Yoga Nidra: Tree Of Life

Yoga Nidra is a technique developed and distilled from ancient teachings by Swami Satyananda Saraswati. This guided relaxation works to undo the tensions held in the physical, emotional and mental bodies. Yoga Nidra works with the deep layers of subconscious and unconscious mind, providing a sense of profound relaxation as you journey deeply within.

Transcript

Prepare and settle the body for the practice of yoga nidra.

Lie in a straight line in shavasana with the feet falling wide to the sides.

Arms slightly away from the body with the backs of the hands resting down and a natural curl to the fingers.

If it's comfortable you can feel free to take a mudra by joining the thumb and forefinger.

Allow there to be length in the whole spine including the back of the neck by gently lifting the head,

Slightly tucking the chin and relaying the head back down keeping that sense of length in the back of the neck.

Shoulder blades are nestled in underneath the heart space,

Broad and soft across the front of the chest and the head is resting down completely supported from beneath.

Slightly separate the teeth inside the mouth and allow the tongue to float freely in the lower part of the jaw.

Eyes are closed,

All the tiny muscles around the eyes are allowed to relax.

Unfurrow the space between the eyebrows,

Soften and melt all the features of your face.

Whole body supported and resting down.

The only two requirements for yoga nidra are for the body to remain lying perfectly still and for the awareness to remain awake and alert following along with the voice as I guide you through the process.

Ensuring that the body is completely settled,

Take this time now to make any final adjustments to your clothes,

Your position or your coverings so that the body can remain perfectly still throughout the relaxation.

At the end of the practice I will be asking you to make your sankalpa or resolution.

It is something that you resolve to change or achieve for yourself in your life.

A short and positive statement,

Kept current and beginning with I.

If you have a sankalpa,

Bringing this to mind now and repeating it to yourself three times,

Planting the seed.

If you do not have a sankalpa,

Give yourself this time to allow one to arise and know that it will come in its own right time and way.

Leaving sankalpa for now and committing the body to stillness,

We begin the practice of yoga nidra.

Take your awareness to your sense of hearing and begin listening to sounds in the outside space.

Keep the awareness fluid and moving from sound to sound in the outside space,

Never stopping on one sound,

Always searching for a new one.

Keep on listening,

Keep on listening pushing the awareness further and further out.

Listen for the sounds beyond the sounds you are hearing now.

And then gently drawing the awareness closer to listen to sounds just outside of this room.

Keep moving from sound to sound just outside of this room.

And now coming to the sounds inside this room,

Listening for any and all sounds inside this room.

Closer still to the sounds within your physical body,

Listen to the subtle sounds within yourself.

And now leaving awareness of sounds but staying present with your physical body and stay present with the voice as I guide you through a rotation of consciousness through each part of the physical body.

As each part is called simply bring your full focus to that body part as if you're in it beginning with the right hand and the right hand thumb,

Forefinger of the right hand,

Middle finger,

Ring finger,

Little finger,

Palm,

Back of the hand,

Wrist,

Lower arm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

Armpit,

Shoulder,

Right side of the chest,

Right side of the waist,

Right hip,

Thigh,

Back of the thigh,

Back of the knee,

Kneecap,

Shin,

Calf,

Ankle,

Heel,

Sole of the foot,

Top of the foot,

Right big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

Fifth toe.

Keep following along and move the awareness to the left side of the body beginning with the left hand and the left hand thumb,

Forefinger of the left hand,

Middle finger,

Ring finger,

Little finger,

Palm,

Back of the hand,

Wrist,

Lower arm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

Armpit,

Shoulder,

Left side of the chest,

Left side of the waist,

Left hip,

Thigh,

Back of the thigh,

Back of the knee,

Kneecap,

Shin,

Calf,

Ankle,

Heel,

Sole of the foot,

Top of the foot,

Left big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

Fifth toe.

Keep the awareness awake and following along moving to the back body.

