Hello,
So I'm Dr.
Jo Abblett,
Consultant clinical psychologist from Flow Clinical Psychology and this practice is a practice of yoga nidra focused on letting go.
So now we'll prepare for yoga nidra which will last for about 15 minutes or so.
So please get comfortable with whatever you need and ideally you can do this yoga nidra lying down in shavasana if that's a comfortable position for you.
So lying down on your back,
Your legs stretched out on the ground,
A little bit more than hip-width apart,
Your feet falling out and your arms to your side just a little bit away from the body to allow all of your body to just sink into the ground.
If you need to you can use a slight pillow or a rolled up blanket or folded up blanket under your head for comfort,
Just whatever is going to support your neck and back and allow you to be comfortable throughout.
And if you need to change position at any time that's absolutely fine to do so and you might want to get a blanket so we can get a little bit cool once we start to relax the body and the mind.
So just getting everything that you need and then closing your eyes when you're ready if you feel comfortable or just setting your gaze at a gentle soft gaze if you're keeping them open.
And I'll ring the bell at the start and the end of the practice.
So this yoga nidra practice today is around letting go and I invite you to set a sankalpa or an intention for this nidra today.
Maybe thinking about something that you would like to let go of or start to let go of today.
This might be something you feel in your body,
It might be something emotional,
A behaviour pattern or a past experience.
Whatever feels right for you today.
Remembering to keep yourself safe throughout this,
Acknowledging your current environment and how you feel right now and choose something which feels manageable for you today physically,
Mentally and in the context of the space that you are in.
If something comes to mind which feels too big just allow that to be saved for another time and place and setting a smaller goal or intention instead or breaking that big item down into a smaller step that you could think about making today in terms of letting go.
So just considering that sankalpa or intention for a moment and then gently bringing your awareness to the points of contact with your body and the ground beneath you.
Recognising the earth beneath that,
Holding and supporting you gently.
Notice the rate and rhythm of your breath and the rise and fall of your diaphragm and inviting you to take a few deep breaths all the way into the abdomen,
Slowly exhaling out as you feel your body releasing into the ground beneath you.
Starting to feel the weightlessness of the body as you release any tension or holding.
Feeling a weight or a burden being released as you let go gently.
Noticing any changes in your breath,
Any areas of discomfort or sensation in the body and continuing to let these go throughout the practice of yoga nidra today.
And I'm going to guide you to bring awareness to different body parts now.
So all I invite you to do is to rest your attention on each part as I say it.
Just visualising it in your mind and feeling your attention resting on it.
We're starting with the right side and the right hand.
So right hand thumb,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Fourth finger,
Fifth finger,
Palm of the hand,
Back of the hand,
Right wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Right armpit,
The whole of the right arm,
The whole of the right arm,
Right collarbone,
Right side of the neck,
Right ear,
Right temple,
Right eye,
Area behind the eye,
The third eye in the middle of the forehead,
Middle of the brain,
The back of the head,
Right jaw,
Right area behind and below the earlobe,
The scalp,
The crown of the head,
The back of the head,
The back of the neck,
Left side of the neck,
Left ear,
Left temple,
Left eye,
Area behind the eye,
The first eye,
Middle of the brain,
Back of the head,
Left jaw,
Left area behind and below the earlobe,
Back of the head,
The whole of the head,
The whole of the head,
Left collarbone,
Left hand,
Thumb,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Fourth finger,
Fifth finger,
Left palm of the hand,
Back of the hand,
Left wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Left armpit,
The whole of the left arm,
The whole of the left arm,
Both arms together,
Both arms together,
Right side of the chest,
Right waist,
Pelvis,
Sacrum,
Left waist,
Left side of the chest,
Lower back,
Middle back,
Upper back,
Right shoulder blade,
Left shoulder blade,
The whole of the spine,
The whole of the back,
The whole torso,
The whole torso,
Right hip,
Thigh,
Knee,
Calf,
Shin,
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole of the right foot,
Top of the foot,
Right big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe,
The whole of the right leg,
The whole of the right leg,
Left hip,
Thigh,
Knee,
Calf,
Shin,
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole of the foot,
Top of the foot,
Left big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe,
The whole of the left leg,
The whole of the left leg,
Both legs together,
Both legs together,
The whole body,
The whole of the body,
Bringing your attention to the whole body lying on the ground.
Now I invite you to imagine the whole body becoming light as though your body could float away from the floor and towards the ceiling.
The head is light and weightless,
The limbs are light and weightless,
The torso is light and weightless,
Like a feather,
The whole body light and weightless,
Like it's let go of any burdens right now.
You are rising higher and higher,
Away from any heaviness on the ground.
Now I invite you to imagine your body becoming heavy.
Feel the heaviness in all parts of the body,
Each part is becoming heavier and heavier and heavier.
The head is heavy,
The limbs are heavy,
The torso is heavy,
The whole body is heavy,
So heavy that it is sinking down into the ground beneath you,
Letting go.
Now notice lightness and heaviness at the same time and those different experiences in the body,
Lightness and heaviness,
Lightness and heaviness,
Feeling fully relaxed and restored.
Bring your focus to rest on your breath,
Noticing the rate and rhythm,
Notice how your body feels and how your mind feels,
Gently bringing your focus back to your sankalpa for this practice of yoga nidra which is nearing the end.
I invite you to let this sankalpa gently go for now,
Content with wherever you are at right now,
Right here.
And gradually bringing your awareness to your body,
Lying on the ground,
Noticing the temperature in the room,
Any sounds you might be able to hear,
Your breath and then gently starting to introduce movement in your fingers and toes perhaps,
Bringing yourself back into the present moment and if you want to lie here longer in this space,
Feeling free to do so after this practice ends.
But if you're ready to come back to the present moment and in the practice,
Just opening your eyes gently when you're ready,
Perhaps placing your hands over them first to just introduce any light slowly through the fingers and then feel free to roll onto your side to support yourself in taking a moment before you get up when you're ready or just stay lying for longer if that feels right for you.
