Namaste.
Welcome to this Yoga Nidra for Chronic Pain.
As someone who has lived with debilitating chronic health conditions,
I greatly empathize with those in a similar position.
For nearly 18 months I was unable to get out of bed and relied on a cane or wheelchair for mobility.
I found Yoga Nidra to be one of the few practices that helped my body heal.
In fact,
It's why I became a Yoga Nidra instructor and now incorporate this potent healing practice into my business.
Our tendency,
Especially when living with chronic health conditions,
Is to focus on what's wrong with us,
What's hurting,
What isn't working properly or the way we would like it to,
Or on what we can't do.
Although this is a normal response,
It can leave us feeling hopeless and stuck in victimhood.
The intention of this practice is to offer what could have helped me in the depth of my own suffering.
Whether you're living with body pain such as chronic neck,
Back or hip pain,
Fibromyalgia,
Chronic fatigue,
Migraines,
Arthritis,
IBS,
Anxiety,
Vertigo,
Whatever it is,
May this practice help you overcome those feelings of despair and offer hope that healing is possible.
Please begin by getting yourself completely comfortable.
Know that feeling cozy,
Warm and completely at ease sets the tone for the rest of your practice as this is the first step in helping your nervous system relax.
Feel free to give yourself as much time as you require now to prepare for the practice of Yoga Nidra.
If you're bringing in a blanket for warmth,
You might tuck yourself in for additional coziness.
Or if you have a weighted blanket,
You might choose to use that.
You could also place a pillow,
A hot water bottle or a heating pad on your low belly for additional calming support.
And don't hesitate to pause this recording until you're completely settled and ready to begin.
When you're ready,
Close down your eyes and allow for any final adjustments.
Do a quick check-in.
Are there any body parts that require adjusting at this time?
What could you do to feel even one percent more comfortable?
We'll begin with a focus on the breath.
Breathe in deeply through your nose and allow a long exhale through an open mouth.
Another breath just like that.
And one more.
Return now to your natural breathing pattern,
Allowing breath to flow in and flow out at its own natural pace.
You might note the rise and fall of your chest and abdomen with each breath.
You might also begin to intentionally release tension and tightness from your scalp and forehead.
You might let all the little muscles around your eyes begin to unwind.
Unclench your jaw.
Let your shoulders release.
Allow your arms,
Hands and fingers to become loose and lazy.
Release any tightness in your chest and abdomen and intentionally let go of tension in your hips,
Legs,
Feet and toes.
Every part of you falling deeper into ease and stillness.
And now time to bring in your Sankalpa.
If you don't have a Sankalpa that you're working with,
You might choose to use.
I am now allowing space for healing.
I am now allowing space for healing.
Silently repeat your Sankalpa three times,
Each followed by a deep breath.
I am now allowing space for healing.
May you now invite your attention to follow my voice as you're gently guided on a rotation of consciousness.
Your awareness moving seamlessly from one body part to the next.
Starting at the crown of your head.
Right ear.
Left ear.
The space in the middle of your forehead.
Right eyebrow.
Temple.
Cheekbone.
The right eyelid closed and heavy.
Left eyebrow.
Temple.
Cheekbone.
Left eyelid closed and heavy.
Bridge of your nose.
Right nostril.
Left nostril.
Upper lip.
Lower lip.
Tip of your tongue.
Root of your tongue.
Inside the right cheek.
Inside the left cheek.
All of your teeth and gums.
Chin.
Jaw.
Throat.
Right collarbone.
Right shoulder.
Armpit.
Upper arm.
Elbow.
Lower arm.
Wrist.
The thumb and fingers of your right hand.
The space in between each finger.
Palm and back of your right hand.
Right side of your chest.
Heart center.
Left collarbone.
Left shoulder.
Armpit.
Upper arm.
Elbow.
Lower arm.
Wrist.
The thumb and fingers of your left hand.
The space in between each finger.
Palm and back of your left hand.
Left side of your chest.
Heart center.
Navel center.
Right side of your waist.
Right hip.
Thigh.
