Deep Rest Shaped By Water Yoga Nidra

This is Brianna.

I am so happy our paths can connect today through this practice on Mind Your Mindful.

This practice will guide us into the embrace of nature,

And more specifically the element of water.

Let's begin by getting you comfortable.

Make whatever shape where you will feel the most comfortable.

This could be laying down,

Sitting in a supported reclined position,

Or perhaps laying down on your side.

Gather comforts such as pillows,

Blankets,

Or props.

These things will support your physical being.

By welcoming these supports,

We minimize the effort required in the physical body,

Making space for the experience within,

The more subtle layers of the self to fully embrace this yoga nidra practice.

Could you sense the earth beneath the body,

The space of support holding you,

Nestling you,

Sensing the lids softly cover the windows to the outside world as we tend to our inner being,

Landing here as you are,

Setting any expectations or external obligations on the proverbial ledge where they can wait for you to return,

Settling into this space that lends a quietude.

Begin to notice the breath,

The quiet whisper of air moving in and through the lungs,

These gentle waves of natural breath guiding you softly into a space of restful consciousness.

As the breath moves through the mouth and nose,

Notice the inhale,

The exhale,

And the space between the breath,

Letting these gentle waves caress the body with awareness,

Awareness to notice sensation,

To notice feeling tones,

And to sense where any tensions may be.

These waves may deepen alongside the attuning of your cognizance,

Imagining these waves of breath moving in through the nose,

Flowing like a fountain of air to fill the basin of the chest and belly,

Exhaling through the mouth,

Sending the flow outward,

Filling the basin of the chest,

The belly,

With your gentle waves of breath,

Releasing.

As the breath falls back into this natural gentle waves,

Could you guide your awareness to Anahata chakra,

The space of the heart,

Landing here,

Imagining this space of the heart as an altar,

Filled with all of the things that support the love,

Compassion,

And empathy in your life.

What would this altar look like?

It may have photos of loved ones,

Journal entries,

Crystals,

Or it may look like a space in nature,

A space in time,

Or perhaps a memory.

Allow this space of pure inner love to take shape as your altar,

Noticing colors,

Sensations,

The sensation of touch or smell as your altar of love takes form.

And as it takes form,

Could you place a softly lit candle where it fits best in this space of your heart?

Let the gentle glow of this light illuminate a seed you wish to plant.

This could be an affirmation,

An intention,

Or a sankalpa.

It could sound something like,

I welcome love to surround me.

You may have something else that aligns for you or you're currently working with,

And whatever that may be,

Could you mentally whisper your intention three times to yourself and to your heart's altar,

And let it take seed in the space of your heart.

Let this intention land here,

Full of love,

Full of radiance.

Let this gentle light guide the awareness around the heart,

Expanding with each wave of breath,

Illuminating this quiet space of your heart.

Calling to yourself inward,

Out into the different spaces of your energetic and physical body,

Welcoming rest through the whole body with each breath.

As this restful awareness moves within you,

Could you welcome your ears to open the guidance of my voice?

As my voice names different parts of the body,

Could you imagine each of these points being caressed by a gentle wave of relaxation,

Of relaxation,

Allowing each point to feel the weightlessness from the support of the water element,

A sensation and awareness move from point to point.

Let's begin with the right hand thumb,

Noticing it and letting it relax,

Moving to the index finger,

The middle finger,

Ring finger,

And little finger,

Letting each finger soften,

Relaxing.

Feel the relaxation spread to the palm of the hand,

The back of the hand,

The wrist,

Forearm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

And shoulder.

Sensing the right side of the chest,

The waist,

Hip,

Thigh,

Knee,

Calf,

Ankle,

Heel,

The sole of the foot,

The top of the foot,

And each toe.

Small toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

And big toe.

Welcome a wave of relaxation to gently wash over the entire right side of the body,

From the shoulder down to the tips of the toes.

Sensing the left hand thumb,

Notice it,

Allow it to soften,

Move to the index finger,

The middle finger,

Ring finger,

And little finger,

Relaxing through each one of the fingers,

Spreading to the palm of the hand,

The back of the hand,

Wrist,

Forearm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

And shoulder.

Noticing the left side of the chest,

The waist,

Hip,

Thigh,

Knee,

Calf,

Ankle,

Heel,

The sole of the foot,

The top of the foot,

And each toe.

