Yoga Nidra Tension Release

This Yoga Nidra invites you to gently release tension and welcome the body to fully and deeply rest.
Yoga Nidra is sometimes referred to as Yogic Sleep. All you need to do is become still and listen. It is ok if you drift in and out throughout this practice. It is natural. Your body and mind already know what to do and how to receive this meditation of deep restful awareness.
Music by Chris Collins

Transcript

Let us gather now for the practice of yoga nidra.

Find a comfortable position you can lie down and allow your body to rest for the duration of this practice.

If it brings you more comfort,

Settle in with an added pillow under your head,

Your knees,

Your feet,

Or even your arms and hands,

Using whatever supports you may have so that you can fine tune your comfort and you can rest.

Closing your eyes will add to your experience however it is not necessary.

If it feels more comfortable to rest the eyes in a soft gaze or close your eyes only part of the way,

That is okay.

This practice is designed for you and your own comfort.

Yoga nidra is sometimes referred to as yogic sleep because it is effortless and cannot be practiced incorrectly as your subconscious mind and body already knows what to do.

Let me begin by getting as comfortable as you can.

Within your comfort,

Begin to open up your awareness to the sensations that arise.

There is nothing to do but rest in your own comfort and follow along with your own sensory awareness as you listen to the sound of my voice.

If becoming still is too difficult at this time,

Mindfully adjust your position as needed and return to the sound of my voice as you are able.

The body and mind are always listening so if you drift in and out throughout this practice,

Know that this is okay and you are already receiving the benefits just by being here.

So try as best as you can to continue being present throughout this experience.

Our bodies can hold tension that we are sometimes unaware of.

As you breathe in,

Could you tense the muscles inside both of your hands and both of your arms?

Do not hold your breath as you hold this tension inside your muscles.

Be aware of your breathing.

And with your next exhalation,

Release the tension from your arms and hands.

Notice.

And keep breathing.

Do this one more time,

Inviting all muscles of the arms and hands to squeeze and vibrate with tension.

Continue breathing.

With your next exhalation out,

Let all the tension go from the muscles of your arms and hands.

With your next inhalation,

Invite the legs and feet to squeeze and hold tension.

Continue with your breathing.

Holding both legs and feet with tension.

And when you are ready with your exhalation out,

Release the tension from your legs and feet.

Let it go.

And your next breath in,

Invite the tension back inside both feet and legs.

Holding tension but not holding your breath.

Awareness of your breathing and awareness of the tension in the legs and your feet.

When you are ready,

As you breathe out,

Let it all go.

And let's invite the whole body to stretch now.

Let the breath in,

Inviting hands,

Arms,

Legs and feet,

And even the muscles of your face and shoulders.

Whole body holding tension.

Continue with your breathing.

Breath coming in,

Breath floating out,

Squeezing all the muscles of the whole body.

And when you are ready,

Allow the tension to let go,

Breathing out.

Whole body relaxing.

Whole body breathing.

In Yoga Nidra,

We offer an intention for practice,

Isankalpa.

Isankalpa is sometimes translated as a message from the heart that unfolds over your lifetime.

If you are working with Isankalpa,

Invite this intention in.

If this is new to you,

Let us welcome the Isankalpa together.

I am releasing tension throughout my whole body.

Or perhaps I am practicing peace as a way to heal and mend.

Welcome in the feelings of the Isankalpa.

Either releasing tension or practicing peace as a way to mend.

And state this inside your mind and heart three times.

And so it is.

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Peace Peace Peace Now is the time for a rotation of consciousness.

As I name a body part,

Place your awareness to the spirally part.

No thinking.

Just sensing and feeling.

Begin with the awareness at the top of your head.

Feeling the crown of the head with sensation.

Now feel your scalp and your temples.

Become aware of your forehead.

Do you sense any tension in your forehead?

Can you now feel your eyes and eyebrows?

Eyes releasing pressure.

Feel your right eye.

And behind your right eye.

Feel your left eye.

And behind your left eye.

And welcome both eyes together.

Eyes releasing pressure.

Feel inside your right cheek.

And your left cheek.

And feel both cheeks together.

Notice the sensations at the tip of your nose.

And your upper lip.

Lower lip.

And both lips together.

Feel inside your mouth.

Your tongue.

Ten thousand taste buds alive at sensations.

Now feel your chin.

And now your throat.

Down inside the right collarbone.

And down inside the right side of your chest.

Welcome the awareness inside your left collarbone.

And down the left side of your chest.

And welcome all the sensations in your whole torso at once.

Whole torso vibrating with sensation.

Feel down inside your right hand thumb.

And your first finger.

Second finger.

Third finger.

Fourth finger.

And feel all four fingers and your thumb as one sensation.

Feeling your whole right hand.

The center of the palm.

The back of your hand.

Whole hand as one sensation.

Feel inside your wrist.

Your elbow.

Right shoulder.

And collarbone.

Feeling to the center of your chest.

Feeling all sensations in the center of your chest.

Move your awareness down inside your left hand thumb.

Now your first finger.

Second finger.

Third finger.

Fourth finger.

And welcome all sensations of all four fingers and your thumb at once.

Feeling the whole left hand.

The center of the palm.

The back of your hand.

Whole hand at once.

Feel inside your wrist.

Elbow.

Left shoulder and collarbone.

Look into the center of your chest.

Feeling the center of your chest.

Travel down inside your navel.

And down inside your right hip.

Feeling right thigh and knee.

Feel the sensations at the front of the knee.

