By Tonya Minton

I invite you into a very big stretch. Open your arms out to your sides as far as you can reach and then reach further. Really stretch out and try to reach further. Gently twist checking in with your body and always doing what feels good, never allowing a pinching or a pull that doesn't renew you. Reach up with your arms really try to grow an inch or two. Really reach.

Perhaps stretch one arm up and one arm reaching for the floor. How does that feel to you today?? Switch arms. Gently whirl your arms around. Stretch as your body needs to stretch. When you are ready, come to a comfortable Mountain pose, eyes closed or softly focused, breathing naturally.

Take notice of your body. Check in with your alignment, feet shoulder distance apart.

Your weight is evenly distributed on your feet maybe move side to side and front to back to find your center today. Knees in line with your feet, hips in line with your knees, shoulders in line with your hips, head straight, jaw relaxed. Breathing. Arms are relaxed by your sides palms facing up or out in a posture of receiving. Breathing in and breathing out. Breathing in and breathing out.

Welcome yourself into this restful space. Continue breathing in and breathing out. Our practice today is designed to firstly pull you back into the present moment. It's so easy to focus on the things that have passed or to spend our time dreaming up the future-- both of which are important but can also cause stress + anxiety if we spend too much time there. But the moment we step into our meditation place we're making the choice to let all of that fall away so we can just be in the here and now. With our bodies. With our breath. Inhale. Exhale.

Even if it only lasts for a brief period of time before life rushes back in, that's all part of the practice.

This is a place that you can come back to as needed during your week anytime. Let's move to our places for a restful Yoga Nidra lay down or sit down in a very comfortable posture. Quietly, position yourself in such a way that your head, neck and trunk are aligned left and right. With a hand towel or something similar just under your head, not to raise it but to bring it in alignment with your body.

Roll a blanket or a place a bolster under your knees then Allow your feet to be a comfortable distance apart, adjust them as needed for comfort. Allow your arms to be a comfortable distance from your sides. Palms up, if it is comfortable. If not, palms down. Place your eye pillow over your eyes (if you have one).

Make yourself even more comfortable, wiggle and make yourself more comfortable. Our yoga Nidra practice today is an opportunity for you to rest. And rest within your community here. All are welcome in this community. Take in a deep breath Be comfortable and let go sink into the floor.

Be aware of your body.

Be aware of your whole body from the top of your head to your toes and from the tips of your toes to the crown of your head. However you feel your body is okay. You cannot do this incorrectly.

Be aware of your body. You have arrived here today and you are in exactly the right place at precisely the right time with precisely the right people gathered all around you, gathered all around you in this circle of belonging and everyone is welcome.

Welcome home to yourself.

Give the weight of the body down into the earth, rest now.

Breathe in and breathe out.

Breath in and breathe out.

My hope for you this week is that you will be able to find time this week to be present for yourself and to celebrate the little wins throughout your days. and know that your community will be cheering you on as you celebrate.

Living in the present requires us to sever ties with the experiences that are behind us, as well as disengage with the expectations and desires we have for the future.

But to achieve true presence, in any given moment, or even during a period of time in our lives, holds so much possibility. If we can free our minds from the knots that keep us wrapped up.

In what is no longer or does not yet, exist.

Doors to experiences and accomplishments we didn’t imagine possible open to us.

Presence, our presence, our presence to our lives.

Presence is grace in that it allows forgiveness and healing to take place; every moment.

Every day is fresh and new.

If we can let go of where we’ve been, we can more genuinely and compassionately meet ourselves where we’ve arrived. When we have offered ourselves compassion we are able to offer others compassion.

Rest here, breathing in your presence, your peace, your compassion.

Rest in the grace you are offering yourself.

Experience the stillness.

Experience the stillness

Experience stillness throughout your entire body.

Be aware of the stillness.

Allow the stillness to encircle your and calm you.

As we start to lean into this restful space today, I invite you to think of an intention you would like to carry with you this next week. Just a word or two. Just a word or two.

Just a word or two you want to carry with you. Survey your body from head to toe and toe to head.

However you feel, your body is okay.

You cannot do this incorrectly.

Using your inner eye. Look around.

What do you see looking through your inner eye.

Whatever you see is fine and however things look through your inner eye is just fine.

Observe the body as if you are really curious, looking into the small nooks and crannies, as if you are an explorer surveying a place for the first time in great depth.

Let your awareness move deep within the body and travel through the center of the bones and organs.

You may experience sensations in the physical body, maybe even in your organs and maybe in your bones.

Or you may experience a feeling or emotion, or a sensation of energy.

Any sensations you feel or ways of experiencing the body are welcome.

Let your awareness sink into your head, dropping deep within the head.

Allow your awareness to move through the head, behind the forehead, eyebrows and eyes.

