Yoga Nidra Deep Relaxation - Nervous System Reset

This practice of conscious relaxation helps to relax your nervous system, release stress and anxiety. Traditional yoga nidra helps to relax on physical, mental and emotional level enabling holistic recovery and deep rest.

Yoga Nidra can be translated as Yogic Sleep. It's a state between wakefulness and dream, a state of deep relaxation combined with acute awareness. In this state, as we relax on all levels and let go of tensions, we enable healing and rejuvenation.

This guided meditation is entirely done while laying down and it's suitable for all, also complete beginners.

Transcript

Namaste,

It's Evelina here.

Today I will guide you through the practice of Yoga Nidra.

Yoga Nidra is a practice of conscious relaxation.

We will be relaxing on our physical,

Mental and emotional levels,

Which will give you ultimate total relaxation.

So if you struggle with anxiety,

With stress,

If you feel like your mind just doesn't This is an excellent practice to bring into your daily routine.

Yoga Nidra can be translated as a yogic sleep.

However,

Throughout the practice of Yoga Nidra,

We actually don't want to fall asleep.

We want to remain aware and alert throughout the whole practice.

This will help us to truly relax into the depth of our being and to create space for releasing any tensions and for healing.

This practice may be done at any time of the day or night.

So for example,

If you know that you're struggling with falling asleep,

It may be done as a pre-bed routine.

And after that,

At the end of the class,

You may just turn off this video and continue staying in bed and sleeping peacefully and deeply.

Otherwise,

You may also use it as a cool-down routine in your daytime.

So for example,

You finish your work and you would like to have some unwinding routine,

Which will help you to release the tension and step into a more relaxed part of the day.

This is also an excellent tool to help you with that.

For the best results,

I'm inviting you to practice Yoga Nidra at least few times a week in order to really work on relaxing your nervous system and promoting holistic well-being.

All what you need for this practice is just your comfortable space where you will lie down.

I'm going to be lying down on the bed.

You may also choose the bed or a yoga mat.

And you can have any kind of props which you need.

So maybe you wish to cover yourself with a blanket or to have a pillow underneath your legs to release any tension from the lower back.

And that's it.

So let's move to the practice.

Let's begin by making our way down to lie down on the back.

As you can see,

I have a pillow underneath my knees.

This is an excellent way to help us to release any tension from the lower back,

If you know that you struggle with it.

So a cushion is underneath the knees,

Underneath the thighs.

And now I want my legs to be freely open to the side so that they can kind of collapse towards the outside.

If that relaxation is something what you struggle with,

You may just shake off your legs couple of times and allow them to fall towards the outside to be freely open.

Now bring the awareness to the base of your spine,

To the tailbone,

And ensure it's elongated downwards so that you're not creating too much of the arch underneath your lower back.

Elongate the spine all the way to the top of your head.

Now bring your chin gently in the direction of the chest to elongate the back of the neck even more.

Roll the shoulders back and down and open your hands on both sides of your body with your inner palms pointing up.

And then close your eyes.

Take a moment to notice how are you feeling.

Notice if there is any discomfort,

Tension in the body,

If you need to make any last adjustments.

And then find your most comfortable position,

Which you will keep still throughout the practice of yoga nidra.

And then give yourself a gentle reminder that you don't want to be falling asleep.

We don't want to sleep in the practice of yoga nidra,

But we want to relax deeply and completely.

We want to remain awake and aware.

So repeat to yourself in your mind,

I am practicing yoga nidra.

I will stay awake and aware.

Let's begin by bringing our awareness to all the sounds around.

Try to hear,

Try to notice all different sounds around you.

Keep your awareness on the sound for a few breaths.

And after a few breaths,

Shift it to another sound.

Continue moving your awareness from sound to sound for another couple of moments.

Now we will set up our sankalpa or a resolve or resolution for this practice of yoga nidra.

Sankalpa or a resolve resolution is something what you truly wish to bring into your life.

Use your sankalpa wisely.

Allow it to be something truly important and meaningful to you at this time of your journey.

You may even keep the same sankalpa for a long period of time to guide you through your regular practice of yoga nidra for the best effect.

Your sankalpa should be stated in a form of short positive statements,

For example,

If you want to focus on your health,

It may be,

I am achieving complete health,

Or I am self-confident,

I am deeply relaxed,

I am calm,

I am peaceful.

Whatever is there for you,

Whatever you want to cultivate within yourself,

Choose it as your sankalpa and state it three times in your mind.

Allow your sankalpa to be with you as your guide throughout your practice and even later throughout your day.

Now we will relax the whole body.

I will be guiding you through all the parts of your body.

Whenever I will mention the particular part,

Just bring your awareness there and allow it to relax without moving,

Just by simply bringing your awareness and then shifting it from part to part.

Bring your whole awareness to your right thumb,

Right index finger,

Right middle finger,

Right ring finger,

Right small finger,

Right palm,

Right wrist,

Right forearm,

Right elbow,

Right upper arm and the shoulder,

Right armpit,

Right side of the trunk,

Right hip,

Right thigh,

Right knee,

Right shin and calf muscle,

Right ankle,

Right foot,

Right heel,

Right heel,

Sole of the foot,

Right big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe and the right fifth toe.

Bring your awareness to your left thumb,

Left index finger,

Left middle finger,

Left ring finger,

Left small finger,

Left palm,

Left wrist,

Left forearm,

Left elbow,

Right heel,

Left upper arm and shoulder,

Left armpit,

Left side of the trunk,

Left hip,

Left thigh,

Left knee,

Left shin and calf muscle,

Left ankle,

Left foot,

Left heel,

Right palm,

Right left heel,

Left sole of the foot,

Left big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe and the left fifth toe.

