Yoga Nidra: Deep Dive To Restore

Welcome to this Yoga Nidra meditation practice,

Deep Dive to Restore.

It's time to give yourself permission to pause,

Restoring balance to your body and mind.

With your eyes closed,

Begin to settle into a comfortable position,

Lying back and preparing your body for deep relaxation,

Cultivating an inner sanctuary for you to recharge and refuel.

Start to notice where you are here in this moment.

Feel yourself being supported by the ground or whatever surface you are resting on.

Welcome in all sounds and smells with non-judgment,

Ease and open awareness.

Sense and feel the material against your skin.

Now experience your body heavy,

Sinking,

Settling deeper as you release all tension from your body and mind.

Letting go,

Allow your body to embrace a deep sense of calm as you relax into stillness.

Allow everything to be just as it is.

Take a deep breath in through your nose and exhale through the mouth with a deep sigh.

And again,

Breathe in deeply,

Allowing your lungs to fill up completely.

And again,

Exhale,

Letting go of all tension in your body and mind.

All is well.

During Yoga Nidra,

There is nothing you need to do but simply be present in the moment.

Just follow my voice as you glide effortlessly between wakeful and sleep states.

If you fall asleep during this practice,

It's okay as your subconscious mind will still hear me.

However,

Try and remain awake and aware throughout.

Anytime your mind becomes diverted by thoughts or external distractions,

Just come back to the sound of my voice.

And if you need to move,

Feel free to do so,

Gently,

With mindfulness.

Now becoming still,

Allow your body and mind to quieten.

Move your awareness to the centre between your eyebrows,

Finding your inner calm here in this moment.

It's now time to go inwards and listen to what you need for your wellbeing,

Based on your deepest longing or heartfelt desire.

With loving kindness,

Create your sankalpa,

A positive intention affirmation for today's Yoga Nidra practice.

Listen to whatever comes from your inner wisdom.

If you do not yet have an intention,

You may like to use this phrase,

I am rested and restored.

Sense and feel your intention now,

Connecting to it deeply in the present tense as if it's already happening.

Now silently repeat your intention three times.

Next we are going to begin a swift journey of sensory awareness.

You will lightly move your awareness to the different parts of your body as they are named.

Allow my voice to guide you through,

Remaining still,

Relaxed and aware throughout.

Welcome in all sensations just as they are,

With ease and calm.

Starting with the sensation inside your mouth,

Your jaw,

Lips,

Inside of mouth,

Tongue,

Teeth,

Gums,

Noticing all your mouth as sensation.

Now sensing your nose,

Right nostril,

Left nostril,

Both nostrils at the same time,

Sensing the air as you breathe in and out.

Notice your ears,

Right ear,

Left ear,

Both ears together receiving sound.

Now sensing your eyes,

Right eye,

Left eye,

Sense and feel both eyes at the same time.

Noticing your cheeks,

Your jaw,

Aware of your neck,

Your throat,

Sensing down to your shoulders,

Bring awareness to your arms,

Right arm,

Left arm,

Feeling both arms at the same time.

Noticing your hands,

Right hand,

Left hand,

Both hands together,

Becoming aware of your chest,

Now sensing your back,

Bring awareness to your abdomen,

Down to your pelvis,

Feel the sensations in your hips,

Right hip,

Left hip,

Both hips together,

Sensing your knees,

Right knee,

Left knee,

Both knees together,

Bring awareness to your legs,

Right leg,

Left leg,

Both legs at the same time,

Feel the sensations in your feet,

Right foot,

Left foot,

Both feet together.

Now sensing the right side of your body,

The left side of your body,

Both sides of your body at the same time,

Feel the sensations of your entire body from your head to your toes,

Aware of your whole body as a vibrant sensation.

Now move your awareness once more to the centre between your eyebrows,

Feeling calm in this moment.

Notice your body relaxing,

Letting go,

Resting into the stillness,

Notice yourself breathing in and out,

Everything is slowing down,

Your breathing is slowing,

Your thoughts are releasing.

Now take a slow steady breath in through your nose,

Exhaling through your mouth with a sigh,

Letting go of what needs to go and again breathe in and out with a long sigh.