Right buttock,

Left buttock,

Right side of the back from hip to shoulder,

Left side of the back from hip to shoulder,

Whole spine,

Right shoulder blade,

Left shoulder blade,

Space between the shoulder blades,

Back of the neck,

Back of the head,

Sides of the head,

The crown,

Forehead,

Right temple,

Left temple,

Right eyebrow,

Left eyebrow,

Eyebrow center,

Right ear and inner ear,

Left ear and inner ear,

Right eye,

Left eye,

Right cheek,

Left cheek,

Bridge of the nose,

Nose tip,

Upper lip,

Lower lip,

Teeth,

Tongue,

Jaw,

Throat,

Base of the throat,

Center of the chest,

Upper abdomen,

Navel,

Lower abdomen,

Pubic bone,

Groin,

The whole of the right leg from hip to toes,

The whole of the left leg from hip to toes,

Both legs together,

The whole of the right arm from shoulder to fingertips,

The whole of the left arm from shoulder to fingertips,

Both arms together,

Whole trunk of the body,

Whole neck and head,

The right side of the body,

The left side of the body,

The back of the body close to the ground,

The front of the body,

Whole body,

Whole physical body,

As one unit feel your whole physical body lying here.

Bringing the awareness to the breath as it moves in the physical body space.

Be aware of the breath moving in the physical body.

And then beginning to feel or imagine that the body could breathe in and out as one unit,

Whole body breathing in,

Whole body breathing out,

As if you could breathe in through all the pores of your skin,

Whole body breathes in expanding,

Whole body breathes out softening and relaxing down.

Continue practicing like this.

Keep expanding with every inhale and softening back down with every exhale.

Inhaling growing larger and larger to cosmic proportions.

Exhale softening and relaxing back down to a single point.

Feel,

Imagine that your body expands and contracts in this way with the breath.

Feel,

Imagine that your body expands and contracts in this way with the breath.

Feel,

Imagine that your body expands and contracts in this way with the breath.

Feel,

Imagine that your body expands and contracts in this way with the breath.

Know what you are doing.

Remain present with the breath expanding and softening.

Feel,

Imagine that your body expands and contracts in this way with the breath.

Feel,

Imagine that your body expands and contracts in this way with the breath.

And now letting go of this breath awareness,

Letting go of this practice and returning to your natural and spontaneous flow of breath.

Allow the breath to flow naturally.

I will now name some sensations.

Recreate these sensations in your body.

Beginning by creating a sense of heaviness.

Feeling heaviness through the whole physical body.

Feeling heavy.

As if your body could sink into and through the floor.

Feeling heavier and heavier.

Feeling heaviness through the whole sinking body.

And now replacing this with a sense of lightness.

Feeling light through the whole physical body.

Lightness.

Feeling lighter and lighter.

As if the body could float and lift up and away from the support beneath.

Keep cultivating this sense of lightness in the physical body.

Letting this go,

Returning to your natural weight.

Begin to cultivate a sense of cold.

Feeling cold in the entire body.

Cold.

Awaken and create a sense of cold in the whole physical body.

As if you're in a cold room.

Feeling cold.

And now replacing this with a sense of heat.

Feeling heat in the entire physical body.

Awaken a sense of heat.

Get as close to this sensation as you can.

Almost perspiring.

Heat through the whole body.

Letting this go,

Letting this go.

Now creating a sense of pain.

Feeling pain in the physical body.

Pain.

Replacing this now with a sense of pleasure.

Feeling pleasure in the physical body.

Feel pleasure.

Letting go of these sensations.

Letting these go now.

I will call some images.

Visualize them as they are called.

Gentle waves on the shore.

Gentle waves on the shore.

Waves on the shore.

A clear and beautiful note of music.

A beautifully clear note of music.

A clear note.

Tall grass waving.

Tall grass waving.

Waving grass.

Droplets of rain.

Droplets of rain.

Raindrops.

A cup of golden liquid.

A cup of golden liquid.

A cup of golden liquid.

An ever flowing fountain.

Ever flowing fountain.

Fountain.

A single bright spark.

Single bright spark.

The bright spark.

An antelope running.

An antelope running.

Running antelope.

A warm embrace.

A warm embrace.

Warm embrace.

Pink clouds drifting.

Pink clouds drifting.

Drifting clouds.

Blue expansive sky.

Blue expansive sky.

The blue sky.

