Yoga Nidra

The practice of Yoga Nidra induces deep relaxation. It creates a state of deep receptivity of the mind, a bridge between our conscious and unconscious. This practice was shared with me by my teacher Jo Phee who studied at a Satyananda Yoga Ashram, of the Bihar School of Yoga. My first experiences with Yoga Nidra were as a young girl, attending a Satyananda Yoga Teaching Centre in Kuranda, QLD.

Transcript

I invite you to get ready for the practice of yoga nidra.

Yoga nidra is a relaxation practice performed lying down on the floor.

The body is fully relaxed.

The eyes are closed or lowered.

The mind stays awake and follows the instructions of the practice.

There's no need to move the body throughout the entire yoga nidra practice.

Please lay down in a comfortable resting position using any props to support the body to make sure the body is comfortable for the entire duration of the practice.

You might like a bolster under the knees,

A pillow under the head.

If necessary you may even like to sit up and lean against a wall and make yourself comfortable there.

Remove glasses from the face.

Remove any jewelry around the neck and wrists.

Loosen any tight clothes or belt around the waist.

The body's temperature will naturally drop during the practice.

If you know you will begin to feel cold please cover yourself with a blanket.

If the room is too bright you are welcome to cover your eyes with a towel or an eye pillow.

Make any final adjustments you need to the resting position.

Be very comfortable and once you have adjusted the body commit to stillness.

Become aware of the parts of the body that are in contact with the floor and the mat.

Be aware of the parts of the body that are covered by clothes and blanket.

Be aware of the exposed skin brushing against the air in the room.

And now take the awareness outside the room.

Become aware of sounds outside the room.

Listen for sounds outside.

Become aware of the most distant sounds that you can hear.

Move your attention from one sound to the next without attempting to identify the source.

Now listen to sounds inside the room.

Listen for all sounds inside the room.

The most obvious sound to the quietest sound in the room.

And now listen to sounds closer to the body.

Listen to the sound of the natural breath.

Without altering the breath listen to the sound of the breath flowing in and out of the body.

Now begin to form a resolve in the mind also known as a sankalpa.

A resolve is a positive statement,

A statement of affirmation.

Think about something you would like to change positively in your life in the very near future.

Think about something that is realistic and achievable and begin to form a statement in the mind starting with the words I will.

And once you have a statement silently repeat the statement three times with feeling and awareness starting with the words I will.

Keep the resolve in the mind and now shift the awareness to the physical body lying on the floor.

Take the awareness to the physical body resting on the floor.

The name of each body part will be called out.

There is no need to move the body at all.

Have a vision of the body part,

Feel the body part and quickly move to the next body part.

There is no need to move the body at all.

Take the awareness to the right side of the body.

Be aware of the right hand thumb,

Index finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger,

Little finger,

Palm of the right hand,

Back of the right hand,

Right wrist,

Lower arm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

Right shoulder,

Armpit,

Right waist,

Right hip,

Thigh,

Right knee,

Lower leg,

Ankle,

Heel,

Top of the foot,

Sole of the foot,

Right big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

Fifth toe.

Shift the awareness to the left side of the body.

Left hand thumb,

Index finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger,

Little finger,

Palm of the left hand,

Back of the left hand,

Wrist,

Lower arm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

Left shoulder,

Armpit,

Left waist,

Hip,

Left thigh,

Knee,

Lower leg,

Heel,

Ankle,

Top of the foot,

Sole of the foot,

Left big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

Fifth toe.

Shift the awareness to the back of the body.

Back of the head,

Back of the neck,

Right shoulder,

Left shoulder,

Right shoulder blade,

Left shoulder blade,

Upper back,

Middle back,

Lower back,

Right buttock,

Left buttock,

The whole spine,

The whole of the back.

Shift the awareness to the front of the body.

Top of the head,

Forehead,

Right temple,

Left temple,

Right eyebrow,

Left eyebrow,

Eyebrow centre,

Right eye,

Left eye,

Right ear,

Left ear,

Right cheek,

Left cheek,

Tip of the nose,

Right nostril,

Left nostril,

Whole nose,

Upper lip,

Lower lip,

Chin,

Jaw,

Throat,

Right collarbone,

Left collarbone,

Right side of the chest,

Left side of the chest,

Sternum,

Upper abdomen,

Navel,

Lower abdomen,

Pelvis,

Pubic bone,

Genitals.

Take the awareness to the whole right leg,

To the whole left leg.

Awareness of both legs together.

Awareness of the whole right arm,

The whole left arm,

Both arms together.

Awareness of the back of the body.

Awareness of the front of the body.