The back of the knee.

And the space just below your knee.

Travel down to your ankle.

Foot.

The sole of the foot.

Top of the foot.

Big toe.

Second toe.

Third toe.

Fourth toe.

Fifth toe.

All five toes at once.

All five toes at once.

And feel the whole right leg.

The whole right leg.

The whole right leg.

Go back into your navel center.

And move your awareness over to your left hip.

And down into your thigh.

Knee.

Front of the left knee.

Back of the knee.

And the space just below your knee.

Ankle.

Foot.

Sole of your foot.

Top of your foot.

Big toe.

Second toe.

Third toe.

Fifth toe.

All five toes as one vibrating sensation.

All five toes at once.

And welcome in the whole left leg as one sensation.

Whole left leg.

Whole left leg vibrating as one sensation.

And welcome your awareness back into the navel center.

Coming back into the center of the chest.

Feel yourself breathing.

No need to change the breath in any way.

Just notice yourself breathing.

Feeling the breath inside your body.

Can you feel the expansive energy of your breath?

Notice how your whole body expands as you breathe.

And could you begin to count down your breaths?

And as you count down,

Deepen your awareness through your body.

As though you can release deeper into another layer of comfort.

As you breathe in,

Count down from the number 27.

The number 27 represents compassion.

As you breathe in,

27.

As you breathe out,

27.

With your next breath in,

26.

And your next breath out,

26.

Each breath out,

Whole body sinking deeper and deeper.

Welcoming in compassion.

Receiving compassion.

And expanding compassion out.

Offering compassion.

Each breath down,

Deeper and deeper.

Now allow the counting to fall away.

Stay attentive with the flow of your breath.

Feeling and pulsing rhythm within you.

Every molecule inside your body pulsing with breath and energy.

Experience yourself simply being.

Not focusing on anything in particular.

Just being.

Being present with the sensations that are within your awareness.

Feeling yourself just being.

Being aware of all that is around you.

Being aware of all the sensations within you.

All the sensations within your body and in your mind.

Note how you are aware of everything.

Gently feel into your awareness.

Sense your awareness.

What does your awareness feel like?

What are you feeling and sensing right now?

Notice if the thinking mind wants to take over this experience,

Can you welcome whatever you are thinking to arise within your awareness?

Keep returning to the felt sense of being aware of your awareness.

And can you now go back and forth?

Back and forth between noting the thoughts and sensations that you are aware of and being awareness itself.

Sensing what it feels like to be in the field of your awareness.

In the field of your awareness which all of your thoughts,

All of your thoughts and sensations are moving.

Noticing what is arising.

Noticing what is passing.

Awareness of all that is moving through your field of awareness.

Going back and forth.

Back and forth between noting your thoughts and sensations and being the awareness of your thoughts and sensations itself.

Taking some time.

Noticing what is in your awareness.

Becoming the feeling of awareness itself.

Now allow your attention to go in all directions at once.

Everywhere and nowhere at once.

Inside,

Outside,

Everywhere and nowhere at once.

Welcoming the feeling of simply being.

Simply being peace.

Being at ease.

Mind and body completely resting.

Abiding in your own well-being.

In this place of well-being could you rest your awareness inside the heart.

Feeling the message within the heart.

Narsankalpa.

Welcoming in this peaceful being.

In this peaceful intention.

Releasing tension.

Being so peaceful that you mend and heal from within.

Shanti,

Shanti,

Shanti.

Peace,

Peace,

Peace.

Peaceful well-being.

Resting here until you naturally feel called to reawaken.

When you are ready.

Either taking comfort in sleep or rest.

Or inviting yourself to awaken.

Start to draw awareness into your breath.

And feel the breath moving inside your nose.

Welcoming gentle movement inside the nose.

Each breath drawing you in.

Guiding you to wake even more.

If you have chosen to take comfort in sleep.

Start to move your awareness into your out-breath.

Each breath out drawing you deeper and deeper into a state of rest.

Give yourself time for whatever it is that you need right now.

Listening into whatever your body needs right now.

Shanti,

Shanti,

Shanti.

Peace,

Peace,

Peace.

Reviews

Beautiful. Very calming and present. Helped me fall asleep.

That was so beautiful. A journey like no other.. Thank you for sharing your amazing gifts. Peace, Peace, Peace to you.

This was so relaxing im so thankful 🤍 I fell asleep after cuz I was so relaxed 🫶🏻 Thank you so much ❤️

Voice is just the right speed. Very relaxing helped get me to sly😴

That was incredible, thank you
Peace & Light to you.
Peter 🙏🙏🙏

I really enjoyed this, a beautiful combination of both yoga nidra and muscle relaxation

Beautifully guided. Left me feeling light and peaceful. Namaste...🕊️😌🕊️

Relaxing. Enjoyed the tense/relax part a lot.

Grateful 👏💙👏

Good, it helped me to relax.

Relaxing

Wonderfully relaxing and peaceful—this will be a favorite. Thank you so much, Elke 🙏🏻💚

Love this...thank you I listed to it most nights to sleep... practicing peace...just my fav phrase!! ❤🙏🙏❤

Very calming and peaceful, thank you 🙏🏼

Beautiful

Absolutely beautiful, so much peace and compassion, such beautiful background music. Thank you so much for this experience.
Ohm shanti shanti shanti 🙏🏻✨🎶

Great it work's good. 🙏💚

Thanks Elle that was really good for me, put me to sleep
Namaste
🙏🏻