Welcome to your rest practice.
This is a simple practice for the season of gratitude.
To begin,
Make yourself as comfortable as possible.
Gather around you anything that will help you feel rested,
Perhaps blankets or pillows or bolsters.
Take any support that you need,
That you want.
From now until the end of this practice,
Your only responsibility is to your own comfort.
There is nothing you have to do.
If all you do for the rest of this practice is relax and breathe,
That is enough.
You can close your eyes if it feels safe and comfortable to do so.
Or you can simply take a soft gaze,
Letting the muscles of your eyes relax.
As you settle in,
I'll walk you through the steps of this practice.
You will have an opportunity to set an intention for the practice if you wish.
Then we will bring attention to the body,
Then to the breath,
And then to sensations and emotions,
Relaxing deeper with each step.
Then we will work with visualizations.
And then I will lead you back through the steps,
Back to this present moment.
At any step in this practice,
If you do not wish to listen to the narration,
You can bring your attention to your breath or to anything else for as long as you like.
Simply bring your attention back to my voice whenever you feel ready.
Now as you settle into the comfortable place you have made,
Take a deep breath in and a long breath out.
On your next in-breath,
Move any part of your body that wants to move.
You can stretch or shake or adjust anything and any way that you need to.
Find any movement that feels good.
Let your breath flow in and out as you continue to take movements,
Large or small.
As your body settles in to the support of the earth,
Imagine drawing a circle around your body made of any substance that feels powerful and protective.
This may be a circle of starlight,
A circle of clear water,
Or a circle of maple trees.
Whatever feels right to you.
Now imagine drawing a second circle around the perimeter of the first,
Again using any material that feels protective and powerful.
Perhaps a circle of autumn leaves,
A circle of candlelight,
Or a circle of river rocks.
It is up to you.
Now imagine drawing a third circle around the outside of the other two circles,
Once again choosing whatever material you like.
Perhaps a circle of salt water,
Or pine trees,
Or moonlight.
See yourself in the center of these three circles,
Protected and powerful.
See yourself at rest.
Now bring your attention to any sounds that you may hear outside of the room where you are.
There's no need to name or analyze these sounds,
Simply notice them,
And bring your attention closer to notice any sounds occurring inside your room.
Again,
No need to name or analyze them,
Just notice them.
Now bring your attention closer,
Inside the circles of protection,
To notice any sounds occurring right around your body.
Now draw the attention closer still,
To notice any sounds arising from within your body.
Your body,
At rest.
If you would like to set an intention for your practice,
You may do that now.
An intention should be a positive statement in the present tense,
As though it is already happening.
It can be something huge and wide,
Something like,
Gratitude fills my heart.
Or it can be something simple and tangible,
Something like,
I drink enough water every day.
It is up to you.
It's also fine not to choose an intention.
If you have chosen one,
Repeat it to yourself now,
Three times.
Feel the glow of your intention planted deep within your body and your heart.
Throughout this practice,
Remain awake and alert.
But if you fall asleep,
Know that you are getting the rest that your body needs.
There is nothing you need to do.
Simply follow the sound of my voice.
You can adjust your position if you need to.
You can move your attention to your breath,
Or to some restful image,
Any time that you need to.
It is not possible to do Nidra wrong.
This is your journey.
We will now rotate attention through the body.
As I name each body part,
Simply allow your attention to rest on that body part.
You do not need to move the body part,
Or to stretch it.
Simply notice it.
If you do not have that body part,
Or you do not wish to be aware of that body part today,
Simply move your attention to any other point,
And rejoin my voice when you are ready.
We will now begin.
Bring the attention to the point between the eyebrows,
To the hollow of the throat,
To the right shoulder,
Right elbow,
Right wrist,
Right thumb,
Right index finger,
Right middle finger,
Right ring finger,
Right small finger,
Right wrist,
Right elbow,
Right shoulder,
Hollow of the throat,
Left shoulder,
Left elbow,
Left wrist,
Left thumb,
Left index finger,
Left middle finger,
Left ring finger,
Left small finger,
Left wrist,
Left elbow,
Left shoulder,
Hollow of the throat,
Heart center,
The right side of the chest,
Heart center,
The left side of the chest,
Heart center,
Navel center,
Pelvic center,
Right hip,
Right knee,
Right ankle,
Right big toe,
Right second toe,
Right third toe,
Right fourth toe,
Right small toe,
Right ankle,
Right knee,
Right hip,
Pelvic center,
Left hip,
Left knee,
Left ankle,
Left big toe,
Left second toe,
Left third toe,
Left fourth toe,
Left small toe,
Left ankle,
Left knee,
Left hip,
Pelvic center,
Navel center,
Heart center,
Hollow of the throat,
Right eye,
Left eye,
Both eyes,
The space between the eyebrows.
Rest your attention here at the space between the eyebrows.
