The new moon symbolizes initiation,
The beginning of a new cycle,
And it is also a powerful time to plant seeds for your future.
We harness this power of new beginnings with this new moon starlight,
Yoga Nidra,
To connect you with your intuition,
Insight,
And your deep-rooted connection with the collective consciousness.
Please take the next couple of moments to get comfortable.
You are welcome to use any props including cushions,
Pillows,
Blankets,
Anything that will help you feel supported.
You can adjust your clothing and also remove any distractions from the space that you are in.
Later,
Once we're in the practice of Yoga Nidra,
You will want to remain still for the full duration of this practice.
Settle in and invite a feeling of stillness and calm.
Close your eyes and guide your awareness to your breath.
Without changing your breath,
Notice it.
Notice the rise and fall of your breath at your belly.
Notice the sacred,
Natural,
Effortless rhythm.
Unhurried,
Unrestricted,
And stay with this rise and fall of your breath.
As you stay with the rise and fall of your breath,
Witness its ebb and flow.
Notice how your inhale releases into your exhale and your exhale surrenders into your inhale.
In Yoga Nidra,
We work with a Sankalpa which is a positive I am statement that is true at the core of who you are.
It is your essence simplified into a short positive I am statement.
This might be I am love or I am calm or perhaps I am connected.
Whatever your Sankalpa might be,
Allow it to surface in the center of your being and once it has formed,
You may wish to repeat it quietly and internally to yourself three times.
If no Sankalpa comes to surface,
Then allow an openness to whatever guidance your inner teacher,
Your heart,
Has to offer you.
These sounds of the gong will mark your transition into your practice of Yoga Nidra and at the end of this practice,
These same sounds will support you to transition back into an everyday state of consciousness.
The practice of Yoga Nidra begins now.
Remain aware of my voice and allow your to be still throughout the remainder of your practice.
Guide your awareness to your breath.
Experience your breath,
The natural tide of your breath,
As if your whole body is breathing.
Become aware of your breath.
As a dear friend,
This dear you've known for so long,
This dear friend you've known since the moment you were born.
For the next nine breaths,
Count each of your exhales from nine to zero.
If you lose track of the counting,
It doesn't matter.
What matters is that you let your mind rest with each exhale.
Let's begin.
We now begin to guide the light of mental awareness around your physical body.
It is as if your body is like the dark night sky during the new moon and each point your light of consciousness lands,
It is like a little star lighting up the dark night sky of your body.
We start at the root of your tongue,
The tip of your tongue,
The roof of your mouth,
The bottom of your mouth,
The inside of your right cheek,
The inside of your left cheek,
Your right ear,
The lobe of the ear,
The shell of the ear,
Inside and all around your right ear,
Your left ear,
The lobe of the ear,
The shell of the ear,
Inside and all around your left ear,
The back of your head,
The crown of your head,
Your right temple,
Your left temple,
Your forehead,
Your right eyebrow,
Your left eyebrow,
Your right eye and your left eye,
The space between your eyebrows,
The bridge of your nose,
The tip of your nose,
Your right nostril,
Your left nostril,
Your upper lip and your lower lip,
Your chin and your left jawline all along your jaw,
To your chin,
To your right jaw,
The center of your throat,
Your right collarbone and your left collarbone,
Your right shoulder blade and your left shoulder blade,
Your right arm,
Elbow,
Forearm,
Wrist,
Center of the palm and all five of the fingers of your right hand,
Your thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger and your little finger,
Your left arm,
Elbow,
Forearm,
Wrist,
Center of the palm and all five of your fingers of your left hand,
Your thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger and your little finger,
The center of your heart,
Your right lung and your left lung,
The center of your navel,
Your right hip and your left hip,
The space between your groins,
Your right thigh,
Knee,
Calf,
Shin,
Heel,
Ankle,
The rainbow arch of your right foot,
The ball of your right foot and all five of the toes of your right foot,
Your big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe and your little toe,
Your left thigh,
Knee,
Calf,
Shin,
Ankle,
Heel,
Rainbow arch of your left foot,
Ball of your left foot and all five of the toes of your left foot,
Your big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe and your little toe,
From head to toe,
From toes to head,
The dark night sky that is your body during a new moon is now covered with a constellation of stars.
