It is time for Yoganidra in which we will consciously enter the body using awareness to journey through the body where all of our deepest truths are stored.
Where every experience you've ever had is stored and even those which have been passed down to you.
Through this process we bring attention and healing to ourselves and to all the cells that comprise us.
Welcoming yourself into the space you may lie down in Sivasana with knees lightly supported,
Feet at hips width apart,
Arms at a slight angle out from the body,
Palms facing up.
If this is not available to you,
You may also choose to remain seated,
Your spine long,
Chin drawn slightly down,
Finding space between each vertebrae of your back,
Lifting the crown of your head,
Softening your shoulders,
Closing and relaxing your eyes.
Other supporting items may include an eye covering,
A blanket,
A pillow,
Or anything else that may provide you with ease in this moment.
Pulsing your heels generates some light movement from your toes to your head,
Letting the tension evaporate from your body.
If it aids your practice,
You may visualize this as steam releasing tension through your mind's eye.
As you settle into your space,
Acknowledge that this practice is not meant to change anything,
But rather to tune in to what is you as you are.
With eyes closed and soft,
Bring awareness to the nature of your breathing,
Noticing its texture,
Temperature,
Depth.
Allow it to gracefully lengthen,
Falling in through the nostrils,
A soft face and exiting through the nostrils,
Relaxing your tongue and jaw.
As you inhale,
Let the breath sink down into your lungs,
Continue down through your organs,
Down your legs,
And into your feet.
As you exhale,
Let the awareness stay in your feet,
Breathing in and sending the breath down.
You may wish to visualize that with each out-breath,
Roots begin to grow from the soles of your feet and any other part of the body that may be touching the ground,
Tapping into the earth,
Stabilizing and nourishing you,
Inhaling,
Moving the breath all the way down,
Exhaling,
Sending the roots deeper,
Inhaling,
Down,
Exhaling deeper.
Here you are held.
From this place of support,
We will create an intention for this practice,
Asankalpa,
Which is a short positive statement spoken to yourself in the present tense,
Such as,
I am whole,
I have all the help I need,
I am peaceful,
Or whatever else calls you in this moment.
Repeat your sankalpa three times to yourself now.
We will now begin our journey through the body,
Bringing awareness to each place as it is named.
Try and remain awake during this process,
But know that if you fall asleep,
Your body will still be listening and benefiting from the practice.
We will begin at the crown of the head,
The crown of your head,
The front of the scalp,
The back of the scalp,
The right side of the head,
The left side of the head,
Your forehead,
Your third eye,
Eyebrows,
Eyes,
Eye sockets,
Right eye,
Left eye,
Nose,
Cheeks,
Right cheek,
Left cheek,
Ears,
Right ear,
Left ear,
Lips,
Upper lip,
Lower lip,
Tongue,
Top of your tongue,
Under the tongue,
Jaw,
Chin,
Throat,
Neck,
Upper back,
Shoulder blades,
Right shoulder blade,
Left shoulder blade,
Top half of spine,
Lower back,
Lower half of spine,
Shoulders,
Right shoulder,
Left shoulder,
Right upper arm,
Left upper arm,
Right elbow,
Left elbow,
Right forearm,
Left forearm,
Right wrist,
Left wrist,
Hands,
Right hand,
Left hand,
Top of hands,
Thumbs,
Index fingers,
Middle fingers,
Ring fingers,
Pinky fingers,
The tips of all your fingers,
The tips of the right fingers,
The tips of the left fingers,
The pads of your fingers,
Palms,
Both arms,
Your collarbone,
Right collarbone,
Left collarbone,
Right pectoral,
Left pectoral,
Top half of torso,
Your belly,
Your right love handle,
Left love handle,
The lower half of your torso,
Your pelvis,
The buttocks,
Your right buttock,
Left buttock,
Anus,
Hamstrings,
Space behind your knees,
Behind the right knee,
Behind the left knee,
Right calf,
Left calf,
Right heel,
Left heel,
Soles of feet,
Right sole,
Left sole,
Arches,
Right forefoot,
Left forefoot,
Big toes,
Second toes,
Third toes,
Fourth toes,
Pinky toes,
The tips of your toes,
The tips of right toes,
The tips of your left toes,
The tops of your feet,
Your ankles,
Shins,
Knees,
Quadriceps,
Genitals,
The right leg,
The left leg,
Both legs,
The torso,
The back,
Both arms,
Head,
Upper body,
Lower body,
Feet,
Rooting down,
What part of your body is asking for extra awareness in this moment?
Bringing compassion and acceptance to that place,
Allow the roots of your breath to enter there without trying to change the sensation.
Let your breath bring spaciousness and gentleness.
If it helps,
You may visualize a healing hand on that place,
Or a nourishing color,
Or a restorative image from nature,
A misty ocean wave,
A budding flower in morning light,
A serene mountain spring,
Desert sand and stone silhouettes,
A willow tree by the river,
A constellation in a dark night sky,
The reflection of sunset on a still lake.
As the breeze washes away the reflection,
So may it carry away any tension remaining in your body.
The same breeze that eases tension carries with its strength and nutrients for the soul,
Filling you now with a ripple of clean energy.
From below the soles of your feet,
Up through the crown of your head and onward,
And back down through the crown of your head,
All the way to the tips of your toes and downward.
With this renewed energy,
Repeat your sankalpa three times.
And coming back to the breath.
Exhaling from the top of your head,
Down the back of your body,
And inhaling from the soles of your feet,
Up the front of your legs and torso,
And up through the crown,
Cycling.
Exhaling and sending awareness down the back side of the body,
And inhaling at the front of the body.
Exhaling down the back,
Inhaling up the front.
A balanced cycle.
Inhaling up,
Exhaling down.
Coming back to the sounds around us and the physical sensations of clothing on our skin,
The temperature of the air,
The setting that we are in,
And the sanctuary we have created.
If you are on your back,
Slowly roll to one side,
Coming up to a comfortable seated position.
Allow your mind to wander to three things you are grateful for.
The practice of yoga nidra is now complete.
May I open your eyes?
