Deep Relaxation - A Yoga Nidra Experience

Yoga Nidra, known as yogic sleep, is a state of deep relaxation where the student feels very calm, and physically relaxed while their mind remains aware of their breathing and can follow the words of the instructor as they guide the student into a state of deep inner peace and deep rest.

Some benefits of this practice are improved sleep, reduction of stress, feelings of peace, deep rejuvenation, release of tension from the muscles, and reduced anxious feelings.

Michelle recommends laying in a comfortable position with a rolled blanket or cushion under your knees and a small towel rolled to support the neck as you practice yoga nidra with her today.

Transcript

This is a time to deeply relax.

It is a special time for self-discovery and restoration on many levels.

Deep relaxation is a unique feeling of being deeply relaxed and yet aware,

Alert,

And awake.

Arrange any necessary props for maximum comfort.

Stretch out on the floor and close your eyes.

Let your heels be approximately two feet apart.

This will help your hips and legs relax.

Feel free to make your own personal adjustments so that your legs and hips are very comfortable.

Allow your feet and toes to open out to the sides of your mat and rest.

Now notice your hips.

Feel where your hips rest upon the ground.

Lift them up slightly and settle them back down.

Nice and even.

Nice and easy.

Now notice your shoulders.

Feel where your shoulders are placed.

Gently circle your shoulders up and back down so that the blades can rest comfortably beneath you,

Supporting you.

Now gently rock your head from side to side a few times.

Position your head and neck so that they are in alignment with your spine.

Feel free to adjust your clothing and props.

And position every part of your body so that you are very,

Very comfortable.

Now bring your awareness to your right leg.

And from your foot all the way up to your hip,

Begin to squeeze the muscles.

Squeezing and squeezing.

Squeeze the muscles to the bone.

Feel the squeeze.

And now all at once relax,

Letting all the tension drain away.

Notice the muscles of the right leg relaxed.

Feeling heavy and relaxed.

Bring your awareness to your left leg.

From your foot on up to your hip.

Begin to hug those muscles into the bones.

Feel the squeeze.

Squeezing deeper and deeper.

And now let go.

Completely relaxing the left leg.

Noticing a comfortable heaviness in both of your legs as they relax more and more.

Bring your awareness to your buttocks and squeeze these muscles.

Feel the squeeze.

Squeezing deeper and deeper still.

And now all at once relax.

Feeling these muscles melt like honey in hot tea.

Allowing all the tightness and tension to drain away from around your hips.

Begin squeezing your navel inward.

And feel the squeeze drawing the navel in.

And now relax and soften the navel area.

Softening more and more.

Relaxing.

This time push your navel outward and feel your abdominal wall stretch as you press the navel away.

Hold and now relax.

Softening the muscles more and more.

Each time you softly breathe out,

You can relax even more.

Letting go of tension.

Bring your awareness to your right arm.

Becoming aware of your arm from your hand all the way up to your shoulder.

Tighten your hand into a fist.

And move the tension up your arm to your shoulder.

And now open your fingers up and all at once let go of all the squeezing and all the tension.

Feeling the muscles relax.

Compare and contrast the sensations of squeezing and relaxing.

And letting go into the heaviness and comfort of relaxation.

Shifting your awareness over to your left hand.

And make a tight fist.

Feel the squeeze go into your arm and up your shoulder.

Spread your fingers out wide and finally totally let go.

Feeling the heaviness and comfort of relaxation.

Spreading through your shoulders,

Arms and hands.

Notice how your mind can be alert even as your body relaxes more and more.

And notice the heaviness,

The feeling of muscular relaxation.

Sinking into stillness.

Bring your awareness to your jaw.

Open your mouth and move your jaw all around.

Letting go of tension in your jaw.

And now relax and become still.

Letting your teeth part slightly.

Relaxing the corners of your lips.

You can even moisten your lips if you'd like.

Now press your tongue against the roof of your mouth or to the back of your teeth and let go.

Relaxing your tongue and resting it softly in your mouth.

Notice the openness and hollowness inside.

Even though your eyes are closed,

Squeeze your eyes and your forehead and feel the squeeze.

Now let go and your forehead smooths out like satin.

Feel your body resting deeply,

Content and comforted by the relaxation.

And just for a moment,

Barely open your eyes and let them close.

Feel the relief.

Can you feel where your eyelids touch?

If you would like to relax further now,

You can.

Just become more and more aware of your breath.

Bring your awareness to your legs.

Without moving your legs,

Take a conscious breath in.

Then breathe out and feel your legs relax more and more.

And now bring your awareness to your hips.

Breathing mindfully and being aware of your hips.

Allowing your conscious breath to relax your hips even more.

Letting go with each and every exhalation.

Feeling the heaviness of relaxation.

And noticing the stillness.

