Welcome my dear friends to this Yoga Nidra session to relax the body and detach from perceptions of form and identity.
At this time I'd like to invite you to take a few moments to get comfortable.
Allow yourself to be in a space where you feel safe to deeply relax and when the session ends maybe even drift off to sleep.
This practice is best done laying down on your back in Shavasana.
In this pose you want your body to be straight from head to toe with your legs slightly apart and your arms a little away from the body with the palms of your hands turned upward.
Allow yourself to become truly comfortable in this pose and adjust anything and everything that might interfere with this comfort.
Adjust the position of your body and loosen any tight or restrictive clothing.
Maybe even wiggle about a little and let out any extra movement.
As we move deeper into this session there should be no physical movement so let whatever needs to come out now come out.
So you can let yourself simply be and as soon as you're ready let your body settle down into a still space where you can begin to let go and fully relax.
Now gently close your eyes and invite your eyes to remain closed until the conclusion of this session.
Though try not to sleep you want to feel relaxed yet aware.
It is now no longer necessary to make any movements and also don't try to deliberately relax your muscles.
Just simply be and let this relaxation occur organically.
Throughout the session you will be functioning simply on the levels of hearing and awareness and the only important thing is for you to follow my voice.
Just follow my voice.
Do not try to intellectualize or analyze anything that I'm saying during this practice as this could very well interfere with your deepest sensation of relaxation.
Simply allow your awareness to follow my voice with total attention and feeling.
If you find that thoughts are coming to disturb you from time to time,
Do not worry.
Just simply continue the practice and follow my voice.
Now go ahead and take a very deep,
Very long breath.
Breathing deeply into your body,
Feeling present in your body.
As you breathe out,
Feel the cares and worries of whatever came before this moment to flow out of you.
Continue breathing deeply and slowly,
Releasing and letting go on each out-breath,
Allowing yourself to become calm and steady and simply inviting the feeling of deep relaxation to be in your body.
This feeling of relaxation is just like the feeling you get before sleep.
When relaxation becomes this deep,
Sleep is close.
Even still,
Let yourself stay awake,
Here,
Now.
For the deepest effect,
Allow your body to rest,
But your mind to stay awake.
Alert,
But quiet.
Gently tell yourself,
I will not sleep.
I will remain awake throughout this practice,
Knowing that you may drift off to sleep as soon as the session concludes.
It is now time to set your sankalpa.
This is a vow and statement of a deep desire.
Invite this statement to be simple and try to discover one naturally.
Let it be a positive statement,
Yet short and said in simple language.
And once you find your sankalpa,
Say this statement out loud three times with full awareness,
Feeling,
And emphasis.
Breathing deep,
Let your sankalpa drift off and invite in an even deeper feeling of relaxation.
Learning to relax is learning to allow relaxation to happen.
Relaxation is something that happens all by itself.
If you let it,
Your body will respond the deeper that you let go.
All you have to do is decide to relax and your body will respond in the same way it responds to your decision to surrender and let go.
Don't concern yourself with how quickly you are relaxing or whether or not you're relaxing deeply enough or in the correct way.
Just simply let go and be here,
Now,
In this space of deep relaxation.
It really doesn't matter how you relax at this time.
All that matters is that you invite your body to relax more and more.
And as this relaxation occurs,
Notice how this sensation feels in your body.
As you more deeply let go,
Notice the sensations of relaxation that you are experiencing.
Even as you relax,
Allow your awareness of your surroundings to be present so you are relaxed yet aware.
Breathe deeply and continue letting go.
Allow any tension or stress in your body to release.
Any additional tension,
Just let it go.
Now bring your attention to your right calf muscles.
Notice any tension you may be holding onto in your right calf and allow this tension to release and relax.
Then release and relax the muscles of your left calf,
Noticing the sensations of relaxing in your calf muscles and feeling this sensation spread down through your ankles and into your feet.
Breathing deep and allowing this sensation of relaxation in your lower legs to deepen.
Now,
Notice any tension you may be holding in your left thigh.
These muscles that do so much work during the day.
Simply release and relax the muscles of your left thigh as you let go more easily and deeply.