Knee.
Lower leg.
Ankle.
All five toes on your right foot.
The space in between each toe.
Sole and top of your right foot.
Back to navel center.
Left side of your waist.
Left hip.
Thigh.
Knee.
Lower leg.
Ankle.
All five toes on your left foot.
The space in between each toe.
Sole and top of your left foot.
The right side of your body from head to toe.
Could you place all your awareness on only the right side of your body?
Now shift your awareness to the left side of your body from head to toe.
All of your awareness solely on the left side of your body.
Now all of your body simultaneously.
Could you move your awareness to all of your body?
Both sides,
Right and left.
Front and back.
From the top of your head to the very tips of each toe.
Visualize yourself now in a space that you love.
The space where you feel most at home.
This could be a favorite place in nature.
Somewhere in your home.
Or it could even be a made up space.
Use the next few minutes to picture yourself there.
Use all of your senses.
Seeing.
Hearing.
Smelling.
Touching.
Allow every part of you to be in this space.
Feel a sense of calm and ease surround you.
Be within you.
And envelop every part of you.
Still in this space.
Could you focus on what is good in your life?
What's worth living for?
What's working?
What are you grateful for?
Now visualize your pain or discomfort vanishing.
The health condition that is debilitating.
And painful.
Visualize it vanishing.
What does immaculate health and vitality look like?
What does it feel like?
How does it feel to live with no pain?
Exhaustion?
Fear?
Or concern about what you can or can't do?
Visualize yourself living in ultimate health and well-being.
What does your life look like and feel like?
In complete health.
Stay with the feeling of being completely healed.
Let your body feel it fully and completely.
Let your nervous system feel it.
Let your brain know what it feels like.
Every time you do this,
You're rewiring your brain to know true health.
You're expanding what your nervous system can feel safe with.
It's safe for you to be healthy.
You deserve to be healthy.
It's safe for you to be healthy.
You deserve to be healthy.
It's safe for you to be healthy.
You deserve to be healthy.
Bringing back your sankalpa.
You might have used the phrase,
I am now allowing space for healing.
Use the next few moments to silently repeat your sankalpa again and again.
I am now allowing space for healing.
Now begin to count each breath until you reach the number seven.
Inhale one.
Exhale one.
Inhale two.
Exhale two.
Inhale three.
Exhale three.
Continue until you reach the number seven.
Release the count and allow three deep breaths.
Expanding your capacity to receive as much breath as you can.
Could you allow your lungs to expand a little bit more with each breath?
And might you now begin to slowly wake your body.
Perhaps bringing soft slow movement to your fingers and toes.
Your wrists and ankles.
You might begin to sense the room that you're in.
Notice the sounds around you other than my voice.
Note any fragrance lingering in the room as you breathe in.
You might also feel your body on the support beneath you.
As you continue returning to a waking state,
Allow me to share a story with you.
It's the story of a caterpillar and its chrysalis struggling to get out.
A man walks by and sees this.
He feels bad for the caterpillar.
So he takes a pair of scissors and snips the chrysalis.
Thinking that this is going to help the caterpillar.
However,
The caterpillar ends up turning into a butterfly that can never fly.
Because you see,
A caterpillar needs to go through the struggle.
It needs the process of emergence.
In order to manifest into a butterfly that has the strength to fly.
I share this story with you in hopes that it will bring you comfort.
Knowing that whatever it is you're experiencing right now.
That it is indeed helping you to one day fly.
Give yourself as much time as you require before fully waking and returning to your day.
There's no need to rush.
There's no need to hurry.
Let yourself simmer in all that you've just experienced with this practice.
And if this Yoga Nidra has resonated with you.
Practice it daily to continue helping your body to heal.
By expanding safety to your nervous system.
And rewiring your neural pathways.
This has been Amanda.
Thank you so much for listening.
I appreciate you.
And I deeply appreciate every comment I receive.
So if you benefited from this practice.
Please don't hesitate to let me know in the comments.
Hearing from you makes me so so happy.
May you move through your day with ease.
Namaste.
