Yoga Nidra For Stress

Welcome to this Yoga Nidra practice to destress, fall awake, and come back into the body. As you 'fall awake' in this practice you are invited to come home to your inner calm, to rest in the body, and to have some time and space to support and nurture yourself.

Transcript

You are so welcome to this Yoga Nidra practice. This is a Yoga Nidra for falling awake, For coming home to our own inner calm, For resting in the body, For supporting and nurturing ourselves. So welcome. Inviting you now, If you're not already doing so, To lie down on a bed or a mat on the floor and taking a little time to let the body sink into the surface that's supporting you. Allow yourself some time and space to get comfortable. Make any adjustments if you wish. Often tiny adjustments lets the body have a little more ease. So take your time with this important beginning of the Yoga Nidra. Take your feet wider than your hips, Allowing the feet to flop to the sides. Palms a little away from the hips, Allowing your armpits to breathe. Take a moment to make sure you are warm enough, But not too warm. Take a position now that would be comfortable for the entire duration of this practice. Relax your shoulders. Relax your arms. Relax your hips. Your back. Your knees. Your ankles. Lift your head a couple of times to release any tight spots from the back of your neck. Lifting the head, Slight stretch. Resting the head back. Lifting the head, Slight stretch. Resting back. Now inviting your eyes to gently close. Keeping them closed for the entire duration of the practice now. Taking some time to notice any sensations of tension or tight spots in any part of your body just now. Take some gentle, Kindly awareness to that body part and consciously allow it to relax. It's best if you can remain still during the practice of Yoga Nidra. However, If you become uncomfortable, Absolutely shift a little, Move a little. Doing it slowly so that the movement itself becomes part of the practice. It is entirely natural to flow in and out of conscious hearing during this practice. So there are no mistakes. Nothing will go wrong. No problem if you find your mind is taking you elsewhere. Understand that whatever your experience is today is the experience that's meant for you just right now. There is no way to do this wrong. Know that you are in a safe environment and a protected space. Stay awake by listening to the sound of my voice. And when you notice your mind wandering, Which is very natural, Just come back again and again to the sound of my voice. Now say to yourself, I am practicing Yoga Nidra. I am awake and will remain awake till the end of the practice. And I will come out of the practice when I'm asked to do so. The practice of Yoga Nidra begins now. Become aware of any sounds you hear in this moment. Nothing else but what you can hear without straining your ears. Begin by focusing on the most distant sounds. Moving your attention from sound to sound without labelling the source. Noticing sound. Now move your awareness to sounds within the room you're sitting in. To the sound of your own breath. The sound of your breath flowing freely between your nostrils. Now visualize yourself within the room you're doing this practice in. Visualize the four walls of this room without opening your eyes. The ceiling. The floor. The walls. Visualize your position in the room. Your body lying on the surface supporting you. The parts of your body touching the mat. Your clothes. Your hair. Your face. Your entire body lying on the mat. Become aware of your natural breath. Tuning in to the natural and spontaneous breath that moves in and out of your body without any effort. The natural breath flows in through both nostrils. Notice the feeling of the breath as it comes in and out of your nostrils. It is now time for you to make your sankalpa or resolution. Sankalpa is a Sanskrit term translating to intention or resolve. Your practice of sankalpa is a powerful way of setting positive and affirmative intention. The sankalpa is a long-term goal. The language is simple and concise and in the present tense. Your sankalpa is unique and private to you. Some examples that will help you to uncover put words to your own sankalpa. I am healthy and happy. I am able to take time for myself every day. I have inner peace and calm. I enjoy plenty of rest and restore. So taking a little time now, Make your sankalpa or resolution. And when you know your sankalpa, I want you to repeat it three times to yourself. Clearly, With faith and focus. We will now begin a systemic journey of awareness throughout the body. You will move your awareness to different parts of your body as soon as you hear them named. We will begin with the right side. Right arm. Right shoulder. Right side of the chest. Right side of waist. Whole of right leg. Moving to the left side. Left arm. Left shoulder. Left side of chest. Left side of waist. Whole of left leg. Now go to the back of the body. Back of your feet. Back of your legs. Lower back. Middle back. Upper back. Back of the shoulders. Back of neck. Back of head. Awareness to the front side of the body. Top of the head. Whole face. Throat. Neck. Collarbones. Chest. Abdomen. Navel. Pelvic floor. The whole body. The whole body. The whole body. Become aware of your breath now. Feel the flow of your natural breath in and out of your nostrils. The breathing is normal and spontaneous without any effort. Maintaining awareness of your breath. Continue to breathe through the belly. With every inhalation, The abdomen is expanding. With every exhale, The navel is drawing towards the spine. Now as you breathe in, Mentally say the number nine in your head. And as you breathe out, Mentally repeat nine to yourself. Breathe in, Say eight to yourself. And as you breathe out, Repeat eight to yourself. Continue in this way, Counting backwards from nine to one. With every inhale and exhale. If you lose track of the count midway, No problem, No worries. Beginning again from nine. Breathing in, Mentally say the number nine in your head. Breathing out, Mentally repeat nine to yourself. And on down through the numbers until you reach one. Gradually come back to the feeling of your breath flowing in and out of your nostrils. Maintaining your awareness of breath. Become aware of your physical body. Your body is relaxed. And lying on the floor or the bed, The surface supporting you. Feel the different parts of your body lying on this support. And take your awareness into all the points that are touching this support. The back of your heels. Thighs. The back. Shoulder blades. Arms. Hands. And head. Shift your attention to sounds within your room. The sound of your breath. Sounds around the space you're lying on. Sound of my voice. Now move your attention to sounds outside the room. Sounds you can hear without strain. Move your awareness back to the room. Move your awareness back to inside the room and visualize the room. Imagine where you are in the room. And the other objects that are around you. Lie down quietly until you feel ready to move. Start by slowly moving your hands and feet. Take your time. There is no hurry. When you are sure that you're fully awake, Bend your knees and roll over to the right side. Spend a few moments here revisiting your practice. Feeling safe, Secure, Calm and peaceful. When you are ready, Use your left hand to press yourself up from the surface supporting you. And allow yourself to sit up in any comfortable position. Remain sitting in this stillness for a couple of moments. Take a deep inhalation. And exhale out completely. Bring your palms together to your heart center. And rub your palms. Transfer the warmth of your palms to your eyes. Rub your palms one more time together until they generate some heat. And this time, Place your palms on any part of the body that may need comfort, Healing. Bring your palms in front of your eyes. Open your eyes. And look into your palms. Blink your eyes open. Thank you. The practice of Yoga Nidra is now complete.