Welcome.
This is Amanda,
And as always,
I'm delighted that you're here practicing with me today.
This practice has been intentionally created to help you slow down and be still as you're gently guided into deep rest or perhaps a short nap.
Please use this practice any time of day when you need to pause,
Refresh,
Or boost your creativity,
Clarity,
And focus.
As you prepare for this practice,
I invite you to give yourself as much time as you require to ensure complete comfort.
Bring in a blanket for warmth and perhaps even a hot water bottle or a heating pad on your feet or low belly.
Turn off the notifications on your phone,
And if it suits you,
Place a pillow or bolster under your knees for additional comfort.
Ensure that your head and neck are fully supported.
You might also cover your eyes with an eye pillow or covering to help remove unwanted light.
Gather everything you need now to get settled into your yoga nidra nest.
Close down your eyes and tune out the sounds in the environment around you.
As you do,
Your focus will tune in on my voice.
If your mind wanders,
Which it naturally will,
Gently bring your awareness back to my voice guiding you.
Might you envision yourself now standing at the top of a staircase that contains 10 stairs?
In your mind's eye,
Can you see yourself standing at the top of a staircase with 10 stairs?
With each breath you take,
Imagine walking down one step on the staircase.
On your next inhale,
Take one step down and exhale.
As you inhale again,
Take another step down,
Exhale,
Inhale and find yourself on the next step,
Going down and then exhale and go down one more before releasing your breath.
Continue to see yourself stepping down one step with every inhale,
Slowly and intentionally moving down one step at a time.
You might even note your breath becoming slightly deeper with each step you take down the staircase.
Continue now at your own pace.
Wherever you are on your staircase,
You may now release the image.
As you let it go,
Continue to intentionally breathe in and breathe out.
We'll now call forth your deepest intention for this practice,
Also known as your sankalpa.
If you don't currently have a sankalpa,
Or if you'd like to add a second one,
You might use the phrase,
I now allow my mind and body to find deep rest in stillness and body to find deep rest in stillness.
Repeat your intention to yourself three times,
Each followed by a deep and nourishing breath.
Now allow my mind and body to find a deep rest in stillness.
You may release your sankalpa and let your awareness fall on to the tips of all 10 toes,
The tips of all 10 toes.
Moving awareness to the tops of your feet,
Ankles,
Shins,
Tops of your thighs,
Hips,
Pelvic bowl,
Navel,
Both sides of your waist,
Heart center,
Both sides of your chest,
Collarbones,
Right and left,
Both shoulders,
Upper arms,
Elbows,
Lower arms,
Wrists,
The tips of each thumb and all fingers,
Back to heart center,
Jaw,
Both ears,
Lips,
Cheekbones,
Temples,
Eyebrows,
To the space in between your eyebrows,
Crown,
Back of your head,
Base of your neck,
Shoulder blades,
Let your awareness move down your spine,
Vertebrae by vertebrae,
Down to your tailbone,
Glutes,
Right and left,
Backs of your thighs,
Backs of your knees,
Heels,
Soles of each foot,
Right and left,
Feel the weight of your body being held and supported on the surface beneath you,
Your body still and calm and at peace,
There's nowhere else you need to be,
There's nothing else you need to be doing,
You are exactly where you're meant to be,
Let your body feel heavy,
Feel your breath gently flowing in and out,
You might even sense the coolness from your breath on your upper lip as it softly flows out your nose with each exhale,
And now,
On your next inhale,
Could you deepen your breath slightly,
Ever so gently,
Expand your inhale,
Allowing your lungs to fill just a little bit more before slowly releasing,
Continue to allow each inhale to deepen slightly more than the one before it,
Allow each breath to become slightly deeper than the previous one,
You may now bring back your intention for this practice,
You might have used the phrase,
Allow my mind and body to find deep rest in stillness,
Continue to silently repeat your intention to yourself,
As you continue to breathe deep,
You may release your Sankalpa and begin to expand your awareness past my voice,
To the sounds in the space around you,
Feel your body being held on the surface beneath you,
Keeping your eyes closed,
Visualize the room you're in,
And where you are in that room,
Feel your hands and gently wiggle your fingers,
As you slowly rotate your wrists from left to right,
Feel your feet and gently wiggle your toes,
And then slowly move your feet from side to side,
If you've been on your back,
Slowly roll over to one side,
And let yourself linger for a few moments,
There's no need to rush back into your day,
Let your mind and body linger in stillness for a little bit longer,
Soaking up the comforting state you've been in,
You might even pause this recording,
To give yourself even more time to simmer in the bliss you've created within,
When you're ready,
And only when you're ready,
Ever so slowly and gently,
Begin to softly flutter the eyes open,
And bring in the sights that surround you,
As you continue to return to a fully awakened state,
I'd like to say thank you so much for practicing with me,
This has been Amanda,
And may you move through the rest of your day,
Feeling renewed in mind and body,
Namaste.
