The practice of yoga nidra is known as the art of conscious relaxation,
The yogic sleep.
It's fairly new in the Western world,
Yet it's an ancient practice dating back as early as 1000 BC.
And it does have many physical benefits,
Including lowering our cortisol,
Aiding in pain management,
Sleep issues and more.
And that hour of yoga nidra can really benefit the body like four hours of sleep would.
There is a much deeper level to the sacred practice.
The sankalpa that we develop works to unlock our limiting beliefs.
Ask yourself,
What is it that holds you back?
Your sankalpa will be the opposite of that.
It's at the very heart of who you are,
Who you've always been.
You just need to remind yourself.
I am enough.
I am safe.
I am wholly accepted just as I am.
I am health.
I am valued.
I am loved.
Make friends with your sankalpa.
It's yours to hold,
To nurture as it blossoms.
And through cycles of life,
We return to those limiting beliefs time and again.
Our sankalpa is there.
Let it remind you of who you are and who you've always been.
When stated with conviction,
As if it's already occurring,
It's a pure shift.
The growth and awakening is entirely all possible here.
And it's different from an affirmation which is used in the waking state.
The magic of your sankalpa happens in the highly absorbent beta brain state,
Which is found in the practice of yoga nidra.
So welcome yourself here.
Welcome to the practice of yoga nidra.
Take a moment to silent all your devices,
Distractions.
Begin to create your most comfortable position.
Settling into our shape of shavasana,
Laying on your back using a pillow under the thighs,
Perhaps shifting it a little higher into the upper thigh to coax the lower back into ease.
Another under the head.
And cozying in with your blanket,
Your eye mask.
Anything that ensures your absolute comfort.
And you're invited to place a rose quartz crystal near you or on your heart center to amplify your heart's abundance.
Allow eyes to rest heavy and begin to really settle into your mat,
Your bed or wherever you are.
Know that you may fall asleep during this practice,
Which is completely fine.
Although we aim to hover just about the sleeping state in the absorbent,
Hypnagogic state of alpha brain.
And you may choose to do this practice seated against a wall to ensure you remain awake,
Or any position that is best for you.
There's no wrong way to practice here.
Just let it be whatever it will be.
Let go of control.
And allow yourself to connect to my voice.
Knowing that being here is enough.
This is your time to invest in yourself,
Honoring your body,
Your mind with this nourishment,
Health,
Energy and well being.
And there's nothing that you need to be that you're not already.
And begin to feel the right side of body is the right side begins to tighten tightening through the right foot,
The right leg,
Right glute,
Right fist,
Right arm,
Right cheek,
The right jaw.
They all tighten squeeze hold it tightly and release.
Now,
Left side,
Tightening through the left foot,
Left leg and left glute,
Tightening into the left fist,
Left arm,
The left cheek,
The jaw,
Tightening holding tight here,
And release.
Now both at the same time tightening through both feet,
Both legs,
Quads,
Both glute into the belly,
Tightening through the both fists,
Arms into chest,
Tightening through the jaw through the face squeezing through eyebrows,
Whole body,
Tight tight tight.
And release.
Feel the whole body soften,
Held by the earth below you.
And any holding rigidity in the body,
Any tissues,
Allow them to soften now,
Melting into the floor beneath you.
Knowing you are safe and you are held.
Feel every point of the body as it connects to the earth.
Back of head,
Shoulders,
Back glutes,
Legs,
Feet,
Becoming heavier as they're held.
Feeling the weight of your whole body,
Allowing yourself to sink here.
And sense the feeling of the air as it caresses the skin.
Sense into your surroundings,
The objects that are near to you,
Taking in their sound,
Their smells.
Just awareness of their presence.
And sending awareness to the whole right side body.
Whole left side body.
Whole body awareness here.
And all you need to do is simply follow my voice.
Should you dip into sleep,
Just come back as you remember.
Begin to feel the energy of the air as it passes through the nasal passages,
Traveling down the throat,
Filling into the lungs and expanding into the belly.
And as it's warmed,
It travels back up through the throat,
Following this flow of life-giving energy,
This pure universal prana.
With every breath in,
Welcome love for yourself.
And with every breath out,
Sharing love for others.
Breathing in compassion for self.
And breathing out compassion for others.
Taking in acceptance for self.
And sharing acceptance for others.
And drawing breath into the receiving space of the heart.
You are here to receive.
You are here to receive.
You are here to receive.
The body is soft and it's in this space that we surrender to our conscious selves.
Your sankalpa is beckoning you,
And it's time to return to your authentic self.
Remind yourself that you were whole,
You were enough,
You were safe,
You were health,
You were compassion.
