Welcome!
My name is Natalie and I am so grateful you are taking this time to meditate with me.
This is a very special Yoga Nidra practice to reawaken joy.
So first of all I would like to ask you to lie down comfortably.
Let your body settle and allow your eyes to close.
Take a slow breath in and sigh it out.
Again inhale and exhale and let yourself arrive exactly as you are.
No need to feel joyful yet.
This practice is not about forcing happiness.
It is about remembering that joy is still possible.
Feel the weight of your body.
Feel how you are supported,
How you are held and notice the quiet rhythm of your breath.
Even if life has felt heavy lately remember that your breath is still moving and that is life moving through you.
Now bring to mind gentle intention.
Joy is safe for me again.
Joy is safe for me again.
I am open to lightness.
I am allowed in my life.
Pleasure is allowed in my life.
Choose one that feels believable for you right now and repeat it softly three times.
Now bring your awareness to your mouth and soften your tongue.
Relax your jaw.
Soften the space around your eyes.
Notice your forehead smoothing and feel your shoulders melting down.
Your arms are heavy,
Your hands are soft.
Your chest is spacious,
Your belly loose.
Your hips are resting,
Your legs are heavy and your feet relax and let your whole body be supported by the earth.
And now notice your breath in your belly without changing it.
Just observe and imagine each inhale creating space inside you and each exhale releasing dullness.
Not pushing it away,
Just letting it loosen and continue to breathe deep belly breaths.
Now allow yourself to remember not the biggest joy but just a simple moment.
A laugh,
Warm sunlight,
Music water,
A quiet smile.
See it.
Feel it.
And where do you sense it in your body?
What do you sense in your body?
Maybe warmth,
Softness,
A sparkle and stay with that feeling of joy.
Feel this joy everywhere in your body.
And now call upon a feeling of heaviness.
Call upon a feeling of lightness.
Call upon a feeling of dullness.
Call upon a feeling of brightness.
Call upon a feeling of flatness.
Call upon a feeling of spark.
And so you notice both exist and both can move.
Nothing is stuck forever.
And now imagine a tiny golden glow inside your chest.
Not overwhelming,
Just small.
And this is not forced happiness.
This is your natural aliveness.
And with each inhale it glows slightly brighter.
And with each exhale it spreads gently.
Feel this golden light spreading to your ribs,
To your belly,
To your throat,
Through your face,
Your hands,
Your legs,
Until your whole body is quietly from within.
Joy doesn't need to be loud.
It can be calm,
Steady and soft.
And now imagine life offering you something simple.
A color,
A scent,
A taste,
A sound.
And let yourself receive it without effort,
Without earning it.
Just receiving.
And now gently return to your intention.
Joy is safe for me again.
Joy is safe for me again.
I am open to lightness.
I am open to lightness.
Pleasure is allowed in my life.
Pleasure is allowed in my life.
Now choose one to repeat gently three times.
The one that resonates most with you right now.
And then let go of all images and just rest in simple presence.
And notice your breath deepening and feel the surface beneath you.
Feel this golden light,
This feeling of joy within you.
And then gently start wiggling your fingers and your toes.
Keep your eyes closed.
Bend your knees into your chest and roll over to one side.
Use one of your hands as a pillow for your head.
And while you're lying there in fetus position,
Gently repeat to yourself one thing you deeply love about yourself.
And repeat one thing that brings you joy and that you want to have more of in your day.
What are you ready to invite into your life that is bringing joy.
And then gently still with your eyes closed push yourself up into a seated meditative position.
Place your hands in prayer position in front of your heart.
And we're gonna end this session with one ohm and three shanties.
Inhaling deeply filling up your chest and belly with air.
Shanty.
Shanty.
Release your hands down to your knees.
Bow down your face.
Bow down your head.
Gently open your eyes.
And come up with a beautiful smile.
And welcoming in this joy into your life.
You can come back to this session anytime you feel that you want to reactivate the joy within you.
And I'd like to say until the next time.
Namaste.
