Yoga Nidra Deep Dive Into Subconsciousness
by Jana Belugí
Nidra is a Sanskrit name for "sleep," but it is more accurately the hypnagogic, liminal state of consciousness that allows you to access deeper parts of your being. Through the practice of Yoga Nidra, we may come to see who we truly are for the very first time.
Transcript
As we get ready for yoga nidra meditation,
Please get as comfortable as you can.
Lay down on your mat in a shavasana pose,
Laying on your back.
The whole body is centered and straight.
Legs slightly apart and arms away from the body,
Palms facing up.
Make final adjustments in your position,
Your cloth,
Blanket,
So that you are completely comfortable.
Please avoid any movement during yoga nidra practice.
Close your eyes and keep them shut throughout the whole practice.
Take a deep breath through your nose and breathe out through your mouth.
Take another breath and as you breathe out,
Feel the cares and worries of the day flow out of you.
Now I would like to ask you if you could get 10% more relaxed.
Take an extra breath and release all the tension.
Relax your face,
Your body,
Relax your expectations,
Relax any insecurities.
Now picture your body laying still on the floor.
Imagine a mirror in front of you and see reflection of your body laying on the floor.
Develop an awareness of the body from the top of the head to the tips of the toes and mentally say to yourself,
Relax.
Complete stillness and complete awareness of the whole body.
Again,
Relax.
Continue your awareness of the whole body.
The whole body.
The whole body.
During this meditation,
Your body will be functioning only on the levels of hearing and awareness.
And the only important thing is to follow my voice.
Do not try to intellectualize or analyze my instructions.
Simply follow my voice with total attention and feeling.
And if thoughts come to disturb you from time to time,
Do not worry,
Just continue the practice.
Become aware of the fact that you are going to practice Yoga Nidra.
Say mentally to yourself,
I am aware.
I am going to practice Yoga Nidra.
I will not sleep.
Repeat it to yourself three times.
I am aware.
I am going to practice Yoga Nidra.
I will not sleep.
The practice of Yoga Nidra begins now.
Bring your awareness to the sounds outside of this room.
Acknowledge without analyzing each sound one by one.
Now notice the sounds closer to you inside of this room.
Name each sound one by one to yourself.
Move from sound to sound.
Now be aware of all of the sounds,
Both inside and outside at the same time.
Bring your awareness back to your body.
Please think of your sankalpa or a short resolve for this practice.
Sankalpa is a short positive statement in a simple language and in the present tense.
Examples of Sankalpa can be,
I am healthy and living a fulfilled life.
Or I am on the way to financial independence.
Or the universe wants me to succeed in.
.
.
Fill the blank.
Take a moment to discover your Sankalpa naturally.
Let it come to you.
Now state your Sankalpa three times with awareness,
Feeling and emphasis.
The resolve that you make during Yoga Nindra is bound to come true in your life.
We now begin rotation of consciousness,
Rotation of awareness by taking a trip through different parts of the body.
As quickly as possible shift your awareness from part to part following my instructions.
Repeat the part in your mind and simultaneously become aware of that part of the body.
Make sure not to move.
Keep yourself alert but do not concentrate too intensely.
Become aware of your right hand.
Become aware of your palm,
Back of the hand,
Wrist,
Lower arm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Armpit,
Right waist,
Right hip,
Right thigh,
Knee cap,
Calf muscle,
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole of the right foot.
Top of the right foot.
Big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe.
Become aware of your left hand.
Become aware of your palm,
Back of the hand,
Wrist,
Lower arm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Armpit,
Left waist,
Left hip,
Left thigh,
Knee cap,
Calf muscle,
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole of the left foot,
Top of the left foot,
Big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe.
Now to the back.
Become aware of the right shoulder blade,
Left shoulder blade,
Lower back,
The right buttock,
Left buttock,
Spine,
The whole back together.
Now go to the top of the head.
The top of the head,
Forehead,
Both sides of the head,
Right eyebrow,
Left eyebrow,
The space between eyebrows,
Right eyelid,
Left eyelid,
Right eye,
Left eye.
Right ear,
Left ear,
Right cheek,
Left cheek,
Nose,
Tip of the nose,
Upper lip,
Lower lip,
Chin,
Throat,
Right chest,
Left chest,
Middle of the chest,
Navel,
Abdomen,
Pelvis.
The whole of the right leg,
The whole of the left leg,
Both legs together,
The whole of the right arm,
The whole of the left arm.
Both arms together.
