Welcome to this short Yoga Nidra,
A guided relaxation.
This session is useful for you if you only have 10 minutes to spare,
Or feel like a short practice today.
Yoga Nidra is a deep relaxation,
A state between wakefulness and sleeping.
It is based on ancient tantric practices called Nayasa.
Yoga Nidra is a systematic method of inducing physical,
Mental and emotional relaxation.
So begin by settling into your space.
I advise lying on your back,
But you may choose to sit in a chair today.
Wherever you are,
Make yourself completely comfortable.
Close down the eyes.
Adjust your head and neck so they are in line with your spine.
Rest your hands where they feel comfortable and allow your shoulders to relax.
Make your body as comfortable as possible,
Get any little movements out now so that you can settle into stillness.
Yoga Nidra focuses on the acts of hearing and feeling.
Bring your awareness to your breath.
Take a long,
Slow inhalation,
Followed by a longer,
Slower exhalation.
Notice the pause.
Take a longer,
Slower inhalation,
Filling up completely.
And as you exhale,
Let go.
A long,
Slow inhalation.
And when you exhale,
Let the body feel heavy.
Allow your body to return to the natural rhythm of breath without any control over inhale or exhale.
Natural ebb and flow of breath.
Now bring your awareness to the sounds outside the room.
Notice the different sounds.
Notice the sounds inside the room.
Listen for the more subtle sounds.
Now bring your awareness to your body.
The subtle sound of your own breath.
Realize of the whole physical body.
Stillness from top of head to tip of toes.
I am going to guide you through bringing your consciousness to different parts of the body.
As I name each part of the body,
Bring your attention to that body part but resolve to remain still.
Begin by bringing your attention to your right thumb.
Awareness of your right thumb.
Shift to your right index finger.
Right middle finger.
Right ring finger.
Right little finger.
Palm of the right hand.
Back of the right hand.
Right wrist.
Right forearm.
Right elbow.
Right upper arm.
Right shoulder.
Right armpit.
Right side of the chest.
Right waist.
Right hip.
Right thigh.
Right knee.
Right lower leg.
Right ankle.
The right foot.
Sole of the right foot.
Top of the right foot.
Right big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Little toe.
The whole right side of the body.
Awareness to the whole right side of the body.
Say internally,
I am practicing yoga nidra.
I am awake and alert.
Bring your attention to your left thumb.
Awareness to your left thumb.
Shift awareness to left index finger.
Left middle finger.
Left ring finger.
Left little finger.
Arm of the left hand.
Back of the left hand.
Left wrist.
Left forearm.
Left elbow.
Left upper arm.
Left shoulder.
Left armpit.
Left side of the chest.
Left waist.
Left hip.
Left thigh.
Left knee.
Left lower leg.
Ankle.
The left foot.
Sole of the left foot.
Top of the left foot.
Left big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Little toe.
The whole left side of the body.
Awareness of whole left side of the body.
Say internally,
I am practicing yoga nidra.
I am awake and alert.
Bring your attention to the back of your body.
Start with the heels.
Working upwards to the calves.
Back of thighs.
Clutes.
Lower back.
Middle back.
Upper back.
Back of your shoulders.
Back of the neck.
Back of your head.
Now awareness to the top of your head.
To your face.
Your forehead.
The temples.
The eyebrows.
The eyes.
The ears.
The cheeks.
To the nose.
The nostrils.
The lips.
Teeth.
Tongue.
Jaw.
The chin.
The neck.
Moving down to the collar bones.
To the chest.
Awareness to the upper abdomen.
Navel.
Lower abdomen.
Pelvic area.
Top of the thighs.
Knees.
Shins.
Top of the feet.
And finally the whole body.
Awareness of the whole body.
Whole body awareness.
Bring your attention to the breath.
The breath coming.
And the breath going.
Observing the rhythmic flow of breath.
Observe the inhalation.
Observing exhalation.
Taking five cycles of breath.
Count from five to zero.
Take a deep breath in.
And on the following exhalation say five.
Another deep breath in.
Exhale four.
Continue to count down on each exhalation.
Remaining awake and alert.
Say internally I am practicing yoga nidra.
I am awake and alert.
Bringing your attention back to your breath.
The subtle rise and fall.
Notice the weight of your body on the earth.
Relaxed.
Energized.
Visualize the room you are in.
The dimensions of the room.
The feel of the clothing on your skin.
The air on your face.
Notice any sounds around you.
Awakening you to the time of day.
Know that you have been practicing yoga nidra and that practice is coming to an end.
Begin by making small movements bringing sensation back into your body starting with your fingers,
Your toes,
Your hands and feet.
Your ankles and wrists.
Make any movements,
Any stretches that feel organic for you right now.
And when you are ready,
Bring yourself to a comfortable seated position if you are not already seated.
Take a moment here to acknowledge the peace inside.
Your yoga nidra practice is now complete.
Namaste.