Awareness of the whole body.

Awareness of the whole body.

Awareness of the whole body resting on the floor.

Check that the mind is still awake and aware.

And I invite you now to begin to take the awareness to the natural breath in the abdomen.

Observe the natural breath in the abdomen.

Feel the breath moving in and out of the body.

Feel the gentle rise and fall of the chest and the belly as you inhale and exhale.

Rising on inhalation,

Falling on exhalation.

Feel the rise and fall of the chest and the belly with each natural breath.

Begin to visualize a long passageway from the navel to the throat.

Begin to breathe up and down this long passageway from the navel to the throat.

Introduce counting of the breath.

Count the breath backwards from 27 all the way down to 1.

Like this I am breathing in 27.

I am breathing out 27.

Breathing in 26.

Breathing out 26.

Continue counting all the way down to 1.

Breathing from the navel to the throat.

Stay focused with the counting of the breath.

If the mind has lost count go back to 27 and begin counting down to 1 again.

Keep the mind aware and awake.

Now let go of all counting.

Return to normal natural breathing once again.

Feel the gentle rise and fall of the chest and the belly with each natural breath.

Begin to visualize the body as a piece of rock.

Feel the heaviness of the body.

The body is a piece of rock.

The body feels heavy.

The body is sinking down to the floor.

The body feels heavy.

Now feel a sense of lightness in the body.

Visualize the body as a feather.

The body feels light.

The body is floating above the floor.

The body feels light.

Now remember the last time the body experienced joy.

Remember what it feels like to experience joy.

Now experience a sense of joy in the body.

The body feels joyful.

Remember the last time the body experienced sadness.

Recall what it feels like to be sad.

The body is experiencing sadness right now.

The body feels sad.

Let go of all feelings and sensations.

Behind the closed eyes see a blank white screen.

Now begin to see a rainbow in the sky.

See a rainbow in the sky.

Taste the bitterness of coffee.

Taste the bitterness of coffee.

Smell a bouquet of flowers.

Smell a bouquet of flowers.

Listen to the sound of falling rain.

Listen to the sound of falling rain.

Feel the softness of sand on a beach.

Feel the softness of sand on a beach.

Gradually allow all sensations and images to fade away in the distance.

Let go of all experiences and images in the mind and now bring to mind the sankalpa.

Your resolve made at the beginning of the practice.

Remember the statement of affirmation made at the beginning of the practice.

Remember the statement of affirmation made at the beginning of the practice and once again repeat the resolve three times in the mind.

Repeat the resolve with faith,

Sincerity and belief.

Allow the resolve to be embedded deep within the mind.

Shift the awareness back to the physical body resting on the floor.

Bring the awareness back to the natural breath.

Observe the natural breath.

Feel the rise and fall of the chest and the belly with each natural breath.

Gradually allow the breath to deepen in the chest.

As the breath deepens pay close attention to the sound of the breath.

Listen to the sound of the breath.

Move the sound further out.

Once again listen to sounds inside the room.

Listen for any sounds inside the room.

Listen to sounds outside.

Listen to all the sounds outside.

Awaken the sense of hearing.

Search for all sounds outside.

Allow all sounds to fade away in the distance and bring the awareness back to the body resting on the floor.

Develop awareness of your physical body.

Become aware of your arms and legs stretched out on the floor.

Become aware of your body in contact with the floor.

Feel the parts of your body touching the floor.

Become aware of the position of the body in the room.

Become aware of the time of the day.

The practice of Yoga Nidra has ended.

Begin to initiate movement to the body.

Slow subtle movements to wake up the body.

Wiggle your fingers and toes.

Gradually allow the body to stretch and yawn.

Draw the knees into the chest.

Curl the body into a ball and roll to one side.

Rest on your side and let your body and mind get used to waking up.

Keep the eyes closed.

Be aware that the body is slowly transitioning to waking up.

Slowly allow the eyes to open and get used to the light in the room again.

Become familiar with your environment and whenever the body is mentally ready please bring the body up to a comfortable seated position.

Sit quietly.

Know that the practice of Yoga Nidra has ended and know where the body is in the room.

Namaste.

Reviews

This was a lovely yoga nidra - I appreciated the gentle guidance throughout. It was especially nice to be reminded at the end to allow the transition from restful relaxation to wakeful alertness to be gradual. And I loved the tone, volume and timber of your voice. Thank you!

Thank you so much for your lovely meditations. They really help me.🙏💛

Lovely thank you. Nice soothing voice, good pacing

A nice afternoon rest. Quiet background. Sankalpa, listening, rotation, breath counting. No rapid visualization. Gentle wake-up at end.