Yoga Nidra - In The Lap Of Mother Earth

It is recommended to practice lying down,

But if that's not possible,

Stay seated,

But ensure that the head is supported.

So you're either leaning your head against something or you have one of those funny pillows around your neck because the head will drop.

And lastly,

Make sure you have a blanket as the body temperature will drop for sure.

And we begin.

Welcome to your yoga nidra practice.

Welcome home.

Begin by settling down and finding any position that allows you to be as still as you possibly can.

So finding any support that you might need,

Perhaps under your knees,

Under your thighs,

Putting socks or covering yourself up with a blanket.

If you have something to cover your eyes,

Perhaps you have an eye pillow or a towel or something that has a little weight rested onto your eyelids.

It will allow the optical nerve to rest fully.

So settle into your chosen position and be still.

Begin to let go of all thoughts,

Worries,

And tension.

Experience the state of a zero desire for movement.

If that's not present,

Make whatever adjustment is necessary so that you feel supremely comfortable.

If you feel you need to move during the practice,

Simply watch the desire to move.

It will probably go away,

But if the desire to move returns,

Please adjust as needed and return to stillness as soon as you're able.

Returning to a state of zero desire for movement.

And now become aware very precisely of the position in which you're lying.

Memorize the shape and the posture of the body.

Know the shape and arrangement of the room.

Feel the points of contact between the side or the back of the body and the earth beneath you.

Become aware of the gentle rhythm of your natural breath.

Feel the breath coming in and the breath going out.

If it's easier to breathe out of the mouth during the practice,

Please do so.

Let whichever is the most comfortable and easy way of breathing arise naturally.

With each exhale,

Release the weight of the body into the support of the earth beneath you.

With every exhalation,

Consciously transfer the weight of the body down through its points of contact with the floor into the support of the floor beneath.

Every exhalation is a letting go as if you could give away the whole weight of the body.

Be with the gentle rhythm of the natural,

Easy breath.

Simply allow the body to settle deeper into stillness with each outgoing breath.

You're in the lap of Mother Earth.

Let her carry your weight.

Now take a moment to observe the stillness and quiet of the body.

The body becomes more still.

Let the breath become more spacious and free.

Listen to the sound of your own breath.

Hear also all the other sounds that are audible right now.

And now let the focus rest with the intimate sound of the breath coming in and going out,

The sound closest to you.

Feel the stillness of the body and the spaciousness of the breath.

Know that your practice of Yoga Nidra is held safely in a place of protection and security.

Know that the boundaries of the practice are secure.

And as you enter into the state of consciousness,

Which is Yoga Nidra,

You're held safely within this protected space.

Invite the mind now to follow the example of the body and the breath to become stiller and quieter.

Invite the mind to create a single form of consciousness.

Allow that form of awareness to simply be,

I'm practicing Yoga Nidra,

I'm practicing Yoga Nidra,

I'm practicing Yoga Nidra.

Let that be the form of consciousness for the rest of the practice.

And now allow the focus of the mind to accompany the breath.

On your next exhalation,

Breathe down as if the breath could enter into the space of the heart.

Feel as if the heart herself is breathing.

Evoke there in the heart,

The feeling of thankfulness,

A sense of gladness,

Simply for the opportunity to practice Yoga Nidra.

Feel this gladness as a gentle warmth that radiates from the heart.

As the mind enters the heart,

Hear the breath of the heart as if it were the voice of the heart's own wisdom,

Listening to the breath of the heart.

Perhaps you can repeat your own Sankalpa,

Your own intention,

Positive affirmation.

Then allow for these words to be repeated over three times mentally and silently in the present tense,

As if it has already happened.

If you do not have any intention,

Simply rest in receptive relationship to the heart's guidance and knows best.

Know that your heart's prayer or resolution,

Your Sankalpa,

Is now like a seed that has been planted in the fertile soil of gladness and thankfulness.

It is surely already growing and thriving,

Manifesting in your life.

Now bring your attention back to the physical body and rest your attention on each body part,

As I name it,

As if the light of the mind's eye and attention comes to shine on each part of the body in turn.

Allow for the light of the mind's attention to take the form of bright little stars as consciousness travels to each part of the body that is named.

Place star on that part of the body,

Leaving it to twinkle there.

It is as if the whole body begins as a dark night sky.

And as the mind travels around it,

Bringing bright starlight to each part,

The body is illuminated like a great constellation of stars in the sky.

Bring your awareness to both feet.

Shine a bright star on both feet,

Both ankles.

Bright star on the ankles,

Knees,

Thighs,

Pelvis,

Right hip,

Left hip,

Belly,

Chest.

Place a bright star on the right shoulder.

Bright star on the left shoulder.

