Hello,
This is Leah.
Welcome to your Yoga Nidra practice today.
Please find yourself in a comfortable position.
You can lie on your back on a yoga mat.
You could place pillows or bolsters under your head or under your knees.
An eye covering over the eyes.
If you have one or a light piece of cloth or material.
And landing into your Yoga Nidra nest.
Could you find a way to become even 5% more comfortable?
Feel the supports beneath you holding you.
Could you soften more?
Taking a slow breath in through the nose.
Expanding the lungs.
And exhale slowly through an O-shaped mouth.
As if slowly blowing out a candle.
Taking a moment here to set an intention or sankalpa for your practice.
This intention or sankalpa will instill your heart's desire.
Choosing one word or a short phrase.
Something that feels meaningful to you at this time.
And mentally whispering it to yourself.
Three times now.
Now spiral your awareness around the top of your head.
The back of your head.
The neck.
The sides.
Your forehead.
Your face.
Cheeks.
Your jaw.
Feel the earth supporting you from below as you soften down.
Relaxing your spine.
Your back muscles.
Your low back.
Feel the front side of your body.
The rise and fall of your chest.
Could you soften your belly more?
Your pelvis.
Move your awareness gently down both arms.
And as you land into the hands,
Imagine a sparkle of light in each fingertip.
Each thumb tip.
Move your awareness down the legs.
And as you land in the feet,
Imagine a sparkle of light in each toe tip.
Begin to feel into the whole left side of the body.
From the top of the head all the way down to your toes.
Whole left side of the body filled with sensations.
Feel into the whole right side of the body.
From the top of the head all the way down to your toes.
Whole right side of the body.
Land of sensation.
Feel into the whole back side of the body.
From the back of the head all the way down to your heels.
Whole back side of the body.
Supported by the earth.
Feel into the whole front side of the body.
From the forehead all the way down to the tops of your feet.
Whole front side of the body.
Moving with the breath.
Begin to move your awareness to your left palm.
Breathe the breath in through the palm of your left hand.
Left arm.
Around the heart.
And then exhale down the right arm and out through the palm of the right hand.
Awareness at your right palm.
Breathe the breath in through the palm of your right hand.
Right arm.
Swirl around the heart.
And then exhale down the left arm and out through the palm of the left hand.
Keep going.
In through the left palm to the heart.
And out through the right hand.
In through the right palm to the heart.
And out through the left hand.
Breathe like this at your own pace for a few more moments here.
Releasing that.
And then exhaling down the right arm and out through the right hand.
And allow the breath to return to its natural rhythm.
Breath breathing itself.
Imagine yourself now in a forest.
You are walking on a path.
Notice the flora and fauna around you.
The scents in the air.
The sun shining in beams through the trees.
The trees which are full of fresh green leaves.
Notice the scent of the sap running through the trees.
Bringing life to the forest.
As you walk,
You hear a chickadee in the distance.
And another one replying.
The ground is soft beneath you as you walk.
The wind sweeps over your face.
Your cheeks.
Notice how you feel in this moment.
You walk further down the path until you come to the edge of a shallow cliff.
You look down to see a river running.
The sound of the river is crisp and refreshing.
A great blue heron flies overhead as you look up.
There are a few clouds in the sky.
And so much sunshine.
You sit on a dry patch of earth,
Leaning against the stump of a fallen tree.
Turning your face upward,
You notice the sun.
Feeling the radiant warmth on your cheeks.
Breathing in the earthy scents of the forest.
Listening to the sounds of the birds.
And you rest here in this space of non-doing.
Resting in your beingness.
The sun kissing your cheeks as you rest deeply.
Simply resting in awareness.
Recall the sound of the birds.
The sound of the birds.
The sound of the birds.
Recalling your sankalpa,
Your intention,
In this restful space of being.
And mentally whispering it to yourself three times here.
As you begin to return,
Take a deep breath in through the nose.
And a slow long exhale through the mouth.
And as you exhale,
Feel yourself returning to the room that you are in.
Tuning into any sounds around you.
Feel the supports beneath you.
The position of your body.
And then begin to gently wiggle your fingers and toes.
Releasing all those little sparkles from the fingertips and the toe tips.
Rotate your wrists and ankles one way and the other.
Turning your head gently side to side to release your neck.
And if it feels good,
You can take a long stretch.
And then any movements that feel good in your body in this moment.
If you're laying on a bolster,
You could roll off to one side and just lay on your side curled up for a few breaths.
And if you'd like to rest longer,
You can pause this recording here and take as much time as you need to rest or take a nap.
If you're ready to return back out into the world.
Just noticing how you're feeling as you're laying on your side.
And then gently sitting up.
Bringing your palms to the heart.
Namaskar Mudra.
Palms touching.
Lower your chin.
Send yourself deep gratitude for showing up for your practice today.
For resting your body.
For exploring the inside of you.
And I thank you for your practice.
For showing up for yourself.
And we'll close with a Namaste,
Which means the light in me sees and recognizes the light in you.
Namaste.
