Quieting The Mind- Guided Yoga Nidra

The process of quieting the mind in Yoga Nidra is about releasing mental chatter to reach a state of inner peace. We will focus on being intentional and mindful while carrying a sense of calm with us long after the practice. Join for this restorative practice that will lead to a quiet mind and calm presence.

Transcript

Welcome to this guided yoga nidra practice.

My name is Ashley.

Thank you so much for being here.

The practice of yoga nidra can be referred to as a dynamic sleep,

Where you are in a state of deep relaxation with awareness,

Allowing the opening to the inner chambers of your mind.

During the practice,

Remain aware,

Listen to my voice,

And move the mind rapidly with the instructions given.

Keep your mind moving from point to point and be aware of every experience.

View any experiences that arise with awareness and detachment,

No concentration.

We will practice in shavasana,

Lying on your back.

Some prefer to lie on their side or sitting,

And that's okay too.

Take a few moments to make yourself comfortable,

Adjusting your body position,

Your clothing or blanket,

Shrugging your shoulders away from your ears and allowing for a slight tuck of the chin.

Let your feet naturally fall apart,

Placing your hands beside you or letting them rest on your belly.

Take a deep breath and as you breathe out,

Feel the cares and worries of the day flow out of you.

An aspect of yoga nidra is quieting the mind.

Today's practice will help quiet the mind by guiding attention away from distractions and bringing it inward,

Where stillness and peace can be cultivated.

If you haven't already,

Begin to close your eyes,

Find stillness in the body,

And bring some awareness to your breath.

Where your awareness goes,

The energy flows.

Feel your belly rise on the inhale and feel your belly soften back down on the exhale.

Rising on the inhale,

Softening down on the exhale.

Take a deep breath in,

Feeling calmness spreading throughout your whole body.

And on the exhale,

With ease,

Allow for any worries or tensions to flow away.

With each breath,

Allow yourself to relax more deeply.

Become aware of your body and relax completely,

Feeling your shoulders and your hips getting heavy towards the earth.

Complete relaxation.

Take a moment here to settle into your space.

As you surrender into this relaxation,

Notice the spaces between your body and the earth beneath you becoming smaller and smaller.

Your body relaxed,

Lying on the floor.

Visualize your body lying on the floor.

Total awareness of your body lying on the floor.

Witness the stillness.

Become aware of sounds in the distance,

The most distant sound you can hear.

Without placing any labels on it,

Just notice.

Gradually bring your attention to closer sounds,

Sounds within this room.

Without too much thought,

Just notice.

Begin to guide your attention inward and allow for everything outside of my voice to disappear.

My voice will be a friendly guide along this journey,

But the journey itself is yours.

Let us journey into a full surrender to observe and witness what resides within.

The practice of Yoga Nidra begins now.

Set the intention to be awake and aware as you practice Yoga Nidra.

Say to yourself three times,

I will stay awake and aware through this practice of Yoga Nidra.

I will stay awake and aware through this practice of Yoga Nidra.

I will stay awake and aware through this practice of Yoga Nidra.

You will now create your Sankalpa,

Your intention.

This is a short,

Positive,

Clear statement that is vital in sowing the seed of change.

Your Sankalpa is a seed which you create and sow in the bed of your mind.

This deeply held affirmation aligns with your highest truth or purpose.

When paired with practices to quiet the mind,

A Sankalpa can guide your inner world towards peace and clarity.

If you are already working with a Sankalpa,

Wonderful.

If not,

I invite you to use one that aligns with our theme of quieting the mind.

Perhaps one of these.

I am calm and centered.

I am open to peace and tranquility.

I am present.

Bring to your mind's eye your Sankalpa,

I am statement.

Repeat it internally three times with deep heartfelt presence.

I am.

I am.

We will now begin our rotation of consciousness,

The rotation of awareness.

Follow my voice and as quickly as possible allow your awareness to go from part to part.

In your mind,

Simultaneously repeat the name while bringing awareness to it.

Become aware of the right hand.

Right hand thumb.

Second finger.

Third finger.

Fourth finger.

Fifth finger.

Palm of the hand.

Become aware of the palm.

Back of the hand.

Wrist.

Lower arm.

Elbow.

Upper arm.

Shoulder.

Armpit.

Right waist.

Right hip.

Right thigh.

Kneecap.

Calf muscle.

Ankle.

Heel.

Sole of the right foot.

Big toe.

Second toe.

Third toe.

Fourth toe.

Fifth toe.

Tips of the toes.

Become aware of the left hand.

Left hand thumb.

Second finger.

Third finger.

Fourth finger.

Fifth finger.

Palm of the hand.

Become aware of the palm.

Back of the hand.

Wrist.

Lower arm.

Elbow.

Armpit.

Upper arm.

Shoulder.

Left waist.

Left hip.

Left thigh.

Kneecap.

Calf muscle.

Elbow.