Notice any tension you may be holding onto in your right thigh and release and relax the muscles of your right thigh,
Allowing both of your thighs to release more deeply and comfortably.
Noticing the sensations of comfort and release as they gently occur.
Feeling these deepening sensations of relaxation,
Relaxed yet aware.
And just letting go.
Letting the body relax and letting this feeling deepen.
Almost as though it was happening all by itself.
When you give your permission,
Your body relaxes.
It knows what to do to enter into the deepest space of relaxation.
Let yourself notice this comfort,
This enjoyable feeling of letting go,
Of relaxing more deeply.
And allow this sensation of relaxation to deepen in the whole of your legs.
Now bring your attention to the muscles of your lower back and buttocks.
And notice any tension in this very important part of your body,
This hard working part of your body.
And gently release and relax any tension you may be holding onto in this area of your body.
Allowing your lower back and buttocks to take a well-deserved rest.
Letting go of any unnecessary tension and stress in these spaces of your body.
And noticing a very pleasant sensation of relaxation entering into your back and buttocks.
Now notice any tension you may be holding onto in your pelvis and around your genitals.
And allowing these areas of your body to gently release and relax.
Feeling a deeper and more comfortable sense of relaxation and relaxation coming through your pelvis and genital area.
The whole lower part of your body is now going even deeper and becoming even more relaxed.
To a more spacious and comfortable level of the body and mind.
Now release and relax any tension you may be holding onto in the muscles of your mid-back and abdomen.
And allowing these spaces of your body to join in the sensation of deeper and more comfortable relaxation.
Release and relax any tension you may be holding onto in the organs within your abdominal cavity.
And allowing these spaces of your body to join in the sensation of deeper and more comfortable relaxation.
And letting go of the tension in the muscles between and over your shoulder blades.
And allowing this entire space in your body to rest and relax more easily,
Deeply,
And comfortably.
Allowing the relaxation to deepen in every part of you.
Let go of any tension that you're feeling in your upper arms.
And allowing your upper arms to join in this pleasant and enjoyable sense of letting go.
Letting go of any tension in your elbows.
And releasing and relaxing your forearms,
Wrists,
And down into your hands.
Noticing any tension in your hands and the many small muscles in your hands.
And inviting your hands to let go and join in this deeper state of relaxation.
Notice the pleasant feelings of relaxation in each individual finger.
Your index fingers are relaxing.
Your middle fingers are relaxing.
Your ring fingers are relaxing.
Your little fingers are relaxing.
Your thumbs are relaxing.
Deeply and comfortably in a space of ease.
Now notice any tension you may be holding onto in the muscles of your neck.
These muscles that hold your head up all day long.
And at this time allow them to take a well-deserved rest.
Releasing any tension you may be holding onto in your neck.
Just allowing it to let go easily and naturally.
Inviting your neck to join in with this sensation of deep comfortable relaxation.
And now release and relax any tension you may be feeling in your scalp and forehead.
Noticing as a comfortable sensation of relaxation comes into the muscles of your scalp and forehead.
Flowing gently down through the muscles of your face.
And into your cheeks and your jaw.
Relaxing your jaw.
Feeling your jaw release and the ease in your face.
Releasing any tension you may feel in the little muscles around your eyes.
Allowing them to let go deeply and comfortably.
And then visualizing and imagining as this pleasant sense of relaxation and softening flows down through your face.
Back through your neck and your shoulders.
All the way down through your body to your feet.
A very pleasant,
Comfortable and deep sense of relaxation.
You might find that your body has become more and more relaxed,
With your mind aware but quiet.
We will now begin a rotation of consciousness.
A rotation of awareness.
By taking a trip back through the different parts of your body.
We will move somewhat quickly through each space.
As to not allow your attention to linger or become strayed.
So please continue to follow my voice.
Drawing your awareness from part to part.
And as I guide you through the different spaces of your body.
Repeat the name of your body part in your mind.
While simultaneously becoming aware of that space within your body.
Keeping yourself alert but not trying to concentrate too intensely.
Now let's begin.
Become aware of your right hand.
Your right hand thumb.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
Fifth finger.
Become aware of your palm.
In the back of the right hand.
The right wrist and lower arm.
The right elbow and upper arm.
