Yoga Nidra For Deep Relaxation
by Tia Moore
Yoga Nidra is a meditation technique that has been in use since at least 1000 BCE. It uses somatic healing techniques to relax the body and achieve inner peace. It allows people to feel safe in their own bodies. During this practice, you will lay still in Savasana (flat on your back with the body in a straight line) using any props you need to achieve complete comfort such as pillows, blankets, bolsters, eye pillow, or anything else to help you be a comfortable and still as possible.
Transcript
Thank you for joining me today as we prepare for Yoga Nidra.
Begin by lying down on your back on the floor and allow yourself to take a comfortable Shavasana.
You may use pillows,
Blankets,
Or any other props you desire to achieve relaxation.
Allow yourself to make any adjustments you need before we begin.
Make any adjustments you need to your body,
Clothing,
Or props to find a comfortable Shavasana.
The body should be straight from head to toe.
Let the arms and legs lay slightly away from the body.
Let the palms of the hands face up.
Let the feet fall apart.
Allow your eyes to close and your body to relax.
During Yoga Nidra,
There should be no movement.
Take a few deep breaths and as you exhale,
Allow your body to settle into rest,
Releasing any cares or worries along with your breath.
In this practice,
You are going to develop a feeling of relaxation.
It is not necessary to make any movements or deliberately relax your muscles.
Simply allow yourself to develop the feeling of relaxation.
Allow the feeling of relaxation to deepen,
Similar to when you are falling asleep at night,
When relaxation becomes deep.
Tell yourself,
I will remain awake during Yoga Nidra.
I will not sleep.
Allow yourself to notice your hearing and your awareness.
Let yourself become aware of my voice.
You do not need to intellectualize or analyze my instructions.
This will disrupt the relaxation process.
Simply allow yourself to hear and be aware of my instructions.
If at any point during the practice you become uncomfortable,
Allow your eyes to open and sit up on your mat.
The only important thing is to allow yourself to develop the feeling of relaxation.
Allow yourself to be calm and steady.
Notice your breaths as they happen.
Now bring about a feeling of utter relaxation in the body.
Concentrate on the body and become aware of the importance of stillness.
Develop your awareness of your body from head to toe.
Tell yourself,
I am aware.
I am going to remain awake and practice Yoga Nidra.
The practice of Yoga Nidra begins now.
Now is the time to tell yourself your resolve.
This could be to relax,
To let go of something bothering you,
Or anything else that comes to your mind.
Your resolve should be simple.
State your resolve to yourself three times with feeling,
Emphasis and awareness.
We will now begin a rotation of consciousness by taking a trip through the various parts of the body.
As I say each body part,
Allow yourself to repeat the part in your head as well as becoming physically aware of that body part.
As quickly as possible,
Allow your awareness to move through the body as we name each part,
Keeping alert to not stay focused on any individual part,
But instead allowing the awareness to flow through the body.
Become aware of the whole right hand.
Right hand thumb.
Index finger.
Middle finger.
Ring finger.
Pinky finger.
The back of the hand.
The palm of the hand.
The whole right hand.
The right wrist.
Lower arm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
Armpit.
The right waist.
Hip.
The upper right leg.
Knee.
Lower leg.
Ankle.
Heel.
Bottom of the foot.
Top of the foot.
The big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
The whole right foot.
Become aware of the whole left hand.
Left hand thumb.
Index finger.
Middle finger.
Ring finger.
Pinky finger.
The back of the hand.
The palm of the hand.
The whole left hand.
The left wrist.
Lower arm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
Armpit.
The left waist.
Hip.
The upper left leg.
Knee.
Lower leg.
Ankle.
Heel.
Bottom of the foot.
Top of the foot.
The big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
The whole left foot.
Become aware of the back.
The right shoulder blade.
The left shoulder blade.
The right buttock.
The left buttock.
The spine.
The whole back together.
Now go to the top of the head.
The top of the 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 throat.
The nose.
The top of the nose.
The top of the nose.
Tip of the nose.
The upper lip.
