Yoga Nidra: Cozy Campfire
by Addie Gaines
In this campfire themed Yoga Nidra practice I will guide you to a state of consciousness between wakefulness and sleeping. You will move your awareness to various bodily sensations and images. Rest. Relax. Release.
Transcript
Hello,
My name is Addy and I will be your guide for Yoga Nidra.
Today's practice includes progressive relaxation adapted from a style called deep relaxation by Neshala Joy Devy.
It's time for Yoga Nidra.
You're lying on your back in a comfortable position.
Legs are extended,
Feet are splayed open,
Arms rest comfortably near your sides,
Fingers curl gently.
Make sure that you are warm enough,
Covering with a blanket if you wish.
Adjust your clothes and body so your position will be comfortable for the duration of the practice.
Remain still during Yoga Nidra so both your body and brain have a chance to fully relax.
However,
If you become uncomfortable,
Please feel free to change position.
If you become activated or bothered and no longer wish to continue this practice,
Feel free to sit up slowly,
Open the eyes and focus on the breath.
Remain seated on your mat.
Taking sips of water will help you to ground.
While this does not happen often,
It does happen for some people and now you know what to do.
Allow your eyes to close and keep them closed until the practice has ended.
Yoga Nidra is a practice that will guide you to a state of consciousness between wakefulness and sleeping.
Remain awake by listening to the sound of my voice.
You will be asked to move your awareness to various bodily sensations and images.
Try not to concentrate too intensely as this may prevent you from relaxing.
During this practice,
Please use and absorb what you need in the moment.
Leave the rest behind.
If the mind becomes overactive with thoughts or worries,
Just come back to the sound of my voice.
Now we will begin the practice of Yoga Nidra.
Softly close your eyes and take a deep breath in through the nose.
Pause at the top,
Enjoying the sweetness of the breath and then let it out slowly and with control.
Let the breath wash over the torso,
Encouraging the body to still.
Let go.
Take another deep breath in through the nose and this time open the mouth slightly and let the breath slowly roll off the tongue.
Let go.
Bring the lips together gently and allow the breath to travel in and out of the nose.
Bringing your awareness to the right leg,
Engage all of the muscles on the right leg.
Tense the leg and point and flex the toes.
Take a deep breath in and extend the leg,
Lifting it a few inches off the ground.
And as you exhale,
Relax your leg to the ground,
Feeling the pull of gravity.
Rock your leg from side to side and relax.
Bringing your awareness to the left leg,
Engage all of the muscles on the left leg.
Tense the leg and point and flex the toes.
Take a deep breath in and extend the leg,
Lifting it a few inches off the ground.
And as you exhale,
Relax your leg to the ground,
Feeling the pull of gravity.
Rock your leg side to side and relax.
Bringing your awareness to the right arm,
Engage all of the muscles on the right arm.
Tense the arm and open the hand and make it into a fist.
Take a deep breath in and lift the arm a few inches off the ground.
And as you exhale,
Relax your arm to the ground,
Feeling the pull of gravity.
Rock your arm side to side and relax.
Bringing your awareness to the left arm,
Engage all of the muscles on the left arm.
Tense the arm and open the hand and make it into a fist.
Take a deep breath in and lift the arm a few inches off the ground.
And as you exhale,
Relax your arm to the ground,
Feeling the pull of gravity.
Rock your arm side to side and relax.
Bringing your awareness to the abdomen,
Inhale,
Expand the belly and lungs.
As you exhale,
Release the belly and let the lungs deflate,
Noticing the pull of gravity.
Bringing your awareness to your shoulders,
Inhale,
Lift the shoulders up to the ears,
And on your exhale,
Drop your shoulders,
Noticing the pull of gravity.
Relax your shoulders.
Bring your awareness to your face,
Inhale and squeeze your face,
Squeeze the eyes and the mouth,
The nose and cheeks,
And on your exhale,
Let it go.
