Welcome to this Indigo Alchemy meditation,
A yoga nidra for releasing the tension and stress of your day to help you fall asleep or back to sleep if you've awakened during the night.
Let's begin.
Find a comfortable position lying down on your back.
This is known as Shavasana or Corpse Pose.
You may already be in bed or on a couch or a yoga mat.
Any place that is comfortable for you to fall asleep will do.
Have a blanket nearby as your body slips into deep relaxation and your nervous system shifts,
The energy changes,
Often causing you to feel chilly.
You may also want to have an eye mask or a rolled up t-shirt to cover your eyes and deepen your experience.
Allow your legs to fall open naturally,
Feet dropping to the sides.
Place your arms alongside your body,
Palms facing up,
Or rest your hands gently on your belly,
Whichever feels most restful to you.
Take a moment to adjust anything that needs adjusting.
Wiggle your shoulders into the surface beneath you.
Perhaps tuck a pillow under your knees if that brings comfort.
This is your time.
There is nowhere else to be and nothing else to do.
Now gently close your eyes.
In Yoga Nidra,
We plant a seed of intention,
A sankalpa,
Something short and meaningful to you.
It might sound like,
I am peaceful and rested,
Or I release what I cannot control,
Or simply,
I am safe.
Now take a moment to silently speak your intention to yourself as if it's already true,
And feel it begin to settle into your heart.
Now bring your attention to your body.
We are going to move awareness throughout the different parts of your body,
Not forcing a relaxation,
Not trying to do anything really,
Simply notice.
We'll start on the right side.
Bring awareness to your right hand thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
Little finger,
Palm of the right hand,
Back of the right hand,
Right wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Right shoulder,
Right side of your chest,
Right side of your waist,
Right hip,
Right thigh,
Right knee,
Calf,
Ankle,
Top of the right foot,
Sole of the right foot,
Right big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe.
Now we switch to the left side.
Bring your awareness to your left hand,
The left hand thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
Little finger,
Palm of the left hand,
Back of the left hand,
Left wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Left shoulder,
Left side of your chest,
Left side of your waist,
Left hip,
Left thigh,
Left knee,
Calf,
Ankle,
Top of the left foot,
Sole of the left foot,
Left big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe.
Now we move awareness to the back of your head,
Back of your neck,
Right shoulder blade,
Left shoulder blade,
The whole length of your spine,
Right buttock,
Left buttock.
Next we move awareness to the crown of your head,
Forehead,
Right eyebrow,
Left eyebrow,
The space between your eyebrows,
Right eyelid,
Left eyelid,
Right eye,
Left eye,
Right ear,
Left ear,
Right cheek,
Left cheek,
Nose,
Tip of the nose,
Upper lip,
Lower lip,
Chin,
Jaw,
Throat,
Right collarbone,
Left collarbone,
Center of the chest,
Belly,
Lower belly.
Notice your whole body and how it feels.
The whole body lying here,
Complete and present.
Now bring your attention to your natural breath.
You don't need to change it or control it in any way.
Simply observe.
Notice the breath entering your nostrils.
It may feel cool or warm or perhaps a slight sensation at the tip of your nose.
Notice your breath filling your lungs,
Your belly rising,
Your chest expanding.
Notice the exhale releasing,
Your belly softening,
Your chest falling.
Watch the rhythm of your breath.
Breath coming in and breath going out.
Each exhale is a small release.
Each exhale lets go of just a little bit of the day you carried.
In this practice,
We'll acknowledge the thoughts and worries you are carrying and giving them full permission to be here.
And then we will guide your mind toward a complete release.
Bring to mind the things that have been weighing on you.
Perhaps it's an unfinished task or a decision waiting to be made.
Maybe it's a conversation you're replaying or the uncertainties about tomorrow.
Don't try to solve anything.
Just let these thoughts and worries be present like clouds in the sky of your awareness.
Notice the quality of your thinking right now.
Perhaps it's racing,
Jumping from one concern to another.
Or maybe it feels foggy or heavy with fatigue.
Or spinning in loops,
Going over the same thoughts again and again.
Just observe the pattern without judgment.
Acknowledge any emotions that come with these thoughts.
Perhaps it's anxiety,
Frustration,
Sadness,
Or worry.
Whatever is here,
Let it be fully present.
You are not these feelings.
You're simply noticing them,
Like watching weather pass through.
Now let all of those thoughts drift away,
Like clouds dissolving in the sky.
Your mind becoming as vast and open as space itself.
Your thoughts become wide,
Clear,
Expansive.
Nothing to figure out.
Nothing to fix.
Just the spaciousness of a wide open sky.
Feel your mind becoming light,
Unburdened,
As if a weight has lifted from your thoughts,
Free from the need to plan or worry or remember.
Empty in the most peaceful way,
Like floating in the air.
Completely release now.
Letting go of all mental effort.
No need to think.
No need to know.
Simply be here,
Resting in pure awareness.
Let your thoughts come and go,
Like gentle waves,
But rest in the stillness beneath them.
Imagine the sun breaking through in the sky.
A deep,
Penetrating warmth of the sunlight on your skin.
Your whole body being soft and warm,
And held in this warmth.
Simply rest here in this feeling of complete release.
Next,
We will visit the chamber of rest.
Imagine now that you're descending down a spiral staircase.
Each step takes you deeper into peace.
We'll count them down from 10 to 1.
10 steps down.
9,
8,
7,
Slowly descending.
6,
5,
4,
Deeper and deeper into peace.
3,
2,
1.
At the bottom,
You find yourself standing before a doorway.
This is the entrance to your personal chamber of rest.
A place that exists only for you,
Where you are completely safe and undisturbed.
As you step through the doorway,
You enter a space that feels perfectly right.
Perhaps it's softly lit by candlelight or moonlight.
Maybe there's a gentle sound of rain on a roof or on a treetop or a complete enveloping silence,
And the air is exactly the right temperature.
In the center of this space is the most comfortable place to rest that you have ever seen.
It might be a bed,
Surrounded by soft blankets,
Or a nest of cushions inviting you to relax.
Perhaps it's a hammock swaying gently.
Whatever appears before you is perfect.
You move toward it and settle in completely.
As you do,
You feel yourself sinking into absolute comfort.
This place holds you,
Supports you.
You are protected here.
Inside this chamber,
There is no time,
No obligations.
No one needs anything from you.
You have permission to simply be at rest.
Feel yourself sinking deeper and deeper into this rest.
Deeper with each breath.
This chamber will remain here,
Holding you safe as you drift into sleep.
You are home.
You are held.
You are free to completely fall asleep and relax.
There is nothing more you need to do now.
You can let yourself drift into sleep whenever you're ready.
Your body knows how to rest,
And your mind knows how to release.
If you're still awake in a few moments,
That's perfectly fine.
Simply continue breathing softly,
Feeling the support beneath you.
Trusting that sleep will come in its own time.
You are safe.
You are held.
You are free to rest.
Sweet dreams.
