My name is Danielle.
I help you find peace and calm from within.
Today's practice is a yoga nidra for beginners.
This practice will help you find the path to deep relaxation and inner peace.
If you're feeling stressed,
Overwhelmed,
Or simply in need of some deep relaxation,
Then you're in the right place.
This guided yoga nidra is a perfect way to calm your mind,
Release tension,
And connect with a sense of inner peace.
Yoga nidra,
Also known as yogic sleep,
Is a powerful meditation practice that induces complete physical,
Mental,
And emotional relaxation,
What we all need most of.
Unlike traditional meditation,
Where you may be seated and focused,
Yoga nidra is practiced lying down,
Making it a deeply restorative practice and experience.
It's an ancient technique that has been used for centuries to help individuals reach a state of conscious relaxation.
In this guided yoga nidra for beginners practice,
I'll help you experience this transformative practice,
Leading you into a state of deep rest and rejuvenation.
If you're ready to start the practice,
Then let's set up our space,
Preparing your space and your mind.
First off,
Find a quiet space,
A place where you can be comfortable and where you won't be disturbed.
You can use your yoga mat and then lie down on your back.
You might even choose another comfortable surface like a couch or a bed.
Let your arms be relaxed by your sides and your palms facing upwards to open your chest.
Let your chin be slightly lower than your forehead and your legs rolling outward.
Feet as wide as your hips.
You might place a blanket over your body for warmth,
An eye pillow,
Or even turn off the lights.
You can place a pillow under your head or behind your knees for added support.
Allow your body to fully surrender to the surface beneath you.
Once you're comfortable,
Let's begin.
Close your eyes to start the practice and we'll let ourselves settle into a state of deep relaxation.
Take a slow,
Deep breath in,
Allowing your belly to rise as you inhale.
Hold the breath now just for a moment and then slowly exhale.
All the air empties out of the lungs,
Letting your belly fall as you release the air.
With each breath,
Feel yourself sinking into the surface beneath you,
Feeling supported and held.
Start to notice now the sensations in your body.
Just noticing without any judgment or the need to change anything.
Just observe how your body feels right now.
Notice any areas where you're holding tension,
Where you feel tensed and tight,
Perhaps in your shoulders,
Your jaw,
Your lower back,
All these areas that we tense up without noticing.
With each breath out,
Consciously release the tightness or the discomfort that you feel in your body.
Let it go with each breath.
Move your awareness down to your feet and feel the weight of your heels pressing into the ground.
Just letting your body be still.
Allow your toes to relax,
Feeling them uncurl and soften.
And we'll slowly move through the body into your ankles,
Your calves and your knees,
Letting your legs become heavy,
Sinking into the earth as they fully let go of any tension they may be holding.
Move up to your thighs and release the tightness.
Notice the legs getting heavier with each breath out.
Move your awareness now up to your hips and your pelvis.
Imagine the tension deep in your hips,
Releasing,
Melting away,
Leaving a sense of ease and openness.
Let this relaxation continue to flow upward,
Wrapping around to the back side of your body into your lower back.
Feel each breath in your lower back and let each exhalation create a soothing sensation in your lower back.
Now coming around to your abdomen.
As you breathe,
Feel your belly rise naturally.
And as you breathe out,
Let your belly soften and release.
Deep in your belly,
Beneath the surface,
Relax.
Now move up to the upper back.
Notice if you feel any tightness here right between your shoulder blades or even along your spine.
Relax with each exhale and imagine these areas softening,
Your muscles loosening as the tension drains away,
Away from the neck and the shoulders.
Starting to notice your shoulders dropping away from your ears,
A very subtle movement,
The body begins to relax.
Feeling this relaxation extending down into your arms all the way down into your fingertips.
Feel your hands resting naturally.
The palms are facing upward,
Signaling your body that it's time to relax and receive this special gift of stillness.
Move your awareness to your neck and throat.
As you breathe out,
You might swallow and allow these areas to fully relax the muscles of your neck,
Releasing any tension as you breathe.
Each breath,
Like a gentle ripple through the body,
Releasing the tightness that you feel,
Softening your throat and relaxing and unclenching your jaw.
Start to notice how the tension in the face begins to release,
Softening your cheeks and your eyes,
Your eyes no longer straining,
Your forehead relaxing.
Even imagine your scalp relaxing,
The skin on your head softening as you let go with each breath.
All that lingering tension is being released as you lie here.
Take a moment now to scan your entire body from the head all the way down to your toes,
Almost like you're taking a small magnifying glass and scanning it over your body,
Just noticing how you feel as you exhale,
Letting yourself sink a little deeper into relaxation.
Releasing any tension or stress.
There's no need now to force anything.
Simply allow yourself to receive the stillness and allow your body to find its natural state of ease.
Start to notice how your mind is beginning to settle down.
The monkey mind is slowly settling,
Settling the thoughts that arise.
