Hi,
Welcome to the Yoga Nidra practice.
I am Jerry,
A certified mindfulness teacher and the founder of Nishrayasa,
A holistic wellness studio based in Fort Kochi,
Kerala.
Yoga Nidra is a guided form of conscious rest.
During the practice,
The body relaxes deeply while the mind remains gently aware.
You will be lying down and following verbal instructions,
Moving awareness through the body and the breath.
There is nothing to achieve and nothing to force.
If you drift towards sleep,
That is natural.
Simply return to the sound of my voice whenever you notice.
Allow yourself to be guided and remain as relaxed and aware as you can.
Find a comfortable position lying on your back.
Allow your arms to rest slightly away from the body,
Palms turned upward if that feels natural.
Let your legs relax and your feet fall open.
Make any small adjustments now,
Perhaps shifting the shoulders or adjusting the hips.
Once you feel settled,
Allow the body to become still.
Gently close the eyes.
Let the jaw soften.
The tongue rests comfortably in the mouth.
Feel the natural weight of your body supported by the ground beneath you.
Begin by noticing sounds around you.
Sounds near and sounds further away.
There is no need to identify them,
Simply notice.
Gradually allow your awareness to turn inward.
Now bring to mind your Sankalpa,
A short,
Clear intention.
It may be a quality you wish to embody or something that supports your well-being.
Phrase it in simple,
Positive language as if it is already true.
Repeat your Sankalpa silently to yourself three times.
We will now move awareness through the body.
Simply follow the sound of my voice.
There is no effort required.
We will start with the right side.
Right thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
Little finger,
Palm of the hand,
Back of the hand,
Wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Armpit,
Right side of the ribcage,
Waist,
Hip,
Thigh,
Kneecap,
Shin,
Calf,
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole of the foot,
Top of the foot,
Foot,
Big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Little toe.
Now let's move to the left side.
Left thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
Little finger,
Palm,
Back of the hand,
Wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Armpit,
Left side of the ribcage,
Waist,
Hip,
Thigh,
Kneecap,
Shin,
Calf,
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole of the foot,
Top of the foot,
Big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Little toe.
Now the back of the body.
Buttocks,
Lower back,
Middle back,
Right shoulder blade,
Left shoulder blade,
Back of the neck,
Back of the head.
Now the front of the body.
Crown of the head,
Forehead,
Right temple,
Left temple,
Right eyebrow,
Left eyebrow,
Space between the eyebrows,
Right eyelid,
Left eyelid,
Right cheek,
Left cheek,
Right nostril,
Left nostril,
Tip of the nose,
Upper lip,
Lower lip,
Chin,
Throat,
Right collarbone,
Left collarbone,
Center of the chest,
Ribs,
Belly,
Navel,
Lower belly.
Now become aware of the entire right side of the body,
The entire left side of the body,
The whole front of the body,
The whole back of the body,
The entire body resting as one.
Now bring attention to the natural breath.
There is nothing to change.
Allow the breath to move in its own rhythm.
Notice the gentle rise of the abdomen as you inhale,
The soft fall as you exhale.
Now begin counting the breaths backward from 27 to 1.
Inhale 27.
Exhale 27.
Inhale 26.
Exhale 26.
Inhale 25.
Exhale 25.
Continue at your own steady pace.
If you lose the count,
Simply return to 27 and start again.
When you reach 1,
Let the counting dissolve.
Rest in the natural flow of the breath.
Now experience a sense of heaviness in the body as if the body is sinking into the ground,
Dense and supported.
Now experience lightness as if the body is weightless,
Soft and spacious.
Again experience heaviness.
Experience lightness.
Now sense warmth spreading through the body,
A gentle warmth.
Now sense coolness,
Clear,
Refreshing.
Again sense warmth.
Sense coolness.
Now remain aware of whatever is present.
Imagine a wide night sky,
Stars scattered across darkness.
Imagine a still lake,
The surface calm and unmoving.
Imagine a small flame,
Steady and quiet.
Imagine a path stretching into the distance.
Now let all the images fade away.
Now return to your Sankalpa,
The intention with which you had started.
Repeat the same intention silently three times.
Begin to bring awareness back to the physical body.
Notice the breath.
Notice the points of contact between your body and the ground.
Become aware of sounds around you.
Gently move the fingers,
Move the toes.
If you wish,
Stretch the arms overhead and when you feel ready,
Roll onto one side and pause there for a few moments.
Slowly come up to a seated position or remain resting if that feels right.
Take a final moment to notice how you feel.
The practice of Yoga Nidra is complete.
Thank you for practicing with me.
