Yoga Nidra- Ayahuasca Dreams- Awakening The Dragon

Take a journey with me to a beautiful healing retreat in Costa Rica where every luxury is available to you in one of the most beautiful places you have ever seen.

From the moment you arrive at the airport,

Your every need is anticipated and answered.

After a short ride in a van filled with other seekers,

You arrive at a private getaway tucked safely away from the busyness of everyday life.

A chance to put yourself first,

To soak in the healing energy of the space and recharge your weary soul.

This is a piece of the puzzle you have been missing.

The call to return to wholeness,

To love yourself fully without limits or expectations.

Maybe for the first time in your life,

Feeling truly worthy of love,

Finding a sense of community,

Acceptance,

And love beyond your wildest dreams.

Join me on this magical life-changing journey as we awaken the dragon,

Destroying the walls of protection around your heart,

So you can finally feel love once more.

First,

Let's practice a few deep relaxation techniques to prepare our minds and bodies for this beautiful journey deep within,

The place where all of our answers reside.

As Michael Beckwith says,

The answer is you.

No need to look anywhere else.

We simply need to clear away the clutter within,

The illusions and false beliefs that we have accumulated to uncover our beauty,

To uncover our healing and wholeness.

Please take some time to set up your space if you haven't already.

Be sure to remove all distractions.

This is your sacred time of renewal.

Nothing else matters right now.

Get really comfy in your bed,

Using as many pillows necessary to feel completely held and supported.

Unconsciously accept the support being offered.

There is no need for you to be the tower of strength,

Always supporting all those around you.

This is your time.

You deserve to feel better.

You are worthy of help,

Happiness and wholeness.

Loving yourself enough to do this inner work,

Covering your body with a sheet or blanket,

Feel as if you are wrapped in a layer of protection and ease.

As your body begins to melt deeper and deeper into the support beneath you with every exhalation,

Your room transforming into a sacred space of introspection,

Healing and grace.

Focus now on the wave-like motion of your breath,

Observing how the breath falls in and the breath falls out with as little effort possible.

There is nowhere else you need to be.

There is nothing more you need to do.

Simply float along on the sound waves of my voice,

Allowing my voice to be your guide,

Your trusted friend,

Walking each step on the path right by your side.

You are never alone.

I will be right here with you,

Your guardian and protector,

Cutting through the challenges and obstacles together,

As we clear away everything that no longer serves you.

Together we will uncover your wholeness,

Your health and your joy.

You never really lost it.

It is simply covered up by the layers of maya,

Illusions and false beliefs.

Now become curious about your body.

Take some time now to scan your body from the top of your head all the way down to the tips of your toes.

Noticing without judgment any areas of tightness or tension hiding out within.

Becoming like an interior researcher.

Where do you store emotions in your body?

Remember to be kind and gentle with your thoughts.

We are simply observing without the need to fix anything.

Nothing is broken.

We are simply taking inventory.

Ask yourself,

Can I soften just 5% more?

Letting go of resistance as you melt deeper and deeper within.

Then together we will use our breath like a cleansing tool.

As we inhale through our nose,

Imagine we can gather all that stress and tension we discovered.

As we sigh it out through the mouth,

Let it all go.

Inhaling,

Gather negative emotions and beliefs.

Exhaling,

Set them free.

Inhaling,

Last time gather anything that no longer serves you and breathe it out.

Allowing the mouth to gently close as we invite the breath to simply slow down.

Breathing with ease in and out of the nose.

Begin to tune into your heart.

Asking your heart what is its desire for this practice.

Cultivating your personal sankalpa,

Your intention for practicing.

Allow your intention to be short,

Heartfelt,

And easy to remember.

Such as I am so very grateful for the healing of my mind and body.

Feel free to use my words or take this time to formulate your own personal intention.

Once you settle on your sankalpa,

Repeat it silently 3 times within.

Planting your intention like a seed into the garden of your mind.

