Yoga Nidra For Expansion

So,

As you begin to adjust your body and settle into this practice of deep rest,

Perhaps let yourself know that there's nothing that you need to make happen.

Invite this experience of yoga nidra to just happen on its own,

There's nothing you need to do.

So,

The journey of a yoga nidra can take us to the place of being and of pure awareness and you could say it's like a coming home again and again to ourselves,

Experiencing that home is where the heart is and discovering that place within us that is eternal and always at peace.

So,

You can begin to stretch the body in whatever way you need and as you do so,

Just when you feel ready,

Seeing if you can make the body as comfortable as possible.

Swami Satyananda said,

Yoga nidra is intended to use the mind to transcend the mind.

And Lao Tzu said,

When I let go of what I am,

I become what I might be.

When I let go of what I have,

I receive what I need.

So,

As I guide you through this yoga nidra,

You don't have to follow every instruction,

It's your choice and if there's an instruction that you choose not to follow,

You can always bring your awareness to your breath or to a nourishing word or you might imagine a place that gives you comfort,

Like a place in nature.

And then,

Just return to my voice when you feel ready,

Maintaining a trace of awareness as you can,

But if you fall asleep,

Then that's just what you needed today.

So welcome,

It is time to rest.

It's time to be kind to yourself.

Let's start with three long,

Slow,

Deep breaths.

So,

As you breathe in,

Just feeling the belly and the chest rising.

And as you exhale,

Allow yourself to breathe out with a long,

Releasing sigh.

In your own time,

Taking in a slower breath in,

And exhaling,

Releasing out with a sigh.

And one more deep breath in,

And as you breathe out,

Just a slow,

Releasing breath out with a sound,

If you will,

Each time you breathe out,

Letting the body let go more and more.

And now be still,

Let the whole body be still.

You might sense the ground beneath you,

And as you do so,

Just,

If you will,

Acknowledging the land that you are resting on,

Perhaps there's a personal connection to it.

And now taking time just to open to an intention for your yoga nidra today,

An intention that moves you towards being more rested.

And as you find that intention,

You might repeat it to yourself three times,

Trusting that you are planting the seed of rest into your being.

And if you are not able to find an intention for today,

Trusting that will come in its own time,

And you can use the intention,

I am a rested being.

And now we're going to journey with our awareness through the body,

Shining the light of your awareness into whichever place we discover as I guide you through.

Starting with the right heel,

The left heel,

Both heels together.

Aware now of the right calf,

The left calf,

Both calves together.

Aware of the right knee,

The left knee,

Both knees together.

Now,

Attention to the right thigh,

Left thigh,

Both thighs,

Right hip,

Left hip,

Both hips.

Aware now of the pelvic bowl,

Awareness in the pelvic bowl.

Now,

Guiding your attention to the lower back,

Mid back,

Upper back,

And sending attention to the right hand,

Left hand,

Both hands together,

Right wrist,

Left wrist,

Both wrists.

Right forearm,

Left forearm,

Both forearms together,

Right elbow,

Left elbow,

Both elbows.

Right upper arm,

Left upper arm,

Both upper arms,

Right shoulder,

Left shoulder,

Both shoulders.

Aware now of the neck,

Back of the head,

Top of the head,

Forehead,

Left eye,

Right eye,

Both eyes together,

Left ear,

Right ear,

Both ears,

Left nostril,

Right nostril,

Left nostril,

Both nostrils,

Upper lip,

Lower lip,

Both lips together,

The whole of the face,

The whole of the face.

Awareness now down to the throat,

Chest,

Right side of the chest,

Left side of the chest,

The whole of the chest.

Awareness now of the belly,

The whole of the belly,

And now aware of the whole body,

Awareness of the whole body,

Whole body awareness.

Notice all points of contact between the body and the ground.

Rest here and bathe in all the sensations.

Now start to bring attention to your breath.

You might sense how the out-breath grounds you,

And you might notice an upwards lifting on the in-breath.

And on your next in-breath you might like to breathe right down to the tailbone area,

Right down to the base of the spine.

And as you breathe out,

Breathe out from the base of the spine all the way up and out through the top of the head.

So you're inhaling all the way down to the tailbone,

To the base of the spine,

And as you exhale,

Exhaling from the base of the spine all the way up and out through the top of the head.

Deepening the breath as you breathe down to the tailbone,

And as you exhale,

Exhaling up through the spine and out through the top of the head.

And on your next out-breath bring your attention to the space between the eyebrows,

Bringing your attention to the brow point and rest here.

And now begin to feel the whole of your body.

Feeling the whole body heavy.

Body heavier and heavier.

Every part of the body heavy,

Solid.

Feeling gravity,

Body heavy.

And now the body feels lighter and lighter.

Welcome the lightness.

Feel the lightness in every part of you.

Light as a feather.

The whole body light.

Body light.

And now begin to bring awareness to heavy and light at the same time.

The form and the formless.

The solid and the light at the same time.

Heavy and light.

And now bringing awareness to the space between the eyebrows.

Noticing whatever is here with a detached attention,

Like watching a movie screen with different shadows and lights.

Just noticing.

Letting the screen become wider and wider.

The screen moving beyond the body into space,

More and more open.

More and more spacious,

Opening to an expanded awareness.

A timeless space that never changes.

Vast,

Like stars twinkling in the indigo blue sky.

And rest here in silence for one minute in this vastness.

Aware of this vast sky.

And now become aware of your body.

Taking time to become aware of your intention.

And if you find that intention,

Planting that intention like a seed into your heart by saying that intention to yourself three times.

Remembering that it can take time to find that intention and you can also simply use the intention I am a rested being.

Now as you lie here you might begin to welcome a circle of guides,

Mentors,

Spirits,

Both animal or from nature,

People here or departed.

Welcoming them as they surround you.

Encouraging you to be the truest version of yourself.

Feeling their support and kindness,

Encouragement and care.

And if no circle arrives,

Simply sense a circle of protective light around your whole body.

Warm and safe.

In this space of protection you can take some time just to listen to the heart and see what comes.

You might ask the heart what do I need to know now?

And take some time just to listen and to sense how the message feels in your body.

And if there is no message,

Just trusting that it will arrive in its own time,

Opening yourself to that possibility.

And if you are off to sleep now,

Allow yourself to rest deeply.

If you are waking up,

Become more aware of the physical body.

Feel the body lying here.

You might want to breathe into the parts of the body that need attention.

Become more aware of the space around you.

Listen to the sounds around you.

You can move the feet and the ankles,

Wriggle the toes and the fingers.

You might like to rub the palms of the hands together.

And then if you like you can bring the hands to the face and just massage the face in whichever way you feel you need today.

And then when you feel ready too,

You can take your time to acknowledge yourself for taking this time.

Your yoga nidra is now complete.