Hello,
This is Gemma,
And welcome to this yoga nidra practice to support you in moving into a deeper sense of peace.
Take your time now to settle in,
Using pillows or blankets if you need,
Allowing the body to feel warm,
Supported and at ease.
Creating an environment around you that feels calm and peaceful so that the outer environment can begin to reflect the inner experience you are inviting in.
Make any last movements or adjustments now,
And then gently begin to settle into stillness,
Knowing that if you need to move at any point you can do so slowly,
Mindfully,
Maintaining that sense of ease as you begin to let go.
Begin to bring awareness to the breath.
You might take a slightly deeper breath in through the nose,
And a soft audible sigh out through the mouth if that feels good.
Again,
In through the nose and out through the mouth,
Letting it all go.
And now if it feels comfortable,
We'll move into a few rounds of extended breath,
Gently encouraging the nervous system to slow and begin to soften,
Knowing that you can return to your natural breath at any time.
We'll inhale for four,
Hold briefly for two,
And exhale slowly to a count of seven.
You're welcome to shorten or lengthen the exhale or to let go of the hold completely,
Staying within your own comfort and capacity.
Begin by gently emptying the lungs and then inhale four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Hold,
Two,
One,
Exhale seven,
Six,
Five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Two,
One,
Inhale four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Hold,
Two,
One,
Exhale seven,
Six,
Five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Inhale four,
Hold two,
Exhale seven,
And continue in your own time.
Allow the exhale to be slow and steady,
Signaling to the body that it is safe to soften.
And if at any point the rhythm doesn't feel right for you,
You can return to your natural breath.
And on your next exhale,
Gently letting go of any control over the breath,
Allowing it to return to its own natural rhythm.
And notice how it feels here to let go of any effort,
The body breathing in its own time.
Awareness resting with the sensation of breath.
Gently moving in and out.
Bring awareness to the body.
Notice the points of contact.
The weight of the body supported by the surface beneath you.
The feeling of blankets resting lightly over the body.
The lower body supported from beneath.
And the upper body gently held.
And with each exhale,
Allowing yourself to soften a little more.
The head heavy,
Sinking into the pillow.
The muscles of the face softening.
The forehead.
The jaw.
Throat.
The shoulders dropping.
Releasing down.
The arms becoming heavy.
Chest softening.
The belly releasing.
The lower back easing.
The legs relaxing.
Heavy.
And the whole body now.
Soft.
Supported.
And beginning to let go.
You may bring in a sankalpa now.
A quiet intention.
Something that comes from the heart.
Not something you need to force.
But something that feels true for you.
You may have your own sankalpa.
You like to welcome in.
Or you might choose something like,
I rest deeply within the peace that is already within me.
Or you may simply use,
I am at peace.
Gently repeat your sankalpa to yourself now.
Three times.
Allowing it to settle into the body.
Into the heart.
And softly resonate outwards around you.
Like a warm glow of light.
Imagine now a warm golden light gently surrounding the body.
Bring awareness to the body.
Resting within this golden glow.
Soft.
Completely safe.
And from here,
We will move awareness through the body.
Gently welcoming this light to illuminate each part.
Starting with the right hand.
Imagine the warm golden glow.
Resting at the right hand.
Each finger,
Softly illuminated.
First finger.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Little finger.
And all the spaces between the fingers glowing.
Back of the hand.
Wrist.
Elbow.
The whole right arm bathed in golden light.
Notice the left hand.
Imagine the warm golden glow.
Resting at the left hand.
Each finger,
Softly illuminated.
The thumb.
First finger.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Little finger.
And all the spaces between the fingers glowing.
Palm of the hand.
Back of the hand.
Wrist.
Shoulder.
The whole left arm bathed in golden light.
Sense both shoulders.
And pelvis.
All gently illuminated.
Bring awareness to the right hip.
Imagine the golden light.
Gently resting at the right foot.
Each toe,
Softly illuminated.
The big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Little toe.
And all the spaces between the toes glowing.
Top of the foot.
Sole of the foot.
Back of the knee.
Back of the thigh.
The whole right leg bathed in golden light.
Bring awareness to the left hip.
Shin.
Imagine the golden light gently resting at the left foot.
Each toe,
Softly illuminated.
The big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Little toe.
And all the spaces between the toes glowing.
Top of the foot.
Sole of the foot.
Back of the thigh bathed in golden light.
Sense both hips.
