Hi,
I'm Carolyn.
This yoga nidra that I've written is here to support you to rest anytime you need it.
Prioritising rest is a radical act of self-compassion,
Self-respect and self-care.
So thank you for showing up today.
Know that the more that we practice taking care of our energy in this way,
The more energy we have to show up with care and inner strength for all the other important people in our lives too.
You can rest the doing.
You don't need to do anything in yoga nidra other than get really comfortable and lay down.
Maybe gather in pillows and blankets and support yourself to rest in any way that you would like to today.
Maybe you're in your bed or on a sofa or on a floor with blankets and self-support.
Pause me if you need to.
Take your time to get really comfy.
If you're feeling really tired right now and it's not night time,
It's during the day for you and you might fall asleep during the yoga nidra but that's okay.
Your body's wisdom is just taking what it needs so allow yourself to go there.
Likewise if at any time during the nidra you feel any mental or physical agitation,
Know that you're free to move anytime you need to as well.
Whether you might need to blink open your eyes or wiggle your fingers and press the pad of each finger against your thumb.
Knowing that that will stir you out of the yoga nidra space anytime you need to.
You can always come back anytime you wish to.
As part of this yoga nidra practice of rest,
I'm going to invite you to bring to mind a peaceful place.
Your peaceful place of rest might be real,
It might be from your imagination or you might choose to use the place that you're in right now to create a safe place together.
You're laying down,
If not already.
Is there a way that you can make yourself just maybe five percent or more comfortable?
Allow yourself to do this,
Allow yourself to receive this care.
You might like to begin to close your eyes to rest on the world of vision.
Shoulders resting a little heavier with each exhale,
A little closer to the supportive surfaces that you're resting on being held by.
Beginning to welcome a softness through your belly.
With each exhale softening your edges just a little bit more.
Softening,
Arriving,
Landing in this moment with this breath.
And this one.
And this one.
Putting your awareness down from the belly to the back of your body.
All the parts that end the connection to the surface no matter how you're lying.
Through pelvis,
Thighs,
Lower legs,
Ankles,
Feet.
Feet resting from the world of carrying and supporting.
Feet resting on the ground.
At the same time being aware of the movement of breath that's holding you here.
Just as it always does.
Just noticing nothing to do or fix or change.
Perhaps noticing each inhale and each exhale they pass.
Noticing the inhale as it comes for you,
Not with my word.
Noticing your inhale.
Drawing in the strength that you hold to allow yourself to rest here.
And allowing that soft exhale to wash down over you whenever it comes.
With tender compassion to support you to soften your edges here.
Inhaling that strength of allowing.
Exhaling,
And landing.
And going to guide your awareness around your body now.
Inviting a sense of restoring and nourishing breath every part.
Nothing to do.
And allow my words to drift over you.
Or perhaps gently bring your awareness to each part as I name it.
If you feel drawn to do that.
Gently bring your soft focus of nurturing rest over to your right hand thumb.
Your right first finger,
Second finger,
Middle finger,
Fourth finger and little finger.
On the front of your right hand,
Back of right hand,
Right wrist,
Forearm,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Right underarm,
Right side of ribs,
Right waist,
Right hip,
Right thigh,
Shin,
Ankle,
Top of right foot,
Sole of right foot,
Right big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
And little toe.
Gently drifting your awareness over to left hand thumb.
Nurturing left first finger,
And middle finger,
Fourth finger,
Little finger,
Palm of left hand,
Back of left hand,
Left wrist,
Forearm,
Upper arm,
Left shoulder,
Left underarm,
Left side of the ribs,
Left waist,
Left hip,
Thigh,
Shin,
Top of left foot,
Sole of left foot,
Left big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
And little toe.
Gently drawing awareness at the back of both ankles,
Both calves together,
Backs of knees together,
Back of thighs together,
Back of the back of the back of the pelvis,
Lower back,
Across the whole of the middle back,
Nurturing rest through right shoulder blade,
Left shoulder blade,
The space between the shoulder blade,
Upper back,
The back of the neck,
Back of head,
Round of head,
Forehead,
Right eyebrow,
Left eyebrow,
The space between the eyebrow,
Right eye,
Left eye,
Right cheek,
Left cheek,
Tip of your nose,
Right nostril,
Left nostril,
Upper lip,
Tongue,
Lower lip,
The soft hollow of your throat,
The middle of the chest,
Right side of chest,
Left side of chest,
The front of the ribs,
Abdomen,
Lower abdomen,
Becoming aware of the whole of the right side together,
The whole of the left side together,
The whole of the back body together,
The whole of the front body together,
The whole body resting,
The whole body softening,
Being held into rest in this moment,
With this breath and this one,
Being with each breath,
Each breath like a kind supportive friend,
Being with you just as you are,
No judgement,
Very soft to welcome each breath,
Each breath welcome with that gentle expansion and contraction,
Each breath like soft waves lapping on the shore,
Allowing your soft breath to wash over you,
Each exhale letting go of a little bit more effort,
Each inhale inviting you to rest here fully in this now,
With this soft effortless breath,
Invite you to bring to mind a place that feels peaceful,
That invites a sense of rest for your whole being,
It might be somewhere that you've been before,
It might be a place from imagination or dream,
It might be the space that you're in right now,
Invite you to gently lean into that place,
Bring it to mind,
What do you see there,
You might picture this place or it might be more of a sensory,
A felt body experience for you,
Work with whatever feels natural,
What colours might you experience in your place,
What do you see,
What shapes or objects perhaps,
What sounds might be there for you to experience,
What smells might fill you up,
What tastes might be there in your place of rest and peace,
Allowing yourself to immerse your whole being fully in the experience resting in your peaceful place,
That space holding you now,
Allowing any images,
Sensations to come and to go,
To wash over you just with a breath,
Allowing any images or sensations from your place of rest to wash over you,
Just like the breath coming and going from your experience,
Allowing those visions to fade,
Noticing the space behind your eyelids now,
What do you see,
The space behind your eyelids,
Perhaps there are lights,
Colours,
Shapes or patterns coming and going,
Allowing yourself to flow with your own experience just as it is,
Perhaps images from before are still there,
Either needing to hold on or push away,
Allowing any visions that are there to come and go,
To drift in and drift away like a passing cloud,
Now right or wrong,
And then allowing your awareness of that space to fade,
Allowing awareness of that space behind your eyelids to fade,
Being held here fully,
An experience of awareness of rest,
Of lightness,
Of being held by the intention of rest,
Knowing that this yoga immediately has now finished,
I invite you to stay in your restful place for as long as you feel torn too,
Now when you feel ready or when you need to move,
Do so really gently,
Really kindly supporting those edges to stay soft,
Perhaps a gentle yawn or a stretch or taking whatever you need,
Thank you for resting,
Keep taking care of you.
Thank you.
.
