Yoga Nidra: Bittersweet Moments

Practice this gentle Yoga Nidra meditation to rest in whatever you're feeling today. Let us practice welcoming all the moments of life on this journey with God, the bitter and the sweet. 

For more on the Bittersweet Moments theme, see page 76 of With God in Every Breath by Whitney R. Simpson. 

Transcript

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Welcome And Practice Invitation

SPEAKER_01 0:02

Hi, I'm Whitney and you're listening to Exploring Peace Meditations. Today's invitation is to pause and rest with the practice of Yoga Nidra. Yoga Nidra or Yogic Asleep is an opportunity to rest, to rest in the middle of the day or the evening before bed.

Theme Of The Bittersweet

SPEAKER_01 0:35

And today's Yoga Nidra practice invites you to embrace the bittersweet moments of life. The contrast. The joy and the grief, the holding on and the letting go, the endings and the beginnings. We can rest in the bittersweet moments of life. So as you begin to settle in, allow distractions to fall away. Consider using props to place a blanket beneath your knees, under your neck. Consider covering your eyes with an eye pillow or dimming the lights around you.

Settle In And Set Intention

SPEAKER_01 1:32

And as we begin the practice of Yoga Nidra, we set an intention. Or in yoga, we often call this a sunkalpa. It might be something like, I am present. I welcome my emotions. I am resting. Take a few breaths and repeat your intention three times.

Body Rotation And Full Relaxation

SPEAKER_01 2:38

Now follow the sound of my voice as we rotate consciousness throughout the body. Simply allow your awareness to travel to that part of your body as you hear it named. It might help you to relax a bit more into that part of the body. Otherwise, just simply let your inner mind's eye travel and see that part of you. Bring your attention to the top of your head. Relax across your forehead, ridge of the nose, eyes, cheeks, jaw, chin, ears, back of the skull, front of the face, the whole head. Relax the whole head. Awareness travels to your neck. Relax the chest. Left shoulder left arm left hand awareness travels to the belly. Relax the hips buttocks. The whole body. Relax the whole body. Relax the whole body. Begin to notice the rhythm of your breath in your relaxed body. Allow the rhythm of the breath to be smooth in your relaxed body.

Breath Counting Practice

SPEAKER_01 7:38

Begin to count from ten to one, following the rhythm of your breath. If you lose the number, start again at ten. When you get to the end, let the numbers fade away. Keep breathing. Inhale ten. Exhale. Inhale nine. Exhale. And listen to these words.

Opposites: Naming Emotions

SPEAKER_01 9:11

Words that are opposite. Bitter sweet. Joy. Sadness. Despair. Hope ease. Doubt. Trust. Surrender. Control. Dark light.

Feeling Joy And Sadness Together

SPEAKER_01 10:23

Now take a moment and allow your body to feel the following word. What does joy feel like in your body? Notice. Is there warmth? Fullness in your breath? A soft smile upon your face? Now feel sadness. What does sadness feel like? Heaviness? Heartache. The tender pull of a longing. A frown upon your face. Now notice and feel both joy and sadness. Feel joy and sadness. Neither dominates. Both exist joy and sadness.

Whole Body Awareness And Rest

SPEAKER_01 12:06

Feel the heaviness of your relaxed body. Feel the lightness of your relaxed body. Feel your whole body. Feel your whole body. Notice the rhythm of your breath. The breath moving through your relaxed body. Rested and relaxed in the presence of all of life, the bitter and the sweet. In this present moment, you are relaxed and rested.

Return To Intention And Close

SPEAKER_01 13:44

On your next breath, return to your intention. Return to the beginning words that you claimed. If you can't recall them, say to yourself, I am relaxed. I am rested. I am present. Slowly begin to wiggle your fingers and your toes. This concludes our Yoga Nidra. You may wish to continue your rest and settle into the quiet a bit longer. To go about your day, slowly roll off to your side and press up to seated. Take a few purposeful, present breaths.

Blessing And Community Invitation

SPEAKER_01 15:05

Creator God, we give thanks for the bitter and the sweet moments of life. Help us be present in all. Be with us as we go about our days. Relaxed, refreshed, and rested. In your holy name we pray. Amen. Thank you for exploring the gift of God's peace with me. I'd love to connect beyond this time, and if you'd like to be part of the community that makes this podcast possible, check out exploringpeace.com slash community. There's a yoga library, or you can simply buy me a cup of tea to say thanks. I'd love to hear from you and connect with you beyond the podcast. You can find more at Whitney Rsimpson.com, including my books and other resources. Until next time, may God's peace be with you.