Relax the face,
Rock the head side to side,
Relax.
Take a deep breath in and as you exhale,
Feel your cares and worries float away.
Focus your awareness on the breath.
Feel the coolness of the inhale.
Feel the warmth of the exhale.
Inhale coolness,
Exhale warmth.
Begin to count the breaths backward from 27 like this.
Inhale cool 27,
Exhale warm 27.
Inhale cool 26,
Exhale warm 26.
Inhale cool 25,
Exhale warm 25.
Continue breathing and counting like this.
Now stop counting but continue to focus on the breath.
Notice the rise and fall of the belly.
Inhale,
Belly rises,
Exhale,
Belly falls.
Begin to count the breaths backward from 27 like this.
Inhale,
Belly rises 27,
Exhale,
Belly falls 27.
Inhale,
Belly rises 26,
Exhale,
Belly falls 26.
Inhale,
Belly rises 25,
Exhale,
Belly falls 25.
Continue breathing and counting like this.
Now stop counting but continue to focus on the breath.
Notice the opening and closing of the rib cage.
Inhale,
Ribs open,
Exhale,
Ribs close.
Begin to count the breaths backward from 27 like this.
Inhale,
Ribs open 27,
Exhale,
Ribs close 27.
Inhale,
Ribs open 26,
Exhale,
Ribs close 26.
Inhale,
Ribs open 25,
Exhale,
Ribs close 25.
Continue breathing and counting like this.
Now stop counting but continue to focus on the breath.
We will move into a pattern of extended exhales with breath retention.
Inhale to a count of four.
In two,
Three,
Four.
Hold two,
Three,
Four.
Out two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Wait two,
Three,
Four.
In two,
Three,
Four.
Hold two,
Three,
Four.
Out two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Wait two,
Three,
Four.
In two,
Three,
Four.
Hold two,
Three,
Four.
Out two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
Wait two,
Three,
Four.
In two,
Three,
Four.
Hold two,
Three,
Four.
Out two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
Wait two,
Three,
Four.
In two,
Three,
Four.
Hold two,
Three,
Four.
Out two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
Wait two,
Three,
Four.
Continue breathing like this,
Eventually allowing the exhales to extend further if you wish.
Now say to yourself,
I am practicing yoga nidra.
I am awake and relaxed.
At this moment,
Make your sankalpa,
Or intention.
The sankalpa is a short positive statement in simple language.
Please state your sankalpa to yourself clearly and with awareness three times.
The sankalpa you make during yoga nidra plants a seed in the fertile soil of your mind to bring about transformation and healing.
We will now begin a systematic journey of sensory awareness throughout the body.
You will move your awareness to different parts of your body as soon as you hear them named,
Imagining your energy as a beautiful thread of golden sparkling light passing through each part.
Feel that part of your body,
But do not move any part.
The practice begins on the right side.
Soul of the right foot,
Right big toe,
Right big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe,
Top of the foot,
Ankle,
Calf,
Knee,
Thigh,
Hip,
Waist,
Armpit,
Inside of the arm,
Right thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
Pinky,
Wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Neck,
Right ear,
Top of the head,
Left ear,
Left side of the neck,
Left shoulder,
Upper arm,
Elbow,
Forearm,
Wrist,
Pinky,
Ring finger,
Middle finger,
Pointer finger,
Thumb,
Inside of the arm,
Armpit,
Waist,
Hip,
Thigh,
Knee,
Calf,
Ankle,
Top of the foot,
Left big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe,
Sole of the left foot,
Left heel,
Right heel,
Left calf,
Right calf,
Left thigh,
Right thigh,
Left buttock,
Right buttock,
The lower back,
The middle back,
The upper back,
The whole spine,
Right shoulder blade,
Left shoulder blade,
The middle of the shoulder blades,
Back of the neck,
Back of the head,
Top of the head,
Forehead,
Right temple,
Left temple,
Right ear,
Left ear,
Right eyebrow,
Left eyebrow,
Middle of the eyebrows,
Right eye,
Left eye,
Left eye,
Right nostril,
Left nostril,
Right cheek,
Left cheek,
Upper lip,
Lower lip,
Both lips together,
Chin,
Jaw,
Throat,
Right collarbone,
Left collarbone,
Right side of the chest,
Left side of the chest,
Center of the chest,
Upper abdomen,
Navel,
Lower abdomen,
Right groin,
Left groin,
The pelvic floor,
The whole right leg,
The whole left leg,
The whole right arm,
The whole left arm,
The whole face,
The whole head,
The whole torso,
The whole body,
The whole body,
The whole body.