Bring your attention to the breath as it flows into and out of the body.
Notice the movement of the body with the breath.
Expanding with each in breath,
Contracting with each out breath.
Bring your attention to the belly as the breath flows into and out of the belly.
Notice the rise and fall of the belly with each breath in and out.
Release the attention on the belly.
Bring your attention to the heart center.
Notice the expansion of the lungs around the heart as breath flows into and out of this area.
Breathe in and out with your attention on the heart center.
Release the attention at the heart center.
Bring your attention to the hollow of the throat.
Notice the breath as it flows into and out of this area.
Notice any sound your body is making as the breath flows in and out.
Release the attention at the hollow of the throat.
Bring your attention to the top of the nose.
Experience the breath flowing into and out of the nose.
Notice if your nose feels congested or stuffed or open.
Breathe in and out here,
Your attention on the nose.
Release the attention on the nose and bring your attention to the space between the eyebrows.
Rest here with your attention at the space between the eyebrows.
Imagine a sensation of hunger in your body.
Feel the sensation of hunger in your belly,
In your heart,
In your mind.
Imagine the sensation of hunger running all through your body.
Experience the sensation of hunger and breathe.
Release that sensation.
Now imagine the sensation of fullness,
Full belly,
Full heart,
Full mind.
Imagine fullness in your arms,
Fullness in your legs.
Imagine the sensation of fullness all through the body.
Breathe into the sensation of fullness and breathe out from this sensation.
Now imagine both sensations at once.
Sensation of hunger in your body,
Emptiness and at the same time a sensation of fullness.
Hold both sensations at once,
Hunger and fullness.
Breathe in and out as you experience both sensations.
Release that sensation.
Imagine a time when you felt isolated,
Alone.
Let go of any story attached to this sensation and simply allow your body to feel that sensation,
The feeling of being isolated and alone.
Feel that in your heart,
In your head,
In your belly.
Feel sensation of isolation all the way down to your fingers and toes.
Continue breathing in and out as you feel the sensation of isolation.
Release that sensation.
Now imagine a time in your life when you felt supported.
Let go of any story attached to this and allow your body to feel the sensation.
Feel yourself supported.
Feel that in your heart,
In your head,
In your belly.
Feel your arms and legs supported.
Now feel both sensations at once.
A sense of isolation in the body and at the same time a sensation of being supported.
Allow these two sensations to be felt throughout your body.
Feel your body expanding to hold both of these sensations.
Breathe in and out as you feel the sensations together.
Isolation and support.
Release that sensation.
Bring your attention to the space between the eyebrows and rest.
Imagine yourself at the edge of a field.
It is an autumn night.
The stars are bright above you and a full moon lights the way.
There is a path through the field and you follow it.
You hear the crunch of leaves and grasses under your feet.
Smell the crisp night air.
You follow the moonlit path until you come upon an ornate table with chairs pulled up on all sides.
You take your place at the table.
Feel your feet on the earth,
Your back supported by the chair,
The brightness of the moon and stars above you.
You feel safe and supported in this place.
See yourself,
Supported by the earth,
Seated in comfort,
At rest.
Feel this.
Bring your attention to the space between the eyebrows.
Experience total peace and stillness.
Know that with each rest you take,
You are nourishing your body,
Your mind,
Your spirit,
And your wisdom.
Feel this nourishment.
Rest in peace and tranquility.
If you set If you set an intention at the beginning,
Repeat it to yourself now,
Three times.
Feel this intention filling you up and leading you forward.
As you sit at the table,
You hear the call of an owl.
One by one,
Your council of teachers arrives.
These are beings,
Living or past,
Real,
Mythical or imagined,
Human,
Animal or other.
Beings whose words or actions have guided you.
They come now bearing gifts for you,
And they set their gifts on the table before you.
Feel the warmth of their presence.
Feel gratitude for all they have given you.
As you sit with your council,
A message comes to you.
Perhaps a word or a phrase,
An image or a piece of music.
Whatever arrives,
Hold it close.
Breathe it in.
And if nothing comes to you,
Simply breathe.
Feel the quiet of this moment,
And know that your message will arise when you need it.
Rest with your message,
Even as your council departs.
Everything is okay.
Feel this.
Notice the peace that you feel in your body.
Observe your body experiencing deep peace and relaxation.
Vow to take this peace into your everyday life.
If you set an intention for practice,
Repeat it now,
Three times.
Feel your intention spreading out from your body to light your way.
Notice your body at rest.
Feel the circles you drew at the beginning drawing back into your body.
You will carry their power with you,
For their power came from you.
Feel this.
Now,
Deeply relaxed,
Begin to emerge from your Yoga Nidra nap.
Notice the sensation of rest in your body.
Vow to take this rest into your day,
Your sleep,
Your life.
Yoga Nidra is complete.
Move with rest and gratitude into your day.