Then together we will water that seed with this practice and allow the sun to warm it until it sprouts and grows in your reality.

You will hear my voice again in a few moments.

Take a moment to check in with your physical body.

Can you comfortably stay in this position for the rest of the session?

Simply support your body so that you are comfortable but can remain awake and alert.

Remember to be kind to yourself.

If you find that you need to shift,

Do so slowly and mindfully.

You are in control here.

We are simply asking the body to melt away from the mind,

As we invite ease and relaxation.

Notice that the breath just naturally slows down.

When you meditate,

It's okay to have thoughts.

Our brain is designed to think.

Allow the thoughts to rise up.

Notice them.

Welcome them.

Then allow them to float away.

As we shift our awareness back to the rise and fall of our breath,

Do not try too hard.

The fact that you noticed the thought means that you are doing this right.

So be gentle.

Each time you notice that you have drifted off into thinking,

Just lovingly guide the awareness back to the rise and fall of your breath once more.

No judgment.

Just awareness.

Let go of expectations.

There is no goal here.

No need to judge this practice or any outcomes.

Your only job for this little sliver of time is to stay fully present and aware.

As the breath falls in and the breath falls out,

The hardest part of this practice is showing up and you already did that.

You have come here ready to do the work.

Allow yourself to settle into this practice.

You are welcoming this time of calm and peace.

There is nowhere else you need to be.

There is nothing else you need to do.

Giving yourself the gift of your total awareness.

Begin to notice the different sounds around your body,

Attempting first to notice sounds far away,

Then move the awareness to sounds closer and closer to the space around you.

All of these sounds make up your surrounding area.

Each time you hear these sounds,

Or even different sounds,

They are just reminders to keep the awareness within.

No distractions.

Just reminders of peace,

Stillness,

And calm within.

Now begin to follow the breath into the body,

Observing the muscles of respiration.

Inhale through the nose all the way into the belly,

Filling the belly like a balloon.

Exhaling,

Squeeze out every last drop of air to create more space for the next inhalation.

Inhaling openness.

Exhaling stress.

Listening to the silence.

Notice when the thoughts begin to wander.

That is part of the process.

Thoughts are okay.

They will always come.

Simply notice the thought,

Then allow it to float away.

Lovingly guide the awareness back to the gentle rise and fall of the breath once more.

Being kind to yourself and letting go of judgment,

By noticing the thoughts,

You are doing this right.

Now we will begin to notice sensations in the physical body.

Feel the temperature of the air on your skin,

The weight of your clothes and blanket.

Accepting that layer of protection and ease.

Now bring your attention to the top of your head,

Open.

Relax the muscles at the top,

The sides and the back of your head.

Allow the head to grow heavy as it sinks into your pillow.

Move the awareness to your forehead and ask it to soften.

Softening the eyebrows and the space between the eyebrows.

Do you feel any sensation in the space between the eyebrows?

Sense the eyes,

All of the tiny muscles around the eyes softening.

The eyes at rest from the world of seeing.

External vision on vacation as we awaken internal sight.

Ears.

Feel your ears hearing.

No judgment of sound as good or bad.

All sound is simply vibration.

Feel both cheeks.

Invite the bottom jaw to fall heavy,

Relaxed.

The lips.

Notice the tongue.

Feel the tongue.

Resist the urge to go off into thinking.

Simply observe.

Become aware of sensations in the throat.

Allow the muscles of the neck to soften and melt.

Move the attention to the shoulders and do the same.

Setting down the weight of responsibility that you have been carrying.

Now focus on both upper arms.

Both elbows.

Forearms.

Wrists.

And hands.

Relaxing each as you go.

Relax both thumbs.

Index fingers.

Middle fingers.

Ring fingers.

And both pinkies.

Relax the palms of your hands.

Backs of the hands becoming heavy.

Both hands alive with vibration.

Shift your awareness to the heart center.

Soften all the muscles of the chest.

Relax the belly and lower abdomen.