Become aware of the sensations in your chest and abdomen,

Feel your chest and abdomen opening up,

Expanding with each inhalation,

Feel your chest and abdomen releasing,

Letting go with each exhalation,

On each inhalation and exhalation affirm to yourself,

I am connected and restored.

Feel connected to yourself on the inhalation and the sense of restoring your body and mind on the exhalation.

Go gently with your breath's own rhythm,

I am connected and restored,

I am connected and restored.

Return now to your natural breath and move your awareness to the centre between your eyebrows,

Feel and connect to your body's sensations resting here in this moment.

Imagine now your nostrils filling with fresh salty smells of the tropical sea,

You feel soft warm sand between your toes as you gaze out at the ocean,

Its inky blue waves gently lapping as it expands far out into the distance.

Like the ocean seabed where the crashing waves of life retreat,

Deep within you there is always a place of stillness and inner knowing that you can return to.

We now take a journey and dive deeper into that still place.

You experience the sensation of weightlessness as you glide deep down into the warm tropical waters,

Releasing all tension as you glide deeper into an expansive space of tranquility and calm.

Become aware of the connection to yourself with each soothing breath,

Your whole body relaxed on the seabed of calm,

Deeply still and at ease.

With each breath you sense the depth inside the core of who you are,

A deep oceanic connection extending throughout your entire body.

Feel going deep.

Allow the images of the deep ocean to slowly fade away.

Now imagine your ears tuning in to the trickling sound of a flowing stream.

The reflective surface of the stream glistens as you step into the shallow water,

Feeling its coolness against your skin.

We now take a journey downstream,

You breathe in the freshness of mossy pine as you pass through the woodlands.

You are in harmony with the river,

Flowing along with its current,

Letting go of any resisting,

Going towards wherever your inner essence takes you.

The flowing water with its aliveness touches the surface of your skin.

Feel its radiant vitality like ripples of water shimmering in the sunlight.

Now you are back in the tropical waters of the deep blue ocean,

The ocean seabed where the crashing waves of life retreat.

Allow the image of the ocean to disappear and notice the deep inner calm expanding throughout your entire body.

Feel going deep.

Now you are back at the flowing stream,

Looking at its shallow surface,

Watching it glisten as it flows.

Let go of the image of the stream,

Feel the surface of your skin sensing its radiant vitality.

It's now the surface,

Now feeling going deep and back to sensing the surface.

Now welcome both opposites,

The deep and the surface,

All at the same time.

You are feeling the deep and the surface,

All at the same time.

The depth of inner calm and sensing your body surface,

Aware of what's arising in your body and mind.

Now deeply resting your entire body at ease,

Come to that place of stillness at the centre between your eyebrows.

In this inner sanctuary you can release all that no longer serves you.

Letting go,

Relax into a deep sense of calm.

You are in your own personal retreat where there is nothing to do and nowhere to be.

Here in this calm space you can surrender and just be,

Effortlessly pausing and restoring,

Bringing back balance to your body and mind.

Now in this moment of deep calm and non-doing,

Recall to mind your sankalpa,

Your positive intention affirmation for today's practice.

Sense and feel it now.

Your intention,

Like a seed,

Has been planted and will grow.

Return your awareness to your breath,

Feeling its soothing natural rhythms freely flowing in and out like a rolling ocean wave.

Your body heavy,

Relaxed,

At ease.

Your mind quiet.

As we near the end of this yoga nidra practice,

Slowly begin to connect to your body,

Noticing yourself emerging from a deep relaxed state.

Feel and sense the parts of your body that are in contact with the surface that you are resting on.

Take time to become aware of your surroundings.

Notice the sounds around you,

Starting outside of the room.

Noticing the sounds inside the room.

Day lying quietly until you feel ready to end this practice of yoga nidra.

Now gently open your eyes,

Taking your time to adjust to the environment around you.

When you are ready,

Slowly and with ease begin to move.

Notice and welcome this sense of wellbeing and calm that you can carry with you into your day.

Working with you from this practice of feeling of being connected to yourself and the world around you.

This practice of yoga nidra is now complete.

Go gently.

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