Welcome.
Choose a comfortable position for this yoga nidra practice.
I recommend shavasana,
Laying on your back,
Heels about a foot apart.
Allow the feet to fold open like a book.
Arms alongside the body,
With the palms facing up to receive,
Or facing down to ground.
It can also be nice to place the hands on the body,
One hand on the chest,
One on the belly.
In this way,
The breath helps us to stay present.
You can also try reclined butterfly pose,
Which can be very relaxing,
Especially if you have any irritation in the low back.
In this pose,
We lay on our back,
With the knees bent,
Soles of the feet together,
With the knees falling away from the center line.
The feet should be a fair distance from the torso,
Making a square or diamond shape.
The same arm and hand options can be used,
As mentioned earlier.
If you have access to any props,
Such as bolsters,
Pillows,
Blankets,
Eye pillows,
Or even a scarf,
These can help us feel supported and fully surrender into our chosen pose.
Make yourself a nest,
A cocoon.
Placing a bolster,
A pillow,
Or a rolled-up blanket under the knees in either posture will allow the low back to release.
Wrapping ourselves in a blanket can help cultivate warmth and comfort.
Placing an eye pillow or scarf over the eyes can help direct the focus inward and enhance relaxation.
Make any final adjustments so that you feel as safe,
Secure,
And relaxed as possible.
All you have to do is breathe and listen to my voice.
Lie down on your back in the most comfortable position you can find.
Adjust everything,
Your body or position,
Your hair,
Your clothes,
Everything until you are completely comfortable.
For the duration of this Yoga Nidra practice,
There should be no physical movement.
Gently close your eyes and keep them closed until you are advised to open them.
Take a deep breath and as you breathe out,
Feel the worries and cares of the day flow out of you.
In the meditation which follows,
You are going to cultivate the feeling of deep relaxation in your body.
It is not necessary to make deliberate movements or to intentionally relax your muscles.
Simply allow relaxation to happen.
It is like the feeling you have just prior to sleep when relaxation becomes deep.
Sleep may come,
But you should try to stay completely awake for the duration of the practice.
During this meditation,
You should use only the sense of hearing.
The only thing you need to do is breathe and follow my voice.
Try not to analyze or think about the instructions.
Simply follow my voice with your complete attention.
If thoughts come up from time to time,
Do not worry.
Simply return to the practice.
Allow yourself to become steady and calm.
Now cultivate a feeling of relaxation in the whole body.
Focus on the body and become aware of the importance of total stillness.
Cultivate your awareness of the body from the crown of your head to the very tips of your toes.
Total awareness and total stillness of the whole body.
Maintain this awareness of the whole body.
Now we will begin rotating our awareness through the different parts of the body.
Bring your awareness to each part of the body.
Stay alert,
But do not concentrate intensely.
Become aware of the right hand.
Right thumb.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
Fifth finger.
Palm of the hand.
Bring your awareness to your right palm.
Back of the hand.
Wrist.
Lower arm.
Elbow.
Shoulder.
Your right side.
The right waist.
Right hip.
Right thigh.
Kneecap.
Calf muscle.
Ankle.
Heel.
The sole of the right foot.
Top of the foot.
Big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
Become aware of the left hand.
Left thumb.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
Fifth finger.
Palm of the hand.
Back of the hand.
Wrist.
Lower arm.
Your left side.
The left waist.
Left hip.
Left thigh.
Kneecap.
Calf muscle.
Ankle.
Heel.
The sole of the left foot.
Top of the foot.
Big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
Now on to the back.
Become aware of the right shoulder blade.
Left shoulder blade.
Right hip.
Left hip.
The whole back together.
Now to the crown of the head.
Crown of the head.
Forehead.
Both sides of the head.
Right eyebrow.
Left eyebrow.
The space between the eyebrows.
Right eyelid.
Left eyelid.
Right eye.
Left eye.
Right ear.
Right ear.
Left ear.
Right cheek.
Left cheek.
Nose.
Tip of the nose.
Upper lip.
Right chest.
Left chest.
Middle of the chest.
Navel.
Abdomen.
The whole of the right leg.
The whole of the left leg.
Both legs together.
The whole of the right arm.
The whole of the left arm.
Both arms together.
The whole of the back.
Spine.
Shoulder blades.
The whole of the front.
Abdomen.
Chest.
The whole of the back and front together.
The whole of the head.
The whole body together.
The whole body together.
The whole body together.
Remain awake.
Stay alert.
Complete awareness.
No movement.
The whole body is rested and relaxed.
Bring your awareness to the breath.
Feel the flow of the breath in and out of the lungs.
Do not try to alter the rhythm.
The breath is automatic.
Natural.
You are not doing it.
There is no effort.
Retain awareness of your breath.
Full awareness of breath.
Now focus your awareness on the motion of your abdomen as you breathe.
Concentrate on your abdomen movements.
The gentle rising and falling.
With each and every breath,
It expands and deflates.
Focus on this motion in sync with breath.
Begin counting your breath backwards from 9 to 1 as so.
9 abdomen rising.
9 abdomen falling.
8 rising.
8 falling and so on.
Say the numbers and words to yourself internally as you count your breaths with complete awareness that you are counting.
Begin counting from 9 to 1.
Now bring your focus to your chest.
The chest is rising and falling gently with each and every breath.
Become aware of this movement.
Maintain concentration on the motion of the chest.
Begin counting backwards from 9 to 1 in the same way as before.
9 rising.
9 falling.
8 chest rising.
8 chest falling.
7 rising.
7 falling and so on.
As before,
Repeat the numbers and words internally to yourself as you count down from 9 to 1.
Awareness and counting.
Counting and awareness.
Shift your awareness to your throat.
Become aware of the breath flowing in and out of the throat.
Focus on this motion of the breath and begin your count backwards from 9 to 1 in the same way as before.
Total awareness of the breath and counting.
Continue the practice.
Continue counting your breaths in the throat.
Take your awareness to your nose.
Become aware of the breath flowing in and out of your nose.
Focus on the motion of the breath and begin counting as before.
9 breath flows in.
9 breath flows out.
Total awareness.
Keep counting.
Now stop counting.
Relax all effort.
Pull your mind outside the body.
Tune into the breath,
Your natural breath.
Awareness of breathing and awareness of the entire body.
You are completely relaxed.
Your breath is soft and slow.
Cultivate awareness of the body from the crown to the very tips of your toes.
Gently becoming aware of the space around you.
Become aware of your surroundings.
Keep your eyes closed.
Begin to wiggle your fingers and toes.
Begin to gently wake your body.
Moving and stretching yourself.
There is no rush.
Take your time.
Please do not hurry.
When you feel ready and more aware come to your right side in a fetal position.
Gently curl up.
Stay here for a moment.
Inhale through the nose and exhale through the nose.
Stay here for a few more rounds of breath.
And when you are ready sit up very slowly.
Let your head be the last thing that comes up and gently open your eyes carrying the soft gaze to the floor or the corner of the room.
Last inhale here and exhale release.
This concludes the yoga nidra.
Move slowly and carefully back into the world.
The light in me honors and recognizes the light in you.
Namaste.