Move to the top of the back.

Melt the muscles around the shoulder blades.

The middle part of the back.

And the lower part of the back.

Ask all internal organs to let go.

Notice sensations all the way down to the buttocks.

As you ask both thighs to soften.

The muscles around the knees.

The lower legs.

The front of the legs.

The back of the legs.

Feel both ankles.

The feet and toes letting go.

Bring your awareness to the whole body.

Noticing all sensations.

Bring the gentle attention to any area that you would like to relax even further.

Scan the entire body as you breathe.

Let your whole being settle into this relaxing practice.

The body melting into the background as you awaken your imagination.

Feel free to change any details,

Making this story your own.

Together we will weave a tapestry of healing as we explore the sacred grounds of our retreat.

At any point,

Please feel free to release my voice and drift off into your own deep slumber.

You will not miss a thing.

Even when you drift into sleep,

We will still work together to weave this healing into your dreams.

Now let's imagine you have cleared your busy calendar.

For maybe the first time ever,

You have committed to this time where your needs come first.

Your only job here is to follow your bliss,

Your joy,

To really listen to what your heart needs,

And to find healing and wholeness once more.

After a day full of travel,

You arrive at the front gates.

You experience the excitement of a child on Christmas morning,

Blended with a little nervous anticipation,

Not really sure what to expect,

But filled with hopes and dreams of feeling better.

The grounds are perfectly manicured,

Each and every detail carefully attended to,

Bringing the natural beauty of this place to the height of perfection.

At the front gate,

You are greeted by a statue of the Sovereign Self,

A beautiful and loving reminder to reclaim your authorship and responsibility for your life.

Inviting the rising of power within,

And welcoming your spiritual unfoldment.

Once through the main gate,

Just a short ride brings you to the front desk.

You are greeted with smiles and welcomes,

A cold cloth to refresh,

A coconut water to replenish,

And a healthy snack to nibble on.

Your luggage is taken care of as you are whisked away into a short orientation with your fellow seekers.

Afterwards,

A golf cart,

They call the soul train,

Takes you to your room,

Where your luggage awaits your arrival.

The short ride to your room reveals peaceful hidden meditation spots scattered all around,

Designed to calm the mind and awaken your spirit,

Allowing for deep introspection.

Your only job here is to be open,

To stop controlling and judging,

And allow your mind,

Your heart,

And your body to heal.

The choice is yours.

You can work through this in solitude,

Or join the others gathering around the pool,

In the restaurant,

Or hanging in the hammocks.

Your room is cool and clean.

Sacred geometry adorns the walls.

And the words,

The only way out is through,

Encourage you not to get stuck in the darkness of illusion.

Attend classes designed to show you the way back to healing,

Given by people who have walked through the darkness and made it safely to the other side.

They are passionate and knowledgeable,

And you can feel their passion as they help you learn a whole new way of being.

The people with you on this journey are there for a reason.

There are no mistakes.

They are your long lost soul brothers and sisters.

Together,

You will learn and grow,

Laugh and cry,

Get angry and raw,

Releasing everything that no longer serves you,

And sharing things you thought you would never share.

But here in this place,

You become a family.

You are accepted,

Loved,

And encouraged to just be authentically you.

You begin to recognize who you have become because of your past.

Acknowledging all of the self-protection mechanisms that rose to the surface each time you split away from your soul.

How many splits have occurred over your current lifetime?

The layer of protection was once necessary in the moment,

But over time it becomes heavy when you continue to carry it beyond its usefulness.

Layer after layer begin to build up,

A wall of protection becoming thicker and thicker,

Heavier and heavier.

Possibly layers of protection so big that you actually built an entire castle around your heart,

Blocking yourself off from love,

Connection,

And joy.

Then it's time for the best part of your journey.

Ancient plant medicine ceremonies meant to show you who you have become so that you can merge back with your soul and heal your heart.

Mother Ayahuasca is a powerful teacher.