The whole of the back,
Buttocks,
Spine,
Shoulder blades,
The whole of the front,
Pelvis,
Abdomen,
Navel,
Chest,
The whole of the back and front together.
The whole of the head,
The whole body together.
Please do not sleep.
Say to yourself,
I am awake.
Total awareness,
No sleeping,
No movement.
The whole body on the floor.
Become aware of your whole body laying on the floor.
Your body is laying on the floor.
Picture your body laying perfectly still on the floor in this room.
Visualize this image in your mind.
Become aware of your breath.
Feel the flow of your breath in and out of your lungs.
Do not try to change the rhythm.
The breathing is natural,
Automatic.
You are not doing it.
There is no effort.
Maintain awareness of your breath.
Continue.
Complete awareness of breath.
Now concentrate your awareness on the movement of your navel area.
Focus on your navel movements.
Your navel is rising and falling slightly with every breath.
With each and every breath it expands and contracts.
Concentrate on this movement in synchronization with your breath.
Go on practicing,
But be sure that you are aware.
Now start counting your breaths backwards from 27 to 1.
Like this.
27 inhale.
27 exhale.
26 inhale.
26 exhale.
25 inhale.
25 exhale.
And so on.
Say the words and numbers mentally to yourself as you count your breaths.
Be sure that you don't make a mistake.
If you do,
Go back to 27 and start again.
With total awareness that you are counting,
Go on counting from 27 to 1.
Like this.
Keep on counting.
No mistakes.
No mistakes.
No mistakes.
No mistakes.
Now step your counting and continue breathing naturally.
We now come to visualization.
A number of different things will be named and you should try to develop a vision of them on all levels.
Feeling,
Smell,
Taste,
Emotion as best as you can.
Burning candle.
White snow.
Endless desert.
Stormy clouds.
Bright sun.
Pouring rain.
Egyptian pyramid.
A cross above a church.
Stars at night.
Temple at sunrise.
Coffin beside a grave.
Birds flying across sunset.
Smiling Buddha.
Full moon.
Snow capped mountains.
Restless sea.
Laughing children.
Waves breaking on a deserted beach.
Frosting on a birthday cake.
Cold morning air.
Now feel the heat.
Your body is hot.
Recall the feeling of being very very hot.
Create the sensation of the heat in your body now.
Imagine being out in the sun on a very hot day.
You feeling very hot.
Sweating.
Out of air.
Your body is hot.
Now feel the cold.
Your feeling very cold.
Like you're standing outside in an icy wind.
Create the sensation of cold in your body.
Your whole body is freezing.
You're cold and shivering.
Feel the cold.
Now feel the pain.
Remember the strongest pain you ever had.
It can be physical pain or emotional.
Feel this pain.
Where is it in your body?
Just watch this pain.
Do not do anything.
Do not analyze it.
Just feel the pain.
Now think of the joy.
Remember the happy moment when you felt joy.
Inhale this joy.
Where is it in your body?
Feel this happiness and joy.
Be joy.
Now visualize the whole body laying on the floor.
Completely relaxed and calm.
It is time to repeat your sankalpa or resolve.
Repeat the same resolve that you made at the beginning of the practice,
Do not change it.
Repeat the resolve three times with full awareness and feeling.
Relax all efforts.
Draw your mind outside and become aware of your breathing.
Become aware of your natural breath.
Awareness of the whole body and awareness of the breathing.
Your body is laying totally relaxed on the floor.
You are breathing quietly and slowly.
Develop an awareness of your body from the top of your head to the tips of the toes.
Become aware of the floor and the position of your body laying on the floor.
Feel all connection points between your body and the floor.
Now visualize the room around you,
Become aware of your surroundings.
Slowly start moving your fingers,
Your hands,
Your toes.
Make a gentle stretch.
Keeping your eyes closed,
Slowly turn to your right side and come to a seated position.
Gently open your eyes.
The practice of Yoga Nidra is now complete.
4.7 (204)
Recent Reviews
Mimi
February 25, 2021
Thank you for this yoga nidra!
Chris
June 9, 2020
Thank you for the relaxing nidra session. It made a pleasant afternoon break.
Denise
May 13, 2020
Hello Jana: Thank you so very, very much for another outstanding nidra practice. Truly am grateful and very appreciative of this gift.
Maureen
May 5, 2020
Thank you 🙏 beautifully led practice.
Bob
April 27, 2020
Very nice! Loved it!
Anne
April 27, 2020
Very relaxing meditation