Heart space,

Throat,

Mouth,

Face,

Head,

Back of the head,

Shoulder blades,

Middle back,

Low back,

Back of the thighs,

Back of the knees,

Soles of the feet.

Now bring your awareness to your entire body from the top of the head to the tips of the toes.

Visualize your entire body as a constellation of twinkling bright stars.

Be aware now of the stars twinkling now along the whole right side of the body.

Be aware of the stars twinkling now along the whole left side of the body.

Bring the light of the mind's attention to shine now inside the body,

Up into the belly.

Let the light here shine in the form of a little moon,

Moon inside you.

See all the lights,

All the stars twinkling now in the constellation of the whole body.

Be aware of the whole body like the night sky twinkling with the lights of conscious awareness.

Feel the whole physical body resting on the earth.

Bring your attention back to the breath.

And as you breathe in,

Experience a sensation of expansion as if that tiny point of light were radiating outwards through the whole body and beyond.

On the exhale,

Gather the attention further and further inwards.

And as the breath moves,

Alternate between these two experiences.

Inward,

Gathering and focus on the exhalation and outward expansion and radiance on the inhalation.

Exhaling into the single point in the heart and inhaling outwards to expand the light.

Alternating between the two.

And now stop alternating and invite both to be held simultaneously in your witness consciousness.

The drawing inward of the exhale,

The expansion of the inhale.

And now just notice the body breathing.

Simply be aware of the breath entering and leaving.

Now allow yourself to be guided through this visualization.

Bring the full attention into the space in front of your closed eyes.

Look into that space where dreams appear at night and see yourself walking through a beautiful forest on a warm spring afternoon.

Trees grow tall around you and the sunlight warms your face.

You're carrying a small bag and a warm blanket.

You arrive on the banks of a fast flowing stream.

You place the folded blanket on the soft bed of dry leaves.

And as you sit down,

You instantly feel absolutely comfortable and at peace.

The folds of the blanket wrap around you.

You feel warm and peaceful.

Protected across the stream,

Flowers are growing,

Blooms of blue,

White and yellow.

The only sound is the running water and the birds singing in the trees.

It is a sacred,

Peaceful space,

Smells fresh and alive.

You open the bag you've been carrying and take out the precious objects.

Within there are flower garlands,

Which you lay on the earth in front of you.

And there is a small red candle in a golden bowl.

And you light the candle with the matches.

The flame of the candle glows bright and its light shines out through the little hearts in the sides of the bowl.

As you light your candle,

You feel that you've begun a ritual process of great beauty and power.

The light shines on you.

You sit comfortably on the warm blanket and hear the sound of the running water by your side.

You take the flower garlands and place them around your neck,

Smelling the fresh smell of the blooms.

The fragrance is exquisite.

You reach out your hand to touch your fingertips in the running water of the stream and lift them up to your head.

Drops of water touch the crown of your head.

You feel yourself anointed.

You're at one with the stream and the trees,

The flowers and the creatures of the forest.

The mother of the forest embraces you.

The water from the stream anoints you and you hear the words from your heart.

You're myself anointed by the whole of nature.

I honor my own power and wisdom.

I am fully myself.

I fully inhabit the world in my power.

I am ready for this next phase of my life.

I am met and honored.

Knowing that the ritual is complete,

Experience the quality of feeling that it creates.

Savor the sense of peaceful welcome that the whole forest extends to you and know that you are at home in the world.

You're free to be simply part of the living pulse of the planet.

A human being who embraces their own power to live their truth.

Allow these words simply wash over you and simply rest for a moment in this space.

There's nothing to do here.

You have entered the domain of grace and now direct the whole focus of the attention,

Mental attention back to the breath.

Direct your full attention to the rising and falling of your natural breath.

Allow the breaths to become a little deeper and a little noisier.

Simply listen to the sound of your own breath entering and leaving your body.

Listen to the sound of your own breath.

Feel your belly and chest arising with each inhalation and falling with each exhalation.

Sense now that each inhalation is a waking breath,

Bringing vitality and strength to the body.

With each inhalation feel the body returning to a waking state full of energy,

Life and health.

The body is refreshed now and the mind is quiet but wide awake.

If you wish you can start to bring some gentle movements to your fingers,

Perhaps touching the tip of each of your fingers in turn with the tip of the thumbs.

If the impulse is to stay still,

Please do so.

If you're coming out it may feel nice to have a stretch,

Maybe bringing the knees into the chest and gently hugging them in and roll onto one side,

Any side.

Take a moment here.

Just notice how you feel.

If you're ready,

Come into a seated position with your eyes closed if possible.

Take a moment to honor yourself for showing up.

Bow the head to the heart.

Namaste