Connection to the Divine

[Teri Harmon, Yoga Nidra Instructor] All right, welcome to Yoga Nidra with Skylight. So hopefully you're all comfortable in your position. And we're gonna go ahead and get started. So take a moment to relax into this comfortable position. If you'd like to make any adjustments, go ahead and do so. Get as comfortable as you can so that you can remain nice and still during this practice of Yoga Nidra. Once you're settled, close your eyes and keep them closed until the end. Start to relax, feeling supported and calm. You won't need to concentrate deeply while we do this, instead, let go and just experience the thoughts and emotions and sensations that naturally occur as you listen. Keep your focus on my voice and do not sleep. With your eyes closed, experience the space of your room. Imagine you are watching yourself lying in your room. Experience yourself lying on the floor comfortable and at peace. Now bring your awareness to your face. On your next, inhale, tense the muscles of your face. Press your eyes closed tightly, clench your jaw, and then on the exhale, completely relax your face. Now go to your neck and shoulders. On your inhale, tense the muscles in your neck and shoulders. On your exhale, relax all the muscles. Go to your right arm. Ball your hand into a fist and tense your right arm on your next inhale. Exhale, relax your right arm. Go to the left arm. Ball your hand into a fist and tense your left arm on your next inhale. Exhale, relax your left arm. Bring your attention to your core. On your inhale, pull your belly button to your spine and tense your abdominal muscles. Exhale, let go and relax. Go to your hips and buttocks. Inhale, tense the muscles of your hips and buttocks, on your exhale, release. Now your right leg. Inhale, tense all the muscles. Exhale, relax. Now your left leg. Inhale, tense all the muscles. Exhale, relax. Bring your attention to your whole body. On your inhale, tense your entire body. Inhale, tense. Then exhale, relax your whole body, fully and completely relaxed from head to toe. Relax your whole body. Every muscle's soft and released. Now move your awareness to your mouth. Become aware of your tongue, lower jaw, lower row of teeth, upper row of teeth, gums, upper lip, lower lip, space between your lips, both cheeks, right ear, left ear, forehead, both temples, top of the head, back of the head, tip of the nose, right nostril, left nostril, right eyelid, left eyelid, right eye, left eye, right eyebrow, left eyebrow, space between the eyebrows. Now go to the right hand, the right hand thumb, second finger, third finger, fourth finger, little finger, palm of the hand, back of the hand, wrist, forearm, elbow, upper arm, shoulder, right armpit, ribs, waist, right hip. Go to the left hand, the left hand thumb, second finger, third finger, fourth finger, little finger, palm of the hand, back of the hand, wrist, forearm, elbow, upper arm, shoulder, left armpit, ribs, waist, little toe, go to the big toe. Right side. Second toe, third toe, fourth toe, little toe, sole of the foot, top of the foot, heel, ankle, calf, knee, thigh, right hip, go to the left big toe, second toe, third toe, fourth toe, little toe, sole of the foot, top of the foot, heel, ankle, calf, knee, thigh, left hip, groin, right buttock, left buttock, lower back, mid back, upper back, right shoulder blade, left shoulder blade, back of the neck, back of the head, right inner ear, left inner ear, roof of the mouth, throat, right collarbone, left collarbone, right chest, left chest, middle chest, upper abdomen, lower abdomen, navel, the whole spine, the whole head, right arm, left arm, both arms together, the whole right leg, the whole left leg, both legs together, the whole front body, the whole back body, the whole body. Be aware of the whole body. Bring your awareness to your breath. Breathing in and out, even and slow. Become aware of your breath. Imagine your breath starting at the base of your spine. Inhale slowly allowing the breath to travel up the spine. Exhale. Experience the breath flowing back down the spine. On your next inhale, imagine the breath as a fluid, ethereal, white light. Inhale, allow the white light to travel up the length of the spine, swirl in the head and then exhale. Release the light to travel back down the spine. Imagine this light traveling up and down your spine with your breath. This light comes from the energy of your chosen higher power. The light of the universe or the light of God, or the light of nature. Divine light flowing up and down your spine as you breathe. This divine light flowing through you, connected to your body, your mind, your spirit. This is the energy of that which is greater than you. Inhale, exhale. Breathe in this light, this energy. It is already a part of you. Breathe and feel your connection to your higher power. Inhale, exhale. Now imagine that your body is becoming hard and solid. As vividly as you can, experience the body as dense as stone. Your body like rock. Experience the sensation of your body feeling hard. Imagine that your body is soft. As vividly as you can, experience the body as soft and supple. Your body soft. Experience the sensation of your body feeling soft. Remember a time when you felt alone. Recall a time in your life when you felt isolated and alone. As vividly as you can, remember the experience of being disconnected and alone. Feel it in your body, mind and emotions. Now remember a time when you felt connection. Recall a time in your life when you were connected and supported. As vividly as you can, remember the experience of being connected to others, the earth and the divine. Feel it in your body, mind and emotions. Now imagine yourself, standing on the bank of a peaceful mountain stream. Hear the sound of the water flowing over the smooth rocks and smell the fresh clear water. The banks of the stream are lush with wildflowers and grasses and busy with life. Follow the flow of the water down the mountain, walking alongside the stream. You stop walking when you see a wounded raven lying in a patch of bare dirt away from the water. The raven's wing is broken. It's breathing labored. You lift the bird into your hands and experience its last breath. Cradling the dead raven, you walk on following the stream until it empties into a large lake. Near the edge of the lake stands an ancient stone altar. Place the raven on the altar. Now step forward into the water. Feel the water on your feet, feel the life of the water. Watch the sunset in the western sky and feel the warmth of the sun. Watch the full moon rise in the east and feel the cool touch of the moonlight. Observe yourself standing and breathing, connected to everything around you. Repeat in your mind three times, I am connected to the divine. Say to yourself three times, I am connected to the divine. Know with your whole body, mind and spirit that you are divine. Become aware of your body. Come back to my voice and become aware of your body lying on the floor. The whole body lying on the floor breathing. Warm, comfortable and still, become aware of your breathing. Your whole body breathing in and out, lying supported on the floor. Keeping your eyes closed, become aware of the space around you. The floor, the pillows and blankets supporting you. The room you are lying in. Hear any sounds, smell any scents. Connect to the space around you. Now bring your full attention to your breath. Slowly pull in and inhale and let it go. Take several deep breaths, waking the body from the inside out. Take several deep breaths. When you are ready, make some gentle movements. Only when you're ready. There's no rush. Take your time to wake up your body and bring your mind back to the present. Gradually increase your movements, gentle and slow. Take your time. Eventually when you're ready, roll off onto your side. Be slow and gentle. Finally, making your way back up into a seated position, adjust carefully and join me in a seated position. When you're ready, open your eyes. The practice of Yoga Nidra is now complete. Take some time here, no rush to get up. Take some more breaths. If you'd like to journal the things you felt and saw, it's a great thing to do after nidra. Thank you for being here today. You're awesome. I'm grateful for you. Namaste.