The right shoulder.
The armpit.
The right waist.
The right hip.
The right thigh.
The kneecap.
The right calf muscle.
And ankle.
The right heel.
And sole of the right foot.
The top of the right foot.
The big toe.
The second toe.
The third toe.
The fourth toe.
And fifth toe.
Now become aware of the left hand thumb.
The left hand second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
Fifth finger.
Palm of the hand.
The back of the left hand.
The left wrist and lower arm.
The left elbow and upper arm.
The left shoulder.
Left armpit.
Left waist.
Left hip.
Left thigh and the kneecap.
The left calf muscle.
The ankle.
The heel.
The sole of the left foot.
The top of the left foot.
The left big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
And fifth toe.
Now become aware of your back body.
Becoming aware of the back of your head.
The back of your right shoulder blade.
Left shoulder blade.
Your upper back.
Mid back.
Lower back.
And the entire spine.
The whole of your back together.
And the right buttock.
The left buttock.
And the back of your right leg.
The back of your left leg.
And the entire backside of your body.
Now go to the top of your head.
Becoming aware of the top of your head.
The forehead.
Both sides of the head.
The right eyebrow.
The left eyebrow.
The space between the eyebrows.
The right eyelid.
The left eyelid.
The right eye.
The left eye.
The right ear.
The left ear.
The right cheek.
The left cheek.
The nose.
And the tip of the nose.
The upper lip.
And lower lip.
The chin.
The throat.
The right chest.
The left chest.
The middle of the chest.
The navel.
And the abdomen.
Now become aware of the whole of the right leg.
The whole of the left leg.
Both legs together now.
Become aware of the whole of the right arm.
The whole of the left arm.
Both arms together.
Become aware of the whole of the back,
Buttocks,
Spine,
And shoulder blades.
The whole of the front body,
Abdomen,
Chest.
The whole of the back and front of your body together.
Become aware of the whole of the head.
And the whole body together.
The whole body together.
Still,
Please do not sleep.
Allow total awareness with no sleeping and no movement.
Total awareness of your body lying down.
Seeing your body lying perfectly still in this space,
In this moment of now.
Now,
Repeat to yourself,
I am,
And then state your name.
Repeat this statement several times.
Repeat this statement several times.
And keep repeating,
I am,
And then your name.
And notice how this statement resonates within your body and being.
Notice where you feel the statement and what it brings about.
For you.
Now drop your name and simply say,
I am.
Keep repeating,
I am.
Notice any difference.
Where do you feel this statement resonating in your body?
What do these words,
I am,
I am,
Bring to the surface for you?
Now drop the am and simply repeat,
I,
I,
I.
Notice where this simple statement of I resonates.
Where is this location of I in your body?
Is this I separate from your awareness?
Is it a witness?
What does the I point to?
Now simply let go of the I and just be.
No observations.
No witnessing.
Just let it all be.
Let the inner silence come but do not look for it.
Let the inner emptiness come but do not look for it.
Now gently,
Once more,
Become aware of your sankalpa.
The statement that you made at the beginning of this practice.
Now is the time to repeat this sankalpa once more.
Stating this sankalpa three times in the same words as before.
With total faith,
Trust,
Feeling,
And emphasis.
Now it is time to bring yourself back awake.
Or if you are ready,
Allow yourself to drift off to sleep.
If you are bringing yourself back awake,
Allow yourself to bring back this sensation of comfort and relaxation with you.
In a moment,
I will count from one to five.
As I say each number,
Gently picture this number in your mind's eye and begin to bring yourself back to the awareness of the outside world with each number.
One,
Picturing the number one in your mind's eye.
Two,
See the number two and come more awake,
Sensing your body lighter and free of tension.
Three,
See the number three and become aware of the room that you are in,
The sounds around you,
And imagine that you are waking up from a deeply refreshing nap.
Four,
You're becoming more awake and alert.
Five,
See the number five in your mind and then let your eyes gently open.
You may want to bring some gentle movements to your fingers and toes and the whole of your body,
Stretching and allowing a smile to come across your face.
Feeling refreshed,
Relaxed,
And better than before.
Hari Om Tat Sat.
Hari Om Tat Sat.
That is truth.
