Breathing Into Stillness

Welcome.

My name is Layne Kennedy.

Thank you for taking the time to practice an act of self-care.

Settle into the surface where you are lying in Shavasana.

Your feet fall comfortably out.

Your legs are hips width apart,

Relaxing from the hip flexor.

Settling into the curve of your back while each vertebra gently finds its place.

Finding neutral space within your spinal cord.

Relax.

Your shoulders resting,

Falling from your ears.

This is your time.

Arms lie gently at your sides comfortably.

Breathing into your body.

Filling each part of you from your toes to your head.

You can use a pillow to support your head or neck.

You can use an eye mask to cover and block out the light.

Imagine placing yourself behind a beautiful velvet curtain as your eyes close,

Falling back into their sockets naturally and comfortably.

Connecting to your inner self.

Breathe.

Notice any noise or sound in the room and become familiar with any notice.

The sound of your very own breath as you inhale and exhale.

As the sounds of the room fade into the background,

Know that they are there inviting you to go deeper into your practice.

As with each breath,

Each inhale,

Each exhale.

Falling more deeply into you.

Throughout this practice,

You may hear me and you may drift off to sleep and that's okay.

You have permission to do what you and your heart wants to do.

You have the ability to do what you want to do.

You drift off to sleep and that's okay.

You have permission to do what you and your heart need.

My voice and the sounds you hear are merely guides to keep you connected during this practice.

We now begin the practice of Yoganidra.

You are here connecting to yourself and during this time a longing rests within your heart.

It's waiting to be heard.

This is your Sankalpa.

This is your Sankalpa.

An intention that is already within.

Listen for it.

Sankalpas are positive.

I am statements.

An example would be I am strong.

I am worthy.

I am lovable.

These statements are facts,

Truths from your heart.

Surrender and listen to your heart as your intention bubbles up to the surface.

If it doesn't right now,

That's okay.

We'll come back to this.

And for now you can simply say I am aware.

Rotation of consciousness.

Allow your attention to come to rest on the forehead.

Become aware of the point between the eyebrows.

You may experience the point as skin,

Bone or some other physical aspect or as a feeling and awareness,

A vibration.

You may see the point with your inner eye.

You may see light such as a point of light or a blue star.

You may hear sound or have a memory.

You may experience anything at this point.

We'll come back to it.

Be aware of your right shoulder.

Allow any sensation to arise.

Be aware of your right elbow.

Any sensations are welcome.

Simply observe without judgment what arises.

Be aware of your right wrist joint.

Be aware of the tip of your right thumb.

The tip of your right index finger.

Tip of your right middle finger.

Tip of your right ring finger.

Tip of your right little finger.

Be aware of your right wrist joint.

Tip of your right ring finger.

Tip of your right little finger.

Be aware of your right wrist joint.

Be aware of your right elbow.

Your right shoulder.

Your throat.

Find your left shoulder.

Your left elbow.

Your left wrist.

The tip of your left thumb.

The tip of your left index finger.

The tip of your left middle finger.

Tip of your left ring finger.

The tip of your left middle finger.

Be aware of your left wrist joint.

Your left elbow.

Your left shoulder.

Your throat.

Be aware of the center of your left elbow.

Your left middle finger.

Be aware of the center of your chest.

Physical sensations,

Feeling.

The blue light.

The blue star.

Be aware of the right chest.

Be aware of the center of your chest.

Be aware of the left chest.

The center of the chest.

The navel.

The perineum.

The right hip.

Allow any sensations to arise.

The right knee.

The right ankle.

The tip of the right big toe.

Tip of the right second toe.

The tip of the right third toe.

The tip of the right fourth toe.

The tip of the right little toe.

The right ankle.

The right knee.

The right hip.

The perineum.

The left hip.

The left knee.

The left ankle.

The tip of the left big toe.

The tip of the left second toe.

The tip of the left third toe.

The tip of the left fourth toe.

The tip of the left little toe.

The left ankle.

Little toe.

The left ankle.

The left knee.

The left hip.

The perineum.

Physical or feeling awareness.

Feeling sensation.

See the light or a blue star.

