Welcome to this yoga nidra for sleep under the moon.
Find a comfortable position to lie down,
Deep rest and sleep.
If you haven't already done so,
Close your eyes or allow them to come to a soft gaze and we'll begin to move our attention inward.
Begin by opening your mouth until you feel the desire to yawn.
If yawning comes to you,
Continue yawning as you feel called to.
If yawning doesn't come,
Take a few deep breaths in through the nose and sigh out through the mouth with an audible sigh.
So yawning as much as feels right or breathing deeply and sighing out loudly.
And now bring yawning or sighing to a gentle close and become aware of any sensations in your body at this time.
And now imagine or visualise drawing a circle of protective energy around your body.
This can be a circle of moonlight or perhaps a healing light of whichever colour feels good and nurturing for you.
Feel as if this circle around you gives healing energy and helps you feel protected and cocooned within the boundaries of the circle throughout the rest of this yoga nidra.
And now bringing to mind an intention or sankalpa for this practice and repeating your intention in the present tense as if it's already happening.
Repeating it three times as if you're planting a seed.
And as I continue to guide you into the state of yoga nidra,
You have the choice to follow my guidance but if any instruction doesn't feel right for any reason,
You're invited to choose not to take that guidance.
And instead if you wish,
You might like to follow your breath.
And we'll now begin the journey into yoga nidra.
Imagine you're lying on the earth at twilight,
At time before dusk when there is still some light in the sky.
And as you look up,
You see twinkling stars and a big silvery moon looking down on you.
As you lie here,
You're held by mother earth as she rises up to meet and cushion the contours of your body.
The moon above reminds us of our soft,
Calming yin energy.
And we'll feel into this calm and soothing for our body,
Mind and emotions as we rest into sleep tonight.
Allow this yoga nidra journey with the moon to soothe you into deep,
Healing sleep.
And you can make any last adjustments that you need to,
To really support you to sink deeply into this restful sleep journey.
Now rotate attention through the body.
And as we visit each body part,
Place a moonbeam there,
Leaving it to soothe and calm.
And we'll start by placing moonlight at the right hand thumb.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
Fifth finger.
Shine silvery moonbeams at the palm of the right hand.
Left hand.
Back of the hand.
The right wrist.
Moonlight on the lower arm.
Right elbow.
Upper arm.
Right shoulder.
Right armpit.
Right waist.
Shine calming moonbeams at the right hip.
Right thigh.
Right thigh.
Right knee.
Ankle.
Heel.
The sole of the right foot.
Top of the foot.
Shine silvery moonlight on the big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
Bringing the light of the moon to the left side of the body.
Moonbeams on the left hand thumb.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
Fifth finger.
Let there be moonlight on the palm of the left hand.
Back of the hand.
Right wrist.
Left wrist.
Lower arm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Lunar light on the left shoulder.
Left armpit.
Left waist.
Cooling moonlight shines on the left hip.
Left thigh.
Left knee.
Calf.
Ankle.
Right ankle.
Left heel.
Sole of the left foot.
Top of the left foot.
Silvery moonlight shines on the left big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
Now go to the back of the body.
Place calming moonlight on the right shoulder blade.
Left shoulder blade.
Left shoulder blade.
Right buttock.
Left buttock.
The spine.
The whole back of the body illuminated in silvery,
Soothing,
Calming moonlight.
Now shine calming moonlight on the top of the head.
Forehead.
The right eyebrow.
The left eyebrow.
Space between the eyebrows.
Lunar light on the right eyelid.
Left eyelid.
Right eye.
Left eye.
The right ear.
The left ear.
The left ear.
Allow moonlight to shine on the right cheek.
Left cheek.
Tip of the nose.
The upper lip.
Lower lip.
Calming moonlight on the chin.
Throat.
Right chest.
Left chest.
Middle of the chest.
Navel point.
Calming moonlight shines on the pelvic area.
The pelvic area.
See the silvery moonlight shine through the whole of the right leg.
The whole of the left leg.
Moonlight on both legs together.
Moonlight shines on the whole of the right arm.
The whole of the left arm.
