Hi,
My name is Allison and I would like to lead you through a yoga nidra practice for releasing tension and stress.
This practice is a guided sleep-based meditation and it's generally done laying down in a dark,
Quiet room.
You can also use it right before bed to settle your mind and prepare yourself for sleep.
And it's just as good during a lunch break or a midday break.
Yogis say that 45 minutes of yoga nidra is equivalent to approximately 3 hours of sleep.
So it's very restorative because it drops you into the delta brainwave states and that is where we as a human being can restore and come back to homeostasis.
So if you're looking to get a little bit of relief from your stress or perhaps just restore,
Resonate,
Welcome,
Get comfortable,
Grab pillows,
Blankets,
Make sure that you have a blanket in case it's cool in the room because the body temperature does tend to drop while we meditate.
And while you get settled,
I'm going to read a little quote for us today.
Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know.
And that's by Pema Chodron.
So once you are laying down on your back preferably,
If you are in a chair because you're at work and don't have the ability to lay down flat,
That's okay too.
Just perhaps have yourself as propped up in a comfortable,
Relaxed position as you can.
And for this next part,
We are going to,
If you're on your back or on the floor on a bed,
We're going to curl ourselves up into a ball.
So if you are either unable to do that due to physical limitations,
The clothing that you're wearing,
Or because you are in a chair,
Feel free to just tense the muscles of your body without rolling yourself into a ball.
The intention here is just to build tension within your body and then release the tension.
So you will experience the same benefit if you just simply flex the muscles in your body as opposed to curling into a ball.
So just keep that in mind and do not feel left out.
So let's get started.
On your back,
We're going to do what's called a stress ball.
Now we will consciously embrace and release our current tensions and holdings.
So while lying on your back,
As I mentioned,
You're going to bring into your mind any current challenges or worries.
Just invite them all in to be into your awareness.
Let them all join you here in this moment.
Allow any tiredness,
Stress,
Or difficulty,
Any tension.
Bring it all into your awareness,
Allowing them all to be present.
With a big breath in,
Lift your head,
Arms,
And legs,
Curling your entire body into a ball,
Squeezing your knees into your chest,
Again,
Tensing your muscles if you're unable to do this.
Holding the tension here,
Squeeze all the stress,
Worries,
And tension inward as you continue to breathe,
Holding the tension.
Hold and squeeze it all in.
Breathe,
Hold the body,
Squeeze,
Squeeze,
Even more.
And now release.
And as you do so,
Let your arms and your legs fall down,
The whole body melting into the ground or the bed beneath you,
The feet flopping out to the side,
Taking a nice natural breath in.
And as you breathe out,
Letting go even more,
Feeling the effect of the release of the tension.
And now we'll repeat this once more.
And this time,
Focus on the body as we release the tension.
With a big breath in,
Lift your head,
Arms,
Legs,
Curl your entire body into a ball,
Squeezing your knees into your chest.
Squeeze it all into the center and hold and breathe,
Hold,
Hold,
Squeeze,
Even tighter.
And now let it all go,
Letting your body just flail out as comfortable,
Melting into the ground or the bed beneath you.
Let the body drop completely,
Melting further and further into the points holding you,
Either the bed,
The floor,
Or the chair.
With your next exhale,
Let go of all the tension you've been holding,
Allowing it to dissolve away as you rest in total stillness.
Feel the release.
And now place your hands on your belly and bring your attention to your breath.
Allow the stomach muscles to relax and feel the breath moving down deep into your belly,
Releasing your belly rising and your belly falling with each breath.
Inhaling your belly is rising,
Exhaling your belly is relaxing.
Inhale,
Belly rising,
Exhale,
Belly softening.
Breathe deeply.
We will take 10 more breaths here,
Counting them just like this.
One,
Belly rising.
One,
Belly falling.
Two,
Belly rising.
Two,
Belly falling.
Three,
Belly rising.
Three,
Belly falling.
Continuing silently at your own pace,
Letting each breath be a little deeper than the last.
Feel the belly moving as you breathe.
Stay with your count.
If you lose count,
Just begin again.
Feel the belly moving as you breathe in and as you breathe out.
Each breath a little slower than the last.
Attentive to the sensation of breath rising and falling in your belly.
Breath slowing down now,
Your face is relaxed,
Your body is heavy.
Once you finish your 10 breaths,
Slowly release the hands down to the side,
Palms facing up,
Feeling the whole body being breathed,
Feeling the whole body relaxed and at ease,
Completely surrendered.
Now I will offer an intention for our practice today,
But please feel that you can always use your own intention instead.
I handle life's challenges with strength,
Grace and ease.
I handle life's challenges with strength,
Grace and ease.
Take the time now to adjust yourself and be sure that you are lying down very comfortably.
Let your legs and feet flop out or leave your knees bent if that is more comfortable.
Release your arms down a little away from the sides,
Palms still facing up.
You may wish at this time to cover yourself with a blanket as the body temperature does tend to drop throughout the practice.
Perhaps cover your eyes to block out light and reduce stimuli now.