Both legs.
Softening into the light.
Awareness at the spine.
Imagine a warm golden light gently moving and spiraling upward.
From the lower back.
Middle back.
Rib cage.
Upper back.
Shoulder blades.
Back of the neck.
Base of the throat.
Base of the skull.
Center of the throat.
The light expands through the face.
Softening the jaw.
Teeth and gums.
Eye sockets.
Eyebrows.
Forehead.
The golden light gathers just above the crown of the head.
Gently pulsating here.
With the breath.
The whole body now held.
As if in a cocoon of warm light.
The whole body resting here.
The whole body as one.
Bring awareness to the breath.
And the point of light above the crown.
With each inhale.
The light gently flows down through the body.
Through the head.
All the way down to the feet.
And with each exhale.
The light softly rises.
Up through the legs.
All the way back to the crown of the head.
A slow gentle wave of light.
Moving with the breath.
Soothing.
Balancing.
Restoring.
Inhale.
The light descends to the feet.
Exhale.
The light rises to the crown.
Allow awareness to rest in this rhythm.
Effortless.
And natural.
Washing through the body.
In waves of quiet peace.
Let go of the breath now.
Resting here.
As if in a cocoon of warm light above the crown.
Cradled by this warm golden light.
And from within this light.
You may begin to sense.
A gentle space.
Opening around you.
As though the golden glow.
Is stretching outward.
Expanding.
Into a wide.
Open field.
Through this golden.
Radiant expansion.
You notice tall grasses.
Emerge.
And move gently.
In the breeze.
Wild flowers.
Scattered.
Through the meadow.
And nature.
All around you.
In the distance.
Trees.
With soft.
Golden leaves.
Sway quietly.
In the wind.
Forming a natural boundary.
A gentle sense of containment.
And safety.
And above you.
The sky is open.
Peaceful.
Calm.
Spacious.
Slowly you begin to move.
Through this field.
Walking among tall meadow flowers.
Hearing birdsong overhead.
And you sense that this whole field.
Bathed.
In golden light.
Is holding you.
Just as the light.
Has held you.
All along.
A place.
Where nothing is wrong.
Nothing is required of you.
Simply being here.
At peace.
And in this place.
You find somewhere to pause.
Perhaps to rest upon the soft grass.
You might feel the gentle movement of air.
Across the skin.
Sense the quiet presence.
Of nature.
All around you.
And the steady support.
Of the earth.
Beneath you.
Always there.
Ever present.
You might notice.
A sense of quiet harmony.
In this place.
And the body.
In its own time.
Releases.
And lets go.
More deeply.
Into rest.
Gently settling.
Into this harmonious.
Peace.
And the golden light.
Is everywhere.
All around you.
And within you.
No separation.
Only light.
Only peace.
Peace all around you.
Within you.
Sense the golden light.
In its fullness.
Still surrounding you.
Still within you.
And then.
Begin very gently.
To notice the breath.
Once again.
The natural movement of breath.
Within the body.
With each inhale.
A sense of lightness.
With each exhale.
A sense.
Of ease.
You might imagine.
The golden light.
Begin to gather.
Once again.
At the boundaries of the body.
Still holding.
You.
And with a sense.
Of gentle openness.
You might begin.
To notice.
The edges of the body.
Once more.
The places.
Where the body.
Meets the surface.
Beneath you.
And.
Supported.
And grounded.
You might take.
A couple of deeper breaths here.
In through the nose.
And out through the mouth.
With a soft sigh.
If that feels good.
And.
And very slowly.
You may begin to bring small movements.
Back to the fingers.
The toes.
You might softly rub each fingertip against the thumb.
One by one.
And perhaps gently move the feet.
And all the while.
The golden light.
Remains present.
Existing both around you.
And within you.
A steady presence.
You can return to.
At any time.
You may begin to notice the room around you.
Any sounds.
And still moving slowly.
And peacefully.
You might roll gently onto one side.
And rest here.
For a moment longer.
Or perhaps take.
A soft stretch.
Before opening the eyes.
And then.
And just readjusting.
To the space around you.
Carrying this sense of ease.
And golden light.
Back.
Into waking awareness.
Again my name is Gemma.
And thank you for joining me here.
Taking this time to gently.
Reconnect with a sense of peace.
And you are always welcome to return to this practice.
Whenever you need rest.
Or a moment.
To find peace.
Within yourself.
