Yoga Nidra practice.
Yoga Nidra is often translated as yoga sleep.
However,
It's not sleep.
It's a meditation state that leaves you hovering between sleep and wakefulness.
For many people this can be deeply relaxing and it's okay if you do fall into true sleep.
But as much as possible the aim is to follow my voice and to stay with the practice,
Letting yourself experience this deep rest and we'll go through the different elements of a yoga Nidra including getting relaxed,
Setting a sankalpa or intention,
Rotating your consciousness around your body and then we'll use some opposites,
Sensations that we can feel and imagine and some rapid image visualization.
The images that I will list are designed to be archetypal images that most people will have experienced in their lives.
Of course you always have the freedom to ignore or to skip any aspects of this practice if you don't feel comfortable with it.
Speaking of comfort,
Resting in stillness for this amount of time may require some cushioning.
If you're lying down I would recommend something under the back of your head and for most people something under the back of the knees also will eliminate any back pain while you're resting.
So set yourself up in a comfortable space using whatever you need to be comfortable.
If you're pregnant or if you are uncomfortable lying on your back this practice can be done sitting up or lying on your side as well.
Part of the discipline of the practice is to endeavor to stay physically still.
Again you have freedom to follow your own wisdom and move if you need to but if it's possible for you to find a place of stillness then that is the aim.
Once you're settled close down your eyes and begin to use your sense of hearing.
Listen to the sounds around you.
Try stretching your sense of hearing out into the distance listening out for the furthest sounds.
As you hear sounds you can follow them for a few moments.
If you identify them you may note what you hear.
And then try listening for the spaces between sounds.
Is there any space any silence beneath the sounds?
So gradually now bringing your awareness closer to listen to the sounds in the building you're in.
To listen to the sounds in the room you're in.
Listening even to the sounds of your own breath perhaps your own heartbeats maybe some digestive sounds.
Now shifting from your hearing to your breath becoming aware of your natural breath.
Observing how the breath enters and exits your body.
Through your nostrils or if your nose is blocked your mouth.
Perhaps you'll notice one nostril is clearer or more dominant than the other.
Simply observe these variations in the breath.
You may also notice the temperature of your breath depending on the air around you the breath entering the body may be cool or warm.
The breath leaving the body is often being warmed by its time inside.
Take a little time here to feel the breath passing over your upper lip.
Noticing all the sensations in that small area of skin beneath your nostrils.
Skin beneath your nostrils.
So as you observe your natural breath starting to gently lengthen your out breath letting the exhalations be slightly longer than your inhalations.
There's no need to force this let it be subtle and gentle extension of your out breath.
At the end of your next exhalation release your attention from the breath returning to an awareness of the sounds around you as you allow the breath to find its own way its own rhythm.
In the traditions of Yoga Nidra it is time now to set your intention or Sankalpa.
This is like a resolve it can be an intention for this practice for this day for your week,
Your month,
Your year or it may be a resolution that resonates for you across this lifetime.
The Sankalpa should be short and positive a statement that reflects your innermost values.
Typically these Sankalpa statements begin with I am.
If you're finding it difficult to find your own unique Sankalpa one that is universally resonant I think is I am enough.
So choose your Sankalpa,
Your resolution,
Your intention and mentally repeat this I statement to yourself.
Three times with feeling and clear intention.
According to the wisdom tradition of Yoga the Sankalpa that you make and use during your Yoga Nidra practice plants a seed in the fertile soil of your mind that may bring about transformation and healing.
So you can use this as a means of healing.
The seed in the fertile soil of your mind that may bring about transformation and healing.
We'll return to your Sankalpa later in the practice.
And now we'll begin a systematic journey of awareness around your body.
So as I say the names of the body parts try moving your attention around the body and if it's helpful to you you can mentally repeat the name of the body part after I say it.
We'll begin on the right side as you bring awareness to your right hand thumb.
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
Little finger,
Palm of your hand,
Back of your hand,
Wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Right shoulder,
Armpit,
Waist,
Right hip,
Thigh,
Knee,
Calf,
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole of your right foot,
Top of your right foot,
Your right big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe.