If at this time you can do anything more to make yourself just a little bit more comfortable,
Please do so.
As you receive these words,
Take your time.
Wait until every cell of your body begins to respond to my words.
This style of yoga nidra works with prana,
Life energy,
Which allows you to feel and sense sensation as a medium to connect with being.
Whenever you feel the pull inward,
Allow yourself to let go.
When your mind comes back in,
Anchor your attention on my guidance.
Be as still as possible throughout the remainder of this session.
This is so as not to disturb your sense of relaxation.
Affirm that you will participate wholeheartedly throughout the practice.
Resolve to remain awake and aware.
Stay connected to the sound of my voice and trust in my careful guidance as I guide you into deeper and more subtle layers of ease.
If thoughts or sounds disturb you from time to time,
Do not worry.
Just come back to the sound of my voice and resolve to let nothing disturb you from outside or within.
Now shift from the busyness of thinking and doing to a deeper state of feeling and being.
Allow a sense of complete relief to wash over you.
Know that you have arrived.
Now bring your awareness to your breath.
Watch and observe the movement of your breath in and your breath out.
Perhaps your breath is deep.
Perhaps it is quiet.
Let your breath move without needing to manage or control it.
Simply observing your breath moving throughout your body.
When you notice your attention wander,
Simply bring your attention back to the sensation of your breath as it flows in and out.
And seeing the coolness of your breath as it flows in,
The warmth of your breath as it's flowing out.
Letting go more fully with each outgoing breath.
Breathing out what you no longer need until you are empty and open.
Feel yourself breathing.
Do absolutely nothing from now on.
Settle back into your silent source.
Now follow my guidance as we move our attention through different parts of your body.
Listen to what I say directly and nonmentally without comment or judgement.
As I guide you from point to point,
Remain in non-doing silent awareness.
Now bring your undivided attention to your brow center,
Pit of the throat,
Right shoulder,
Right elbow,
Right wrist,
Right thumb,
Right index finger,
Right middle finger,
Ring finger,
And little finger,
Right wrist,
Right elbow,
Right shoulder,
Pit of the throat,
Left shoulder,
Left elbow,
Left wrist,
Left thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
And little finger,
Left wrist,
Left elbow,
Pit of the throat,
Middle of the chest,
Right side of the chest,
Middle of the chest,
Left side of the chest,
Middle of the chest,
Navel point,
Pelvis,
Right hip,
Right knee,
Right ankle,
Right big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe,
Right ankle,
Right knee,
Right hip,
Pelvis,
Left hip,
Knee,
Left ankle,
Left big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe,
Left ankle,
Left knee,
Left hip,
Middle of the pelvis,
Navel point,
Middle of the chest,
Pit of the throat,
Brow center,
Bring all of your attention to your brow center,
Observe the vast stillness and silence present here,
Allow whatever comes into that stillness to be as it is,
Nothing to do,
Simply resting in total awareness,
Drop all ambition now,
Even the ambition to relax,
It is time for your body to rest deeply,
Completely safe,
Totally at ease.
Nothing to do.
No need for anything to be different than it is.
Be empty like a clear blue sky,
Watching any thoughts,
Sounds or images as if they are clouds floating by,
Coming and going,
Gathering and dissipating.
Drop into the background space of silence.
Simply rest here.
In this rested state,
Your intention is actualized and fulfilled with effortless ease.
Receive your intention with every fiber and cell of your being.
Bring your intention into your awareness and see yourself as whole and complete just as you are.
I handle life's challenges with strength,
Grace and ease.
I handle life's challenges with strength,
Grace and ease.
Trust at this time that your intention is being received into every fiber and cell of your being.
Know that whatever is for your best interest is already happening without your needing to do anything about it.
Realize at this moment that you have made a major shift in perspective and way of being.
Relax in the knowing that the peace that is available to you in deep sleep is also available to you in the waking state.
Now begin to rise back to the surface of awareness as you remember where you are and what you are doing and that you are practicing yoga nidra.
Become aware of the rising and the falling of your breath.
Notice your breath rising and falling without any effort or control on your part.
Feel the weight of your back body resting.
The back of your head,
Your hands,
Buttocks,
Heels.
When you feel the impulse,
Begin to move and stretch your body as if awakening from a very restful sleep.
If the impulse is to remain still,
Please honor that.
When you are ready,
Gently roll onto one side.
Take a few breaths here.
Receive your intention once more.
I handle life's challenges with strength,
Grace and ease.
Now slowly use the strength of your arms to bring yourself up to a comfortable seated position with your eyes closed and your hands at heart center.
Notice how relaxed your body is.
Notice how calm your mind is.
Notice how soft your breath is.
Know that you can return to this space again and again and each time you return,
You are deepening the grooves of your peaceful nature and reinforcing the path back to health and wholeness.
Take one last deep cleansing inhale here and as you exhale,
Gently open your eyes.
It was an honor to lead your practice today.
From my heart to yours,
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be peaceful.
Have a wonderful day.
