Compassion Yoga Nidra
by Cheryl Brown
A Yoga Nidra that will help you get in touch with compassion for yourself and others through the classic Buddhist Maitri or loving-kindness meditation. Lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu! - Recorded live in class
Transcript
Prepare yourself for Yoga Nidra by making sure that you are completely comfortable.
Lay on your back with cushion beneath your body,
Support under the head,
And bolsters under the backs of the knees.
Ensure that the feet are not touching the floor,
That the body is warm enough,
And that you will not be disturbed.
Close your eyes and take the next few moments to adjust anything that feels uncomfortable.
The body's position,
The props,
Or your clothing,
Until you are able to completely let go.
Yoga Nidra is the practice of psychic sleep.
It is a systematic relaxation of the body,
The breath,
The mind,
And emotions until you are in an alpha wave state.
During this state,
Your body is completely relaxed,
And the eyes are closed,
But the mind is conscious and aware.
Through this relaxed awareness,
You can let go of everyday stresses and experience a deeply healing state of equanimity.
While practicing Yoga Nidra,
Try not to fall completely asleep.
The secret of the practice is to reach and sustain the twilight state of consciousness between the waking and the sleeping states.
My voice will act as an anchor to keep you relaxed and in the present moment.
If the mind becomes overactive with thoughts,
Continue listening with your full attention.
If you feel yourself drifting,
Simply return to the sound of my voice and follow the words being spoken.
Take a moment to witness the state of your emotions,
The flavor of your mood.
What has been happening lately that is causing you stress?
Is it possible to look at the situation objectively without falling into the story in your mind?
Have you been able to connect to a sense of compassion?
What might be blocking your ability to feel compassion for yourself and for others at this time?
Notice all of this without judgment.
Take a snapshot of your emotional tone and then allow it to dissolve into silence and stillness.
And from this calm and receptive state,
Think of a positive quality that will help you to deal with your daily stressors more easily.
Create a short,
Positive statement in simple language beginning with I am.
Perhaps the intention I am compassionate resonates with you.
If not,
Shape a personalized intention with care and state it to yourself three times now.
The sankalpa or intention that you use during yoga nidra plants a seed for transformation in your life.
You will now embark on an orderly tracing of the sensory pathways in the body.
Say the name of the body part to yourself after you hear it and move all of your awareness into that part.
You will relax the mind by relaxing the body.
Begin at the center of the chest.
All awareness at the center of the chest.
Feel the right side of the chest.
The left side of the chest.
The right collarbone.
Left collarbone.
Right ribcage.
Left ribcage.
The sternum.
Upper abdomen.
Navel center.
Lower abdomen.
Right groin.
Left groin.
The pelvic floor.
Tailbone.
Sacrum.
Right buttock.
The left buttock.
The entire spine from the tailbone to the base of the skull.
Right shoulder blade.
Left shoulder blade.
Back of the neck.
Back of the head.
Crown of the head.
Forehead.
Right temple.
Left temple.
Right ear.
Left ear.
Right cheek.
Left cheek.
Right eyebrow.
Left eyebrow.
The eyebrow center.
Right eye.
Left eye.
Right nostril.
Left nostril.
The whole nose.
Upper lip.
Lower lip.
Chin.
Jaw.
Throat.
Right collarbone.
Left collarbone.
Right chest.
Left chest.
Back to the heart center.
Move your awareness into your right hand thumb.
The first finger.
Second finger.
Third finger.
And fourth finger.
Palm of the hand.
Back of the hand.
Wrist.
Forearm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Right shoulder.
Armpit.
Chest.
Waist.
Hip.
Groin.
Buttock.
Thigh.
Knee.
Elbow.
Calf.
Ankle.
Heel.
Sole of the right foot.
Top of the foot.
Right big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
And the fifth toe.
Then move all awareness into the left hand thumb.
First finger.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
Palm of the hand.
Back of the hand.
Wrist.
Forearm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Left shoulder.
Armpit.
Chest.
Waist.
Hip.
Groin.
Buttock.
Thigh.
Left knee.
Calf.
Ankle.
Heel.
Sole of the left foot.
Top of the foot.
Left big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
And fifth toe.
Now feel the whole left leg.
The whole right leg.
Both legs together.
The whole left arm.
The whole right arm.
Both arms together.
