Welcome to this Yoga Nidra for deep relaxation and inner peace.
Start to make yourself comfortable.
Get cozy.
Lying down on a bed or on the floor.
Cover yourself with a light blanket.
Perhaps bring a bolster or cushion under your knees for support.
Gently close your eyes.
Allow your arms to rest by your sides.
Put a bit of space between the legs and the feet.
You can make yourself just a bit more comfortable.
Go ahead and make those adjustments now.
We'll take a few breaths together.
Two inhales through the nose and a long exhale through the mouth.
Inhale here.
Exhale.
Again.
One last time.
Return your breath to its natural rhythm.
Allow it to feel effortless.
Become aware of any distant sound.
Identify a sound that is furthest away from you.
Become aware of a sound close to you.
Internal or external.
Just notice it.
Develop awareness of your presence in this space.
Feel the body connected to the surface supporting you.
Bring your attention to the space between the body and that surface.
Become aware of your breath.
Notice that you are breathing.
Release awareness of your body and your breath.
Become aware that you are going to practice yoga nidra.
Yoga nidra begins now.
At this time,
We affirm our resolve or sankalpa,
Our deepest intentionality or vow.
If you have a sankalpa that you work with,
Welcome it now.
If not,
You can welcome a simple intention.
You might consider,
I am relaxed and resting deeply.
Or I embrace inner peace.
Silently state yourself.
We affirm our sankalpa three times.
We begin our rotation of consciousness,
Bringing awareness to different parts of the body.
Let your mind freely travel from one part to the next.
Bring awareness to the crown of the head,
Back of the head,
Chin,
Forehead,
Eyebrows,
Space between the eyebrows,
Muscles of the right eye,
Muscles of the left eye,
Right ear,
Left ear,
Right nostril,
Left nostril,
Right cheek,
Left cheek,
Upper lip,
Lower lip,
Tongue,
Roof of the mouth,
Jaw,
Neck and throat,
Collarbone,
Right shoulder,
Left arm,
Right elbow,
Right lower arm and wrist,
Back of the right hand,
Palm of the right hand,
Right thumb,
First finger,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Right little finger,
Left shoulder,
Left upper arm,
Left elbow,
Left lower arm,
Left wrist,
Back of the left hand,
Palm of the left hand,
Left thumb,
First finger,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Left little finger,
The whole left arm and hand,
Both arms and hands,
The chest,
Ribs,
Upper belly,
Lower belly,
Front of the torso,
Back of the torso,
Whole torso,
Whole upper body,
Pelvis,
Right hip,
Right thigh,
Right knee,
Right calf and ankle,
Sole of the right foot,
Top of the right foot,
Bottom of the foot,
Right big toe,
First toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Little toe,
The whole right leg and foot,
Left hip,
Left thigh,
Left knee,
Calf and ankle,
Sole of the left foot,
Top of the left foot,
Bottom of the foot,
Left big toe,
Left first toe,
Second toe,
Left little toe,
Whole left leg and foot,
Both legs and feet,
The whole lower body,
The whole front of the body,
The whole back of the body,
The whole right side,
The whole left side,
The whole body,
The whole body,
The whole body.
Bring awareness to your breath,
The whole body breathing.
Notice the rise and fall of your belly.
Notice the journey of the breath as you inhale and exhale.
Silently count the breath backwards from 27.
Inhale 27.
Exhale 27.
Inhale 26.
Exhale 26.
Continue at your own rhythm.
If you lose count,
Just begin again.
Release the counting of your breath.
Welcome a feeling of heaviness in the body,
Body becoming heavier with every breath,
Sinking into the bed or the floor,
Whole body heavy,
The whole body heavy.
Awaken the feeling of lightness in the body,
Body light and weightless,
Feeling so light you could almost float,
The whole body light,
The whole body light.
Bring some weight back into the body,
Feeling balanced,
Neither too light or too heavy,
Feeling effortlessly supported.
Notice a feeling of cold in the body.
Imagine you're walking outside on a winter day,
Cold comes up through the feet,
Through the rest of the body,
The whole body cold,
The whole body cold.
Awaken the sensation of heat in the body.
Imagine you're basking in the sun on a sunny day.
Summer day,
Heat spreading and radiating through the body,
The whole body hot,
The whole body hot.
Welcome some coolness back into the body,
Feeling neither too cold or too hot,
Feeling comfortable,
Feeling content.
At this time,
A number of things will be named.
Allow yourself to visualize them and welcome any feelings that accompany your vision.
A white rose,
A yellow lily covered in morning dew,
A red cardinal eating a sunflower seed,
A black crow on a bare tree branch,
A brown rabbit munching in a meadow,
A doe and her fawn in a field,
A willow tree swaying in the breeze,
A pond shimmering in the moonlight,
A golden sunrise over a snow-capped mountaintop,
A vast blue ocean,
A dragonfly on a summer day,
A foggy morning,
A red leaf dancing in the wind,
A white feather,
Birds flying at sunset,
A shiny green apple,
A stack of books,
A steaming cup of tea,
A cat sitting in a windowsill,
Smoke from a chimney on a cold morning,
A pair of wool socks,
A cozy armchair,
A crackling fire,
A sparkling purple amethyst,
A pink lotus,
A wooden bridge,
A golden door,
A white candle in a dark room,
A white candle in a dark room,
A white candle in a dark room.
Now welcome back your sankalpa or intention,
Stating it silently three times.
Become aware of your breath.
Become aware of the feeling of inner peace.
Become aware of the feeling of deep relaxation.
Hari Om Tat Sat.
Hari Om Tat Sat.
Hari Om Tat Sat.
Yoga Nidra is now complete.
You may stay exactly where you are,
Drifting off into rest,
Or you can bring awareness back to the space,
Noticing sounds,
Temperature,
Physical sensations,
Inviting gentle movement,
Gently blinking the eyes open,
Taking your time to slowly transition.
I offer you my deepest gratitude.
Thank you for allowing me to guide you in this practice of Yoga Nidra.