And now see yourself standing under the blue expansive sky,

Gazing up.

You are standing in your garden,

Gazing up at the blue expansive sky.

Feeling the heat and the warmth from the earth beneath your feet.

The gentle breeze on your skin.

And a sense of freedom with the expansive blue sky above.

All things in balance.

As you gaze out across the fields,

Out from your garden,

Your eyes and your gaze is drawn to a forest,

Covering a hill nearby.

And you decide to walk and make your way towards this forest.

It seems as if you are being called into this space to find something of great value or importance.

Make your way out from the garden,

Along the path through the fields,

Towards the forest.

As you get closer and closer,

The trees seem to loom taller than they seemed from the distance.

As you stand right at the edge of the forest,

You see that the trees are packed very closely and inside the forest is dark and mysterious.

Completely unknown.

Still something calls you on and in.

And you continue your journey,

Making your way through the branches,

Picking your way slowly but surely,

Deeply into the forest.

There are tree roots underneath and you become enveloped by the darkness of all the trees around.

In the new space of the forest,

You can hear creatures moving around you.

Hootings and callings of wild birds.

Scurrying in the undergrowth.

Movements near and far.

The forest is alive.

You make your way deeper.

It gets darker and darker as you push further and further in and the trees seem to close in on each side.

You have to fight your way through branches,

Through brambles,

Vines and thorns.

Unknown landscape.

Tricky footing,

Making your way up and down as you push,

Called onwards and inwards.

Keep making your way through.

The going is tough.

Branches and thorns are tugging at your skin,

Your hair.

You keep making your way through.

Just up ahead,

Through the dim light,

You begin to see a pool of dappled light making its way through the branches.

Make your way towards this lightness.

A final push through a big bush and you make your way out and into this spot of dappled light.

The trees here are not so close and you see a small path leading you forwards towards a clearing.

Making your way along this overgrown path.

You come out into the clearing,

A perfectly round space right in the heart of the forest.

As you gaze up,

You blink in the sudden blinding light,

Feeling the warmth of the sun once more on your skin.

And feeling the relief of fresh,

Clear air as you breathe.

As your face turns upwards,

It begins to rain gently.

Feeling the droplets of rain kissing your skin.

Feeling the warmth of the rain.

Feeling the warmth of the earth beneath.

And from behind the clouds,

The sun is still shining down.

You lower your face to gaze across the clearing and get your bearings.

Noticing that at the other side of the clearing,

There is a tall and majestic oak tree,

Old and knurled.

It looks as though it has been there since the beginning of time.

There is a sense of timelessness about it.

You feel yourself drawn and pulled towards the tree.

Making your way across the clearing.

At the base of the tree you stop,

Gaze up into its branches and place your hand against the trunk.

Find that it is gently warm beneath your fingertips.

And then you notice that there is a slight vibration or buzz,

As if the tree is very alive and very vibrant.

You turn one cheek and press your face against the tree,

Absorbing its warmth and its vibrancy.

You feel compelled to sit in meditation with the tree.

So you turn and sit at its base,

Pressing your spine against its trunk.

Feeling the full contact between your body and the trunk behind.

You are sheltered and supported by the tree.

Feeling very comfortable nestled in amongst its roots and against its trunk.

Close your eyes and allow yourself to commune with the tree.

You go into a very deep space of knowing and clarity.

There is a feeling that the tree is somehow speaking or communicating with you.

Keep sitting here with the tree and absorbing anything that it wishes to tell you.

You are filled with a deep sense of knowing and nourishing.

You are filled with a deep sense of knowing and nourishment.

Filling up with the light and vibrancy of this tree,

The tree of life.

The tree gives you a signal that it's time to return home.

You gently open your eyes,

Turn in gratitude and bow to the tree,

Thanking it for its wisdom.

You gently make your way across the clearing,

Feeling the softness of the grass beneath.

A new sense of vibrancy through your whole being.

At the very end of the clearing,

At the edge just before the path,

You turn and gaze one more time to look upon the tree.

And then you make your way out from the clearing,

Finding that the path will lead you all the way back and out of the forest.

The way has been cleared and you make your way easily,

Smoothly walking along the path,

Making your way back through the forest that now feels so familiar.

