Hello and welcome to this yoga nidra for stable foundations.
This practice is here to support you whenever you feel like you're overwhelmed by thoughts or if you feel like a rug has been pulled from underneath your feet.
Or simply whenever it feels good to be reconnected to the steadiness of the ground beneath you.
So if you are ready,
Get yourself nice and comfortable.
Set yourself up in a way that will allow you for the next 15 to 20 minutes to be as undisturbed as possible,
As comfortable as you can be.
Closing the doors,
The windows.
Laying down or sitting up in any way that you can be as held as possible where your body doesn't need to demand your attention.
That might mean lying yourself down with bolsters or pillows underneath your knees,
Layers of blankets above you,
Warm cozy socks.
Or perhaps it means taking a layer off so that you don't feel too warm.
Whatever it is,
Now is your time to really honor what supports you.
Settle down and know that if there is still some agitation in your body,
In your system,
That's absolutely fine.
Settling in never needs to be rushed.
And stillness might arise throughout the process.
Remember that while stillness is something you want to invite and encourage,
There is no pressure to be stuck in a position.
So if at any point you feel the need to address your physical body,
See if you can simply be with the discomfort for a little moment and if it doesn't dissipate,
You simply move and resettle to stillness.
If you feel cozy and comfortable now,
You can begin the journey by starting to invite the awareness slowly inwards.
That could mean closing your eyes or perhaps often your gaze.
Allowing for your ears to welcome the sounds of the environment that you're in.
Knowing that all the sounds are welcome,
Exactly in the same way as you are welcome exactly as you are.
Letting the sounds,
The noises be present and yet fall slowly into the background.
Allowing for my voice to be heard as a guide for this journey without trying to attach to the meaning of the words that you hear.
Simply letting the words guide you.
Knowing that there is nothing for you to do,
Nothing for you to achieve.
Simply being here is more than enough.
Perhaps coming into this practice with the simple intention of being present and welcoming to whatever arises.
Notice at this moment if there is anything else that your body is asking so that you can be that 1% more comfortable.
Feel free to respond to it and allow for your physical body to rest back,
To rest down.
Noticing the touch points between the support beneath you.
It could be a bed,
Sofa,
The floor or perhaps the earth herself.
Feeling into the steadiness and stability of the support beneath you and allowing for your body to release into this hold.
Your heels,
Your buttocks,
The back of your body,
The back of your head,
Your arms.
The entire body as if it was to make an imprint in the surface beneath you.
And you might feel not just what holds you below but there might be also a sense of being held from above.
The layers of your clothing,
Perhaps any blankets.
You might even feel this gentle touch of the air on the uncovered skin.
Being held from beneath and softly acknowledged from above.
The air that touches the uncovered skin also comes in and out through your nose.
You might even sense certain aromas that enter through the nostrils together with the air.
Welcoming the aromas in the same way we welcome the sounds.
All that is here,
All that is present is welcome.
And as you connect to the air coming in and out through the nostrils it might feel like a real release to take a couple of audible sighs.
Inhaling through the nose,
Filling up your chest,
Your belly.
And then a big exhale through the mouth.
Two more like that in your own time.
Feeling how with each of these big sigh exhalations your body can unhold,
Can release a little bit closer to the earth.
You might take three of these or continue these sighs until you feel like you have released whatever you can and there is a little bit more heaviness in the body and lightness in the mind.
At that point you can close your mouth and if possible breathing through the nose or in whichever way is effortless for you to breathe in and out.
Notice the rhythm of each inhalation coming in,
Belly and chest rising and at the same time there is this pull towards the earth with each inhale.
And with each exhale there is this gentle release,
Relaxation that comes in.
Feeling into this natural rhythm,
Inhale moves you towards the earth and towards the sky at the same time.
And exhale releases back to the center.
And could you perhaps feel into this rhythm in this gentle count of six as if your breath could be this hexameter.
Inhale to the count of six.
And you exhale to the count of six.
Five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Inhale six,
Five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Exhale six,
Five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
If this rhythm feels supportive you can take a couple of rounds or perhaps your hexameter is actually a bit shorter.
Finding this equal duration of the inhale and exhale.
Without any effort,
Simply tuning into this constant exchange between receiving and giving.
All the while being fully held by the earth beneath.
You might connect to this rhythm on a little bit more subtle level without now trying to control your breath in any way knowing that this rhythm will continue taking place.
Bringing your awareness to your heart center.
To the back of your heart that is touching the earth.
And in this space connecting to your own heart's desire.
Your sankalpa might have a specific form.
Perhaps you might want to repeat the words I suggest to you.