Let’s move that Awareness through the center of the cheekbones and the jaw.

Feel your awareness as you move through your face.

Allow your Awareness to move down through the neck and to the right shoulder. Then your left shoulder, your right shoulder, your left shoulder. Let your awareness move deeper and deeper into the center of the bones, to the very bone marrow itself.

Allow your mind to travel through the bones of the right upper arm.

Through the elbow and right lower arm bones. And up and down your right arm. Awareness traveling through the center of the bones of the right wrist and the bones of the right hand and fingers.

Bring your Awareness now back through the bones of the right wrist. The lower arm and the elbow, the upper arm and the right shoulder.

Awareness moving to the left shoulder and down through the bones of the left upper arm.

Let your observation be keen yet relaxed.

Mind travels down through the left elbow and the bone marrow of the lower arm bones.

Awareness of the left wrist and bones of the hand. Move through the bones of the left fingers.

Let your mind travel back up through the center of the bones of the left wrist and lower arm.

Awareness moving through the left elbow and upper arm and back up to the left shoulder.

Let your awareness remain deep as it descends through the chest, moving through the two lungs.

Awareness moves through the heart and stomach, liver and gallbladder.

Pancreas, spleen and kidneys. Let's spend a moment more loving and caring for these organs. Continue to allow the mind to move through the intestines and reproductive organs. Let your awareness move into the center of the right hip. Allow the mind to move through the marrow of the right upper leg bone, through the right knee and lower leg bones.

Awareness continuing through the ankle, bones of the right foot and toes.

Observation moves back up through the bones of the ankle, lower leg and knee.

Continue to let the mind travel through the bone marrow of the right upper leg bone and hip.

Awareness travels through the center of the bones of the left hip.

Allow the mind to move through the marrow of the left upper leg bone.

Through the left knee and lower leg bones.

Awareness continuing through the ankle and bones of the left foot and toes.

Observation moves back up through the bones of the ankle, lower leg and knee.

Continue to let the mind travel through the bone marrow of the left upper leg bone and hip.

Awareness comes to the tip of the tailbone and moves inside the tailbone.

Let the mind travel up through the center of the tail bone and through each vertebrae of the

spine.

The mind travels up through the spine until it finally returns back to the center of the head.

Breathe in and breath out.

I believe that to have grace one must have peace and in order to have peace one must have some grace. Grace grows peace and from peace grace grows. When someone offers me grace a certain peace comes over me and my response from the peace that I have I can also offer grace. I also know that peace and grace are born from our relationship with God.

Allow your attention to come to rest on the forehead. Become aware of the point between the eyebrows.

You may experience the point as skin, bone or some other physical aspect or as a feeling, an awareness of energy such as a pulsing or vibration.

You may see the point with your inner eye. Maybe you a point of light, like a blue star

You may hear sound or have a memory. You do not need to look for any of these experiences, but know they can arise. Ephesians 4:7 says: "But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift."

Grace comes to us as a gift. It's not something we have to earn or grab for... it's a gift.

Scripture goes on to say.......

Luke 6:36 says: "Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful." the word grace can be substituted for merciful here, our take away from this scripture is that grace/or mercy comes from our father and we are to pass that grace on. I would even go so far as to say spread grace around like glitter, light God's light shine, let it stick to everything, and warm everything that it comes in contact with. Be aware of your throat

You may experience it in some physical way or as a feeling or energy point. Look around with your inner eye, allow the point of light, blue star to illuminate everything for you.

Be aware of your right shoulder.

Allow any sensations to arise.

Be aware of your right elbow.

Any sensations are welcome.

Simply observe without judgement what arises.

Be aware of your right wrist.

Be aware of the tip of your right thumb.

Tip of your right index finger.

Tip of your right middle finger.

Tip of your right ring finger.

Tip of your right little finger.

Be aware of your right wrist.

Be aware of your right elbow.

Your right shoulder.

Your throat.

Your left shoulder.

Your left elbow.

Your left wrist.

The tip of your left thumb.

The tip of your left index finger.

The tip of your left middle finger.

The tip of your left ring finger.

The tip of your left little finger.

Be aware of your left wrist.

Your left elbow.

Your left shoulder.

Your throat.

Be aware of the center of your chest.

Physical sensation, feeling, panic sensation, point of light, blue star.

Be aware of the right chest.

Be aware of the center of your chest.

Be aware of the left chest.

Center of the chest.

God has shown us that his ultimate showing of grace to us is through the giving of his son.

John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

The navel.

The Tailbone.

The right hip.

Allow any sensations to arise.

The right knee.

The right ankle.

The tip of the right big toe.

The tip of the right second toe.

The tip of the right third toe.

The tip of the right fourth toe.

The tip of the right little toe.