Small toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

And big toe.

Sensing a wave of relaxation moving out through the entire left side of the body,

From the shoulder down into the tips of each of the toes.

Begin to sense the shoulder blades,

The spine,

And lower back,

Relaxing into the cradle of Earth's embrace.

A wave of relaxation in the abdomen,

Sensing the rise and fall of each wave of breath as relaxation washes over the front side of the body.

Sensing the chest,

Throat,

And neck,

The bridge of rest between the space of the mind to the space of the heart,

Base of the skull,

The wave of relaxation massaging the scalp,

Sensing the lips,

Each muscle in the mouth and jaw relaxing and releasing the nose,

The eyes and eyelids,

The eyebrows softening,

The forehead and the space of the mind's eye fully rested,

Yet aware.

Sensing a gentle knotty a channel of rested awareness moving through each point each part of the body guided by the gentle waves of breath rising and falling effortlessly relaxation flowing from the crown of the head down the front side of the body flowing back through the soles of the feet up to the base of the skull through the whole backside of the body sensing a wave of relaxation gentle awareness cycling a gentle flow of harmonious rest and conscious awareness through the whole body sensing the whole body resting here supported nurtured as sensations are happening in the body could you just notice them the gentle abs of movement the flows of breath or other lingering sensations happening here could you become a witness to these sensations consciously but passively aware as you remain passively aware could you welcome a gentle journey into this space of your mind envisioning the ocean you notice the gentle waves nudging the tips of your toes as you stand in the sand the water is crystal clear reflecting the luminous blue from the sky above the sun gently kisses your cheeks with warmth you can feel the grains of sand on the backs of your legs your gaze floats to the ocean floor a piece of green sea glass on the surface of the sand catches your eye picking it up you rub your fingers over the edges sensing the curvature touching the smoothness of this once sharp piece there would have been a time where you didn't pick up this broken piece of glass its beauty and softness came with time with a journey the ocean took the glass as debris carried it within the waves nudged it into the sand carried it alongside the rocks as it softened bit by bit over time it became one with the rocks and the sand working alongside one another to soften the ocean guided this disregarded glass and helped to shape the green stone you hold in the palm of your hand water holds this power of transformation the power of healing and softening it creates beauty from brokenness rough edges can be softened and once forgotten will become welcomed into an ecosystem of transformation and this human body that we live in is sustained and held by the embrace of water and we can call upon this inner vitality to release and to flow more softly we can call in the power of time and circumstance to welcome new shapes from what once was this vitality within you has no bounds you carry within you an inner ocean that renews you and as you continue to journey into the depths of your own awareness could you find a place of peace a sanctuary within your own being allow the mind to rest in this state of awareness this sanctuary with nothing to do here nothing to achieve simply becoming present to the sensation of being connecting with the interconnected this ocean of consciousness in this present sensation could you call back your sankalpa and let the words whisper to your being within three times calling back the affirmation or intention and letting the waves of breath carry this intention these words throughout the whole being let the waves carry it to the interconnected ocean of consciousness within you and all around you beginning to sense the gentle waves of nature beginning to sense the gentle waves of natural breath could you gently bring your awareness back to the physical sensation of breath sensing the temperature in the nostrils and mouth perhaps feeling the coolness on the inhale a warmth or humidity on the exhale sensing the rise and fall in the chest and abdomen welcoming at your own pace a presence of the physical space around you sounds smells and the sensation of touch slowly bring your awareness back to the body feeling the pull from the cradle of earth sensing gravity beneath you welcoming movement into the fingers and toes and when you are feeling very ready opening the lids of the eyes slowly take a moment to lay quietly simply observing sensations in the physical space allowing yourself to fully return to the here and now taking a few brief moments to reflect on sensations is there a subtle difference from when you began this practice to now could you notice the lingering effects of resting deeply into the space of your own inner being your own inner landscape presence of gratitude as you created this space for you as you created this space for you you may even wish to wrap yourself in an embrace shoulder to shoulder speaking the words thank you to yourself taking whatever space you need to transition back into your day carrying the calm and peace of this practice with you unlike water you have the power to transform and create beauty and know that you can come back to this practice whenever you need it adding it to your wellness reservoir wishing you a wonderful day shanti shanti peace peace peace and if you like this practice please join the growing community on Mind Your Mindful on Mind Your Mindful