Now bring your awareness to your belly.

Take a deep breath in and breathing out,

Let go of all tension in and around your belly.

Bring your awareness around your heart and lungs.

And take a big full breath in all the way.

And exhale.

Your chest settles into relaxation.

Yet your mind is alert and aware of what is happening.

Breathing.

And allowing your awareness to rest all around your heart.

Bring your awareness to your arms.

Take a breath in.

Consciously breathing in.

And breathe out.

Let your arms rest and relax.

Bring your awareness to your head.

Take another big breath in.

And relax your face.

Letting all of the muscles relax,

Your body relaxes completely.

Notice how comfortable and heavy your muscles feel.

Feeling a blanket of relaxation covering you with quietness and calmness.

Notice what you're experiencing right here and now.

And if you'd like,

Feel free to shift around a little or perhaps adjust your clothing.

Notice how soft and subtle your breath has become.

Let it be.

Allowing your breath to be soft and subtle.

Perhaps you'd like to go further into relaxation.

And if you would,

Simply follow your natural soft breath with your attention and your awareness.

Bring your attention back to your legs and let your breath be like a sweeping motion.

Sweeping down your legs with your breath,

Erasing thoughts,

Memories,

And feelings.

Brushing the tension away with your soft and subtle breath.

Removing thoughts,

Memories,

Old injuries are swept clean with your breath as it flows down your legs.

Perhaps you notice the heaviness being replaced with a lighter feeling.

Bring your awareness around your hips and with your soft,

Subtle breath,

Sweep tensions away.

Allowing your breath to release old pain.

Sweeping it away and allowing relaxation to happen more and more.

And as relaxation deepens,

It feels as if you are floating.

If you feel uncomfortable at any time,

Simply open your eyes for a bit.

Or shift your body around somewhat.

Feel the sweeping and brushing breath in and around your vital organs.

Softening and lightening the abdomen.

Releasing tension and old hurts with your breath.

Removing any remaining tension with your subtle breath in and around the vital organs of your abdomen.

And it lessens and it lightens with the soft and subtle breath.

And now this sweeping motion moves around your heart and old memories.

Feelings and tensions are cleared away with your breath.

Fresh and clean.

Your breath naturally begins sweeping down your arms now.

Removing thoughts,

Feelings and memories.

And your arms feel light and easy as if they are floating.

Feeling quite peaceful,

Use this technique around your neck and throat.

And as the tensions release,

The connection between your head and your heart opens.

And becomes free and clear and easy.

Simply brushing with your gentle breath.

And now sweeping and smoothing out around your ears.

Softening more and more.

Your sense of inner hearing is awakened.

And now your breath brushes all around your eyes.

And your inner eyes open.

And your inner sight clears.

And let the last bit of tension leave through the top of your head.

Observe the lightness.

The softness.

The weightlessness of deep relaxation.

Feeling detached from your body and mind.

And from worldly cares just for now.

For a moment now,

Stretch just a tiny bit.

Perhaps move a finger.

Or open your eyes slightly.

And settle back into the richness of relaxation.

If you'd like,

You can go further and deeper still by looking for a place.

Sensing a place inside where inner joy resides.

A place to rest in silence and tranquility.

A place to experience connection and completeness.

Your awareness is open and very still.

It's time to make the transition back.

Without having to move in any way.

Bring your awareness back to the body.

And slowly return your attention to the breath.

And simply follow the breath with your awareness.

And bring your awareness to your heart center.

And to your breathing.

Becoming more and more aware of your body.

And bring your awareness to the top of your head.

And feel your head and face awaken.

Your sense of seeing and hearing awakens as you become more and more aware.

Listening to the sounds in the room.

And now your attention flows to your neck.

And if you'd like,

Slowly roll your neck and head from side to side.

Feel the movement.

And let yourself become still again.

Your awareness flows down the back of your body through your spine.

And through the front of your body.

Through your heart.

Your lungs.

And your vital organs.

Now your awareness flows into your arms and hands.

Wiggle your fingers around just a bit.

And stretch your arms.

And now wiggle your toes around.

And stretch your legs.

And bring your awareness back to your eyes.

And even though they are still closed,

You notice more and more light coming through them.

And now begin to stretch more and more.

Moving and waking up your body and your mind.

And when you're ready,

Roll over onto your side.

And curl up into a fetal position.

And when you're ready,

Simply press your hands into the floor to lift your body upright.

Try to keep the eyelids softly closed.

You will notice the light.

But with the eyelids softly closed,

You can continue to relish in the stillness of relaxation.

Feel the sitting bones rooted into the earth.

Your spine lengthened.

And as you are ready,

You can slowly open your eyes,

Taking in the surrounding space.

And that concludes your deep relaxation,

Your Yoga Nidra experience.

Namaste.