Imagine your body becoming heavy.
Feel the heaviness in all parts of the body.
Each part is becoming heavier and heavier and heavier.
The head is heavy.
The limbs are heavy.
The torso is heavy.
The whole body is heavy.
So heavy that it is sinking down into the earth.
You feel safe as you are surrounded in darkness.
It is so dark you cannot see.
Now imagine lightness.
Your body is becoming so light as though your body could float away from the earth and toward the sky.
The head is light and weightless.
The limbs are light and weightless.
The torso is light and weightless.
The whole body is light and weightless.
You are rising higher and higher away from the floor into the clouds.
You feel the light from the sun.
Your body lands on a soft cloud.
You melt into the soft cloud and it supports you.
You feel safe as you float on the soft cloud enjoying the light of the sun.
Begin to concentrate on the space in front of your closed eyelids.
Imagine before you a screen as though you were at the movie theater.
Become curious about what is happening behind the eyelids.
Concentrate on this mind screen and become aware of any phenomena that manifests within it.
Colors,
Patterns,
And light.
Whatever you see is the manifesting state of your mind.
Continue your awareness of this space but do not become involved.
Practice detached awareness only.
If any subtle images make themselves known,
Simply notice them without directing the images.
If thoughts occur,
Let them come and go but continue watching the dark space with detached awareness.
Crickets,
Velvety darkness,
Starlight,
Half moon,
Shadowy trees in the gentle wind,
Shadowy trees in the gentle wind,
Crackling logs,
Dancing flames,
Yellow,
Orange,
Red,
Blue,
Watching the fire,
Warm air,
Cozy blanket,
Talking,
Laughing,
Singing,
Melting chocolate,
Sweetness,
Sticky fingers,
Flying sparks disappearing into darkness,
Glowing embers,
Yellow,
Orange,
Mesmerizing.
Bring your awareness to the sound of my voice,
The sound of my voice.
Now bring your awareness to your body lying on the floor,
Your body lying on the floor.
It's time to repeat your sankalpa.
Please repeat the same statement made at the beginning of the practice to yourself three times.
Come back to the feeling of your breath flowing in and out of your nostrils.
Maintain your awareness of breath.
At the same time,
Develop your awareness of your physical body.
Your body is relaxed and lying on the floor.
Feel the container of your skin and the clothes that are touching you.
Notice the heaviness of your body as it rests on the floor.
Take your awareness into all the points that are touching the floor,
The back of your heels,
Thighs,
Buttocks,
Shoulder blades,
Arms,
Hands,
And head.
Leave the eyes closed.
Visualize the surrounding room.
Imagine where you are in the room and the other objects that are around you.
Lie quietly until you feel ready to move.
Take your time.
There is no hurry.
Begin to wiggle your fingers and toes.
Roll the wrists and ankles.
Raise the arms overhead and find a slow gentle stretch.
When you are sure that you are fully awake,
Gently open your eyes.
Roll to your right side.
Use your bicep as a pillow.
Stay on your right side for a few more moments.
Express gratitude to yourself for taking this time just for you.
Use your hands to press yourself up from the floor.
Let your head come up last.
The practice of yoga nidra is now complete.
Please remain seated on your mat for at least a few more moments.
Drink some water before leaving your mat.