The navel.

The center of the chest.

The throat.

The point between the eyebrows.

Breathe as though your whole body is breathing.

Without actually altering the physical breath in any way.

Simply focus the mind on the breath.

Breathe.

Visualize that you are exhaling from the top of your head to your toes.

Breathe as though you are inhaling from the toes up to the top of your head.

Exhale from the top of your head down to the toes.

Inhale from the toes up to the top of the head.

Continue to exhale from the top of your head down to the toes.

Inhale from the toes up to the top of the head.

Continue to exhale from the top of the head down to the toes.

Inhale from the toes up to the top of the head.

Exhale from the toes up to the toes.

Bringing expansion into the body.

Expand the body.

With every inhale.

Exhale.

Release with every exhale.

Exhale from the top of the head down to the ankles.

Inhale from the ankles up to the top of the head.

Continue to exhale from the top of the head down to the ankles.

Inhale from the ankles to the top of the head.

Allowing greater expansion and greater release.

Breathe.

Exhale from the top of the head down to the knees.

Inhale from the knees up to the top of the head.

Exhale from the knees.

Inhale from the knees up to the top of the head.

Continue to exhale from the top of the head down to the knees.

Inhale from the knees up to the top of the head.

Expand.

Total awareness.

Exhale from the top of the head down to the perineum at the base of the spine.

Inhale from the perineum at the base of the spine.

Up to the crown of the head.

Exhale from the top of the head down to the navel.

Inhale from the navel up to the top of the head.

Allow yourself space to breathe.

Exhale from the top of the head to the space between the breast.

Inhale from the space between the breast up to the top of the head.

Exhale from the top of the head down to the throat.

Inhale from the throat up to the top of the head.

Breathe.

Exhale from the top of the head down to the perineum at the base of the spine.

Inhale from the perineum at the base of the spine.

Up to the crown of the head.

Exhale from the top of the head down to the knees.

Inhale from the knees up to the top of the head.

Exhale from the top of the head down to the ankles.

Inhale from the ankles up to the top of the head.

Breathe.

Exhale from the top of the head down to the toes.

Inhale from the toes up to the top of the head.

Be aware of the space between the eyebrows.

Breathe as though you are breathing from the space between the eyebrows.

Be aware of the space at the throat.

Visualize at the throat the moon.

The planet that we need in order for our planet to continue rotation.

Visualize the moon.

See the moon within your being.

Be aware of the space at the heart center.

Go deep,

Deep within the space.

Go deep,

Deep into the silence of your heart.

Empty into the stillness of the universe.

Empty into the stillness of the universe.

Empty.

Go deep into the stillness and the silence and the space of the heart.

Your heart is still.

Empty,

Empty,

Empty.

I'm going to let you rest here in the stillness of your space,

In the universe that is yours.

I'll be back again soon.

Stay with yourself in the emptiness and the stillness of your space within the heart.

You You You Be aware of the space at the heart center.

Be aware of the deep stillness and silence that is in that space.

Allow your attention to carry that deep stillness and silence.

Be aware of the space at the throat bringing you the deep stillness and silence.

Remembering the moon.

Be aware of the space between the eyebrows.

Be aware of the quietness of your mind while remaining aware of that deep stillness and silence that is beneath,

Behind,

Subtler than the mind.

Be aware of the smoothness of the breath while continuing to remain aware of that deep stillness and silence within,

Deeper than the breath.

Be aware of the stillness of the physical body while holding awareness of that deep stillness and silence.

While you remain aware of that deep stillness and silence that is underneath,

Behind,

Or subtler than the quiet mind,

The smooth breath and the still body gently move your right finger.

Gently move your right toe.

Gently begin to move your being,

Coming back into your room.

Awakening gently.

Doing however you wish as you come back into your being after experiencing yoga nidra in this waking state.

Bring that deep stillness and silence with you.

Keep it with you while you resolve to return to the state of deep stillness and silence often.

Allow your sankalpa to surface.

And repeat it three times,

Now,

Silently to yourself as you come back into yourself.

And when you're ready,

Not a moment more,

You may open your eyes.

Yoga nidra is now complete.