She is wise and nurturing,

But firm as she offers compassion and healing to those willing to let go and be open.

She sometimes provides tough love,

As she encourages honesty and self-reflection.

She may push you past your perceived limits,

As she helps you in releasing toxic thoughts and beliefs,

As well as physical and emotional toxins.

You arrive at ceremony wearing all white,

The symbol of purity and reverence for the ancient wisdom you are about to experience for the very first time.

Excitement and nerves all wrapped up in one.

You have been preparing your mind and body for this moment for months,

And it's finally here.

You gather by the front door,

A sea of smiles and chatter,

Wondering who you will end up next to,

Knowing there is divine purpose to whoever you are.

The air is palpable with excitement,

As you look up and see a pair of vibrant macaws flying overhead,

And then a second pair.

Beautiful and majestic,

Mates for life,

An auspicious sight for sure.

Indigenous traditions view the macaw as a fierce and graceful spirit that helps guide and protect people during ayahuasca ceremonies.

They are considered powerful spiritual allies,

Serving as messengers between the human and spiritual realms.

The doors open.

You check in and find your spot.

A mattress,

Pillow,

And blanket await,

Setting up your space however you need to for your comfort.

Perhaps you brought crystals for protection,

Or crystals for healing.

A journal and a pen to capture important thoughts that come up during ceremony.

Essential oils to help you,

Or something sweet to wash your mouth out with.

The space is open,

Sacred,

Peaceful,

And beautiful.

The shamans have been preparing the space,

And you can feel both the power and the peace.

You can feel the residual vibrations from previous ceremonies stored within these walls.

The shamans explain how the evening will go,

Easing your mind,

As they reaffirm that you are never alone.

Many helpers,

Known as angels,

Are here,

Waiting to help you.

Simply raise your hand,

And assistance will be by your side.

The shamans,

The helpers,

And all of the musicians gather to participate in the blessing of the plant medicine.

Ancient rituals and sounds fill the space,

Creating a feeling of deep reverence and respect.

Feel the rhythm of this healing music deep into your bones.

Some going so deep,

It even touches your heart and soul.

The time is finally here,

As you gather your cup and wait in line for it to be filled.

The medicine is blessed just for you.

Then you speak your intention into your cup before drinking it,

Respectfully and with hope.

Tonight,

Our intention is,

Show me who I have become.

Being open to whatever arises for you.

There is no judgment,

Because whoever you have become is simply a protective mechanism.

Once you acknowledge that you are safe,

You can drop that illusion of safety,

And uncover the pure,

Positive you underneath all of the layers of protection.

Making the choice to surrender to the medicine,

And allow her to show you the way.

Control is just an illusion anyway.

Allow it to melt away.

Feel yourself supported and held as you float on the waves of healing music,

Ancient chants,

And the sounds of release all around you.

Moments of sacred silence fills the room,

Giving you the space you need to do your inner work.

Then,

Just when you need it,

The music begins once more.

The guide of the energy,

Riding the waves higher,

Then resting on the shores of silence once more.

A perfectly timed dance between sacred silence,

And the healing sounds of the Icarus.

Hear the shaman whistle,

Sing,

And play instruments all designed to provide guidance and support to you,

While clearing the space of negative energy.

Purging everything that no longer serves you,

And asking the question,

What am I releasing?

Awareness brings peace.

Being open and honest brings healing on a level you didn't even know was possible.

Breaking through the veil of illusions,

Seeing and accepting,

And actually loving yourself without any restrictions.

You are perfect.

You are safe.

You realize that you have built an entire castle around your heart.

The walls rising from the earth,

Like a natural extension of the mountain itself.

Each enormous block,

Solid,

Rough-hewn granite,

The color of a stormy sea.

Stacked with precision that defies the mind.

Each piece of the wall,

A grim testament to a forgotten pain.

The surface of the wall is sheer,

Impenetrable,

Clean and unforgiving.