Come back to your sankalpa.
Feel it so strongly.
I am,
I am,
I am.
Let go of the struggle to find it,
Allow it to be heard.
It's there.
Hear its whisper.
I am your sankalpa.
I am,
I am,
I am.
And if nothing comes,
Simply stay with I am.
As you are all of that,
I am that I am.
As you're ready,
Feel it vibrate so strongly from the space of the heart.
Claim your sankalpa by stating it silently,
Three times.
I am.
I am.
I am.
I am.
I am.
I am.
I am.
I am.
I am.
First,
Bringing awareness into the right hand.
Feel this ball of brilliant green energy lighting up the entire right hand.
Feel it shine into the right thumb.
The second finger.
Third.
Fourth.
Fifth.
The whole right hand.
The back of hand.
The right wrist,
Lighting up with this brilliant green energy.
The forearm.
The elbow.
Upper arm.
Right shoulder.
Down to the underarm.
Right side rib.
The waist.
The hip and pooling into the pelvic bowl.
Down the thigh.
Around the knee.
Down shin and calf.
And circling the ankle.
The chest,
Top of foot.
Into the heel.
And the sole of foot.
The soothing green energy lighting up as it moves into the right big toe.
Third.
Fourth.
And fifth.
All toes together.
And now whole foot.
Now whole right side body illuminating this brilliant green energy.
And moving awareness over to left side body.
Landing in the left palm.
This pure green energy begins to move into left thumb.
Spreading into second finger.
Third.
Fourth.
And fifth.
All five fingers glowing.
And now the whole hand.
Back of hand.
Left wrist.
Forearm.
Elbow.
The upper arm.
Left shoulder.
Down to the underarm.
Across left side rib.
Waist.
Into hip.
And pooling into the pelvic bowl.
Moving down the thigh.
Around the knee.
Down shin and calf.
Around the ankle.
Top of foot.
Into the heel.
And sole of foot.
Into left big toe as it lights up with this pure green energy.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
And fifth.
And now all toes together.
And now whole foot.
And now whole left side body filling with this pure green energy.
Now both feet right and left.
Both legs.
Both glutes.
Lower back.
Mid back.
Upper back.
Shoulder blades.
Back of neck.
The whole scalp.
Top of the head.
Forehead.
Right ear.
Left ear.
Right eyebrow.
Left eyebrow.
And lighting up the space between eyebrows.
Right eye.
Left eye.
Nose.
The right cheek.
And left cheek.
Lighting up into lips as they glow this green energy.
Into chin.
The jaw.
Teeth.
Down the throat.
Middle of the chest.
Upper belly.
Navel.
Lower belly.
Pelvis.
Feel the whole right leg.
Whole left leg.
Whole right arm.
Whole left arm.
The whole right side of body.
Left side of body.
Back of body.
Front of body.
Both arms.
Both legs.
Now whole body.
Feel the entire body filling with this pure green energy,
Illuminating,
Vibrating its green energy.
Whole body.
Whole body awareness.
Feel into the connection of the back body as it meets the floor.
Each part of the body as it connects to the earth.
As your lungs fill with this life-giving energy of breath,
Feel the back ribs expand into the floor.
And as you release,
Feel the back soften.
As prana enters the body again,
Feel the belly rise,
Ribs expand.
Belly falls as ribs contract.
Welcome this nourishment,
This fresh vibrancy into the body,
Filling all depths of the body.
And as the air becomes warm,
It washes away all that isn't needed as it expels from the body.
And centering on your heart,
Sending each inhale and exhale through that heart center.
Begin to feel an inhale the heart as it glows green.
Expanding.
And on exhale,
The green recedes back into the heart.
Inhale,
Green light expanding.
Exhale,
The light recedes.
Green expands.
Recedes.
Grows.
And diminishes.
And the cells expand and recede.
Every cell of your body infusing with this green light,
Brighter on inhale,
Dims on exhale.
Exhale.
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
And witnessing,
Experiencing this light as it moves in the rhythm of your breath.
Reminding your body to remain asleep while the mind stays alert.
Begin to feel arms as they sink to the floor.
Legs sinking down,
Pelvis is heavy.
Letting go.
Entire body becomes rooted to the earth.
Sinking deeper.
Deeper still,
Melting as the floor seems to cradle every part of your body.
Holding every curve perfectly.
Heavy and held.
Fingers soften.
Toes heavy.
Head heavy.
Whole body feels the pull of gravity as you meet the earth.
Heaviness.
And feeling all the heavy emotions here.
All that we've harbored.
They are there.
Feel them.
Real,
Raw heaviness.
Let those emotions sink too.