Any thoughts that come up,
Just notice what they are and let them drift past,
Beginning to train the mind,
Just like you train any other muscle in your body.
Let the thoughts drift past like clouds in the sky.
There's nothing you need to do right now except be here,
Be present in the moment,
Allowing yourself to relax and let go.
Take a breath out and notice a wave of calm washing over you from the crown of your head down to the tips of the toes.
Allow yourself to be completely at ease,
Knowing that you are exactly where you need to be right now.
Treating yourself to this rest,
To restore and reconnect to your inner peace.
You are safe,
You are supported,
And you are deeply relaxed.
Now it's time to connect to a positive statement or affirmation that reflects your deepest desires and intentions,
A Sankalpa.
It could be something like,
I am calm and at peace.
I am healthy and whole.
Give yourself a moment to come up with your intention.
And once you do,
Silently repeat your Sankalpa three times to yourself with full awareness.
As you repeat your intention,
You're planting it deep within your consciousness where it will blossom and grow.
Take your time,
There's no hurry.
We will now begin a body awareness practice,
A rotation of consciousness.
A systematic journey of awareness through each part of your body that I mentioned.
As I guide you,
Simply bring your awareness to each area that I mentioned.
Without moving or tensing your body,
Simply bring your attention to the space.
You might even repeat the body part quietly to yourself.
Start by bringing your awareness to your forehead,
Right eyebrow,
Left eyebrow,
Space between the eyebrows,
Right eye,
Left eye,
Right ear,
Left ear,
Right cheek,
Left cheek,
Tip of your nose,
Upper lip,
Lower lip,
Chin,
Throat,
Right collarbone,
Left collarbone,
Right chest,
Left chest,
Center of your chest,
Upper abdomen,
Navel,
Lower abdomen.
Move your awareness now to the back of your body,
Your lower back,
Middle back,
Upper back,
Right shoulder blade,
Left shoulder blade,
Back of your neck,
Back of your head,
Top of your head.
Bring your awareness to your right armpit,
Side body,
Right hip,
Right thigh,
Knee,
Ankle,
Right heel,
Sole of your right foot,
Top of your right foot,
All five toes,
Your whole right leg.
Bring your awareness to your left armpit,
Side waist,
Left hip,
Thigh,
Left heel,
Sole of your left foot,
Top of your foot,
All five toes of your left foot,
Your whole left leg.
Move your awareness to the right hand,
Left hand,
Back of the hand,
Palm of the hand,
All five fingers on the right hand,
Your wrist,
Forearm,
Right elbow,
Right upper arm,
Right shoulder,
Your whole right arm.
Move to the left hand,
Back of the left hand,
Palm of the hand,
All five fingers on the left hand,
Left wrist,
Right elbow,
Upper arm,
Left shoulder,
Your whole left arm.
Bring your awareness now to the whole right leg,
The whole left leg,
The whole right arm,
The whole left arm,
The whole back of the body,
Back of your body,
The whole front of your body,
Front of your body,
Your entire body as a single,
Unified field of energy,
Completely relaxed and at peace,
Your whole body,
Your whole body.
Start to notice your breath and begin to notice the natural flow of your breath,
The rise and fall of your abdomen with each inhalation and exhalation.
Feel this gentle massage as the abdomen rises and falls,
Simply noticing your breath without changing the breath.
Start to feel the air as it enters your nostrils.
Maybe it's a little cooler in the warm air as it leaves your body.
I'd like you now to count your breaths,
Starting from 10 and counting down to one.
Begin with each exhale.
Count one number down.
If your mind wanders,
Bring it back to your breath and continue counting.
If you get lost,
Start once again.
Ready,
Inhale,
Exhale and continue.
Now,
When you hear my voice once again,
I'd like you to return to the intention that you set at the beginning of your practice.
Your Sankalpa,
You can repeat it to yourself three times once again.
Trust that your intention is being fulfilled and that it will manifest in your life in the way that is best for you.
Begin now to slowly bring your awareness back to your physical body.
Can you feel the surface beneath you,
The weight of your body,
The air around you?
Start to wiggle your fingers and move your toes.
Just let your body awaken naturally,
An organic way that your body is calling for.
When you feel ready,
Just take a breath in.
Maybe you stretch your arms over your head,
Let a nice long sigh out and then slowly roll onto your side.
Take a moment to rest in this fetal position.
Then when you're ready,
You can press yourself up.
You can come to a seated position,
Letting your eyes stay closed.
Just take a moment here to notice how you feel.
Are you calm,
Relaxed?
Do you feel rejuvenated?
This practice will help enhance your well-being,
Reduce stress and connect with your inner peace.
And it's best when you practice regularly.
The benefits of Yoga Nidra extend far beyond this session.
Please,
Carry the sense of relaxation and calm with you as you move into the rest of your day on your life's journey.
Thank you for practicing with me.
Namaste.
