Hello and welcome to the practice of yoga nidra.
I'm Kumari and I'll be your guide.
I'm so happy that you chose to do this for yourself today.
So take a moment to really settle into your cozy nidra nest using blankets and pillows to support the head,
The neck,
Under the knees,
And perhaps covering your body as your body temperature can drop during the practice.
You can really practice in any position,
Laying on the floor,
On your bed,
Or on a comfortable piece of furniture.
This part of getting set up for yoga nidra could be arguably the most important part.
For the body to truly relax and for you to be able to really sink into the deepest state of rest,
Your physical body needs to be comfortable.
So take time,
As much time as you need to get all ready.
So not only is yoga nidra a potent way to get very relaxed,
But it's also an amazing way to calm your nervous system.
When we practice,
We're moving through the stages of sleep at a more rapid pace as compared to actual sleep.
This is one of the many reasons yoga nidra is so beneficial.
When we allow ourselves to be guided into this deep state of rest,
We receive the benefits of deep regenerative sleep in a short amount of time.
So we'll begin by really noticing the body,
Feeling its volume,
Its density,
And weight.
Become really aware of the space you take up.
Can you feel your physical presence in the space you're in?
Sensing your entire body relaxed,
Still,
And at ease.
Melting down into the surface you're upon.
Your breath.
Awareness of your own breath as you inhale and as you exhale.
Your whole body breathing.
Effortlessly observing your breath here.
We'll bring in a powerful breathing practice here that ushers the nervous system into the parasympathetic dominance.
It's the 4-7-8 breath.
I'll guide you through three rounds,
But first let's take a few cleansing breaths.
Inhale through your nose.
And sigh it out.
Again.
Let's do one more just like that.
And sigh it out.
Do your best to really feel your body pressing out.
Your full exhale.
We'll begin breathing to a count.
Inhale.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Hold.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
Seven.
Exhale.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
Seven.
Eight.
Again.
Inhale.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Hold.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
Seven.
Exhale.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
Seven.
Eight.
One more round.
Inhale.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Hold.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
Seven.
Exhale.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
Seven.
Eight.
And the next part of the journey is calling in your Sankalpa or creating intention for this practice.
As an example,
I am peaceful and at ease.
Take a moment now to cultivate your special intention.
As you're ready,
Repeat this three times in your mind.
This Sankalpa,
This intention,
Is like planting a seed where it can flourish and grow and ultimately mature.
Manifest.
Moving into the rotation of awareness now.
Follow along to each area of your body I mention.
Starting at the inner corner of the left eye.
And now the outer corner.
The whole eyeball.
And the innermost tissues that hold it.
The left eyebrow.
Left side of the forehead.
The whole left side of the head.
Left ear.
Left jaw.
Left cheek.
Left temple.
And now an awareness of the whole left side of the body.
Awareness expanding in to fill the whole left half of the body.
And now come to place attention at the inner corner of the right eye.
And now the outer corner.
The whole eyeball.
The innermost tissues that hold the eye in place.
Right eyebrow.
The right side of the forehead.
The whole right side of the head.
Sense the right ear.
Right jaw.
Right cheek.
And now awareness moving into the whole right side of the body.
A sense of the whole right side of the body.
Now the right shoulder.
Right upper arm.
Right elbow.
Forearm.
Wrist.
Palm of the hand.
Top of the hand.
Right thumb.
First finger.
Second finger.
Third.
And the pinky finger.
The spaces in between the finger.
All five fingertip.
The whole right hand.
And now sensing the whole right arm.
Left shoulder.
Left upper arm.
Left elbow.
Forearm.
Wrist.
Palm of the hand.
Top of the hand.
Left thumb.
First finger.
Second finger.
Third.
And pinky finger.
The spaces in between the fingers.
All five fingers and fingertips.
The whole left hand.
And now sensing the whole arm.
Left arm.
Right arm.
Left hand.
Right hand.
The left side of the body.
The right side of the body.
The sole of the right foot.
Big toe.
Second toe.
Third.
Fourth.
And small toe.
The space between the toes.
Right ankle.
Side of the right foot.
Top of the right foot.
The right foot.
The whole right foot.
Sole of the left foot.
Big toe.
Second toe.
Third.
Fourth.
And small toe.
The left ankle.
And the side of the left foot.
Top of the left foot.
The whole left foot.
Send awareness now to the top of the spine.
The middle of the spine.
Base of the spine.
Sense the pelvis.
Right hip joint.
Left hip joint.
Top of the right leg.
Back of the right leg.
Top of the left leg.
Back of the left leg.
Top of the left knee.
Back of the left knee.