As you exhale,
Feel heavy,
Settling like stars descending down to the earth.
As you inhale,
Feel light,
Like starlight rising up towards the heavens,
Towards the sky.
Exhale,
Feeling heavy,
Settling like stars descending onto earth.
Inhale,
Feeling light,
Like starlight floating up towards the heavens,
Towards the sky.
Continue to alternate between these extremes.
A feeling of heaviness as you exhale and a feeling of lightness as you inhale for the next five breaths.
And now wherever you are,
Invite both of these extremes.
A feeling that you are both as heavy as stars descending down onto earth and at the same time as light and as weightless as starlight floating up towards the sky.
Feel both of these experiences simultaneously in your consciousness at the same time.
And now gently let go of this practice and notice the natural weight,
Shape and form of your physical body.
Feel held by the earth herself.
Guide your awareness to the star that lies in the center of your heart.
Feel and see a shimmering well of light,
This little star in the center of your heart.
As you inhale,
Allow light to gather inwards.
As you exhale,
Let your inner light radiate and shine outwards into the world.
Inhaling,
Receiving light from around you,
Letting that gather inside of you.
And exhale,
Allowing your inner light to radiate,
To shine outwards in the world,
Brightening the world around you.
Alternate between both experiences,
A feeling that you are gathering light inwards as you breathe in and you are letting your inner light shine outwards,
Lighting up the world as you breathe out.
Continue to alternate between these experiences for the next five breaths.
Now invite a feeling of these two experiences at the same time.
Feel both of these extremes,
That you are both letting light gather inwards and at the same time,
Letting your light shine outwards.
Feel both of these simultaneously in your consciousness at the same time.
And now,
Gently let go of this practice and notice the natural texture,
Quality and length of your breath.
I will now describe images to you.
Experience them without attachment,
Allowing them to wash over you.
The vast,
Limitless,
Dark night sky during the new moon.
You see a meandering path lit by the tiny shimmering stars.
Someone's footsteps line the trail.
You follow the footsteps towards the sound of the sea.
You see the sea's glimmering waves emerge beyond the horizon.
The surface of the sea is calm.
You walk closer and you see a wide stretch of sand.
The faint starlight dances off the crest of each gentle wave.
Your breath is in sync with the rhythmic pulse of the sea.
You approach the edge of the water and with each gentle,
Patient step,
Little hermit crabs scurry away.
You stop and take off your shoes.
The seawater flows over all your toes.
A sense of ease washes over you.
A conch shell the size of your palm washes up to your feet.
You reach down and pick it up,
Admiring its beauty.
Your fingers trace the sharp edges and smooth contours of the conch shell.
You gently place it against your ears and you close your eyes.
From the shell,
You hear the echoes of some words.
It's your Sangkabha.
Now,
Repeat your Sangkabha internally to yourself.
Speak it to the depths of your being with meaning,
Trust,
And intention.
Be open to whatever guidance your inner teacher,
Your heart,
Has to offer you.
Allow an embodied experience of this guidance as your lived reality.
See it as you are,
Here,
Now.
You are welcome to stay for as long as you wish,
Connecting with your inner teacher.
Your heart.
If you are ready to conclude this practice,
Allow your breath to become more audible,
Gradually deepening your breath,
Letting these sounds and the sound of my voice awaken you to a more everyday state of consciousness.
The practice of Yuga Nidra is now complete.
You may wish to gently rise and stretch and bring this starlight,
Bring this heartfelt intention and wisdom from your inner teacher,
Your heart,
With you into the rest of your day and the rest of your life.