Feel your entire torso.
The face.
The head.
The body.
The whole body.
Feel your entire body.
You are practicing Yoga Nidra.
You are awake and aware of the words being spoken.
Begin to focus on your natural,
Easy breath.
Where in your torso do you feel the movement that breath creates?
For now,
Do not change the breath.
Simply observe what is already happening.
Some breaths will be long and smooth.
Some,
Short and not as complete.
Allow each breath to come to you however it presents itself.
How does it feel to pull breath into your body?
Notice the activity of inhalation.
Drawing the breath into your body,
Creating a sense of fulfillment and potential.
Focus for a few moments on the feeling of inhaling.
Can you feel the movement of the breath near the heart center?
A gentle lifting and expansion on the inhale.
Imagine that your breath originates from your heart center.
And as you inhale,
The energy of the breath expands outward in all directions.
On your exhale,
Simply relax.
Continue to inhale from your heart center.
Imagining that space expanding larger and larger.
The emotional center is relaxed and open.
Able to experience any emotion that might arise.
Continue witnessing sensations of lightness in the heart center as you breathe easily.
Next,
Notice the release of the exhalations.
Surrender the breath out of your body,
Creating a sense of emptiness.
Focus for a few moments on the feeling of each exhalation.
Try not to force the breath out from the body,
But allow it to slowly dissipate.
Feel the passivity of the exhale that surrenders the air from your body.
Now notice the places where the exhalations become inhalations.
Where the inhalations become exhalations.
Can you feel the peace within these transitions?
The quiet space where nothing is happening.
The potential of the inhale and the surrender of the exhale dissolve into one another.
Focus for a few more moments on the transitions between inhales and exhales.
Between inhale and exhale.
Between exhale and inhale.
Allow your mind to drop into that stillness.
Continue to feel your entire body,
And notice that each part of the body feels very heavy and grounded into the earth.
The arms are heavy.
The legs are heavy.
The torso is heavy.
The head is so heavy that you couldn't move it.
The body is feeling so heavy and dense that you seem to be sinking down into the floor.
Now experience the whole body becoming light and buoyant.
A floating and weightless sensation comes into the arms and legs.
The head and torso feel light and floating.
The weight of the body has disappeared,
And you seem to be rising away from the floor and toward the ceiling.
Move back into the feeling of resting in comfort and safety as you practice Yoga Nidra.
Remember a time when you felt closed off from other people.
Without dwelling on why,
What does this closed emotion feel like in the body?
What happens when your mind is closed to new ideas?
What happens when your heart is open to new ideas?
What happens when your mind is closed to new experiences?
Remember being closed.
Then remember the opposite,
A time when you felt open.
Open to sharing yourself with others.
Open to hearing about someone's day.
Open to new ideas and new inspiration.
Feel open.
Then remember a time when you felt indifferent to what was going on around you.
Unconcerned about what other people might be feeling.
Without moving into the story of this experience,
Remember the feeling of indifference.
Did you want to turn away and not witness another's suffering?
Was it accompanied by a tightening sensation in your body?
Remember indifference.
Now remember the opposite emotion,
One of complete compassion and care.
When did you last feel deep empathy for another's suffering?
How did it make you feel to see someone else hurting?
Allow your heart to open to a feeling of care for someone else.
For compassion for yourself.
Feel compassion.
Remind yourself that you are practicing yoga nidra.
You are awake and aware.
Begin to look deeply into the space in front of your closed eyelids.
Imagine there a screen as if you were at the theater watching a movie.
At first the screen is blank,
But slowly images begin to emerge.
There may be colors,
Shapes or patterns that you notice.
Try not to push any image away nor hold on to any image.
Whatever you see there is within the unfolding of your mind.
If thoughts occur,
Allow them to arise and dissolve.
Stay detached from the images on the mental screen.
Practice being a witness to what is seen without any emotional reaction.
Now as you hear these objects,
Envision them as clearly as you can on your mental screen.
Continue noticing emotions but remain a passive observer.
Visualize a drop of water,
A gleaming crystal,
An emotional obstacle,
Your reflection in a mirror,
A field of wildflowers,
An open heart,
The clear tone of a bell,
Lessons from childhood,
A candle flame in the darkness,
A feeling of frustration,
A moment of silence,
A current challenge,
A framed photograph,
The shining sun,
A feeling of compassion,
Wind through the trees,
Sitting down to meditate,
Your blissful true nature,
Shifting sand dunes,
Your body resting in yoga nidra.
