Hello and welcome,
My name is Natalie and in this Yoga Nidra practice,
We'll take a short amount of time to cultivate a sense of belonging,
Connection,
And loving-kindness for ourselves and for others.
This practice can be done at any time throughout the day when you need just a little bit of time to reconnect to yourself and to find some rest,
Or perhaps there's a person or a being or perhaps even a dream that you would like to dedicate this practice to.
And as you think of who or what you would like to dedicate your practice to,
You can also form a sankalpa,
A heart's intention for this practice.
I will offer a few examples that you may use or use as inspiration to create your own.
Your heart's intention may sound something like,
I am worthy of love.
I belong everywhere,
Or I deserve loving connections.
Take a moment now to settle,
Find comfort,
Stillness,
And rest in the support underneath you,
Wherever you are,
And we'll move through a gentle body scan.
As we move through each part,
You may imagine your intention moving into each part of your body,
Or you could simply bring your awareness to each spot following my voice.
Begin to sense your toes,
Soles of your feet,
The tops of your feet,
To your ankles,
Your legs,
Moving up to your hips,
Around your belly,
Up through your diaphragm,
Into the of your hands,
The backs of your hands,
Sides of your neck,
Fully moving up the back of your head,
The sides of your head,
Your ears.
Now,
Softening into your emotions,
Your senses,
Can you invite in the feeling of care,
Compassion,
Even forgiveness?
Imagine where these feelings and these experiences may live in your body,
Sensing them within you or giving them an invitation to come in.
Now,
I would like you to sense into the space around your energetic heart center,
The heart chakra at the center of your chest,
And you may feel into any protection that you carry around your heart.
You can imagine what it looks like,
What it feels like,
Maybe a door,
Imagining what yours looks like.
Take a moment to give this protection around your heart some gratitude,
Some thanks,
Validating that it may be there for a reason.
Now can you imagine this protective barrier around your heart space gently softening and fading,
And you may even imagine the golden glow of a green light or any other light in your heart starting to shine through.
Let this light help you to invite in care,
Love,
Compassion,
Forgiveness.
Imagine this light radiating outside of your body,
Around you,
And imagine it could be shared with someone or something in your life.
Let the feeling of care begin in the space around your heart and let it radiate through the protective barriers,
Let it radiate all around you to be shared with others.
Let this glowing light from your heart radiate out as far as it can,
Maybe one day filling the whole atmosphere of the earth and expanding out into the darkness of the universe.
Know that the gift that you share with this world is so special and so unique to you.
So let this light come back in to fill you,
Your body,
Your being,
With this care,
Compassion,
Love,
A reciprocal offering to others and to yourself as well.
From here you can take more time to rest.
Close this practice by remembering your heart's intention and by offering yourself this care,
Compassion,
And this forgiveness.
Whatever you feel is most needed.
May peace be with you.
