Yoga Nidra - Body Scan

In this practice of Yoga Nidra, you begin by setting an intention then moving into a body scan and following the breath, helping you to inquire, relax and restore. This practice can be done at any moment of the day.

Transcript

Welcome to this practice of Yoga Nidra.

I would like you to find a comfortable position as you listen to this audio.

Perhaps you are laying down or sitting on a chair.

The most important thing is to find that position where your body can be comfortable.

If you feel like you need to change or alter the position of your body,

Feel free to do so at any moment.

As our body sends us messages,

See if you can respond to this in a way that feels right to you.

Now open yourself up to this experience.

Let everything be just as it is.

Thoughts,

Feelings,

Emotions.

Everything that is present or arising without the need to change anything.

And slowly start to open your senses.

Maybe you can hear a sound in the room with you.

Or something outside the room where you are laying or sitting in.

Or maybe some sound from within.

And slowly start to bring your attention back to what's inside of you.

Maybe sensations that are present.

Thoughts,

Feelings.

And feel the back of your body.

The front of your body.

And maybe on an exhalation you can even relax the body a little bit more on the surface below.

And see if there is an intention for this practice.

Maybe it is to just simply rest here.

Allowing the body to relax.

And whatever your intention is,

See if you can allow this intention to rise up from within you.

There is no need to force anything.

Allow the words or images to come to the surface.

And if there is an intention present,

Feel as if this intention were already true in this very moment.

For instance,

I am relaxed.

I am rested.

And you can say this to yourself in silence.

And see how this feels in the body.

And now slowly draw your attention to your heart space.

The middle of the chest.

And as you rest your attention here,

What do you feel?

Is there a desire or a passion?

A longing here in the heart space?

Perhaps for healing?

Living in kindness?

Or to awake spiritually?

Maybe it is small or big or whatever is present,

It is all okay.

And while you stay with your attention in the heart space,

Is there something present?

And perhaps you can state this as true in this very moment,

As if it is already here.

And see how this feels.

And slowly let go and see how this longing comes back to you.

Now bring your attention to your inner resource.

Maybe this is an inner resource you have used before.

Or you can find a new one if you like.

It can be a memory or a fantasy.

As long as this resource gives you a feeling of security and ease in your body.

Perhaps it is something you like to do,

To feel at ease.

Perhaps a walk on the beach,

A walk in the woods.

Perhaps it is a room where you feel safe.

As long as it gives you a feeling of ease,

A security.

And see if you can bring all your senses into this experience.

If you take that walk,

Perhaps you can feel how your feet are touching the surface below.

How your face catches some rays of sun,

Bringing warmth.

How you can feel the air on your cheeks.

Maybe there are sounds.

Maybe there are people with you.

Or a pet.

As long as this gives you a feeling of ease,

Security.

And see how this feels in the body.

And now let go of the images.

And stay with this feeling.

This feeling of ease,

Feeling secure.

And know you can always go back to this inner resource whenever you please.

Not only here on the mat,

But also outside in your own life.

And now let your attention go to your mouth.

Sense the inside of the cheeks.

The tongue.

The jaws.

Teeth.

And feel the space inside of the mouth.

The lips.

Outside of the cheeks.

And maybe you can feel a touch of air there.

A warmth or a coolness on the cheeks.

And then bring your attention to the left ear.

Feel the outer ear.

And the inside of the left ear.

Feel the right ear.

The outside.

And the inside of the right ear.

Now see if you can feel both ears at the same time.

Bring your attention to the nose.

Feeling both nostrils.

And see how a flow of air goes in when you breathe in.

And how on an out breath the flow of air goes out.

Feel the left eye.

Left eyebrow.

Feel the right eye.

And the right eyebrow.

Feel both eyes at the same time.

The forehead.

The scalp.

The back of the head.

The neck.

And also feel the inside,

The throat.

The right shoulder.

The left upper arm.

The left lower arm.

The left hand and fingers.

And the right shoulder.

Right upper arm.

Right lower arm.

Right hand and fingers.

And try to bring both arms at the same time in your attention.

See how you feel there,

Both arms at the same time.

Feel the chest.

Feel the sensations are present in the chest.

Feel the belly.

Lower abdomen.

Maybe some slight movement there of the breath.

Maybe some sounds.

And feel your upper back.

Mid back.

Lower back.