Bring your attention back to the breath as it moves in and out of your body.
Notice again the lightness on the inhalation as it fills all the space of your body.
As you breathe,
Feel the heart center growing larger and larger in all directions.
You feel full and complete on the inhale.
Notice as well the sensation of relaxation as the breath moves out of the body,
As if each and every cell could release and relax on the out-breath.
What are you holding within yourself that you wish to release?
Is there an old pattern of thinking,
An out-of-date self-image,
An old resentment or anger that you wish to leave behind?
Can you imagine it being removed through the process of breathing out?
Each breath is an opportunity to surrender this old energy from your system.
The inhales bring clear energy into your body and the exhales create more and more space through the releasing of old patterns.
With your heart open and free from its emotional burdens,
Bring to mind a family member,
Friend or pet who you truly love without limits.
Allow this generous feeling of unconditional love to fill every nook and cranny of your heart space.
Imagine this being's face and with a smile,
Invite them into your limitless heart.
Say to them the words of loving kindness,
May you live in safety,
May you be happy,
May you find peace.
Then imagine in your mind's eye someone you know who is going through a particularly tough time,
Perhaps a friend with a health crisis or a co-worker who was laid off.
Imagine this person sitting in front of you and invite them into your heart space by saying the words of loving kindness,
May you live in safety,
May you be happy,
May you find peace.
Next,
Imagine the people you see every day,
Your neighbors,
The grocery store clerk,
The bank teller,
People you pass on the street that you may or may not know.
See their faces and with a smile invite these everyday people into your heart space as well,
Without doubt.
Know that there is ample room within your heart for everyone that you come across.
Say to them the words of loving kindness,
May you live in safety,
May you be happy,
May you find peace.
Now imagine someone with whom you have a difficult relationship.
As you bring them to mind,
Notice whatever emotions or sensations are brought to the surface.
Open the doors to your generous heart and with a smile invite them in without hesitation.
Recognize that you both are seeking acceptance and love.
Say to them the words of loving kindness,
May you live in safety,
May you be happy,
May you find peace.
Now imagine looking at your own reflection in a mirror.
What do you see when you gaze at yourself?
Look deeply to find your innate good qualities shining through.
With just as much unconditional love as you held for your friend or pet who you love without limits,
Open the doors to your heart and say to yourself these words of loving kindness,
May I live in safety,
May I be happy,
May I find peace.
Open to receive whatever this opportunity has to offer you in this moment.
Now it is time to repeat your sankalpa.
Repeat the same statement made at the beginning of the practice three times silently with rich awareness and feeling.
Relax completely into the moment and bring attention to your calm and peaceful state of mind.
The emotions,
Thoughts,
And memories move through the mind like sand through a sieve.
There is no sense of grasping or pushing away anything in the mind.
Watch your breath come and go in a similar fashion.
Inhale followed by exhale followed by inhale moment by moment by moment.
Feel too the quiet comfortable state of your body.
It is so still and peaceful that you are almost unaware of your physical form.
Begin to bring consciousness into the places where the back of your body is touching the floor.
Imagine the four walls of the room,
The ceiling,
The floor,
And remember the time of day as you begin to awaken.
Start by making small conscious movements in the fingers and the toes.
Then move the hands and the feet Turn the head slowly from side to side.
Open the eyes to allow the outside world to slowly come into focus.
Gently bend the knees and roll over to your side.
Then,
When you are ready to come up,
Use the strength of your arms to push yourself up from the floor.
And the practice of Yoga Nidra is now complete.
4.8 (122)
Recent Reviews
Ali
September 13, 2023
Loved
Balo
March 31, 2023
Being a Nidra Teacher myself this was one of a kind merging Tonglen with Nidra thank you so much 🙏
Andi
December 25, 2022
Great for first thing in the morning before getting out of bed. There were a couple of silent places in the beginning. One right as we were about to be told the secret….
Catherine
September 21, 2022
Thank you, Cheryll 🙏🏻🌟🙏🏻🌟🙏🏻🌟🙏🏻
carmen
October 4, 2021
So gentle and peaceful. Just what I needed. Thank you Cheryl. I will return to this.