Welcome.
My name's Lucy and I'll be guiding this Yoga Nidra practice exploring Anamaya Kosha,
The physical body.
Let's take a moment to get comfortable,
Adjusting pillows and blankets and finding a position that feels right for you,
Perhaps laying on your back.
Do you need any pillows under your knees?
Are your blankets just right?
If you need some more time to get comfortable,
You can pause this recording and come back when you feel ready.
We'll start by noticing any tension or gripping in the body.
Are there any areas that you can soften?
Perhaps your temples,
Jaw,
Your face,
Shoulders,
Hips,
Legs.
And now we'll bring a vibration or resonance into the body with a humming breath.
We'll take a long inhalation to fill your lungs and as you exhale,
Create a humming sound with an extended exhalation.
So inhale deeply and hum on the exhalation.
Hum.
We'll do this three more times at your own pace.
Don't worry about the volume or the pitch.
Just do what feels right.
Inhaling.
Hum.
Hum.
And one more time.
Inhale.
Hum.
As you allow your breath to return to its natural rhythm,
Notice the effect of the vibration throughout your body.
Scan again your jaw,
Face,
Shoulders.
Notice if the vibrations have helped soften any areas where you had held tension.
Notice the breath in your body.
Feel the sensation of air in your nose.
The coolness of the inhalation.
The warmth of the exhalation.
The gentle rhythm of your breath in and out.
Notice how the breath moves your body at your chest,
Belly,
Inside your mouth,
Your nose.
You don't have to change or force your breath.
Just noticing.
Your body effortlessly breathing itself.
There's nothing you have to do now.
No need for efforting as we move into the state of feeling and sensing.
Give yourself permission to rest deeply.
Resting your body.
Resting your mind.
Could you welcome in an intention for this practice,
Your sankalpa?
You might want to feel into your body and ask your body what it needs here,
In this practice,
Here and now.
Welcoming your sankalpa to arise as a felt sensation,
Here in this body,
In this moment.
And now we begin the rotation of consciousness.
As I name a body part,
Allow your attention to rest there a while.
Moving from one point to the next.
Focusing your attention on the physical body.
Giving every part of you permission to rest.
Perhaps thoughts will arise.
That's okay.
Gently guide your attention back to my voice and then to the area of the body.
Start by placing your attention at the mind's eye centre.
The centre of the forehead.
The throat centre.
The heart centre.
The navel.
Now bring your attention to the tongue from the tip to the root of the tongue.
The roof of the mouth.
The teeth and the gums.
Inside of the cheeks.
The right cheek.
The left cheek.
The lower lip.
Upper lip.
Tip of the nose.
The right nostril.
The left nostril.
The sensation of breath moving in and out.
The right ear.
The folds of the ear.
Ear canal.
Inner ear.
Listening.
The left ear.
Folds of the ear.
Ear canal.
Inner ear.
The left ear.
Listening.
Both ears.
Both ears listening.
The space between the ears.
The muscle of the mind.
Releasing.
Resting back.
The right eye.
Eyebrow.
Temple.
Cheekbone.
The muscles behind the right eye.
The left eye.
Eyebrow.
Temple.
Cheekbone.
The muscles behind the left eye.
Both eyes.
Right and left.
Resting back.
The space between the brows.
The mind's eye centre.
The crown of the head.
Back of the head.
Back of the neck.
Inside the throat.
The whole head,
Face and neck.
Letting go of thinking.
Simply welcoming sensations in the body as they arise.
The heart centre.
The right side of the chest.
Right collarbone.
Shoulder.
Upper arm.
Elbow.
Forearm.
Wrist.
Palm and back of the hand.
The thumb.
First finger.
Second finger.
Third.
Little finger.
The space between and around the fingers.
The palm and back of the hand.
Wrist.
Forearm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
And shoulder.
Bring your attention back to the heart centre.
The left side of the chest.
Left collarbone.
Shoulder.
Upper arm.
Elbow.
Forearm.
Wrist.
Palm and back of the hand.
Thumb.
First finger.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Little finger.
The space between and around the fingers.
The palm and back of the hand.
Wrist.
Forearm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
Base of the throat.
The heart centre.
Just feeling.
Letting go of thinking.
Welcoming in sensations.
The front of the chest.
Back of the chest.
The ribs and the lungs.
Feeling the sensation of air moving in and out.
The navel.
The belly.
The vital organs inside the belly.
The pelvis.
Sensing the whole pelvic bowl.
The right hip joint.
The thigh.
Front and back.
The knee.
The calf and the shin.
Ankle.
Heel.
Sole of the foot and top of the foot.
Big toe.
Second toe.
Third.
Fourth.
Little toe.
The space between and around the toes.
The whole of the right leg.
Sensation throughout the right foot and the right leg.
The belly.
Inside and out.
There is nothing to change here.
Experiencing the sensations in the body just as they are.
The pelvic bowl.
Across to the left hip joint.
The thigh.
Front and back.
Knee.
Calf and shin.
Ankle.
Heel.
Sole of the foot and the top of the foot.
Big toe.
Second toe.
Third.
Fourth.
Little toe.
The space between and around the toes.
Sensation throughout the left leg and left foot.
Both feet,
Right and left,
Together.
Both legs,
The right leg and the left leg.
The tailbone.
The length of the spine,
All the way from the tailbone to the back of the head.
Feel sensation throughout the length of the spine.
The right side of the body.
Bring attention throughout the right side of the body.
The right side of the body and the left hemisphere of the brain.
Throughout the right side of the body,
Left brain.
Allow your attention to move to the left side of the body.
The left side of the body and the right hemisphere of the brain.
Throughout the left body,
Right brain.
The whole body now,
Right and left.
Feel sensation throughout the whole body.
The front.
The back of the body.
Deep inside the body.
And the outer surface of the body.
The whole body.
The whole body,
A unified field of sensation.
Resting deeply.
Begin to notice the breath in the body.
The subtle movement at the chest,
The belly.
Without changing the natural rhythm in any way,
Start to count your inhalation and exhalation.
Inhale 10.
Exhale 10.
Inhale 9.
Exhale 9.
Continue counting down at your own pace.
Welcome back your Sankalpa.
Welcoming the felt sensation of your intention to rest here with you.
Bring your attention to the space behind your closed eyes.
Imagine witnessing your body from above,
Laying here,
Resting deeply.
Imagine your body laying here on the surface beneath you.
The solidness of you,
Inside and out.
Your head and arms,
Torso,
Legs.
Your body resting peacefully on the earth.
And now notice how your body is held by the surface beneath you.
Feel all the points where your body touches the ground beneath you.
Effortlessly held and supported.
And begin to sense the edges of your body meeting the ground and meeting the air.
And slowly start to awaken your body.
Starting with very gentle movements of your fingers and toes.
Without opening your eyes,
Slowly bring the palms of your hands together and rub them to create some heat.
Now place your hands over your closed eyes,
Feeling the warmth you have created.
And when you're ready,
Slowly flutter the eyes open.
Gently welcoming back the light and the world around you.
And bring your thumbs now to the place in front of your forehead.
Thank you for practicing Yoga Nidra with me today.
Namaste.
