This is a deep relaxation practice that's based on a practice known in Sanskrit as the Shavaratra.
It's the practice of animating your body with prana,
Which keeps your mind busy,
Withdraws your attention inward,
And sharpens concentration as it moves from point to point in your body.
Getting into your yoga ninja nest and trusting that whatever happens and comes up and from this practice is exactly what it should be.
Do your best to stay awake,
To be conscious of the cognition of nothingness.
Getting into a comfortable yoga ninja nest and finding a resting position that you can stay in with little or no movement.
And of course if you need to adjust during this time you are not stuck.
You're welcome to move and settle.
Taking some light squeezing and tension work before we rest.
Squeeze your right side of your body,
Right hand,
Right toe,
Right glute,
Quad,
Thigh bone.
Squeezing right shoulder,
Right side of your face.
Squeeze as tight as you can through your right side and release.
And then switch sides.
Squeeze and create tension in your left hand,
Left toes.
Squeezing the entire left side of your body even if only energetically.
Squeeze a little tighter and then release your entire left side.
You're going to squeeze and tighten up your bottom half.
Both toes,
Both feet,
Half muscles,
Knees and quads and glutes.
Squeeze squeeze squeeze through the bottom of your body and release.
And now the top of your torso.
Squeeze both hands.
Squeeze through your arms,
Elbows,
Face,
Heart,
Belly.
Squeezing the top of your body as much tension as possible and then release.
Now do your whole body.
Squeezing toes,
Squeezing hands,
Squeezing face,
Glutes,
Belly,
Heart.
Squeezing in as tight as you can for 10,
9,
8,
7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Release the tension.
Allowing your body to release even more by taking a few deep breaths.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Feel your body resting on the earth.
Notice your body breathing.
And feel its weight on the earth.
Notice how your body gets lighter on the inhalation and heavier on your exhalation.
Feel the earth beneath you.
Feel its strength,
Its solidness and its unconditional support.
Remember that the earth can hold the full weight of your body and anything else you may be carrying.
As you inhale,
Feel the earth rising up to hold you.
And as you exhale,
Feel the force of gravity and accept the invitation to release your full weight down.
Down,
Down into the earth.
Inhale,
Feeling the force lifting you up.
The earth holds you.
Exhale,
Feeling the force of gravity and accepting the invitation to release your full weight down.
A few more rounds.
Become aware of your breath and notice where you feel it moving.
And let your breath rise and fall down in your belly.
When you breathe in,
Feel how your body is refreshed and purified.
And with each breath out,
Feel that you've let go of all tension from both your body and your mind.
Begin to count your breaths backwards from 20 to zero.
Inhale 20.
Exhale 20.
Inhale 19.
Exhale 19.
And so on.
Let go more and more and more.
As you exhale,
Feel the force lifting you up.
And as you exhale,
Feel the force lifting you up.
Stay awake.
And as you exhale,
Feel the force lifting you up.
And as you exhale,
Feel the force Let go of your counting.
Scan through your body to release any remaining tension.
Remember and repeat your personal sankhopa three times.
Bring awareness to the center point between your eyebrows.
In this place of the center point between your eyebrows,
Place a tiny star twinkling there.
And at each point that follows,
See or place another twinkling star.
Head of your throat.
Right shoulder joint.
Right elbow joint.
Right wrist joint.
Right pinky finger.
Right ring finger.
Right middle finger.
Right index finger.
Right thumb.
Right wrist joint.
Right elbow.
Right shoulder.
Right hip of your throat.
Left shoulder joint.
Left elbow joint.
Left wrist.
Left pinky finger.
Left ring finger.
Left middle finger.
Left index finger.
Left thumb.
Left wrist.
Left elbow.
Left shoulder.
Pit of your throat.
Center of your chest.
Right side of your chest.
Left side of your chest.
Center of your chest.
Navel center.
Pelvic center.
Right hip joint.
Middle of your right thigh.
Right knee joint.
Middle of your right calf.
Right ankle.
Right little toe.
Right fourth toe.
Right third toe.
Right second toe.
Right big toe.
Right ankle.
Middle of your right calf.
Right knee.
Middle of your right thigh.
Right hip joint.
Pelvic center.
Left hip joint.
Middle of your left thigh.
Left knee joint.
Middle of your left calf.
Left ankle.
Left little toe.
Left fourth toe.
Left third toe.
Left second toe.
Left big toe.
Left ankle.
Middle of your left calf.
Left knee.
Middle of your left thigh.
Left hip.
Pelvic center.
Your navel.
Center of your chest.
Right side of your chest.
Left side of your chest.
Center of your chest.
Base of your throat.
Center of your chest.
Third eye center.
See a constellation of stars in your body.
See a constellation to the right and to the left of your body.
Sense a whole galaxy of stars just above you.
Sense a whole galaxy of stars just below you.
Feel your whole body floating in a sea of starlight.
Your body is being filled with this light.
Your body is being filled with this light.
Your body is being filled with this light.
Let your awareness rest at your heart.
Sense that your heart is filled with a sea of liquid diamonds.
Let your awareness rest at your heart.
Let your awareness rest at your heart.
Let your awareness rest at your heart.
Let your awareness rest at your heart.
Let your awareness rest at your heart.
Let your awareness rest at your heart.
Let your awareness rest at your heart.
Continue to rest.
Continue to rest in cosmic awareness.
And this cognition of nothingness remaining awake to the transitions.
Let your awareness rest at your heart.
Let your awareness rest at your heart.
Let your awareness rest at your heart.
Remember that you have a body.
Remember your sankopa.
Repeating it three more times to yourself.
Now silently remember where you are in space and time.
I am on planet Earth.
I'm in the United States.
I'm in North Carolina.
I'm in the town of Charlotte.
This room of Nodah Yoga.
Remember where you are in space and time.
Deepen your breath and begin to move your body in any way that feels intuitive.
Long stretches,
Crawling in.
Slowly welcoming yourself back to your physical layer.
And when you're ready roll to your right or left side and just pause here for a moment noticing how you feel.
Take a few moments to free right.
Anything that may have come up.
Any images,
Words,
And complete thoughts.
Writing without editing.
Tying up any loose ends in your mind.
Allowing this practice of yoga nidra to come to a close.
