Hi,
My name is Alyssa.
Thank you for joining me in this practice of Yoga Nidra.
This meditation is designed to help you fall into sleep and move gently into a restorative state of consciousness.
Deep rest is essential for our well-being and healing.
Although we do move into sleep,
We are also in a state of awareness in which we can awaken who we really are.
I invite you to settle into your bed,
Stretching out,
Giving your body into the bed,
Letting go.
This meditation has no ending bell,
So you can slip off into sleep with no disturbances from me.
Hopefully there are no more distractions for you now.
Letting go of thoughts of how the day has been,
Letting go of thoughts of what tomorrow brings.
You are here now and I give you permission to move into rest.
We begin with our breath,
Bringing an awareness to the natural breath that flows through both nostrils during the inhale and the exhale.
Allow your breath to become longer and slower.
Take a long,
Slow inhalation,
Followed by a longer,
Slower exhalation,
Just matching the in-breath with the out-breath.
Take notice of the slight pause after the exhale.
Slow inhale,
Even slower exhale and pause.
Long slow inhale,
Slow exhale,
And then notice where the body is neither breathing in or out.
Please continue with this breathing for the next few moments.
You will move into our practice of yoga nidra now.
At this moment,
I'd like you to bring to mind an intention.
The intentions we make during yoga nidra,
Plants,
Seeds,
And the fertile soil of our minds can help bring about transformation and healing.
I'd like you to also say to yourself,
I am practicing yoga nidra.
I'm awake and relaxed.
We will now begin a systematic journey of sensory awareness throughout your body.
You will move your awareness to different parts of your body as soon as you hear me name them.
Please say the part to yourself and feel into that part of your body,
But remain still.
The practice begins on the right side.
Right hand thumb,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Fourth finger,
Fifth finger,
Palm of the hand,
Back of the hand,
Wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Armpit,
Waist,
Hip,
Thigh,
Calf,
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole of the foot,
Top of the foot,
Right big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe.
Lean to the left side,
Left hand thumb,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Fourth finger,
Fifth finger,
Palm of the hand,
Back of the hand,
Wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Armpit,
Waist,
Hip,
Thigh,
Knee,
Calf,
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole of the foot,
Top of the foot,
Left big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe.
Moving to the back of the body,
Right heel,
Left heel,
Right calf,
Left calf,
Right thigh,
Left thigh,
Right buttock,
Left buttock,
Lower back,
Middle back,
Upper back,
The entire spine,
Right shoulder blade,
Left shoulder blade,
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,
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,
Upper abdomen,
Navel,
Lower abdomen,
Right groin,
Left groin,
The pelvic floor,
The whole right leg,
Whole left leg,
Whole right arm,
Whole left arm,
The whole face,
The whole head,
The whole torso,
The whole body,
The whole body,
The whole body.
Now imagine the whole body becoming light as though your body could float away from the floor and toward the ceiling.
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 and higher away from the bed.
Imagine now your body becoming heavy.
Feel the heaviness in all parts of the body,
Each part becoming heavier,
Heavier,
And even heavier.
The head is heavy.
The limbs are heavy.
The torso heavy.
The whole body is heavy.
So heavy that it is sinking down into the floor.
Imagine now the experience of cold in the body,
The experience of chilly cold.
Imagine being outside in winter without enough clothing.
You feel this chill permeating your entire body.
Now allow the sensation of warmth to blanket and spread throughout your entire body.
Remembering the feeling of heat in summer when you're in the sun with no shade.
You feel heat radiating onto your skin,
Heat all around your body.
Imagine now to concentrate on the space in front of your closed eyelids.
Imagine before you a transparent screen as though you were at a movie theater.
The screen is as high and as wide as your eyes can see.
Simply focus and concentrate on this screen.
Anything that manifests within it,
Colors,
Patterns,
Light.
Whatever you see is the manifesting state of your mind.
Continue your awareness of this space.
I want you to practice detached awareness here.
Any images make themselves known,
Simply notice them.
If thoughts begin to occur,
Let them come up,
But let them go.
Continuing to watch the dark space.
Now a number of different things will be named.
You can envision them on the level of emotion,
Memory,
Imagination as best you can.
Jump from image to image as soon as you hear me name it.
Bread desert.
Peacock feather.
A person meditating.
A good night's rest.
Full moon.
Foggy morning.
Bouquet of flowers.
Receiving help from others.
Cool,
Clear water.
A relaxing afternoon.
Laughing with friends.
A warm embrace.
A path in the woods.
Taking a deep breath.
Cat stretching.
Your favorite song.
The sound of my voice.
Your body lying in the bed.
It is time to repeat your intention.
Please repeat the same statement made at the beginning of the practice three times mentally now.
Coming back to the feeling of your breath as it flows in and out of your nostrils.
Your body is relaxed.
Seeing the container of your skin,
The clothes or props that are touching you.
Seeing the room you're in.
Visualizing your body,
Relaxed and ready for sleep.
With these last few breaths,
They send you off.
Thank you for your practice.
Namaste.
Namaste.
