Connecting into your practice of yoga nidra.
Today we're going to focus on connecting with the earth,
Welcoming your body just as you are,
Finding yourself a comfortable place.
You might like to lie down,
Find a cozy pillow,
A blanket,
Finding whatever you can in your space to make you feel extra cozy.
Feeling the body supported by the surface underneath you,
Noticing if there are any sensations in the body,
Welcoming all the sensations,
Welcoming your body exactly as you are right now.
In this practice of yoga nidra,
You might find yourself drifting,
The awareness of my voice might be there and it might drift further into the distance.
There's no such thing as pass or feel in the practice of nidra.
You're here to rest,
Making a few long exhalations with your breath.
On the exhale,
Letting go of anything that doesn't need to be here in this space or in this time,
Drawing your attention to any sounds in the distance,
Allowing each sound to come and go,
Noticing any sounds close by in the room or the place where you practice,
Sounds appearing and disappearing,
Coming into a phase of rotation around the body.
When I name a body part,
Hold awareness there,
You might like to imagine the warmth of the sun shining on that body part,
Starting with the top of the head,
The left ear,
The right ear,
Both ears together,
The left eye,
The right eye,
Both eyes together,
The throat,
The lips,
The forehead,
The back of the head,
The left shoulder,
Left elbow,
Left wrist,
Palm of the hand,
Back of the hand,
Little finger,
Fourth finger,
Middle finger,
Index finger,
The thumb,
The whole left hand,
The whole left arm,
Moving to your right shoulder,
Right elbow,
Right wrist,
Palm of the hand,
Back of the hand,
Little finger,
Fourth finger,
Middle finger,
Index finger,
The thumb,
The whole right hand,
The whole right arm,
The heart space,
Upper belly,
Lower belly,
The left hip,
Left knee,
Left ankle,
Sole of the foot,
Top of the foot,
The toes,
The whole left foot,
The whole left leg,
The right hip,
Right knee,
Right ankle,
Sole of the foot,
Top of the foot,
The toes,
The whole right foot,
The whole right leg,
The base of the spine,
Lower spine,
Mid spine,
Upper spine,
Back of the neck,
Back of the head,
The top of the head,
The whole head,
The whole left arm,
The whole right arm,
The whole left leg,
The whole right leg,
Feeling the whole body,
Whole body,
The whole body resting.
Now we come to a phase of awareness of the breath,
Watching the natural rhythm of the breath,
The way the whole body gently moves with each breath.
And as you connect with the rhythm of the breath,
Noticing the four phases,
The inhale,
The slight pause,
The exhale,
And the longer pause,
Continuing some rounds of your breath in your own time,
Noticing all four phases.
Now shifting your full awareness to the exhale.
On your next exhale,
Allow yourself to let go,
Surrender,
And soften on each exhale.
Now shifting awareness to the pause after the exhale,
Resting deeply in that pause,
Letting go of any awareness of the breath,
Beginning to explore if there's any part of the body that feels a little warmer than the rest.
If you don't notice any sensation of warmth,
Perhaps focus on the heart and the nurturing heartbeat.
Now feel if any part of the body feels cooler than the rest.
And if you don't notice any sensation of coolness,
Perhaps focus on the upper lip and the nose.
You might feel the air is slightly cooler as you inhale,
Bringing awareness back to the places that feel warmer,
And then back to anywhere that feels cool.
Returning back to the places of warmth,
And imagine that the warmth is reaching all of the parts that feel cool,
Merging the two together,
Finding the perfect temperature and balance,
Letting go of any feeling of opposites in the body,
Finding yourself in a tranquil garden.
It might be somewhere very familiar to you,
Or it could be someplace that you imagine in your mind's eye.
It's summertime,
And you're riding the waves between the warm and the air,
And honoring the in-between rain showers that occur in your garden.
Nourishing everything that is growing there,
Everything that has life there,
Taking some time to explore this place.
Are there any flowers growing?
What colors can you see?
Noticing any smells or aromas?
Are there any trees or plants in this garden?
Focusing on the earth beneath you,
What else is rooted there?
Any fruit or vegetables?
Sensing into the energy of your garden,
How does your body feel surrounded by nature?
The beauty of Mother Earth.
What sounds can you hear in your garden?
Perhaps you can hear insects,
Birdsong,
Just sitting for a while in this blissful and serene tranquility.
It's so nourishing,
Warm and relaxing.
You can imagine grounding in this space,
Connecting with the earth,
Hearing these words of affirmation.
They might resonate with you right now.
I am grounded into the earth.
I am balanced.
I am at peace with all that is right now.
It's time now to leave your tranquil,
Peaceful garden.
Know that you can return here anytime.
Holding gratitude in your heart for the moments spent here.
Awareness back into the sounds around you,
Close by and in the distance.
Feeling the body,
Making some gentle movements in the body.
Moving fingers and toes,
Letting out some exhalations.
Perhaps you'd like to move your body in other ways.
Maybe stretching the arms over your head,
Having a yawn.
And when you feel ready,
Bringing yourself gently back into the room.
Thank you for practicing with me.
Sending you light and love.
May you go well.
