Welcome,
My name's Lucy and I'll be guiding you off to sleep.
So unlike a traditional yoga nidra practice,
You don't need to stay awake and aware.
You can drift off at any time.
Know that your body is getting the rest that it needs throughout this practice.
Your body and mind will become still as you fall gently into the state of deep rest and then drift off to sleep.
Take your time to get really comfortable,
Adjusting pillows and blankets and find a position that feels right for you,
Perhaps on your back or on your side.
Do you need any extra pillows under your knees?
Are your blankets just right?
Perhaps you can use an eye covering to block out any light.
If you need some more time you can pause the recording and come back when you're ready.
Start by noticing any tension or gripping in your body.
Are there any areas you can soften?
Perhaps your temples,
Your jaw.
Is there any expression lingering on your face?
Any tightness in your shoulders and arms?
Your hips,
Legs and ankles?
And now we'll start by bringing a sense of vibration into the body with a humming breath.
Take a long inhalation,
Filling your lungs completely and as you exhale create a humming sound.
Extending the exhalation as long as possible.
Inhaling deeply and hum on the exhalation.
We'll do this two more times at your own pace.
As you allow your breath to return to its natural rhythm,
Notice the effect of the vibration throughout your body.
Scan again your jaw,
Your face and shoulders.
Notice if the vibrations have helped soften any areas where you felt 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 and belly.
You don't have to change or force your breath,
Just noticing.
Observing the breath like a continuous rolling wave.
The end of each exhalation rolling into the inhalation.
Seamless waves of respiration.
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,
Sensing.
Give yourself permission to rest deeply.
Resting your body.
Resting your mind.
As I name a body part,
Allow your attention to rest there a while.
Moving from one point to the next.
Focusing all your attention on the physical body and giving every part 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 all of your attention at the throat center.
The throat center.
The jaw.
The right side of the jaw and the left side of the jaw.
The tongue.
From the tip to the root of the tongue.
Roof of the mouth.
Teeth and gums.
Inside of the cheeks.
The right cheek.
The left cheek.
Lower lip.
Upper lip.
The right nostril.
Left nostril.
The left ear.
Noticing again the sensation of the breath on the inhale and the exhale.
The right ear.
Left ear.
Both ears listening.
The right eye and behind the eye.
The left eye and behind the eye.
The forehead.
Crown of the head.
Back of the neck.
The heart center.
The heart center.
The right side of the chest.
Right collarbone.
Shoulder.
Upper arm.
Elbow.
Forearm.
Wrist.
The palm of the hand.
And all five fingers of the right hand.
Awareness moving from the tips of the fingers through the palm of the hand.
The wrist.
Forearm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
The right side of the chest.
The left side of the chest.
Left collarbone.
Shoulder.
Upper arm.
Palm of the hand.
And all five fingers of the left hand.
Awareness moving from the tips of the fingers through the palm of the hand.
The palm of the hand.
Wrist.
Forearm.
Elbow.
The front of the chest and the back of the chest.
Feeling the inhalation and the exhalation.
The waist.
Navel.
Pelvic bowl.
Right hip.
Thigh.
The calf and the shin.
The sole of the foot.
And all five toes of the right foot.
Awareness moving from the tips of the toes through the sole of the foot.
Ankle.
The calf and the shin.
Up the thigh.
The pelvic bowl.
Left hip.
The calf and the shin.
Ankle.
Sole of the foot.
And all five toes of the left foot.
Awareness moving from the tips of the toes through the sole of the foot.
The ankle.
The calf and the shin.
The thigh.
The left hip.
Continuing up the left side of the body.
The left side of the chest.
The left arm.
Awareness and sensation throughout the left side of the body.
The left side of the body and the right hemisphere of the brain.
Left side of the body,
Right brain.
Moving your awareness to the right side of the body.
The right leg.
Right side of the torso.
Right side of the chest and arm.
Throughout the right side of the body and the left hemisphere of the brain.
Right body,
Left brain.
Allow your awareness to fill your whole body.
Feeling sensations throughout your whole body now.
The left side and the right side of the body.
The left and the right hemisphere of the brain.
Return your attention to the breath in the body.
Air moving in and out.
The waves of respiration rolling in,
Rolling out.
Without changing your breath in any way,
Start to count your inhalation and exhalation.
Inhaling 10.
Exhaling 10.
Inhale 9.
Exhale 9.
Continuing down at your own pace.
Each exhalation resting deeper and deeper.
Bring awareness to the space in front of your closed eyes.
Rest your mind in this infinite space.
The quiet darkness.
And welcome the image of gentle rain on water.
Rain drops on the surface of water.
A warm sunset.
The warm sun resting behind the horizon.
A full moon rising.
A full moon.
The northern lights.
The northern lights dancing across the sky.
The Milky Way.
The huge expanse of the Milky Way.
As these images fade.
Drifting into the gentle darkness of sleep.
Welcoming in the space to dream.
Your mind resting into the space of dreams.
Into that quiet place.
Drifting off.
Drifting off to sleep.