Shifting your awareness now to your left hand hand.
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe.
Shifting your awareness now to your left hand thumb.
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
Little finger,
Palm of your left hand,
Back of your left hand,
Wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Left shoulder,
Armpit,
Waist,
Hip,
Your left thigh,
Knee,
Calf,
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole of your left foot,
Top of your left foot,
Left big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe.
Shifting your awareness now to the back of your body.
Bringing attention and awareness to your right heel,
Left heel,
Right calf,
Left calf,
Right thigh,
Left thigh,
Right buttock,
Right thigh,
Left thigh,
Heel,
Left heel,
Right calf,
Left calf,
Right thigh,
Left thigh,
Right buttock,
Left buttock,
Your lower back,
Your middle back,
Your upper back,
Your entire spine,
Right shoulder blade,
Left shoulder blade,
Back of your neck,
Back of your head.
Moving awareness into the top of your head,
Forehead,
Right temple,
Left temple,
Your right ear,
Left ear,
Right eyebrow,
Left eyebrow,
Your eyebrow center,
Right eye,
Left eye,
Right nostril,
Right nostril,
Left nostril,
Right cheek,
Left cheek,
Your upper lip,
Your lower lip,
Both lips together,
Chin,
Jaw,
Throat,
Your right collarbone,
Left collarbone,
Right side of the chest,
Left side of the chest,
Right side of the chest,
Left side of the chest,
Your upper abdomen,
Navel,
Lower abdomen,
Right groin,
Left groin,
Your pelvic floor.
Now taking your awareness into your whole right leg,
Whole left leg,
Whole right arm,
Whole left arm,
Your whole face,
Your whole head,
Whole torso,
Whole body,
Awareness in your whole body,
Your whole body.
Try not to sleep.
Follow my voice as we move through some pairs of opposite sensations using your imagination to cultivate the sensation of lightness in your body.
You may sense the contact between your body and the floor or whatever supports you and imagine that contact becoming more subtle as your body is lighter and lighter.
Your head is light,
Your limbs are light,
Your torso is light,
The whole body feeling light,
Almost as if you could hover off the floor.
Now returning to the sense of contact with the floor or seat,
Feel the sensations of the supports beneath you and let those sensations become heavier and heavier.
Feeling heaviness throughout your body like sinking,
Each part becoming heavier and heavier and heavier.
Your heavy heads,
Your limbs feeling heavy,
Your torso sinking,
The whole body heavy,
And heavier.
Your heavy heads,
Your limbs feeling heavy,
Your torso sinking,
The whole body heavy.
Having experienced this sense of heaviness,
Before that a sense of lightness,
Return to an observation of your actual present moment sensations.
Notice the natural connection between your body and the surfaces supporting you,
Neither heavy nor light,
Just as you are.
Your next pair of opposites is hot and cold,
Endeavoring to cultivate a sensation of temperature,
Awakening the experience of cold in your body.
You may have a memory or can imagine being outside in winter,
Creating a sense of this chilliness permeating your body through all the layers,
From deep within to the surface of your skin,
Cultivating coldness,
Chilliness.
Now shifting,
Melting that coldness away by cultivating a sense of heat,
Of warmth,
Warmth that spreads throughout your body.
You may remember that you are in a state of deep deep relaxation.
Now shifting melting that coldness away by cultivating a sense of heat,
Of warmth,
Warmth that spreads throughout your body.
You may remember the sensations of a hot summer's day,
Being out in the sun,
Cultivating the feeling of heat that radiates all through the layers of your body,
From within to the surface of your skin,
Heat all around your body.
Returning to the sensation of the actual temperature you are in,
Being present with your sensations on the surface of your skin and deep within,
Temperature neither hot nor cold,
Just as it is.
The next part of your yoga nidra practice will be the rapid image visualisations.
So we enter into the space within our minds,
Known to the yogis as Chittakash.
It's something like a movie screen within the forehead.
Try positioning your awareness deep in the centre of your head,
As if you're looking forward at this screen behind your forehead.
The screen is as high and as wide as your eyes within can imagine.