Ankle.

Heel.

Sole of the foot.

Top of the foot.

Big toe.

Second toe.

Third toe.

Fourth toe.

Fifth toe.

Tips of the toes.

Now move awareness to the back body.

Back of the head.

Back of the neck.

Right shoulder.

Left shoulder.

Right shoulder blade.

Left shoulder blade.

Right buttock.

Left buttock.

The spine.

The whole of the back together.

Now rest the awareness in the front body.

Top of the head.

Forehead.

Right eyebrow.

Right eyebrow.

Left eyebrow.

Eyebrow center.

Right eyelid.

Left eyelid.

Right eye.

Left eye.

Right ear.

Left ear.

Right ear.

Right cheek.

Left cheek.

Nose.

Tip of the nose.

Right nostril.

Left nostril.

Upper lip.

Lower lip.

Both lips together.

Chin.

Jaw.

Throat.

Right collarbone.

Left collarbone.

Right chest.

Left chest.

Middle of the chest.

Chest.

Navel.

Abdomen.

Lower abdomen.

Whole of the right leg.

Whole of the left leg.

Both legs together.

Whole of the right arm.

Whole of the left arm.

Both arms together.

Whole of the back.

Whole of the front.

Whole of the head.

Together.

Legs.

Arms.

Back.

Front.

Head.

Together.

The whole of the body together.

The whole of the body together.

The whole of the body together.

Refrain from sleep.

Say to yourself,

I am awake and aware.

I am practicing Yoga Nidra.

Now bring your awareness to your breath.

Don't try to change it.

Just observe.

Notice the natural rhythm of our breathing.

How it enters and leaves your body effortlessly.

Observe how it moves in and out of your lungs.

Expanding your chest and abdomen as you inhale.

Notice the warmth of the air as you exhale.

And how your body softens with each breath out.

Take a moment to simply observe your breath.

Notice if it is shallow or deep.

Fast or slow.

There is no need to judge.

Just observe with curiosity.

Breathing naturally.

No effort.

We will now begin the practice of alternate nostril breathing mentally.

This is mental awareness of breathing.

We will begin breathing through alternate nostrils.

Counting backwards from 21 to 1 as follows.

21 Inhale,

Left nostril.

21 Exhale,

Right nostril.

20 Inhale,

Right nostril.

20 Exhale,

Left nostril.

19 Inhale,

Left nostril.

19 Exhale,

Right nostril.

18 Inhale,

Right nostril.

18 Exhale,

Left nostril.

And so on.

If you lose count,

That's okay.

Simply begin again at 21.

Now let go of the counting.

And focus on the natural rhythm of your breath.

If you didn't complete your counting,

That's alright.

Give yourself permission to release any disappointment.

Allow yourself to rest in this silence.

There is no need to think.

No need to do anything.

Just be here in this moment of pure peace.

As you rest in this stillness,

Know that you can return to this place of quiet whenever you need.

It is always available to you like a deep well of calmness within.

We will now begin exploring physical and mental visualizations.

Allow any of these sensations,

Feelings,

Or images that arise to flow through you like water.

No attachments.

No judgment.

No concentration.

The sensation of cold.

Awaken the experience of bitter cold in the body.

Shivering cold.

As if you were standing outside in the icy wind.

Walking across a cold floor barefoot in the winter.

Or taking a cold plunge.

Feel the sensation of chilling cold penetrate the whole body.

Awareness of bitter cold.

The whole body cold.

The whole body cold.

Awaken to the sensation of heat.

The experience of heat.

Feel the body becoming very hot.

Heat throughout the whole body.

Recall the feeling of being hot.

From the summer sun.

Sitting by a blazing fire.

Soaking in a hot tub.

Heat all over the body.

Heat all around the body.

Awareness of heat.

The whole body hot.

The whole body hot.

Now bring the sensation of both hot and cold into your awareness.

Feeling equally hot and equally cold.

Awareness to both sensations at the same time.

Imagine them merging into a balanced state.

Visualize a color or image that represents this integration.

The experience of pain.

Awaken the experience of pain.

Become aware of a time when you felt pain.

Physical or mental.

Recollect this feeling.

Where in your body do you feel this tension?

This pain?

Pain in the body.

Pain in the body.

Release the sensation of pain and bring to your awareness the sensation of pleasure.

Experience the feeling of pleasure.

Any pleasure.

Physically,

Mentally.

Maybe pleasure belonging to the sense of taste.

Pleasure belonging to hearing or seeing.

Deepen your awareness.

The experience of pleasure.

Pleasure in the body.

Pleasure in the whole body.

Bring your awareness to the sensation of movement.

Like a gentle wave or a flowing river.

Visualize the movement flowing through your body.

Bringing energy and fluidity.

The stream of energy moving through your body creating a flow of vitality and light.

Deepen your awareness.

The experience of movement.

Movement in the body.

Movement throughout the whole body.