Top of the right knee.
Back of the right knee.
The right leg.
The whole right leg.
Now the front of the shoulders.
And the back of the shoulders.
The back of the ribs.
Front of the ribs.
The center of the chest.
The solar plexus.
The navel.
Sensing now the whole front of the body.
The whole front side of the body.
And now the back side of the body.
The back of the body.
Can you sense the inside of the body?
To the tongue.
The roof of the mouth.
The space below the tongue.
The inside of the right cheek.
The inside of the left cheek.
The top row of gums and teeth.
Lower row of gums and teeth.
The whole mouth.
Buzzing with subtle sensations.
Sensing the nostrils.
The whole mouth.
The center of the forehead.
The crown of the head.
Sensation in the scalp.
The entire scalp.
Sensing every hair follicle.
Now a sense of the entire head.
Inside the head,
The left brain.
The front of the brain.
The back of the brain.
The right brain.
The bridge between the left brain and the right brain.
The bridge between the front brain and the back brain.
The brain,
The whole brain,
Sensing inside the skull.
Awareness filling the whole body.
The entire body shimmering with subtle energy.
The whole body.
Sensing the whole body as one now.
Welcoming the awareness of your breath.
Sensing and feeling the rise and fall of the breath.
Can you sense the breath as energy at the center of the chest?
Guide attention to rest in the right hand palm.
Perhaps a subtle warmth or tingling here.
Imagining the breath as energy,
Moving it up and down the right arm.
Just imagine you could inhale your breath from the right palm up the arm to the center of the chest.
Exhaling from the center of the chest down the arm to the palm.
Breathing up to the heart center and back down to the palm.
Try this a few more times.
With your next exhale,
Start to cultivate awareness in the left palm.
The left palm.
And imagine breathing from the left palm up the arm to the heart and back down again.
Sensing the energy of the breath.
And upon the next exhale,
Coming back to sense the breath at the heart center.
And now moving between both arms and hands.
Starting again at the right palm.
Breathing the breath up the arm to the heart center.
And exhaling from the heart center down the left arm to the palm.
Breathing up to the heart and breathing out to the right hand.
And now moving between both arms and hands.
Sense,
Feel or imagine the energy of the breath moving in the body.
And the next time the breath is exhaled into the left palm.
Come back to a sense of the breath at the nostrils.
And now bring your awareness to the feeling of the body resting on the earth.
Sensing the points of contact.
Sensing the weight of your body.
And the gentle pull of gravity.
And begin to feel yourself becoming deeply grounded.
As if the body is heavy,
Stable,
Supported,
Rooted into the earth below.
Feel the quality of grounded in the whole body.
Sensing this deep connection with the earth.
Now gently invite the opposite experience.
Begin to sense the body becoming light.
As if the weight is dissolving.
The body is softening,
Lifting.
You may feel as though you're gently floating.
Effortless and buoyant.
As if you could drift just above the surface.
Held by space rather than gravity.
Experience this sense of floating fully.
Light.
Spacious and free.
Now begin to move your awareness between these two sensations.
Grounded.
Rooted and heavy.
And floating.
Light and effortless.
Rooted and heavy.
Floating.
And now allowing both sensations to arise simultaneously.
Grounded and floating together.
Grounded and floating.
Now releasing the opposites.
Allow your awareness to soften even more inward.
Sensing yourself as vast awareness.
Not confined by the body.
Not confined.
Imagine this body floating in an open sky.
Endless.
Without.
No beginning.
Only infinite space.
Feel yourself resting here effortlessly.
You are both the drop and the ocean.
Simply drifting in eternity.
Rest back into the spaciousness.
Into the quiet pulse of creation.
And this is the source from which all arises.
You are open and receptive.
To wisdom.
Clarity.
Awareness resting in awareness.
Luminous and whole.
Resting back in the arms of the infinite.
The whole body resting deeply.
Simply resting and breathing.
Abiding in your true nature.
One with your innate true radiance.
And in this space of pure rest.
Bring back to mind your sankalpa or intention.
And repeat it back to yourself.
Gently return to your breath.
Begin to take some deeper breaths.
Feel the bones of your body.
The weight of your body.
Allow your awareness to gradually move outward to the sensations of the surface you're on.
Noticing the temperature of the room.
And the sounds within your space and beyond.
And ever so gently coming back from this yoga nidra journey.
Begin to move your body in any way that comes naturally.
Ever so gently coming back from this deep rest practice.
Taking all the time that you need.
And moving back into your day or evening.
With the knowing of your divine true nature.
Wishing you all the best.
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.
Peace Peace Peace.
Namaste