The lower lip.
The chin.
The throat.
The right chest.
The left chest.
The middle of the chest.
The navel.
The abdomen.
The whole front together.
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.
The whole of the front.
The whole of the torso together.
The whole of the head.
The whole of the body.
The whole body together.
Become aware of the whole right hand.
Right hand thumb.
Index finger.
Middle finger.
Ring finger.
Pinky finger.
The palm of the hand.
The whole right hand.
The right wrist.
Lower arm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
Armpit.
The right waist.
Hip.
The upper right leg.
Knee.
Lower leg.
Ankle.
The whole right foot.
The big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
The whole right foot.
Become aware of the whole left hand.
Left hand thumb.
Index finger.
Middle finger.
Ring finger.
Pinky finger.
The back of the hand.
The whole left hand.
The left wrist.
Lower arm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
Armpit.
The left waist.
Hip.
The upper left leg.
Knee.
Lower leg.
Ankle.
Heel.
Top of the foot.
The big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
The whole left foot.
Become aware of the back.
The right shoulder blade.
The left shoulder blade.
The right buttock.
The left buttock.
The spine.
Put back together.
Now go to the top of the head.
The top of the 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 ear.
The right cheek.
The left cheek.
The nose.
The tip of the nose.
The upper lip.
The lower lip.
The chin.
The throat.
The right chest.
The left chest.
The middle of the chest.
The navel.
The abdomen.
The whole front together.
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.
The whole of the front.
The whole of the torso together.
The whole of the head.
The whole of the body.
The whole body together.
Become aware of your body.
Awake.
No movement.
The whole body lying on the floor.
Become aware of your body lying on the floor.
Visualize your body lying on the floor.
Allow your mind to see the room you are in and yourself lying on the floor in this room.
Become aware of your breath as it is without changing it.
Notice your breath come in and out of your body.
Notice how natural and automatic it is.
Complete awareness of your breath.
Concentrate on your navel.
Notice how the navel rises with every in-breath and falls with every out-breath.
With each and every breath your navel expands and contracts.
Notice the synchronicity of the movement with your breath.
As we inhale,
The navel rises.
As we exhale,
The navel falls.
Start counting your breaths backwards from 27 to 1.
With your next inhale,
Say to yourself,
Inhale 27,
Navel rising.
Exhale 27,
Navel falling.
Continue to count like this.
Inhale 26,
Navel rising.
Exhale 26,
Navel falling.
Repeat the words and numbers to yourself in your mind.
If you lose count or get distracted,
Simply start back at 27 and begin counting again.
Continue counting your inhales,
Navel rising,
And your exhales,
Navel falling.
Let your attention shift to your chest.
Allow the chest to rise on the inhales and fall on the exhales.
Notice the synchronicity of movement with your breaths.
Inhale,
Chest rising.
Exhale,
Chest falling.
Start counting your breaths backwards from 27 to 1.
With your next inhale,
Say to yourself,
Inhale 27,
Chest rising.
Exhale 27,
Chest falling.
Continue to count like this.
Inhale 26,
Chest rising.
Exhale 26,
Chest falling.
Repeat the words and numbers to yourself in your mind.
If you lose count or get distracted,
Simply start back at 27 and begin counting again.
Continue counting your inhales,
Chest rising,
And your exhales,
Chest falling.
Allow yourself to stop counting.
Take a deep breath in and as you exhale,
Feel your cares and worries float away.
Relax,
Feeling the body heavy and weighted to the floor.
Bring your awareness to the breath.
Take a deep breath in and as you exhale,
Send the breath to the toes.
Relax and let go.
Bring your awareness to the breath.
Take a deep breath in and as you exhale,
Send the breath to the ankles.
Relax and let go.
Bring your awareness to the breath.
Take a deep breath in and as you exhale,
Send the breath to the shins and calves.
Relax and let go.
Bring your awareness to the breath.
Take a deep breath in and as you exhale,
Send the breath to the knees.
Relax and let go.
Bring your awareness to the breath.