Calming moonlight on both arms together.
Soothing moonlight shines on the whole of the back,
Buttocks,
Spine and shoulder blades.
Silvery soothing moonlight on the whole of the front,
Back and sides.
The whole of the abdomen,
Chest.
Calming moonbeams through the whole of the back and front together.
The whole head shining with the milky calming light of the moon.
The whole body soothed and calmed.
The whole body bathed in moonlight.
The whole body.
The whole body silvery with lunar energy and light.
Now bring your awareness to your natural breathing rhythm.
No need to change it in any way.
Simply notice that breath is already happening.
Allow your attention to settle where the breath is easiest to feel.
Perhaps that's at the nostrils.
Or it's at the gentle rise and fall of your belly or chest.
Just choose one area and let your awareness rest there.
Notice the cool quality of the inhale and the softness of the exhale.
Nothing to adjust.
Just noticing.
As the body settles,
The breath begins to grow quieter on its own.
Slower.
More subtle.
Each inhale gathering enough energy to sustain you.
Each exhale releases what is unnecessary.
The body knows how to regulate itself.
Feel the exhale gently dissolving any excess effort.
Any holding.
Any tension that is ready to soften.
As you rest here under the moon.
With the next inhale,
Imagine a soft,
Calm moonlight filling the inner space of the body.
Not bright.
Not stimulating.
Just quietly illuminating.
And with the exhale,
Any heaviness gently melts away.
Nothing is pushed out.
Nothing is forced.
Everything is allowed.
The breath now breathes itself.
As the breath becomes faint or disappears from awareness,
That's fine.
Rest in the space between breath.
Inhaled and alone.
Notice any bodily sensations as you continue to breathe.
Where in your body do you feel sensation?
Allow breathing to soften into the whole body.
To return to normal.
You'll now practice holding opposites.
Begin to sense your whole body feeling warm.
Notice which part of your body is the warmest.
Feel that warmth start to spread throughout the body.
The whole body warm.
The whole body warm.
Focus on this feeling of warmth.
Feeling the whole body warm.
Now let go of warmth.
As the body starts to feel cooler and cooler.
Notice any coolness in the body.
Perhaps noticing where you have skin exposed to the air.
What's the coolest part of the body?
Feel this coolness now spread throughout the body.
The whole body cool.
Hold attention on the sensation of whole body coolness.
Feel the whole body being cooled.
Now let this sensation go.
And become aware now of both warmth and coolness in the body at the same time.
Holding the sensation of warmth and coolness together.
And now release this sensation.
Rest.
Aware of the earth beneath you.
Sense your body held by the earth.
And now see yourself resting.
Sleeping.
Like you're above your body looking at it.
Notice the expression on your face.
The position of your limbs.
No judgement.
Simply observe yourself resting.
Now visualise a full moon reaching down and floating at your third eye centre.
The moon gently pours its healing goodness into you.
Feel its soothing,
Calming energy spread through your face and head.
The energies of the moon continue to spread throughout your body.
It's healing light cascading through your neck and into your shoulders.
Bringing healing to every cell and atom in your body.
The soothing,
Calming moonlight spreading through your body.
Healing and dissolving all forms of exhaustion.
Continue to visualise and sense this for the next few moments.
Your whole body now fully bathed in the calming,
Healing light.
The light of the moon now shines at the pelvis.
And rest here,
Holding moonlight at the pelvic area.
Rest here.
You're now invited to bring your intention or some calculation.
Bring it back to mind.
And repeat it three times.
Like a deep bow to yourself.
Sensing your intention flowing throughout your whole body.
Repeat it three times and feel it deep in your body.
As you rest here,
Bring your attention back to the moon high in the sky above you.
She has journeyed with you today and would now like to leave you a gift to heal your body and soul.
Sense,
Feel into or imagine what this might be.
You're grateful to the moon for being with you tonight.
For her healing energies and any gift you may receive.
If you haven't received anything yet,
Trust it will come later in dream time.
And continue to breathe in and out as you lay here.
This completes your yoga nidra journey and you are free to drift further into sleep.
Sweet dreams.