Years of wind and rain created a sheer,

Unbroken precipice,

Offering no purchase for hand or foot.

The sound of the wind,

Whistling through the cracks,

Brings clarity to your mind,

As you begin to realize the only love you have ever experienced is just the drops of rain seeping through the cracks of the walls.

In your effort to protect your heart,

You have kept it separate,

Unable to fully give or receive love.

So,

You call upon your trusted friend,

The dragon.

She rises up in a magnificent,

Shimmering pattern of iridescent colors and shapes.

The scales on her body swirled with impossible colors.

Like oil on water,

Or the ever-changing patterns of a kaleidoscope.

She represents your inner power,

Your ability to face your shadows and your divinity in equal measure.

She's the guardian of your inner treasure,

Your beautiful and radiant heart.

You ask her to release her fury on the castle walls around your heart,

Each fiery breath crumbling down your defenses.

Because you know,

With every fiber of your being,

That you are safe now.

Her immense chest heaved,

You see the dragon's jaw open,

This time not to release fire,

But in even more fundamental and brutal power.

A deep inhale gathering the energy to destroy.

A groundswell of sound building in intensity.

A bellow so potent,

Laden with the stench of sulfur and ancient decay.

She unleashes a vicious roar,

Releasing years of pain,

Anger,

Shame,

Guilt,

And trauma.

Righteous rage finally released.

A crushing wave of pure force slammed into the castle walls.

A shockwave as the walls buckled,

Then give way in a deafening groan.

A collapse of masonry and the death of an old belief system.

A cascade of stones,

Timber,

And dust tumbled into the moat below.

No need to hide behind the walls of protection any longer.

Broken wide open,

So you can fully experience love for the very first time.

You realize that you are deserving of your love.

You giggle like a child.

As you feel for the first time how much love you have within you.

You bask in pure,

Positive,

Universal love.

Words cannot accurately describe your spiritual knowing that you are fundamentally connected to all things.

You have transcended the ordinary version of love.

You feel in every cell of your body a state of contentment and serenity you have only ever heard about.

But now you are love.

You are gratitude.

There is no separation.

There doesn't have to be a reason for love.

It is independent of your current situation.

Supreme happiness envelops you like a warm summer rain falling from the sky indiscriminately nourishing everything without condition.

You feel more deeply.

You no longer just see beauty,

But you feel breathtaking beauty all around you.

As you,

You are a part of it,

No longer observing as an outsider.

You find beauty in the face of a stranger walking by,

Recognizing your shared history and deep connection.

Each sense is heightened as you fully embody bliss.

This pure love does not require reciprocity.

It is given freely and generously,

With the confidence that what is given returns to the giver because we are all connected.

Rest here in the beauty and awe of universal love.

Ananda.

Samadhi.

Bliss.

The words don't matter.

Simply feel your interconnectedness to all things.

An overwhelming sense of gratitude.

As tears of joy wash over your face,

A sense of freedom,

Acceptance and ease like you have never experienced before.

Finally realizing the depth of love.

Deeper than the ocean.

More expansive than the sky.

You are a piece of the cosmos.

Your self-identity dissolving like a raindrop into the ocean.

No more limits or boundaries.

There's no way to tell where you end and the ocean begins.

Just a pure,

Unadulterated,

Expanded awareness.

Where consciousness exists without the limitations of experience,

Perception or thought.

Float here effortlessly on the ocean of awareness and love.

Celebrate your connection to all of the beauty around you.

Now gently take a moment to think back to the beginning of our practice.

Remember your intention.

If you chose to use the group intention,

Repeat three times silently,

I am so very grateful for the healing of my mind and body.

If you had your own personal intention,

Please repeat that three times silently within.

Then rest here,

Basking in the love and self-acceptance.

Relax.

Floating effortlessly on the waves of your breath for as long as you like.

And when you are ready,

Simply drift off into healing,

Restful sleep.

Relax.

Releasing the sounds of my voice and the healing music.

Sleep well,

My friends.