Welcome to this yoga nidra session that will help you find your natural state of deep nourishing rest.
You can find a comfortable position in your cozy bed with your back straight so you can keep that safe position if you fall asleep before the end of this practice.
Extend your legs and let your arms rest comfortably by your sides.
Make sure you're warm and comfy.
Now take a deep breath and as you exhale slowly close your eyes feeling how heavy your eyelids are.
Take a moment to adjust your position.
This practice is designed to guide you into a deep state of relaxation that can naturally let you slip into a sweet sleep.
Start by turning your attention to your breath.
Just feel it.
No need to make any changes.
Let it flow naturally.
Simply observe how the movement of the air is in concert with your body.
Notice the rise and fall of your chest and abdomen with each breath.
Feel the gentle rhythm of every inhalation and exhalation.
Feel how it is soothing and calming your entire being.
Notice how after a few breaths your exhalation starts being slightly longer than before.
Now you can thank yourself for having taken this precious time to stay here.
Say in your mind I am free here and as you enjoy this sensation,
Feeling grateful for it,
You can think that you are open and curious to experiencing anything that might emerge during this practice.
You might be thinking that you are primarily here to sleep and that is okay.
And to get the most benefits from this practice you can also consider the idea that sleep will be just the natural result of what you're about to experience and that your focus now is to disconnect.
Find peace.
Heal.
Find relief.
Maybe let go of what holds you back.
Let go of everything.
With these sensations in mind choose the one that resonates with you the most right now.
Find a single meaningful word that describes it or let the word find you.
A simple word offered by your mind is all you need because you know what that word really means to you.
This will be your sankalpa for today.
San and kalpa are words in Sanskrit for becoming one with time or be transformation.
You can think of it simply as intention.
Now repeat your sankalpa three times in your mind.
Every time you feel it stronger,
Bigger,
Warmer and closer to your very heart.
It is so close that it feels just as true as reaching your inner soul.
Now notice which areas of your body are drawing your attention the most.
People are all different and the way you are made and the way you move throughout the day might result in using some parts of your body more than others.
And as you keep breathing slowly you can feel your whole body.
You may feel that some areas are asking more of your attention.
Just acknowledge it for now.
Start bringing your attention to the crown of your head,
The highest point of your body and begin to come down slowly noticing your forehead.
As you notice it you feel it emptying it gently.
The former pressure is leaving behind a smooth space as it melts away.
With your eyes still closed you can gently frown or move your eyebrows up and down to feel the small muscles releasing any tension.
And as you feel the air flowing through your nostrils you move your tongue to relax it,
Especially the back of it,
So it does float free in your mouth.
And as you separate your teeth you feel your jaw unclenching on both sides.
You can bring your awareness to your neck,
The bridge between your mind and body,
The back of your neck resting and its front joining the E's.
A deep inhale and a slow exhale melt any little remaining tension away.
And as your shoulders slowly lower you can feel your upper back.
Your chest rises and falls with every breath,
Quietly.
And while you become more and more aware of your body you can start feeling your heartbeat rippling calmly through your chest.
Sense your arms connecting to your shoulders,
Your forearms resting,
Your hands still.
Maybe a feeling of tingling arises and disappears as you move on.
Your lower back that sustained you throughout the day can finally laze.
Your belly moves with your breath.
Your hips connect your lower body with your upper body,
Letting them flow together.
Your glutes,
Your groin,
Your inner thighs.
Spend a moment to feel your quads in equilibrium with your hamstrings.
Your knees that support you are now idle in a natural position.
Your calves balanced with each other and with your shins.
And as you slightly slow down your breathing you can feel your body is balanced.
Moving down your legs you focus on your ankles,
Sometimes carrying some of your legs tension.
But both are at rest now.
And as your awareness moves towards your feet you might feel some tingling or numbness which fades gently as you accept it.
With your exhale you can find how some small movements can relax this area.
And as you notice which parts are tenser you can breathe in deeply into them.
Your relaxation spreads towards them seamlessly following your soft and kind direction.
You start noticing the soles of your feet which sustained your weight.
They are light and free now.
They are relieved.
And as you bring your awareness to where your big toes connect to your feet you focus on them.
And notice if the other toes are touching each other.
You can now bring your awareness to the very tip of your big toes.
And as you take three deep breaths while you follow my voice you start feeling your whole body at once.
You can notice how you are more aware of it now.
How it all feels more homogeneous than before.
Whether you feel lighter or heavier your body is bound with your mind so deeply now that your awareness is spreading seamlessly within it.
And this connection helps you feel your breath even deeper in the places of your body where you feel it the most.
You feel it because of the movement of the air.
The movement of your body.
The temperature fluctuation or something else that only you can notice.
You feel how shallow or deep it is.
The direction of your movements on the inhale and the opposite on the exhale.
It's timing.
The duration of each phase if they are equally spaced.
If there is a hold between phases you feel how caressing your body with your mind's attention can slow down time.
You feel that the expansion which the air creates gives you more time to feel it slowly and deeply.
And now that your body has melted into a deep and effortless stillness let's guide your mind on a journey of pleasant dreamlike peacefulness.
Imagine yourself standing in front of a beautiful and peaceful landscape.
The temperature feels just right for you and a pleasant scent fills the air.
You first look at this beautiful image in its entirety.
You then look at the sky.
You appreciate its depth and endlessness.
Your sight moves gently down towards the horizon as you take in all the beauty around you.
You hear the welcoming sounds of nature in the distance.
The light seems to play with the soft breeze to create just the perfect feeling on your skin.
You enjoy it caressing your body as it is cradling you in a loving hug that makes you feel safe and you feel grateful to be here.
You feel a strong connection with this place because all things around you have the only purpose of making you feel well.
And as you keep feeling more part of it you sense how the sensation on your skin is so natural that you are part of this scene.
Your senses connect with it one after the other in a circle.
You see its enchantment.
You hear the peaceful sounds.
You smell the pleasant fragrances.
You feel the touch of the sky caressing your skin and you enjoy its cozy temperature.
You are so at ease here that the more you connect with this special sensation the more the boundaries between you and this intimate place are vanishing.
You became part of it.
Part of the soothing light and the clear air.
You are the light and you are the air.
This special state will lull you helping you to connect with your Sankalpa one last time.
You realize that ever since you found it your intention permeated your whole experience.
Connecting with you deeper than ever before.
You can imagine it being within reach.
So close and clear to be real in and around you.
And you feel a new joy and contentment radiating from within you.
They permeate every cell of your body.
Every corner of your being.
With this relief you feel prepared to let go of everything now.
Embrace these emotions,
Sensations and feelings.
Remember yourself here knowing that this state of tranquility and inner peace is always accessible to you whenever you need it.
I will let you rest here for a few moments for you to explore all you are experiencing one last time and make it yours.
And you can decide to melt into this resting quietness.
Letting go as you move deeper and deeper into this universal peace.
You can extend in all directions freely.
All you are is just being now.
Safe and empty.
Following your dreams.
They will be sweet and nurturing.
Continuing what you experienced here.
Offering you visuals of delight and peace.
To regenerate,
Refresh and nurture you.
Drifting away as my voice fades and lets you slide into slumber.