And feel the entire torso.

Front,

Back,

Sides,

Inside and out.

What is present there in the entire torso?

Feel the left hip.

The right hip.

The pelvis.

Left buttock.

Left upper leg.

Left lower leg.

Left foot and toes.

And the right buttock.

Right upper leg.

Right lower leg.

Right foot and toes.

And see if you can bring your attention to both legs at the same time.

What is present?

You feel an aliveness.

Pulsation.

What sensations are present in both legs at the same time?

Feel the entire front of the body.

Entire back of the body.

And feel the body as a whole.

Inside out.

Left side,

Right side.

The body as a whole.

And while feeling the body as one.

Can you feel how all sensations are coming and going?

But underneath all of that is something that never changes.

Watchful.

Aware.

And you can either linger here or bring your attention to your breath.

And bring your attention to that part of your body where the breath feels most present.

Perhaps your chest or your abdomen.

And follow the movement of the breath.

Perhaps feeling how on an inhalation your chest and your abdomen are rising.

And how on an exhalation your abdomen and chest are relaxing.

And simply follow this coming and going of the breath.

And perhaps you can feel how every breath is changing.

The breath changing from inhalation to exhalation.

And from exhalation to inhalation.

Coming and going.

No need to change the breath,

Simply observing.

And bring your attention to the point where the breath changes.

The little pause between breaths.

And what's in that pause?

Perhaps you can find a silence there.

A stillness.

Perhaps you can feel that when the breath is changing there is something that never changes.

While that breath is coming and going.

An unchanging awareness that is always present.

And either stay here observing the breath or bring your attention back to your body.

And see if there are feelings of well-being,

Happiness or joy present.

No need to force anything but while you feel this happiness,

Well-being or joy.

Sense how an inner smile forms the heart.

A smile traveling through your entire body.

And see how this fills up your body with joy,

Warmth and love.

And how does this make you feel?

While resting in these feelings of joy.

Simply being open and welcoming everything that is present.

And it helps you can think of your inner resource.

Feeling secure and at ease.

And what is present in this very moment?

Can you feel how everything is constantly changing?

You are an unchanging awareness.

And see if you can feel back into awareness itself.

This vicious,

Unchanging awareness in which everything arises,

Unfolds and dissolves back into.

And don't try to think your way into this but feel.

Simply be present in this very moment.

Noticing how this being arises within awareness.

And rest back into this awareness.

And don't overthink this,

Try to only feel.

Everything just as it is.

No need to change or alter anything.

Just simply being.

And now take a moment to look back on the practice you've just done.

Sensing everything that is or was present.

Feelings,

Thoughts,

Emotions,

Sensations.

And awareness in which everything arises,

Unfolds and dissolves back into.

And become yet again aware of your heart's desire.

The longing from your heart.

Maybe it has changed or can reveal itself now.

And see how your actions and intentions are supportive of this desire in your life.

And see yourself how you are going into the day.

While being aware of this unchanging awareness that you are.

Which all of life is unfolding.

Thoughts,

Sensations,

Emotions.

And now feel your body touching the surface below.

Sense the breath.

How it is coming and going.

And feel how this breath deepens.

And with this deepening of the breath the body becomes more alive,

More awake.

Awake and alert in this very moment.

And whenever you are ready you can make bigger movements.

Moving the toes,

Ankles,

Wrists.

Maybe you want to stretch your body.

And whenever you are ready,

Go about your day.

Just simply being.

Reviews

Amazing! Thank you for helping me find calmness and peace today. I am grateful. Namaste

That was , powerful undulating, light, love! Thankyou

Just wonderful. Thank you

I liked the several references to the unchanging part of my. Lovely experience. I’ll be back.

Nice

A beautiful day to start my day. Thank you.

A lovely variation on the body scan. I will definitely repeat it again.

😌 good

Zo helend, dankjewel 🙏🏻🥰✨

Such a lovely relaxing meditation. Simple and grounded. Loved it.

So much more than the simple title implies. Calmly takes you to the place you long to be. Exquisite.

Her voice is very naturally very nurturing. This recording helps put me at ease very quickly.

That was excellent. You have a nice pace and pleasant voice. Very much appreciate being guided to my inner resource. As yoga teacher, I must express how nice it was to have space held for me in such a refreshing way. Thank you

Thank you for this delightful meditation.