Let Mother Earth hold them for you.
Give them to her.
You no longer need them.
So heavy.
And let yourself be held here in heaviness.
And as you feel those emotions seep out of you,
Trickling down to the earth.
You begin to feel lightness enter the body.
No longer held down.
Gravity releases its hold.
And the body fills with air.
As it is no longer weighed down.
This fresh sense of lightness.
As body begins to float.
Floating skyward.
Lazily floating towards the clouds.
Hovering.
Enjoying the sense of light.
Emotions are so light now.
With every breath,
Body fills with air and lifts higher.
Lighter,
Completely safe.
Nurtured.
Without a care in the world.
So light.
You are a feather hovering amongst the clouds.
Lightness.
And now feel the duality as both sensations meet.
Heaviness meets lightness.
Feeling both at the same time.
Balancing each other.
As you float back to the ground.
Heavy.
Yet light.
Light.
Yet heavy.
Heavy.
Light.
Light.
Heavy.
Tune into the emotions now.
You are safe here.
Allow yourself to feel anger.
Heat bubbling up from your core in the form of anger.
Welcome it to the surface.
It's been suppressed for so long.
Let it rise.
Anger.
Show it the path.
Lead the way out.
Anger.
Your body does not need this.
Anger.
Let it build.
Rage.
Working its way to the surface.
Guide it to the surface.
Show it the exit.
Anger.
Feel the heat that comes with it.
Dissipating as it reaches surface.
Evaporating as it reaches skin.
Releasing anger.
Body releases heat.
And begins to shift into experiencing love.
Body feels a gentleness.
A pleasant warming as love enters.
Radiating from the heart.
Compassion.
Empathy.
Heart expanding as you feel overwhelmed with love.
Every cell of your body tuning to the frequency of love.
See the body soften as it receives this universal love.
You are accepted.
You are held.
You are loved.
You are loved.
From the core of you to the tips of your fingers and toes.
Whole body experiencing love.
Begin to feel your body so much that it exceeds your body's border of skin expanding to your aura glare.
You begin to see your aura of love as it envelopes your entire body.
Love received in your body with so much excess that you have much love to give.
Love.
And awareness shifting now to third eye as we move through images rapidly.
Without judgment.
Without control.
And just allow it to be what it will be.
Pale pink cherry blossoms.
Orange triangle.
A red brick chimney.
Bicycle spokes turning around.
The earthy smell after a summer rain.
Yellow sunflower.
A small boat floating in a lake.
An eagle circling high in the sky.
A infectious giggle of young children.
A huge wave crashing at the shore.
Yellow rolling hills as far as you can see.
Yellow hills.
Yellow hills.
Yellow hills.
And stay with my voice here.
You're standing in the middle of a yellow grassland.
It's still asleep from its winter slumber.
And you smell the promise of spring in the air.
It's been a long winter of solitude and it feels time for spring to come to life.
The sun's warmth feels welcome on your skin as you enjoy this walk.
Exploring as you come near the tree line.
And begin to explore a dirt path lined with bare trees.
Occasional evergreens.
And behind you as far as the eye can see.
Hillside.
Yellow rolling hillside.
Curving up and down.
And in the backdrop,
Majestic mountains of rock.
And walking along this path.
You're feeling a lightness that you haven't felt in some time.
Shedding the heaviness of the winter season perhaps.
But this feels a little different still.
Lighter in your step.
You feel carefree.
And there is a sense of wonder.
Excitement building in your chest.
Unsure what this is,
You brush this feeling aside as you continue along your path.
The sun's warmth is breathing life into the sleepy forest.
A few birds have returned.
And their chatter is the most welcome sign of spring to come.
The path is on a slight incline.
With a few curves up ahead.
And it blocks you from seeing where it leads.
You enjoy the wonder of exploring this area.
Marveling at the tall,
Leafless trees that are so ready to release their budding new growth.
Soon.
Soon life will return.
Remnants of the fall leaves are lining the path.
Brown,
Dry leaves providing warmth and shelter for the forest life.
And no signs of snow that you can see.
It's beginning to feel as if winter is truly over.
And as you make your way upwards.
You make the turn and you can see up ahead.
Where the path leads to an opening.
The sun bright in this clearing ahead.
You are drawn to it.
Making your way up.
The path ends and a clearing opens before your eyes.
You can see the full potential of forest beauty here once the season welcomes new growth.
And wandering further in.
There's an edge that looks out towards where you began.
You can see rolling yellow hills far and wide.
The lifeless trees throughout.
The mountains of giant rock as their backdrop.
And even in this transition season,
You feel the earthly beauty.