Take a deep breath in and as you exhale,
Send the breath to the thighs.
Relax and let go.
Bring your awareness to the breath.
Take a deep breath in and as you exhale,
Send the breath to the hips and glutes.
Relax and let go.
Bring your awareness to the breath.
Take a deep breath in and as you exhale,
Send the breath to the low back.
Relax and let go.
Bring your awareness to the breath.
Take a deep breath in and as you exhale,
Send the breath to the upper back.
Relax and let go.
Bring your awareness to the breath.
Take a deep breath in and as you exhale,
Send the breath to the shoulders.
Relax and let go.
Bring your awareness to the breath.
Take a deep breath in and as you exhale,
Relax and send the breath to the fingers.
Relax and let go.
Bring your awareness to the breath.
Take a deep breath in and as you exhale,
Send the breath to the wrists.
Relax and let go.
Bring your awareness to the breath.
Take a deep breath in and as you exhale,
Send the breath to the forearms.
Relax and let go.
Bring your awareness to the breath.
Take a deep breath in and as you exhale,
Send the breath to the upper arms.
Relax and let go.
Bring your awareness to the breath.
Take a deep breath in and as you exhale,
Send the breath to the neck.
Relax and let go.
Bring your awareness to the breath.
Take a deep breath in and as you exhale,
Send the breath to the head and brain.
Relax and let go.
Notice the way that the breath has softened and relaxed the entire body.
Feel the body as relaxed and supported.
Note the gentle softness of the breath.
Send the gentle breath to softly touch the toes,
Arches,
Feet,
And ankles.
Relax.
Send the gentle breath to softly touch the calves and shins.
Relax.
Send the gentle breath to softly touch the thighs and hips.
Relax.
Send the gentle breath to softly touch the pelvis and pelvic organs.
Relax.
Send the gentle breath to softly touch the belly and chest.
Relax.
Send the gentle breath to softly touch the shoulders and arms.
Relax.
Send the gentle breath to softly touch the elbows,
Forearms,
And wrists.
Relax.
Send the gentle breath to softly touch the hands and fingers.
Relax.
Send the gentle breath to softly touch the neck,
Throat,
And head.
Relax.
Relaxation permeating the entire body.
The body so heavy that it is anchored to the earth.
Notice the way the body is completely still.
Notice that when the body is still,
The mind is still also.
Bring your awareness to the shoulders.
Feel both shoulders supported by the earth,
Even and safe.
Visualize the shoulders and their connection to the surface below you.
Visualize the collarbone beginning from the center of your chest and extending towards the shoulders.
Visualize your shoulders resting safely on the back,
Supported by the earth.
Visualize the shoulder blades.
Visualize the connection between them and the surface below you.
Place your awareness in the right shoulder socket.
Focus your awareness here,
Sending gentle healing breath to the soft tissue between the shoulder socket and the arm bone.
Place your awareness in the left shoulder socket.
Focus your awareness here,
Sending gentle healing breath to the soft tissue between the shoulder socket and the arm bone.
Gently bring the gentle breath back to the fingers and the toes,
The wrists and the forearms,
Elbows and upper arms.
Bring the gentle breath to the shoulders and shoulder blades,
The ribs,
Waist and hips.
Bring the gentle breath to the glutes,
Thighs,
Knees and calves,
Sending the gentle breath to the ankles and the feet all the way to the toes.
Let the gentle breath Let the gentle breath fill the throat,
The head and bathe the brain in vitality and aliveness.
Slowly begin to bring movement back into your fingers and toes,
Softly integrating the whole body into gentle movement as you awaken in your time.
When you're ready,
Find your way to a seat,
Eyes softly closed,
Palms gently resting at the center of your heart.
Acknowledge the vital life force breathing you,
Living you,
Embodying you.
Offer gratitude to the healing power within.
Namaste.
Thank you for joining me for this Yoga Nidra.
4.5 (8)
Recent Reviews
Joanne
October 11, 2024
Lovely relaxing yoga nidra, I enjoyed the long focus on the breath. Thank you 😊