Bring your awareness to the base of your spine,

Your glutes,

Your lower back,

Middle back,

Upper back,

Back of your neck,

Back of your head,

Sides of your head,

Top of your head,

Awareness to the front of your head,

To your forehead,

Left eyebrow,

Right eyebrow,

The area between your eyebrows,

Left eye,

Left eyelids,

Right eye,

Right eyelids,

Nose,

Mouth,

Left nostril,

Right nostril,

Left cheek,

Left ear,

Right cheek,

Right ear,

Left nostril,

Left cheek,

Right ear,

The area below your nose,

Your upper lip,

Your lower lip,

Teeth,

Tongue,

Your jaw,

Chin,

Front of your neck,

Left side of your chest,

Right side of your chest,

Center of your chest,

Left ribs,

Right ribs,

Whole abdomen area,

Whole pelvic area,

Base of your pelvis,

Bring your awareness to the whole right arm,

Whole left arm,

Whole right leg,

Whole left leg,

Whole back of your body,

Whole front of your body,

The whole body,

The whole body,

Bring your awareness to your breath,

And simply passively observe as the air is coming in and out,

We will count the breaths from ten to one,

If you will get lost in the count or if you will complete it sooner,

Just start over again,

Ten,

Inhale,

And ten,

Exhale,

Nine,

Inhale,

Nine,

Exhale,

Continue in your own rhythm,

Bring your whole awareness to the sensation of heaviness within your body,

Visualize your body being so heavy,

Like it would be sinking down deeper and deeper with its heaviness,

Bring your awareness to the sensation of lightness within your body,

Visualize it as light as a feather floating above in the air,

Feel it becoming lighter and lighter,

Bring your awareness to the sensation of heat within your body,

Visualize it as hot as you would be lying down in the middle of the desert under the burning sun,

So hot all over,

All around,

Bring your awareness to the sensation of cold within your body,

Visualize it so cold like you would be lying down over the snow in the middle of the winter,

Freezing cold all over your body,

All around you,

And now bring your awareness to the area in between your eyebrows,

Keep your awareness in that space as I will be guiding you through the series of visualizations,

When I will mention various things to visualize,

Just allow yourself to recall them from your memory,

Visualizing them in the area between your eyebrows,

Visualize a beautiful sunrise full of colors,

Visualize a forest,

Dense forest,

Full of trees,

Full of life,

A full moon night with a full moon shining bright through the darkness,

Ocean waves,

Powerful and strong waves,

A mountain,

Tall mountain,

Covered with snow,

A peaceful lake,

Quiet and calm,

A sunset somewhere in the middle of nature,

A friend,

A friend who's dear to you,

A peaceful place,

Peaceful and safe,

Once again bring your awareness to your sankalpa,

To your resolve resolution which you set up at the beginning of our yoga nidra practice,

Your sankalpa which you wish to bring into your life,

Once again repeat it in a form of your short positive statement three times in your mind,

The sankalpa set up in the practice of yoga nidra is like sowing a seed in your subconscious mind for whatever you wish to cultivate within yourself,

Within your being,

Within your life,

Slowly bring awareness to all the sounds around you,

Notice as many sounds as you can hear,

Keep your awareness for a couple of breaths on a sound and then switch to the next sound,

Notice more obvious more loud sounds and also those more subtle,

More quiet,

More gentle,

Take a long deep breath in,

Allowing your lungs to fill up completely with the air and then release a sight out through your mouth,

Letting go of all the air,

Take a few more deep and steady breaths as you begin bringing awareness back to your body,

Back to your surroundings,

Gently begin moving your fingers,

Touching your thumbs to your index finger,

Middle finger,

Ring and small finger,

Begin moving your toes to your forefinger,

Ring and small finger,

Begin moving your toes,

Your head,

And then stretching in any way which feels good for you at the moment,

Bend your knees,

Placing your feet on the bed or on the ground,

And then turn onto the other side,

Using your arm as a pillow underneath your head,

Whenever you're ready,

Slowly begin making your way back to the seated position,

Remain with your eyes still closed,

Sitting in any comfortable way,

Take a moment to once again connect with your breath,

Taking a long deep inhalation,

Allow your belly,

Your chest to expand with the air,

And as you're exhaling,

Feel your belly,

Your chest,

Softly coming back in,

Without any effort,

Without any tension,

Take a few more deep steady breaths,

On every inhalation,

Allowing the belly to expand,

And on every exhalation,

Observing as it softens,

Comes back gently in,

And then slowly bring your palms together in front of your heart center,

In a gesture of gratitude,

Gratitude for taking this time for yourself,

For your well-being,

Gratitude for the practice of yoga nidra,

And gratitude for all the small and big things which we may take for granted in our daily lives,

Gratitude for all the opportunities which are out there,

Gently rub your palms,

Warm them up,

And place them on top of your closed eyes,

Take another deep as long as breath in,

And exhale,

Slowly open your eyes,

Inside of your palms,

And then move your hands,

Touching throughout your whole body,

Sending good energy all over yourself.

Thank you so much for joining me for this practice,

I hope you're feeling well,

I hope you're feeling relaxed,

Rejuvenated,

I wish you a beautiful,

Peaceful day or night,

And I'm inviting you to keep coming back regularly to this practice,

It's a beautiful,

Beautiful way to keep working on relaxing your nervous system,

Which is so needed in our daily,

Busy,

Stressful lives.

Thank you so much,

Lots of love.