Awaken the feeling of stillness.

Calm.

Motionless.

Like a single dew drop at the edge of a leaf caught in the stillness of dawn.

Bring your awareness to a place of stillness within your body.

Notice the quiet,

Calm sensation as your body is still.

Peaceful.

Tranquil.

Experience this stillness.

Stillness in the whole body.

The whole body still.

The whole body still.

Experience movement and stillness together.

Visualize how they coexist within you harmoniously.

Now bring your attention to the inner space between your eyebrows.

Your third eye.

Chidakash.

Feel the infinite darkness.

Become aware of the darkness that resides here.

The open space where thoughts and consciousness exist.

I am going to name a number of different things and you should try to visualize them on all levels.

Feeling,

Awareness,

Imagination,

As best you can.

We will move quickly through these.

Hold no attachment to what arises and keep your mind moving point to point.

Crackling fire.

Wild flowers.

An old book.

Raindrop.

Night sky.

A single blade of grass.

Stone bench.

A rose.

Seabird.

River.

Morning mist.

Morning mist.

Morning mist.

Imagine you are standing at the edge of a vast peaceful mountain landscape.

The air is crisp and fresh.

And a gentle breeze brushes against your skin.

Carrying the whispers of the ancient pines.

As you take a deep breath,

The coolness fills your lungs.

Grounding you in this tranquil place.

You imagine your mind becoming as still as the mountain.

Free from any distractions.

Rooted firmly in the present moment.

Just like a mountain stands through the ages.

You look out over the vast mountain range stretching before you.

Peaks are dusted with snow.

Pristine and undisturbed.

The valleys bathed in green.

The sky is a deep blue.

Almost endless.

With a few wisps of clouds floating lazily.

There is a stillness here.

A quiet that feels like it has always existed.

Timeless and unbroken.

The only sound is the soft rustle of the wind through the trees.

And the occasional echo of a falling stone.

Each breath you take seems to slow time.

Bringing a profound sense of peace.

You feel completely at ease.

Free from the noise of the world.

Connected to the serenity of nature.

As you walk slowly along a path that winds through the trees.

Your footsteps are soft and almost silent.

The ground beneath you is firm but the path is smooth.

Guiding you effortlessly deeper into the heart of the mountains.

The air feels purer with each step.

And with every inhale you feel a deeper sense of calm and clarity.

You come to a small clearing.

A perfect spot to rest.

You take a seat on a smooth flat rock.

And as you close your eyes.

The stillness of the mountains seems to settle inside of you.

Quieting your thoughts.

In this moment nothing matters.

But the peacefulness of the present.

You are completely here in this moment.

In perfect harmony with the land,

The sky and yourself.

A glimmer in the forest catches your eye.

Like a secret whispered by the trees.

You begin to walk towards it.

And find a glass sphere sitting on a tree stump.

The sphere is smooth.

Capturing the surrounding light like a perfect mirror.

The world around it distorts and refracts.

Twisting into surreal shapes.

As if viewing reality through a dreamlike lens.

Every tiny movement of light dances across its surface.

Creating a kaleidoscope of shifting colors.

As you pick up the sphere.

An immense feeling of peace comes over you.

Like an embrace from your sankalpa.

Your heartfelt desire.

Feel your sankalpa permeate your being.

Calming your thoughts.

And deepening your sense of inner stillness.

There is a sense of spaciousness around you.

A feeling that there is no rush.

No need to be anywhere else.

The mountains hold a quiet wisdom.

A reminder that peace can be found when we allow ourselves to simply be.

With each breath you feel more connected to the stillness.

Your mind becomes like the clear sky above.

Vast.

Open.

And calm.

In this sacred space time slows.

And your body and mind relax completely.

Take a deep breath.

Feeling the peace of the mountains in every cell of your body.

Know that this stillness is always here.

Always available to you.

Whenever you need it.

As you slowly begin to bring your awareness back to the present moment.

Carry this sense of calm with you.

Knowing that the mountains stillness is within you.

Always.

Begin to bring your awareness back to your sankalpa.

The intention you made at the beginning of practice.

Your heart's vow.

With a deep breath,

Repeat it mentally.

With a sense of belief and sincerity.

Feel the positive energy of your intention soaking into your being.

I am.

I am.

I am.

I am.

Relax all efforts.

Draw your mind outside and become aware of your breathing.

To the natural state of your breath.

Develop awareness of your physical existence.

Become aware of the meeting points between your body and the earth beneath you.

Your heels.

Calves.

Hips.

Shoulder blades.

Back of the head.

Open awareness of your surroundings and the noises within the space you are in.

Lie quietly for a few moments and keep your eyes closed.

You may begin to make small movements to the body.

Moving your fingers and your toes.

Stretching yourself.

Take your time.

There is no rush.

The practice of yoga nidra is now complete.

Take a final deep breath in.

Exhaling completely.

Namaste.