Sometimes for some people,
Images and colours and lights spontaneously arise here.
If that is happening for you,
Spend a few moments observing the light,
Without judgement,
Whatever arises as you observe the Chittakash screen within.
As we begin to list the rapid images,
You may have attachments of mass in our buddha,
Physical,
Mental and physical sensations,
Guides in our intellect molted!
Notice that even within the mask too,
There are these little As we begin to list the rapid images,
You may have attachments of memories or emotions or stories to these images.
However you're in control of your own mind,
If you prefer to skip an image or change it,
Go ahead and do so.
I'll move at a steady pace so that you can jump from image to image as you hear the words.
Looking onto your inner screen,
Waves on the ocean,
A red sandy desert,
A pink water lily in a pond,
A single peacock feather,
A sailing ship at sea,
The full moon rising,
A blue wren,
A foggy mountain morning,
A spring day,
A rose garden,
A tall tree,
A cool clear lake surrounded by mountains,
A hammock slung between two palm trees,
A campfire,
A cat stretching,
A garden that you're familiar with,
A temple on a mountain,
A path through a forest.
Letting those images drift,
Fade,
Change.
Seeing yourself to witness whatever arises in your inner vision.
And then returning to your sankalpa,
Your phrase that you chose,
Your resolve,
Your intention.
Repeating your sankalpa,
The same statement you made at the beginning of your practice,
Three times mentally with feeling.
Turning now to the sensations of your breath moving through your nostrils.
Notice each part of your in-breath,
Each part of your out-breath and the natural pauses between inhale and exhale,
Exhale and inhale.
Maintaining your awareness of your breath and its sensations.
Start to share that awareness throughout your body,
Observing any sensations that are there in your physical body,
Whether pleasant or unpleasant.
Try to simply observe how the body feels as it is,
Hopefully relaxed,
Resting on the floor or bed or supported in some way.
Picturing the container of your skin,
Starting to feel the edges of yourself,
Your physical body,
Noticing any sensations of clothing against your skin,
Of blankets or cushions or textures.
Observing the sensation of air on bare skin,
Perhaps the subtle movement of the air in the room you're in.
Turning again to the sensations of the breath as it leaves the nostrils and passes over the upper lip,
Resting your awareness in this small area beneath your nose.
Watch the breath as it comes and goes.
Rather than letting go,
Just watch your inner silence by practice.
With ongoing awareness of your breath,
Share your awareness throughout your body.
Notice the heaviness of your body at rest,
Bringing awareness into all the parts that have contact with a firm surface.
If you're lying down that may be the back of your heels,
Parts of your thighs,
Your buttocks and hips,
Your shoulder blades,
Arms,
Hands,
Heads.
And with your eyes still closed,
You may imagine the space that you're in,
Whatever you know or recall of this space.
Imagining where you are in the room,
Any objects around you,
The ceiling,
The walls,
The floor.
You can take a little time to come out of this deeply restful state.
So you are invited to lie quietly until you feel ready to move.
As you start to feel ready to move,
Try taking some deep full breaths and notice the movement of your belly and chest as you do so.
Slowly and gradually joining that movement with wriggling of your fingers,
Maybe a clenching and unclenching of your hands.
You can use your hands to touch your own body,
Offer yourself some care,
Even some self-massage if that feels appropriate.
Taking your time,
There's no hurry coming out.
Move as you feel to,
Stretch,
Perhaps yawn or sigh.
And when you're sure that you're fully awake,
Begin to gently blink your eyes open,
Allowing the light and colors,
The shapes of the objects around you.
If you've practiced with someone else,
Taking in awareness of that other person or being or pet.
Depending what position you find yourself in,
You may like to bend up your knees and draw them into your chest,
Giving yourself a hug that conveys some loving kindness,
Some acceptance and some gratitude towards yourself for taking the time and space to practice Yoga Nidra.
You may choose to stay in a resting position for a little longer,
On your side or wherever you find yourself.
Just checking in that you feel connected to the earth,
Grounded in reality,
Grounded in the present moment.
Your practice of Yoga Nidra is now complete.
