
Even begin noticing your clothes touching your body.
Feel where you can notice and sense the clothes on your body.
Become more aware of your breath now.
Notice the onset of your inhalation and of your exhalation.
Notice the onset of your inhalation and the beginning of your exhalation.
Notice the beginning of your inhalation and where it stops and the beginning of your exhalation and where it stops.
Notice the pause as you continue to inhale and exhale.
The pause is at the top and the bottom of your inhalations.
And now notice or bring awareness to that little space between the inhalation and the exhalation.
And begin thinning out that space,
Begin connecting the inhalation to the exhalation,
Really minimizing the distance between the inhalation and the exhalation.
Taking out that pause.
It's just one circle,
It just becomes one circle of breath.
Bring into your awareness any thoughts that come to mind.
On your next exhale,
Allow for them to just go out into the ether as they pool and turn into this little body of water,
A little river.
All of your thoughts just come together,
Pooling together.
Let them flow alongside you,
Under you.
A little river of your thoughts just encircling you.
They haven't gone anywhere.
They're here to support your journey.
And in your mind's eye now,
See yourself lying here in meditation.
And begin to visualize all of the roles that you play or occupy.
These can be roles that you have chosen for yourself or others have chosen for you.
Just notice all of the roles and labels that you have given to yourself or that others have given you.
See them playing out in your mind's eye,
You in each and every one of those roles.
On your exhale,
Send them out further away from you,
Out as though they are on the lens of a camera,
Just out on the lens of this visual that you're framing for yourself.
Send them out to bear witness to your journey today.
And now evoke a sensation of bliss,
Of joy.
Feel what it feels like to have joy and be joy.
What does joy feel like?
Let this sensation of joy filter from your mind all the way down into your body.
Bring awareness now back to your heart center.
And just notice the rise and fall of your chest with breath without making any changes to them.
And out of the visual of your heart,
Come into a space that is your favorite space,
Your favorite place.
Bring that into your mind's eye,
A space that is beautiful and loving is your safe space.
Bring that into your mind's eye now.
This space can be real or imagined.
Whatever it is in your mind's eye,
This is your space of refuge that you can return back to at any time.
Bring awareness now back to your heart.
Perhaps you sense the beating of your heart now.
Begin to tune into your heart and what your heart wants to say to you.
Understanding that no moment before this matters.
And no moment after this matters.
Ask your heart,
What does it choose?
What does it desire right now?
Listen.
Know that your heart may not speak in words but in images.
Whatever is your heart's answer,
Frame it now in the present as though it is currently happening.
Perhaps that begins with I am or I have and finish that sentence.
Repeat that to yourself an additional two times,
Repeating your sankalpa or your intention.
Now let that word or sentence go.
Bring awareness now back to your beating heart.
And I'll say some parts of the body now for you to feel without changing them,
Moving them.
You're just bringing awareness to them.
Just bringing awareness to them and attempting to feel them.
Bring awareness to your tongue.
Roof of your mouth.
Back of your throat.
Your lips.
Nose.
Eyes.
Place between your eyebrows.
Forehead.
Cheeks.
Feel your whole face.
Ears.
Back of the head.
The top of your head.
Sense your whole head together.
Right shoulder.
Right arm.
Right wrist.
Right hand and all of its fingers.
Collarbone on the right side.
Left collarbone.
Left shoulder.
Left arm.
Left elbow.
Left wrist.
Left hand and all of the fingers on your left hand.
Feel the space between the collarbones.
Your throat.
Chest.
Navel center.
Low belly.
Waist.
Feel your right hip.
Right leg.
Right knee.
Sense your right foot.
All of the toes on your right foot and heel.
Sense the soul of your right foot.
Left hip.
Left leg and knee.
Left ankle.
Left foot.
All of the toes on your left foot.
Sense the soul of your right foot.
Your left heel.
Feel the entire front body together.
Feel the back of the head.
Back to the shoulders.
The center line of your back.
The back of your waist.
Sense your buttocks.
The back of your right leg.
Your right heel.
The back of your left leg.
Your left heel.
The soles of your feet.
Feel the entire back body.
Feel the entire front body.
Feel both sides of the body and the entire body as one symphony.
Sense the whole body as one symphony.
Bring awareness back to your chest.
The rise and fall of your breath.
Rise and fall of your chest with breath.
Notice your ribs expanding and coming back to rest.
