Hello and welcome.
Today we are going to practice the Swami Satyananda Saraswati Yoga Nidra method also known as the Bihar method for anxiety relief.
And so begin to find either a seat or lay down flat on the floor or perhaps a bed and find any props to set up a comfortable space.
Perhaps a blanket or a pillow underneath your head,
Perhaps a bolster or a pillow underneath your knees if you are laying.
And as you begin to set up and settle,
Find any little wiggles,
Any movements to make your physical body 10 to 15 percent more comfortable in your space.
And then as you continue to settle,
Begin to draw your awareness to the experience of the room you're in.
Notice the sounds around you.
Maybe it's the whirring of any machines,
The heat,
The cooling in your room.
Maybe it's the sound of cars or the birds outside your window.
Notice the sounds around you and move your attention from sound to sound without labeling them.
Just notice the sounds with a curiosity and openness.
And then draw your awareness back to your physical body and feel your body in the room.
Feel your body relaxing in your seat or the floor beneath and with each round of breath it settles even deeper.
Now choose a sankalpa or intention for your practice today.
Some options are,
I will be healthy.
I will awaken to my full potential.
I will positively affect others.
Again,
I will be healthy.
I will awaken to my full potential.
I will positively affect others.
Repeat that sankalpa or intention in your mind and then say,
I am practicing yoga nidra.
I will remain awake and relaxed.
I am practicing yoga nidra.
I will remain awake and relaxed.
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.
Please say the name of the part to yourself and feel that part of your body but do not remove any part.
Remain still as you move from point to point.
The practice begins on the right side.
Notice your hand,
Your right hand in space and draw your awareness to your right thumb.
Move your awareness to your second finger,
Your third finger,
Your fourth finger and your fifth finger.
Again,
Say the name of the part to yourself and feel that part of your body,
The palm of your right hand.
Of your right hand,
Right wrist,
Right forearm,
Right elbow,
Upper right arm,
Right shoulder,
Right armpit,
Right waist,
Right hip,
Right thigh,
Right knee,
Right calf,
Right ankle,
Your right heel,
The sole of the foot,
The top of the foot,
The right big toe,
The second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe.
Now draw your awareness to your left hand.
Notice your left hand in space and then draw your awareness to your left thumb,
Your second finger,
Third finger,
Fourth finger,
Fifth finger,
The palm of the left hand,
The back of the left hand,
The left wrist,
Left forearm,
Left elbow,
Left upper arm,
Left shoulder,
Armpit,
Waist,
Hip,
Left thigh,
Left knee,
Left ankle,
And left heel,
The sole of the foot,
The top of the foot,
The left big toe,
The second toe,
The third toe,
The fourth toe,
The fifth toe.
Now draw your awareness to the back of the body,
The back of the right heel,
The back of the left heel,
The right calf,
Left calf,
Right thigh,
Right buttock,
Left buttock,
The lower back,
The middle back,
The upper back,
And the entire spine,
The right shoulder blade,
The left shoulder blade,
The back of the neck,
The back of the head,
The top of the head,
The forehead,
The right temple,
The left temple,
Right ear,
Left ear,
Right eyebrow,
Left eyebrow,
And the middle of the eyebrows,
The right eye,
The left eye,
The right nostril,
The left nostril,
Right cheek,
Left cheek,
The upper lip,
The lower lip,
Both lips together,
The chin,
The jaw,
The throat,
Right collarbone,
Left collarbone,
Right side of chest,
Left side of the chest,
The upper abdomen,
The navel,
Lower abdomen,
The right groin,
The left groin,
The pelvis,
The whole right leg,
The whole left leg,
The whole right arm,
The whole left,
The whole face,
The whole head,
The whole torso,
The whole body,
The whole body,
The whole body.
Now draw your awareness to your breath.
Notice the breath as it comes in your nostrils.
Notice the temperature,
Coolness as the air moves in,
And warmth as the air moves out.
Notice the navel rise and fall with each inhale and exhale.
Notice the rib cage widen and contract with each inhale and exhale.
Notice a gentle rise in your chest with each inhale and exhale and continue to follow your breath with each inhale the expansion and each exhale the natural contraction.
Now let the breath awareness go for now.
I invite you to call to mind a time that you were worried or anxious.
Focus on the feeling in your body.
Notice the sensations and now feel yourself calm.
Picture a warmth and a calmness washing over any of those sensations of worry or anxiousness and picture yourself in your favorite calming place.
Feel the calmness spread across your system replacing any worry,
Any anxiousness,
And any time that worry or anxiousness returns,
Notice it.
Notice the sensations in the body and then return back to this picture,
This calming place and feel the calmness again spread across your system and rest within this space returning back to that calmness.
Notice it spread across your system and within this space return and repeat your Sankalpa,
The options given where I will be healthy.
I will awaken to my full potential.
I will positively affect.
I will be healthy.
I will awaken to my full potential.
I will positively affect.
Let this Sankalpa permeate your entire system.
Now draw your awareness.
Once again notice the gentle rise and fall of the belly and then notice the physical body in the seat on the floor beneath.
Gently wiggle fingers and toes.
Maybe rock your head side to side and when you feel ready roll over to your right hand side.
Take a moment to rest within this space and form that signifies starting new,
Starting fresh and whenever you're ready use your top arm to a seat if you're not already there.
This will conclude our Yoga Nidra for today.
Have a beautiful rest of your day.
Namaste.
