Hello and welcome,
This is Britta and welcome to this 30-minute yoga nidra for deep calm,
Creating safety and support.
Please use this at any time that you need to offer some reassurance towards yourself whether there's some tension,
Anxiety.
It is a non-sleep deep rest so I will be bringing you out at the end of this practice,
However you can use this in bed at night time as well.
So begin by getting yourself comfortable and settled in whatever space you're choosing to listen,
Lying down in a comfortable position,
On your back if possible,
Perhaps using pillows under your head or knees,
Covering yourself with a blanket for warmth and letting the arms rest softly by your sides or against your body.
Take as long as you need to allow this settling process to happen,
Know there's no rush,
Ease out any tension,
Any last movements from your body so that you can arrive in a place of stillness and when you're ready please gently close your eyes.
Take a moment to feel the surface beneath you,
Feel that you are supported and held,
There is nothing to do,
Nothing to achieve,
Nowhere to go.
Allow my voice to gently guide you on this yoga nidra journey into deep rest and inner peace.
Bring your awareness to your natural breath,
Noticing the gentle rise of your chest,
The soft fall as you exhale and begin to lengthen your exhale slightly.
With every breath out,
Allow your body to soften more,
Let go,
Just a little more on each exhale,
Let go,
Feel your body sinking back into the support beneath you,
Trusting that that surface can hold and support you,
Cradle you in a nurturing kind embrace.
Resting your attention to your heart space we will create a short intention or sankalpa,
Invite a simple calming intention for this practice,
I am safe,
I am supported,
I trust the care around me,
I am safe,
I am supported,
I trust the care around me and repeat once more gently inwardly,
Letting these words settle quietly in your heart like feathers settling.
Take a breath in through the nose,
Fill up the belly,
Open the mouth and breathe out with a physiological sigh.
Now as we bring awareness to each part of the body in a rotation of consciousness,
Gently follow my guidance,
No movement is needed.
You might imagine this like a soft tissue massage or an acupuncture,
Acupressure session that brings balance,
Equilibrium and calm into the body.
Or perhaps you imagine a gentle glowing light resting like a fallen star against each body part.
Bring your full attention into your right hand palm,
Thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger and little finger,
Sensing all five fingers on your right hand,
The spaces between your fingers,
Back to your palm,
Wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow and shoulder,
Move the awareness across your chest,
To your left shoulder and down the left arm,
To your elbow,
Forearm,
Wrist,
Bring your full awareness into the centre of your left palm,
To each of your fingers,
Thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger and little finger,
Sense the spaces between your fingers and the whole of the left arm and hand glowing,
Radiant with sensation.
Sense now the whole of the right arm,
Radiant,
Glowing with sensation,
Now allow the awareness to rest on the forehead,
The right eye and the left eye,
Upper lip,
Lower lip,
The right cheek and the left cheek,
Nose,
The chin and the whole of the face.
Sensing the whole of the face and the whole of the head,
Bring awareness to the throat and the base of the throat,
Heart space,
Right chest and left chest,
The upper belly,
Solar plexus,
Navel,
Lower abdomen,
The whole of the abdomen,
The right hip,
Knee,
Calf and shin,
The right ankle,
The base of the right foot.
And the tip of each toe,
Big toe,
Second toe,
Third,
Fourth and fist toe,
Spaces between the toes,
Sensing the whole of the right side of the body,
Radiant with light,
Glowing with sensation,
Tingling,
Sensing.
The whole right side,
Bring awareness now to your left hip,
Left thigh,
Knee,
Shin and calf,
Left ankle,
Sole of the left foot,
And the tip of each toe,
Big toe,
Second,
Third,
Fourth,
Fifth toe.
Sensing the spaces between the toes and the whole of the foot,
Leg and the left side of the body,
Pulsing,
A light,
Glowing,
Radiant with sensation.
Now begin to imagine a place where you feel completely safe and at ease,
A safe place,
Picturing a peaceful place,
This could be a quiet beach,
A warm room,
A garden,
Somewhere in nature.
A place you've been before or somewhere imagined.
Build the picture of this place,
Taking your time to look around you,
What do you see?
Colour,
Shape,
Form,
What time of day is it,
What season are you in,
What are the sounds around you,
Nature,
Ocean,
River,
The wind in the trees,
Crackle of a fire.
Is there warmth,
Light or a gentle exhale in the air.
Build your perfect safe place,
In this place everything is calm,
All is well,
I am safe.
Now bring awareness to the feeling of being supported,
Imagine the ground beneath you is soft and steady,
Holding you completely without effort.
You might imagine a warm light gently surrounding your body,
A soft blanket of stars wrapping you in comfort,
Or a caring presence of a trusted person nearby.
Know that you are not alone,
You are supported,
Guided and cared for.
Begin to imagine a soft warm light hovering just above your body,
This light represents care,
Healing and protection.
As you focus let this light flow down through your head,
Over your shoulders and into your chest,
Through your arms and legs and feet.
And as this light moves through your body,
Notice how your body softens to the touch of this soft warm light.
Feel your mind becoming quiet,
Still,
Softening the edges.
You might even imagine skilled kind hands supporting you with care and everything is being handled with attention and compassion.
Notice that any concerns or worries that might float up to the surface and trust in these presenting themselves.
You might imagine a flowing stream of water beside you and as any worries or concerns rise to the surface of your awareness,
Place them into the stream against a leaf and watch them float away.
Slowly,
Safely,
Allow your worries and concerns to float gently down the stream,
There's nothing you need to hold on to right now.
Continue doing this practice for as long as you need,
Placing your worries and concerns onto a leaf,
Letting it float downstream,
Watch them float away.
Resting here in this calm,
Supported space,
Breathing softly.
As we gently begin to return awareness back to the present moment.
Be very gentle with yourself as you release these images,
Noticing how you're feeling in this moment,
Being really patient with yourself,
Nothing needs to be completely fixed,
Nothing needs to change.
You're simply allowing what doesn't support you to rise and leave,
Remaining curious and open towards your experience and sending yourself love,
Compassion,
Care and support in this journey.
All is well,
I am safe,
I am supported,
All is well.
Begin to bring your awareness gently back,
Notice the in-breath,
Gently,
Feeling the in-breath into the body,
Gently noticing the out-breath.
Natural and easy,
Sense the surface beneath you,
And when you're ready you can gently bring some movement back to fingers,
Toes.
And slowly opening your eyes,
Bringing the sense of calm and safety into your next moment.
You can return to this place of safety any time you choose,
It is always within you.
Go well,
Take good care and much love to you.