The right ankle.

The right knee.

The right hip.

The tailbone.

The left hip.

The left knee.

The left ankle.

The tip of the left big toe.

The tip of the left second toe.

The tip of the left third toe.

The tip of the left fourth toe.

The tip of the left little toe.

The left ankle.

The left knee.

The left hip.

The tailbone.

The navel.

The center of the chest.

The throat.

The point between the eyebrows.

Now let's turn our attention now to peace, our bodies are at peace right now, our physical bodies are resting and restoring and being renewed. as you breath in and out you can feel the peace that your body has. As we bring peace to the body we bring peace to the mind and the soul. the scriptures say in Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Rest now in the peace of God as you breathe as though your whole body is breathing. Without actually altering the physical breath in any way, simply focus the mind on the breath.

Visualize that you are exhaling from the top of your head down to your toes. Breathe as though you are inhaling from the toes up to the top of your head.

Exhale from the top of head down to the toes.

Inhale from the toes up to the top of the head. Continue to exhale from the top of the head down to the toes. Inhale from the toes up to the top of the head. Exhale from the top of the head down to the ankles.

Inhale from the ankles up to the top of the head. Continue to exhale from the top of the head down to the ankles. Inhale from the ankles to the top of the head.

Exhale from the top of the head down to the knees.

Inhale from the knees up to the top of the head.

Continue to exhale from the top of the head down to the knees.

Inhale from the knees up to the top of the head.

Exhale from the top of the head down to the tailbone.

Inhale from the tailbone to the crown of the head.

Exhale from the top of the head down to the navel.

Inhale from the navel up to the top of the head.

Exhale from the top of the head to the center of your chest.

Inhale from the space between the breasts up to the top of the head.

Exhale from the top of the head down to the throat.

Inhale from the throat up to the top of the head.

Exhale from the top of the head down to the space between your upper lip and your nose.

Inhale from the space between your upper lip and your nose up to the top of the head.

Exhale from the space between the eyebrows to the space between your upper lip and your

nose. Inhale from the space between your upper lip and your nose to the space between the

eyebrows. Continue to exhale from the space between the eyebrows to the point of your nose.

Inhale from the tip of your nose to the space between the eyebrows. Exhale from the top of the head down to the tip of your nose. Inhale from the tip of your nose up to the top of the head.

Exhale from the top of the head down to the throat. nhale from the throat up to the top of the head.

Exhale from the top of the head to the center of your chest.

Inhale from the center of your chest up to the top of the head.

Exhale from the top of the head down to the navel.

Inhale from the navel up to the top of the head.

Exhale from the top of the head down to the tailbone.

Inhale from the tailbone to the crown of the head.

Exhale from the top of the head down to the knees.

Inhale from the knees up to the top of the head.

Exhale from the top of the head down to the ankles.

Inhale from the ankles up to the top of the head.

Exhale from the top of head down to the toes.

Inhale from the toes up to the top of the head.

Be aware of the space between the eyebrows.

Breathe as though you are breathing from the space between the eyebrows.

(pause)

Be aware of the space at the throat.

Visualize at the throat: a moon.

Be aware of the space at the heart center. Go deep, deep within the space. Go deep into the silence. Empty, empty, empty.

Go deep into the stillness and the silence in the space of the heart. Feel the peace in your heart, feel the grace that has been given to you. Rest now in silence for several minutes basking in the balm of grace and peace.

Be aware of the space at the heart center.

Be aware of the deep stillness and silence that is in that space.

Allow your attention to carry that deep stillness and silence.

Be aware of the space at the throat bringing with you that deep stillness and silence.

Be aware of the space between the eyebrows.

Be aware of the quietness of your mind while remaining aware of that deep stillness and

silence that is beneath, behind or subtler than the mind.

Be aware of the smoothness of the breath while continuing to remain aware of that deep stillness and silence inside of, deeper than the breath.

Be aware of the stillness of the physical body while holding awareness of that deep stillness and silence. While you remain aware of that deep stillness and silence that is underneath, behind, or subtler than the quiet mind, the smooth breath and the still body, gently move your fingers and toes.

Continue to move your fingers and toes. Begin to move your arms and legs, awakening them gently.

Move however you wish as you integrate the experience of Yoga Nidra into your waking state.

Bring that deep stillness and silence with you. Keep it with you while you resolve to return to this state of deep stillness and silence often. slowly open your eyes as you come to a sitting position

Psalm 23 NRSV - A Psalm of David: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.”

May you be present to the peace and grace of God. May you offer grace as often as you can. May you grasp and hold on to the peace of God that fills your heart, soul, mind and body. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Yoga NIDRA is led monthly by Trained Spiritual Director Tonya Minton. Check out the full listing of Retreat House events here.