Lie down on a bed or the ground,
Preparing for yoga nidra.
Make any necessary adjustments so that you can become even more comfortable than before.
Now become aware of the natural breath through the nostrils.
As you inhale,
Feel the cool air enter the nostrils,
Sustaining life in every part of your being.
As you exhale,
Surrender your physical body into the surface on which you rest.
Take a long,
Slow,
Deep breath,
Fully engaged with the act of breathing.
Send the air out effortlessly,
Relaxing your rib cage and your abdomen.
Notice how the breath moves the body from the inside out.
Surrender into your aliveness and your deep rest.
Full permission to be here now,
To do absolutely nothing.
Feel the body welcome stillness as its nature.
As I name each body part,
Travel your awareness to that part and notice its relaxation.
Paying attention to the crown of your head.
Relax your whole scalp,
Forehead,
Eyes,
Mouth,
Jaw,
Throat,
Right shoulder.
Right upper arm.
Elbow.
Lower arm.
Right hand.
Palm of the hand.
Thumb.
Second finger.
Third.
Fourth.
Pinky finger.
Left shoulder.
Left upper arm.
Elbow.
Lower arm.
Left hand.
Palm of the hand.
Thumb.
Second finger.
Third.
Fourth.
Pinky finger.
Center of the chest.
Upper abdomen.
Navel.
Lower abdomen.
Waist.
Right hip.
Right upper leg.
Knee.
Lower leg.
Right foot.
Soul of the foot.
Big toe.
Second toe.
Third.
Fourth.
Pinky toe.
Left hip.
Left upper leg.
Knee.
Lower leg.
Left foot.
Soul of the foot.
Big toe.
Second toe.
Third.
Fourth.
Pinky toe.
Relax the whole body from the soles of the feet back up to the crown all at once.
Bring awareness back to your natural breath at the nostrils.
Visualize the breath moving in a triangle shape.
The breath starts from a distance,
Then flows up each nostril,
Uniting in the eyebrow center,
The top of a triangle.
As you exhale,
Feel the breath descend through the nostrils and flow out at a distance,
Far from the body.
Each time you inhale,
Feel the distinction and clarity of the breath meeting at the eyebrow center.
Each time you exhale,
Do less.
Let the body be breathed.
Continue with this visualization for a brief period of silence.
Now,
Rest your awareness at your eyebrow center.
Allow this area to become encased in stillness.
Effortless,
Relaxed awareness.
See here the entrance to a dark cave.
Visualize that dark cave.
Deep within the cave,
You can see a flaming light.
Go toward that light.
Within that light,
There is a small golden egg.
A very small,
Very bright golden egg.
See the egg sitting within the flaming light.
This egg holds your essence at this moment in time.
One word that sinks deeply into your consciousness.
It is a word that is gifted to you.
It is beyond the mind.
Relax your thoughts.
Let the word be revealed to you now.
Rest when it arrives.
Continue to listen until you again hear my voice.
Let the experience of your word go.
Become aware of your breathing.
Of your natural breathing.
Now become aware of your arms and legs.
Feel your whole body lying down.
Begin to notice the sounds that exist within the space.
Use them to re-engage with the world around you.
Take the knowingness of your essence with you.
Keep your eyes closed.
Let bring your palms together in front of you and begin to rub them vigorously to create heat between the palms.
Once you're satisfied,
Cup the palms over the eyes.
Let the heat melt into your face.
When you feel ready,
Open your eyes into the dark space of the palms.
Relax your arms to the sides.
Start to move your body and stretch yourself.
Do not hurry.
Take your time.
When you're sure that you're awake,
Sit up slowly.
This practice of Yoga Nidra is now complete.
