Welcome to a yoga nidra practice for setting an intention for the summer season.
The intention for this yoga nidra practice is to align with the energy of summer,
A season of longer days rich with opportunities for connection,
Creativity,
Adventure and rest.
You are invited to pause and set a personal intention for your summer season in this practice.
You may already have a daily intention setting practice,
But setting an intention for a whole season can be just as powerful,
Offering clarity,
Direction and inspiration for the months ahead.
And this practice is here to help you connect with what you truly desire for yourself this summer.
So begin by lying down and making yourself as comfortable as possible.
You might lie on a yoga mat,
A blanket on the floor or even in your bed.
Support yourself with whatever you need.
A pillow under your knees,
A cushion beneath your head or a blanket over your body.
See what feels just right for you today.
And now that you're settled,
Take a deep breath in and a long breath out.
Now see if you can make yourself just a little more comfortable.
Begin by settling your body.
Often our minds are quick to go to lists,
Plans and unfinished projects.
For now,
Gently invite the body and the parts of you that may feel restless or driven to slow down.
You might imagine water being poured across a flat surface,
Naturally spreading and settling.
Let your body do the same.
As you do this,
Feel the body broaden and take up space.
Allow your body to rest.
Bring awareness to your breath.
Breath flowing in.
Breath flowing out.
Notice how the body may soften.
Invite any lingering tension or excitement to release.
Take a long breath in and a long,
Soft breath out.
Feel the air on your skin.
Notice the temperature of the space around you.
Feel the touch of clothing against your skin.
Sense the surface beneath you.
The mat,
The bed,
The ground.
And know that beneath all of that is the earth holding you.
Feel the space above you and around you.
Sense the breath breathing you effortlessly.
Feel the prana,
The life force within and all around.
Bring your awareness to sound.
If your window is open,
Notice what you can hear outside.
Allow sounds to come and go without straining.
Now,
Come closer.
Sense the sounds within your room.
Hear the sound of my voice.
Hear the sound of your own breath.
Bring awareness now to any aromas or smells in the air.
Notice the sensations in your mouth.
Any tastes or simply the feeling of softening there in your mouth.
Feel the bottom,
Top,
And sides of your mouth.
And now,
Letting awareness travel up through the cheeks,
The temples,
And into the eyes.
Let your eyes soften into their sockets.
Notice an inner gaze,
An inner vision.
Bring awareness to the center of the eyebrows,
The third eye center.
Let your attention linger here.
Sense radiant sensation.
And from there,
Sweep awareness to the crown of your head,
Pausing and noticing spaciousness,
Possibility,
Light.
Then gently sweep awareness down your face,
Softening the eyes,
The ears,
The nose,
The mouth.
Bring attention to the throat.
And now,
Into the heart center.
From there,
Spread awareness out to the shoulders.
Feel them resting into the earth.
Sensing down through your elbows,
Wrists,
Palms,
And the backs of your hands.
Sense all 10 fingers,
Perhaps noticing the radiant sensation at the tips.
Now,
Sweep awareness back up through the arms to the shoulders,
Collarbones,
And back into the heart center.
Sensing radiant awareness in the heart center.
Now,
Soften down into the belly.
Travel your awareness through the hips and buttocks,
Down through the thighs,
Knees,
Lower legs,
Ankles,
Tops,
And bottoms of your feet.
Feel all 10 toes.
You may even gently wiggle them and notice the toe pads,
The radiance there.
Now,
Sweep awareness back up from the toes to the feet,
Ankles,
Legs,
Hips,
Belly,
Chest,
Arms,
All the way to the crown of your head.
And exhale.
Bring your attention back to the breath.
Breath flowing in and out through the nose.
Feel the breath and prana rising and falling in your heart center.
Radiant sensation.
Feel the breath expand now and soften in the belly.
Radiance in the solar plexus.
Connect with a feeling of well-being,
Your self-energy,
Your wisdom,
Your energy.
Your refuge,
Your sense of ease and safety.
Take a moment to rest here.
And from this space,
Invite the creation of a sankalpa,
A heartfelt intention.
We have this day ahead of us,
And we have this vibrant season of summer,
A time of longer days,
Solar energy,
And possibility.
A time for connection,
Creativity,
And rest.
Checking in with yourself here.
What intention arises?
It may be simple to feel present,
To feel clear,
To feel connected.
It may be more specific to complete a project,
To learn something new.
Let your intention arise naturally.
And if your attention arises in the mind,
Gently invite it down into the body,
Into the heart,
Letting your whole being participate.
Notice any resonance between your head,
Heart,
And body.
Let that resonance help you form this intention.
You may feel your sankalpa,
Your intention,
As a word or as an image,
A phrase,
Or just a quiet knowing.
Feel it.
Sense it.
Embrace it.
Let this intention settle into the fertile space of your awareness.
If it feels good,
You might take a hand to your heart and a hand to your belly,
Giving yourself care,
Support,
And permission to hold this intention.
Feel now how this desire connects to something larger in your life,
Perhaps a deeper purpose.
And now bring your awareness to the breath,
Rising and falling in your heart,
In your solar plexus,
Breath breathing you.
Sense the support of life energy,
Prana,
Animating your body,
Your mind,
And heart.
Feel that your intention,
Your sankalpa,
Is supported.
Summer is a time of growth in nature and within you.
Let your intention move into the nooks and crannies,
The corners of your being.
Let it move into your head and into the cave of your heart.
Feel its connection to your soul's journey in this life.
And as you do this,
Perhaps you might sense joy or the bliss of simply being.
If joy arises,
Allow yourself to feel it,
Perhaps as light,
As vibration,
As spaciousness.
Sense breath breathing you.
And now invite a deeper breath in and a long,
Slow breath out.
Feel the earth beneath you.
Sense the sky above you,
The space around you.
The people and the planet that support you.
Let gratitude arise.
Gratitude for all that is good in your life.
Gratitude for this beautiful season of summer.
And gently begin to return your awareness to the room you're in.
Invite small movements that help reawaken your body.
You might wiggle your fingers and toes or stretch in any way that feels good.
When you're ready,
Bend your knees,
Roll gently to one side,
Pause,
And then slowly make your way up to a seated position.
Thank you for joining me.
It is a delight to practice with you on this beautiful summer day.
May your summer season be filled with light,
Joy,
And intention.