Correlating with the inhalation and the exhalation.
Notice any parts of your body where there is more of an awareness of breath.
Notice the inhalation on the right side of the body.
Coming in through the right nostril and going down the right side of the body.
Notice breath coming into the right nostril and going down the right side of the body.
Inhale through the right nostril and guide that inhale through the right side of the body.
Notice your breath coming in through the left nostril and guiding down the left side of the body.
Breath comes in through the nostril and guides down the left side of the body.
Sense breath coming in through the left nostril and in the left side of the body.
I'll fill both sides of the body together.
I'll fill the center line of the body,
The place where the breath meets,
Balancing out right side and left side.
And I'll come back to the space around your heart.
As you sense the space around your heart,
Begin to imagine your heart center as a light.
Perhaps it's green,
Maybe pink.
And see this light now growing energetic tendrils down your body,
Filling every part of your body with heart energy.
And sense its pull to bring you off the mat and begin walking.
You begin walking out into a field,
A beautiful and clear field.
You notice the grass underneath your toes as you walk.
The grass is warm and tickles your feet.
Notice the night air kissing your cheek.
You do notice that it is nighttime.
And you look up,
There is no moon but a sky full of stars.
As you continue walking,
You notice the peace that is all around you and the starlit field.
You continue walking,
Just enjoying the sensation of walking,
Enjoying the night air,
The evidence of presence around you without having to see anything.
As you walk out to notice the stars,
You begin to notice that these stars represent all of your possibilities,
All of your hopes and dreams that are out illuminating the night sky for you,
Illuminating your path.
And whether or not you can see them,
They're always there with you.
Perhaps you take a moment now to see what it looks like to be in full joy.
When you're at full joy,
Living to the fullest,
Living your highest version of self,
What does that look like for you?
And see yourself.
When you're at your most joy-filled,
What is your vocation?
And see yourself in that vocation.
In your most joyous state,
Who is with you,
And see the circle of friends and family who are with you,
Supporting you in joy.
Notice where you live in this highest,
Most fulfilled version of yourself,
Where do you live?
And notice other aspects of your life,
What your day looks like when you wake up in the morning in this most fulfilled version of yourself,
What does your day look like?
And continue looking at and visiting with this version of yourself.
All of the stars look down upon you in this version of yourself,
Reminding you of the abundance that is available to you in the manifestations of your hopes and dreams.
Each star is a reminder of your opportunities,
Of that which is just waiting to be discovered and seen by you.
Recall now the sankapa or intention you earlier set,
The statement from your heart and speak it out now,
And shout it out into this starlet field.
Allow for your voice and your intention to ring out throughout the field.
And the words of your heart become more stars out to guide you in your path and to be a light when there seems to be so much darkness.
Now in the company of all of the abundance that is out there for you,
You turn around and begin walking back toward the place from which you began,
Walking across the light and crunching grass,
Sensing its warmth as you come back into lying down on the sofa or mat in which you came.
Just notice this feeling of embodiment,
This feeling of living and being in the highest version of yourself,
Fulfilled and purpose-driven.
Become aware of yourself as witness,
Having seen all of these experiences and having co-created this moment.
Bring back your thoughts now as the river of thoughts comes back into you,
Becoming assumed by you and in you.
Notice now your breath.
Notice your inhalation.
Notice your exhalation.
Take in a full inhale and exhale,
Let it go.
Do that again,
Taking a breath so deep it seemingly comes from your toes and goes all the way to the crown of your head in a full body exhalation.
Notice your back body being supported by whatever you are lying or sitting on,
The clothes on your body.
Just begin to notice your physical body.
Bring in any wiggles of fingers and toes as they feel authentic for you.
And when you're ready,
Open your eyes.
Roll over to your side and make your way back up to seated.
As most of us know,
We oftentimes are living in the romanticizing of the past or the fear of the future.
But if we stay right in the present moment,
We can tap into its possibilities and in every moment everything is possible.
My hope is that by giving you this opportunity to lean into yoga nidra,
That you are able to lean into the possibilities of this moment,
Seeing the possibilities of you embodied and living the life that you are choosing in this moment so that you're more able to discern what belongs in your mind field,
What belongs in your spirit,
And are more able to say no to the things that aren't going to help collaborate in your experience that you're creating for yourself.
It is always my goal to leave you better than I found you and I hope that that happened for you today.
Jai Bhagwan!