The words of I am safe and steady.
I receive support and rest.
If these words sound true and supportive in your experience you might want to repeat them three times silently inside your heart.
Otherwise you can simply be present to your heart as it is.
I am safe and steady.
I receive support and rest.
Feeling the reverberation of the words or your own presence.
You can release any effort here.
And allow for your awareness to journey.
To journey through your own physical body that is resting here.
Still resting asleep.
Your awareness,
This fluid nature moving from one place to another.
Following my guidance and every place that your awareness lands upon.
You can simply infuse that physical part of your body fully with your awareness.
Simply being present with no stories,
No judgment.
Being present right here right now.
Is more than enough.
Grounding awareness in each of these body parts might be supported by you repeating silently inside your mind the name of each of the body parts as soon as you hear me name it.
Beginning at the right hand thumb.
Index finger.
Middle finger.
Ring finger.
Little finger.
The palm of the right hand.
Wrist.
Right elbow.
Shoulder.
The space underneath your shoulder.
The right side of your chest.
Right side of your waist.
The outer right hip.
Top of the knee.
Right ankle.
Top of the foot.
Sole of your foot.
The five toes on the right foot.
First toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe and the little toe.
The entire right leg.
And the whole right side of your body.
Bringing awareness to the left hand thumb.
Index finger.
Middle finger.
Ring finger and the little finger.
Palm of the left hand.
Wrist.
Elbow.
Shoulder.
And the little space underneath your shoulder.
Left side of your chest.
Left side of your waist.
The outer left hip.
Top of your left knee.
Ankle.
Top of the left foot.
The sole of the left foot.
The five toes.
Big toe.
Second toe.
Third.
Fourth and the little toe.
The entire left leg.
And the whole left side of your body.
The backs of both of your heels.
Behind your knees.
Your buttocks.
Your lower back.
The upper back.
The back of your heart.
And both of your shoulder blades.
The back of your neck.
Head.
The top of your head.
Your forehead.
Right eyebrow and the right eye.
Left eyebrow and the left eye.
Space between your eyebrows.
Your right ear and inside the right ear.
Left ear and inside the left ear.
The tip of the nose,
The right nostril and the left nostril.
Upper lip and the lower lip.
Your chin.
Space between the collarbones.
Your heart center,
The space behind your breastbone.
Your upper belly and the lower belly.
The entire body.
Your whole body resting.
The whole body resting.
Heavy and present.
Can you feel within this body sleeping and resting the constant movement of breath?
Inhalation coming from the feet all the way up to the crown of the head.
And exhalation from the crown all the way to the soles of your feet.
Without changing your breath in any way.
Simply following this rhythm of this subtle movement.
Inhale from the soles of the feet to the crown of your head.
And then exhale returns back to the soles of your feet.
Following this rhythm,
This journey of your breath and energy through the body resting and still.
Breath and energy moving from the soles of your feet,
From the ground all the way up to the crown.
And then returning back to the roots,
The soles.
At this moment in time you might want to bring back the sankalpa.
Reawakening it.
Perhaps repeating the same statement.
I am safe and steady.
I receive support and rest.
Or perhaps there is your own heart's desire that can be heard.
Allow for this vow to yourself to be carried through the breath to every cell of your body.
And for the breath to become a little bit more alive.
A little bit deeper,
A little bit longer.
Traveling all the way to your fingertips,
To your toes.
And may the next inhalation bring so much vitality that perhaps it turns into a full body stretch.
Maybe there is a yawn.
Opening your ears a little bit wider,
Inviting the sounds back in.
And feeling once more the steadiness of the earth that has not wavered through the whole practice you've been lying here held.
The earth has been here present,
Fully.
So can you lean onto the earth as you perhaps slowly start finding your way towards a more upright position.
There is no rush.
Your eyes may still remain closed or maybe you are ready to start welcoming the outer world back in.
And my invitation is for us to close this yoga nidra practice with three breaths of gratitude.
Placing your right hand on your heart.
As you take the first breath,
The breath of acknowledging your own dedication to rest and to yourself.
Inhale.
Exhale for yourself.
The left hand lands on top of the right.
The second breath is the breath for support.
So let's inhale.
And exhale acknowledging those that are here for you,
Supporting you.
Then allowing for the palms to touch each other in prayer at your heart.
With this third breath,
This is the breath of gratitude for the practice itself.
Inhale.
Exhale acknowledging in gratitude the yoga nidra practice that has gifted you this deep rest.
And remembering that you are always steady,
Always safe,
Always held by the earth beneath you.
Thank you for your practice.
