Yoga Nidra With Dhirga Breath
This Yoga Nidra is relaxing and easeful with gentle guidance into the deep sleep states. As well, you will be invited to use Dhirga breaths or full yogic breaths as a way to focus, go inward, and practice this type of deep breathing technique.
Transcript
Hello and welcome.
My name is Mirja.
I'm so glad you're joining me.
To begin,
You may lie on your back in Shavasana with whichever props such as pillows and blankets you may choose to use to help you settle in and feel more comfortable and relaxed.
You can also add in the use of an eye pillow if you desire.
You may choose a side-lying position if lying on your back doesn't work for you.
Always knowing that you can listen to your body's needs and adjust or shift as you need to.
Yoga Nidra or yogic sleep is a state of consciousness between sleeping and waking.
With practice,
It can take you to deeper sleep states which can support relaxation,
Overall wellness and contentment among many other benefits.
It can bring you into a deeper sense of peace.
Yoga Nidra draws you away from the outer world and into the many layers of the inner world.
Your brain enters sleep states even as you are still awake.
These states shift the brain into the more healing,
Deeply restful brainwaves you would have while you sleep.
Our minds learn to loosen their grip and we may begin to let go and sink into a state of oneness with all that is.
You don't have to do anything except be guided by my voice.
We create a coziness-like environment for ourselves so we can be physically comfortable,
So our minds aren't distracted by the body.
Everyone may experience it differently and that is okay.
We are all different.
We perceive things differently.
It is all okay just as it is.
If your mind drifts off or into sleep,
When you notice you have drifted off,
Simply come back to following my voice.
Allow your body to sink into the mat,
Feeling the gentle support of Mother Earth beneath you.
Settling in to release and let go.
Notice as the sounds around you begin to fade away and your mind begins to shift inward to the quiet.
Take a deep breath in through your nose and let it out through your mouth with the soft sound of ha.
And do this again in through the nose and out through the mouth with a ha.
With each breath you soften a little more.
Slowly scan your body from head to toe,
Noticing and sensing and adjusting as necessary to be completely at ease.
We will now do Dhirgha breaths,
Which are three part full yogic breaths.
First,
Place your hands on your belly and exhale all your breath through your mouth.
Now inhale through your nose,
Filling your belly fully.
And then exhale all your breath through your nose.
Now place your hands on your ribs and take another deep breath,
Filling your belly and then the ribs.
And then exhale through your nose.
This time,
Place your hands on your chest and breathe fully into your belly,
Ribs and chest.
And when you reach the top of the breath,
Exhale fully.
You can relax your hands down now and continue this breath at your own pace into belly,
Ribs and chest for three more breaths.
You may like to take a moment to set a sankalpa for yourself.
A sankalpa is a short sentence which is clear,
Uses an I statement and is in the present tense.
It may also be thought of as your heart's deepest desire or an intention for yourself.
San means to become one with and kalpa means time or subconscious mind.
You may use it as often as you like to help it sink in and become something you truly believe and radiate from your whole being.
It can help bring about positive change.
Perhaps you have a sankalpa or intention you're already working with.
Or you may use something like,
I am filled with energy and vitality.
Or I am one with nature and all that is.
If you don't have one,
You may draw on a word that comes bubbling up from within you.
It may be peace or calm or some other word that speaks to you.
If no word comes,
That's okay.
It will come when the time is right.
You may repeat your sankalpa three times silently to yourself.
Take a slow deep breath in and out now and at your own pace slowly count down each breath from five to one.
Starting with five,
Breathing in and out.
Four,
Breathing in and out.
Three,
Going at your own pace down to one.
We will now move through a rotation of consciousness.
Moving through the body,
Noticing each part as I guide you along.
Simply noticing without judgment each part of your body.
Throat,
Jaw,
Tongue,
Roof of mouth,
Teeth,
Gums,
Inside of cheeks,
The whole mouth,
Lower lip,
Upper lip,
Face,
Right nostril,
Left nostril,
The whole nose,
Sensation of breath,
Right ear,
Folds of ear,
Ear canal,
Inner ear,
Listening,
Left ear,
Folds of ear,
Ear canal,
Inner ear,
Listening,
Right eye,
Right eyebrow,
Temple,
Cheekbone,
Behind the right eye,
Left eye,
Left eyebrow,
Temple,
Cheekbone,
Behind the left eye,
Between the brows,
Mind's eye center,
Crown,
Back of head,
Back of neck,
Inside the throat,
Whole head and neck,
Base of throat,
Heart center,
Right shoulder,
Upper arm,
Elbow,
Forearm,
Wrist,
Palm,
Back of hand,
Thumb,
First finger,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Little finger,
Palm,
Wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Base of throat,
Left shoulder,
Upper arm,
Elbow,
Forearm,
Wrist,
Palm,
Back of hand,
Thumb,
First finger,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Little finger,
Palm,
Wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Base of throat,
Heart center,
Ribs,
Shoulder blades,
Back of heart,
Whole back,
Belly,
Navel,
Right hip,
Whole thigh,
Knee,
Lower leg,
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole of foot,
Top of foot,
Big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Little toe,
Whole right leg,
Navel,
Whole thigh,
Knee,
Lower leg,
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole of foot,
Big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Little toe,
Whole left leg,
Both legs together,
Tailbone,
Sacrum,
Spine,
Back of head,
The whole right body,
The whole left body,
The whole body,
The whole body,
The whole body.
Gently bring back your word or sankalpa and say it three times to yourself.
Now notice your breath moving in and out of your body.
Begin to count up from one to five with each breath.
Breathing in and out on one,
Going at your own pace up to five.
Slowly begin to notice the sounds in the room,
The air on your skin,
The places where your body connects to the mat.
You may wiggle your fingers and toes and take a gentle stretch.
When you're ready,
You can roll to one side and come to sitting.
There's no rush.
You may bring your hands into marjali mudra or prayer pose with your eyes closed and say a silent thank you to yourself for showing up and giving yourself this time.
You may also like to take a moment to send some of this lovely energy out to someone in need.
Rounding your hands down to the floor by placing them on the floor,
Our yoga nidra is now complete.
Thank you for joining me.
My name is Maryam.
Om shanti,
Shanti,
Shanti.
Peace,
Peace,
Peace.
