Namaste,
This is Ali,
And this is a deep rest practice that will be around 16-17 minutes long.
We'll be exploring some breathing techniques and yoga nidra techniques to help create a state of deep rest in your body.
This will help to create a state of relaxation in the nervous system,
And with consistent practice has many benefits for your overall state of mind and wellbeing.
These practices are known to help restore sleep and rest deficits,
And mental and physical energy.
Take the next moment to lie down and get completely comfortable.
You can use pillows or props behind the head and the knees,
Perhaps an eye covering to block out the light as you close down your eyes,
And maybe a blanket for warmth as the body cools down in deep states of rest.
We'll begin by taking a deep breath in through the nose,
And out through the mouth.
Could in this time as you breathe in,
Filling the lungs,
Pausing at the top,
And as you exhale through the mouth,
Could you imagine blowing through a straw,
And one more time like that,
And through that imaginary straw,
Blowing the air out slowly,
Letting the breath settle back into a natural rhythm,
And noticing sensations in your heart centre now,
The beat of your heart,
Tuning into the presence of your heart,
Sensing how this breathing practice may have created a state of calm,
A calm energy in the heart,
And welcoming a sense of calm into your heart and into your whole body now.
You might welcome the intention now,
I am creating peace and calm within myself,
Mentally repeating the phrase,
And now bringing all of your attention down towards the tips of your toes,
Noticing sensations,
Perhaps air touching the toes,
Or the warmth of clothing or blankets,
Sensations,
Perhaps tingling or warmth,
The touch of air,
Or a little at all,
Noticing now the tops of the feet,
Any sensations present here,
Sensing the heels and the ankles,
And imagining you could feel or sense the feet from the inside out,
Letting attention slowly migrate up into the calves and the shins,
Sensing the knees from the inside out,
The thighs,
Front and back,
And deep inside the innermost core of the thighs,
Sensing up into the hip joints,
The pelvic bowl,
The glutes,
The waist and the belly,
You might sense now the inner organs deep within the belly,
And could you sense now your whole lower body,
From the waist,
The pelvis,
The legs,
The ankles,
The feet,
All the way to the toes,
The whole lower body alive and radiant with sensation,
Saturated with awareness,
And as the whole lower body becomes radiant and alive with sensation,
Could you once again take a deep breath in through the nose,
And out slowly through that imaginary straw,
And again,
Inhaling,
Exhaling through the lips,
Imagining your body becoming heavier and heavier,
And one more time,
A deep breath in,
A slow exhale through your imaginary straw,
As the body sinks heavier and heavier,
And sensing the breath at the navel center,
Letting your breath settle back into a natural rhythm,
As you inhale,
Feeling the navel center rise gently,
As you exhale,
The navel center falls,
Just sensing the breath here at the navel,
And letting your attention take in the heart center,
And the right and left sides of the chest,
Sensing the arms,
The shoulders and the upper arms,
The forearms and the wrists,
The palms of the hands and the backs of the hands,
And all of the fingers,
Sensing all of the fingers and the fingertips,
And a sense of the hands,
The arms,
And the whole chest simultaneously,
Also the back of the body,
And the connection points between the body and the earth beneath you,
Sensing the pressure points at the shoulder blades,
And any points of contact in the upper back,
And the whole chest and arms,
And once again,
Taking a deep breath in,
Exhaling through that little straw,
And one more like that,
Sinking deeper and deeper into the earth,
The whole chest and arms becoming heavy,
Sinking deep down into the earth beneath you,
And welcoming now a sense of the neck,
The throat,
The whole head,
Sensing the scalp,
The hair,
The forehead,
The eyes becoming heavy,
The jaw relaxing,
Softening through the tongue,
Feeling any expression in the face,
Letting go,
Releasing,
Letting the natural rhythm of your breath continue,
And as you breathe in,
Could you allow the exhale to become slightly longer than the inhalation,
So a normal,
Gentle inhale,
And the exhale extends slightly longer than the inhale,
And as you exhale,
Continuing in this way,
Continuing to sense the face and the head,
The neck and the throat,
The chest and the torso,
Belly and arms,
Hands,
Arms,
From the pelvis down through the legs and the feet,
So you're sensing the whole body,
The whole body simultaneously,
Front and back,
Left and right,
The whole body resting deeply,
The whole body alive and radiant with sensation,
And once again,
Taking a deep breath in,
Exhaling through that imaginary straw,
And exhaling through that imaginary straw,
Sinking deeper and deeper,
The whole body melts,
Allowing yourself this time simply to be here,
Resting,
Restoring,
Basking in the medicine of presence and the effects of this practice,
And you might welcome back the intention,
The affirmation,
I am creating peace and calm within myself.
Begin to sense your toes,
And when you feel ready,
Begin to bring some small movements to the toes,
Small movements to the fingers,
You might start to nod your head from side to side when you feel ready,
And ever so slowly,
Mindfully,
Gently,
Begin to reawaken from this practice,
And noticing any of the positive effects that this practice may have had on the body,
On the mind,
And just welcoming those effects in as you reawaken slowly,
And you might once again take a deep breath in through the nose,
And out through the mouth,
And maybe even two sips in through the nose,
And out through the mouth,
Once again.
Thank you once again for joining me in this practice today,
And exploring different yoga nidra techniques and breathing techniques.
I hope that you have a most beautiful day,
May you be happy,
May you be healthy,
May you be peaceful,
May you be free.
Namaste.
