Let's get back into the body.
If you're reaching for this instead of a nap,
You're in the right place.
A nap can be wonderful,
But it can also leave you groggy,
Foggy,
Harder to wake from than you expected.
Yoga Nidra works quite differently.
You'll stay conscious throughout,
Resting in the space between waking and sleep,
And you'll come out on the other side more deeply rested than 20 minutes of actual sleep could give you.
Yoga Nidra helps to reset the nervous system bringing you into some of the deepest states of rest the body has access to and it will leave you clearer,
Calmer and more like yourself on the other side There's nothing to do here except stay with my voice.
If you fall asleep,
That's fine too.
Your body will get what it needs either way.
So get everything you need to be comfy and cozy to lay down,
Perhaps a pillow under the head or the knees,
Maybe an eye pillow or something to cover your eyes.
Let your body settle into complete stillness.
This is part of the practice.
Once you're settled,
Try not to move or adjust for the rest of our time together.
If you do need to move that's okay just return to stillness after We start by taking two sips of air in through the nose.
And release it through the mouth One more in.
And all the way out.
And now let your breathing return to its own natural rhythm allowing the mind to dissolve temporarily in order to be present with this experience Before we begin,
Take a moment to bring to mind a sankalpa,
A short positive resolve.
Something simple,
Present tense,
As if it's already true.
If you aren't already working with one you might choose I trust my body to rest deeply and restore each layer of itself.
Silently repeat this resolve to yourself now two or three times.
Let it settle into the background.
You don't need to hold on to it.
Now we'll move through the body.
Just bring your attention to each potty part briefly,
The way a spotlight might pass over each spot,
And move on.
Let's begin.
Right hand thumb.
Index finger.
Middle finger.
Ring finger.
Little finger.
Palm of the right hand.
Back of the right hand.
Wrist,
Forearm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
Right side of the neck right ear.
Left hand thumb.
Index finger.
Middle finger.
Ring finger.
Little finger.
Palm of the left hand.
Back of the left hand.
Wrist.
Forearm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder left side of the neck.
Left ear.
Top of the head.
Forehead.
Right eyebrow left eyebrow.
Space between the eyebrows.
Right eye,
Left eye,
Right cheek,
Left cheek,
Tip of the nose.
Upper lip lower lip.
Chin.
Ja.
Throat.
Right side of the chest.
Left side of the chest.
Center of the chest.
Upper right abdomen.
Upper left abdomen.
Lower right abdomen lower left abdomen.
Belly button.
Right hip,
Right thigh right knee.
Right shin.
Right ankle right heel.
Sole of the right foot.
Big toe.
Second toe.
Middle toe.
Fourth toe.
Little talk.
Left hip,
Left thigh left knee.
Left shin.
Left ankle.
Left heel.
Soul of the foot.
Big toe.
Second toe.
Middle toe.
Fourth toe.
Little talk.
Now bring awareness to the whole right side of the body.
The whole left side of the body.
The whole back of the body.
The whole front of the body.
And now the entire body all at once.
Just resting in awareness of the whole body as one field lying here.
Now bring your attention to the natural flow of breath wherever you feel it most easily.
We'll count the breaths together,
Silently backward from 10.
Inhale.
.
.
10.
.
.
Exhale 10.
Inhale,
Nine.
Exhale 9 Inhale 8.
.
.
Exhale 8 Inhale seven.
Exhale seven.
Inhale,
Six.
.
.
Exhale,
Six.
.
.
Inhale five.
Exhale,
Five.
Inhale,
Four… Exhale,
4.
.
.
Inhale three.
.
.
Exhale 3.
.
.
Inhale to release.
Exhale too.
Inhale,
One.
.
.
Exhale once.
Release the count.
Breathe naturally.
Now without trying to create anything.
See if you can recall the sensation of heaviness in the body.
Perhaps the weight of the limbs sinking down into the surface beneath you.
Heaviness.
And now the opposite.
See if you can sense lightness as though the body could float weightless lightness.
Back to heaviness once more.
Heavy,
Sinking,
Supported.
Now bring to mind the sensation of warmth.
Perhaps sunlight on the skin.
Or a warm blanket.
And now coolness,
A cool breeze touching your skin or cool water coolness.
Let the body rest now in a place of ease.
Neither reaching for warmth or coolness heavy or light.
Simply be here Now we'll move through a series of images.
Just witness each one as it passes.
The way you would watch clouds move across the sky.
Starting with a vast open sky.
Single bird flying across its sky.
Mountain still and unmoving.
River moving past the mountain.
A small boat.
Resting on the water.
A quiet beach.
Waves arriving and receding.
A candle flame,
Steady in a still room.
A quiet room with a window.
Perhaps you know this room already from another time you rested here.
The light coming through the window is soft.
And warm.
Now let all the images fade.
Just open empty space.
Rest here.
Bring to mind once more.
The resolve you set at the beginning.
Silently repeat it to yourself now two or three times with full sincerity.
Let it settle in deeper than before.
Slowly now.
Begin to deepen the breath.
Bring your awareness back to the body as a whole.
Lying here.
Support it.
Begin to notice the surface beneath you again the temperature of the room.
Any sounds nearby.
Very gently.
Start to bring small movements back to the body.
Wiggle the fingers,
The toes maybe stretch the arms overhead lengthening through the whole body whenever you're ready.
Roll over to one side and pause there for a moment.
Before it slowly disappears.
Coming up to sit.
Take another breath here.
And notice how you feel.
Rested.
Clear.
Ready for whatever's next.
Welcome back.
You found your way back into the body.
