Welcome to your yoga nidra practice.
This yoga nidra is offered to help you reset your nervous system and provide immediate and prolonged relief from periods of stress or anxiety.
So I invite you to find a quiet and comfortable position to lie down,
Settle in,
Allow your body to become still,
Close your eyes gently.
Take a long slow inhale through your nose and a long slow exhale.
Allow yourself to relax and let go.
This meditative practice is one of surrender.
There is nothing for you to do here.
As you follow my guidance your body will enter deeper and deeper states of rest while your mind enters the realm that exists between sleeping and waking.
The intention is to remain awake but allow whatever needs to happen to happen.
Feel your shoulders drop towards the ground.
Let any tension fall like sand.
Picture the room you're in in great detail.
See your body lying perfectly still,
Listening to the sound of your breath.
Simply witness.
Feel yourself becoming more and more relaxed,
Falling deeper and deeper into a state of rest.
From this place of rest we state our heart's intention or sankopa.
You may use I am calm,
I am safe,
I am resilient.
Sit in your heart space and wait for your intention to arise and then repeat it to yourself three times and let it go.
Now bring all of your attention to the crown of your head,
Right eye,
Left eye,
The place just above and between your eyes,
Right hand thumb,
Pointer finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
Pinky finger,
Palm of the right hand,
Back of the hand,
Wrist,
Lower arm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Right shoulder,
Waist,
Right hip,
Right thigh,
Knee,
Crown of the head,
Left thigh,
Calf muscle,
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole of the right foot,
Right big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe,
Left hand thumb,
Pointer finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
Pinky finger,
Palm of the hand,
Back of the hand,
Lower arm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Left shoulder,
Right hand thumb,
Pointer finger,
Ring finger,
Palm of the hand,
Wrist,
Lower arm,
Elbow,
Sole of the left foot,
Top of the foot,
Left big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe,
Back of the body,
Spine,
Top of the head,
Forehead,
Right eyelid,
Left eyelid,
Tip of the nose,
Lips,
Chin,
Jaw,
Throat,
Right collarbone,
Left collarbone,
Heart,
Heart space,
Navel,
Sacrum,
Base of the spine,
Soles of the feet,
The whole body.
Become aware of the whole body,
The air around the body,
Where skin meets air.
Now feel where your breath enters the body,
How it moves within the body,
Deeply resting.
Feel a sensation of heaviness in the body.
Become aware of the weight in your bones.
Allow yourself to surrender to gravity.
Now awaken a feeling of lightness,
A sensation of weightlessness,
Like floating through space.
Now bring these two feelings together,
Heavy and light.
Now bring on the feeling of seeking,
Seeking wisdom,
Seeking guidance.
Now bring on the feeling of having found your way,
Inner knowing,
Inner peace.
Can you bring these two feelings together?
Seeking and knowing.
Imagine someone or something you love very much,
Past or present.
Hold them in your mind and your heart and let this feeling of love wash over you.
Rest here in your heart space,
In this feeling of love.
Bring your attention to the gentle darkness behind your eyelids.
Imagine before you a white egret,
A sandy shore,
Stormy sky.
The smell of lavender,
Sunlight beaming through the clouds,
A blue stone in the palm of your hand.
A waterfall in the forest,
A tall pine tree,
Golden moonlight,
A burning ember,
Red maple leaves,
Soft earth.
Resting here in the soft earth.
Recall your heart's intention and silently repeat it to yourself.
Become aware again of your breath.
Simply watching your natural breath.
Allow yourself to come back to your waking body.
Feel the weight of your muscles and your bones.
Feel the support beneath you.
Notice if you feel calmer and more grounded.
Take a deep cleansing breath in and let it go with a sigh.
The practice of yoga nidra is now complete.