And the promise of deeper beauty to come.
The birds singing along in agreement.
And stepping up on a flat boulder.
You stand facing this valley of wonder.
Feeling the brisk air mixed with the warmth of the sun.
You feel it land in your heart.
This feels like home.
It feels like your space.
It feels like you are one.
The sun as it warms your chest.
Deeper into your heart.
You feel your heart connecting with the space.
Your heart vibrates as energy outward.
And as you stand facing the valley below.
Your heart energy takes on an energy of all its own.
It begins to spread outward.
This aura of green begins to radiate from your chest outward.
Farther reaching out.
A gentle green begins to reach the trees at your side.
The sleeping meadow behind you.
And reaching further still to the yellow grasses in the hills before you.
Every breath you release seems to nudge this energy further.
Enveloping the entire tree line.
The grass.
Meadow.
Boulders.
Everything in its path.
And as it continues to expand outward.
Your heart is overflowing with this joy.
It begins to bring vibrant life back into everything it touches.
Like a green mist bringing new growth along with it.
You witness this miracle of growth before your eyes.
And as your green aura reaches further and further out.
The grass that it has touched is now lush and green.
Trees have sprouted their leaves.
And even the evergreens have perked up into a deeper,
Vibrant hue.
Crocus are blossoming,
The valley below is turning green in front of your very eyes.
You continue to hold this bubble,
Pressing it out further.
Further still.
And feeling the immense love within it.
Knowing this nurturing compassion is what is changing the forest around you.
More birds join in song.
Life begins to unfold.
As you see deer exploring the now full growth.
The sensation emanating from your heart center.
You connect with the heartbeat of the forest.
Beginning to sync with your own heartbeat.
And your breath becomes the forest breath.
You are one.
Every breath in is pure love.
Every breath out,
Love.
Free of judgment.
Free of expectation.
Just nurturing love.
And the sun fueling you.
Your breath.
This heart energy moving it out even further.
And the green mist reaching as far as you can see now.
Your heart expanding.
Sharing all its love.
Encouraging this reveal of spring growth.
Blossoming,
Receiving your energy of love.
Closing your eyes as you stand facing out to the valley.
Reveling in the sun as it warms you in the songs of the birds as they return to nest.
They appear essence of prana,
This life force.
You hear your heart calling you.
Whispering your vow so softly yet insistent.
Your sankalpa is arriving.
It's here.
Receive it now.
Find that space in the heart center.
Welcome in your sankalpa here.
Speaking it truer than ever before.
Let it radiate through all that you are.
I am.
I am.
I am.
And with that,
Your heart is feeling complete.
You know that you are exactly where you were meant to be.
The green auric field that has expanded across the entire landscape.
Is slowly receding back.
You feel your heart reign it back in.
Reeling it back to its home.
This purity of unconditional love.
Love for self.
This all encompassing love is vibrating so strongly within you.
Pulling in the green field more until it has fully returned into your heart space.
And with the return,
You feel a wash of complete and utter compassion.
The space of understanding.
This is what pure love feels like.
Your chest is so full.
This expansion.
This feeling of unlimited love to receive and to share.
The most memorable life-changing experience you've just witnessed.
And knowing that you were meant to be here.
You were feeling complete.
You know it's time to make your way back the way that you came.
Tracing your steps back down the path.
Connected in your very heart,
The space you know was exactly what you were meant to experience.
Coming back into the body now.
Feel your breath once again.
Coming back into the space.
The body becomes heavy as the floor meets the back body.
Welcome in breath.
Feeling the nourishment flow into belly.
Begin to tighten legs and release.
Tighten feet.
Release.
Turning palms towards the floor.
Tightening arms and release.
Take some gentle side to side movements of the head.
Bending knees as you plant your feet on the floor.
And enjoy some slow side to side washes with the knee.
Moving so gentle.
Bringing hands in front of the heart.
Beginning to rub the palms together.
Building that heat between the palms.
And then taking palms and covering the eyes.
And inhaling love here for yourself.
And exhaling love for others.
And inhaling acceptance for self.
Exhaling acceptance for others.
And inhaling compassion for self.
Exhaling compassion for others.
And taking hands back to heart.
The practice of yoga nidra is now complete.
Namaste.
Take your time.
You can lay where you are,
Or you can gently help yourself decide.
Take all the time that you need.
And if I've lost you,
I hope you have a wonderful sleep.
I will sign off here and close the practice and let you finish this in your own time.
Thank you so much,
Everyone.
It was my pleasure to practice with you.
I hope you enjoyed this.
Maybe tomorrow,
Send me a message,
Let me know how you slept.
Send me a picture of your space.