Make your way back across the fields towards your own garden,

Your own home,

Returning to where you began the journey.

And now bringing the awareness to the Chidakasha or mind space,

The infinite and formless space that exists inside the head.

As if you were sitting at the back of the head,

Gaze forward at the viewing screen of the mind,

Behind the forehead and the closed eyes.

Have a relaxed gaze and watch the expressions of your mind on this screen.

The thoughts,

Feelings,

Patterns,

Colours,

Any way that the mind chooses to express is welcome in this space.

Simply watch.

Be the silent witness of your mind space.

And now withdrawing awareness from this space,

Allow the Chidakasha to dissolve back into itself,

Letting go of this space now,

Bringing up your Sankalpa.

Repeating Sankalpa three times,

Planting the seed very deeply,

Getting as close to it as you can.

Feel it,

See it and know it to be true.

Anything in life can fail you but not Sankalpa.

I'm now gently leaving Sankalpa for now.

Leaving Sankalpa,

Coming back to the sensation of breath moving in the physical body.

Become present with the breath and with every breath inviting awareness back more and more into the physical body.

Every breath becoming more and more present in the physical body.

Be the silent witness of your mind space.

And now withdrawing awareness from this space,

Allow the Chidakasha to dissolve back into itself,

Letting go of this space,

Bringing up your Sankalpa.

Sankalpa.

Taking a little bit of a deeper breath now,

Bringing more vitality into the body as you breathe a little bit deeper and invite gentle movement back into the physical body.

Gently moving fingers and toes,

Perhaps shaking the head from side to side,

Waking up the physical body,

Coming fully back now to the physical body.

Know who you are and where you are.

Haryom tatsat.

Yoga Nidra is complete.

Ensure you are fully present in the physical body.

And on your next big inhalation,

Taking a full body stretch,

Reaching the arms long overhead,

Stretching down into toes.

On the exhalation,

Gently rolling onto one side.

And spending three full,

Deep,

Unconscious breaths here to return fully back to this space.

In your own way and time,

Making your way up into a seated position.

Gently drawing palms to press in front of the chest,

Rubbing the hands to create heat.

And when you have heat in the palms,

Cupping them gently over the eyes.

Allow the heat to sink and melt into the eyes.

Gently blinking the eyes open behind your closed hands.

Separate the fingers and release the hands from the face to return fully back to this space.

You can relax all efforts.

Reviews

So wonderful….that was my best Nidra ever. I feel that I know and understand so much more. Thank you.

A smooth, peaceful delivery. Thank you 🙏

Thank you🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻I had my headphones on, because that intensifies the experience. It made the first part of the nidra, listening to all sounds, moot and too long, though I did hear sounds from the recording.🙏🏻🌟💫🌟✨🌟🙏🏻

Great to find a Kiwi doing meditations on Insight Timer. And a great yoga nitira too, I generally prefer longer nitira's and this one really resonated with me. I easily went into a very relaxed state and experienced a deep and prolonged yoga nitira. Thank you so much. 🙂👍💕

Wonderful Nidra. Clean, clear & spacious. No music or unecessary instructions. Thank you

This is a really lovely Nidra with great pacing and warm gentle voice. Will definitely be returning to this one - thank you 🙏

What a beautiful yoga nidra practice. Thank you!

First time i was able to complete without falling asleep. What a great gift. Namaste.

Very nice thank you.

Alanna, thank you so very, very much for your incredible nidra practice. Your calming and peaceful voice soothes everything away. I truly appreciate this.

Thank you so much for the wonderful journey. I really liked the breathing visualization of expansion to a cosmic size and relaxing to a small point.

Thank you. No words for this experience. 🙏🏻

One of the loveliest yoga nidras that I’ve done ❤️

Thank you for this beautiful experience. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Thank you 🙏🏻 x

Awesome, thanks for sharing

Nice long complete yoga nidra, thank you🙏🏽

Beautiful and the rain in the background was really relaxing ❤️

I only remember the first few minutes zzzzzzzzz

A very simple clear yoga nidra. Lovely pace and gentle voice along with beautiful nature imagery. Thank you.