Hello friend,
Welcome to Autumn Yoga Nidra.
I am Jax,
Your yoga nidra teacher,
And I'm so so happy to be with you here today.
Yoga nidra is also known as the sleep that is yoga,
And yoga means to unite and bring together to form that interconnectedness,
That state of oneness.
And nidra means sleep,
Deep sleep.
And we're gonna see that with this yoga nidra,
You're gonna see the changing states of consciousness that happen,
A state of pure awareness,
And the deepest state of relaxation and sleep.
90% of the benefit of this practice is in the first 10% of the execution.
So let's take this time to set up.
Comfort is key here at the beginning of practice,
So please take this time to get cozy and snug.
The pillow behind the head and knees,
A blanket on top,
Maybe something over the eyes.
And take a deep breath in,
And a deep breath out.
And give yourself permission to take up space and be whatever position soothes you.
So whatever soothes you,
That's lying down in a fetal posture,
Whatever you need,
Because we're gonna be here for a while.
So know that you can move throughout the practice if needed,
However it is encouraged to stay in one position for the whole practice.
Yoga nidra is a unique state of consciousness for the body.
Your body is in a deep state of sleep,
While your mind has an awakened presence.
So know that you can move whenever you need to,
Yet make sure you take this time right now,
Make yourself so so comfortable.
Take this time to make yourself so comfortable that you'll have absolutely no desire to move.
Take a deep breath in,
And a deep breath out.
And could you get 5% more comfortable?
Take those last adjustments,
Those last wiggles and fidgets,
And know that the practice of yoga nidra has begun.
So by being here for this yoga nidra,
You're allowing for a changing state of consciousness to occur.
And you may go through many sleep cycles and brain waves and levels of consciousness when sleeping,
So you'll see that echoed in a yoga nidra practice.
To go deeper into this practice,
Let's breathe together to create a settling nature in the body.
Inhale twice through the nose,
And open up,
Exhale,
Let it go.
Let's do that 3 more times.
Inhale,
Open mouth,
Inhale,
Open mouth exhale,
Last one,
Inhale,
Open mouth exhale.
And take a deep breath in,
And a deep breath out.
And allow yourself to be in this deep state of relaxation and awareness,
Even at the beginning.
And let this moment be a journey to guided inward stillness,
To relaxed consciousness.
Soften the jaw,
Create space between the lips,
Allow the breath to be fluid and effortless,
Easy natural breath here.
Allow the eyes to be gentle and light here,
As all the muscles behind the eyes soften and release.
Unfurl the brows,
Let the cheeks grow heavy,
And allow this relaxation in the face to move down into the neck.
Let the shoulders fall,
Let the tension in the legs dissolve.
Allow the toes to spread,
And take a deep,
Steady breath in,
And a long,
Slow exhale out.
And as you exhale,
Feel yourself settle.
Feel yourself release and let go,
Whatever that means for you.
And now,
Let's focus on the intention for this yoga nidra,
Embracing the journey of letting go and releasing,
With a focus on shifting into the autumn season.
So change is here,
Autumn has arrived,
And it's shown in the ways that the trees have changed from green to yellow to orange to red,
And the trees,
They release their leaves in this one final grand,
Gorgeous finale.
So just as the trees do,
Give yourself permission to release and change too.
When we let go of something,
It creates space to make way for whatever new beauty is waiting just around the corner.
So what does it feel like in the body to be in harmony with the changing of the seasons?
When the trees let go of their leaves with grace and beauty,
How do you see that echoed in your own way of being?
Maybe you see this letting go and releasing and saying goodbye to things that don't support you,
Saying farewell to repetitive thought patterns and behaviors that no longer support this present version of you.
Maybe you see it in yourself really allowing you to embrace this time of relaxation,
This time of deserving rest.
Just as those leaves that have fallen,
They clear.
The leaves fall and then they're whisked away.
So just as you clear the fallen leaves,
Let this yoga nidra clear whatever you need to release so that you can embrace the journey of what is to come.
So my question for you for this yoga nidra is what do you need to release?
What do you need to let go of?
What do you need to release?
What do you need to let go of?
Is it a thought pattern?
Is it a relationship?
The illusion of control?
The need for more?
Maybe even guilt about letting go?
Allow yourself to drop out of the thinking mind and come into feeling.
What do you feel when you think about what you desire to release?
And now we'll take a moment to acknowledge what needs to be let go.
Let's give that a moment.
We can thank it,
Express gratitude for it.
And how would you feel after you release this thing?
What does that version of you look like?
What does it feel like to release to let go?
Allow yourself to bask in this feeling of what it feels like to release and let go.
And know that this process takes time and love.
So come back to this yoga nidra when you want to release and let go.
So we're going to work with a sankalpa,
A positive I am statement as we continue on the journey and be really in this space of letting go and releasing.
So maybe your sankalpa this evening is,
I am allowing myself to release and open myself to the unknown.
I am allowing myself to release and open myself to the unknown.
Or maybe it's I am liberated.
I am liberated.
Or maybe I am relaxed and let go.
I am relaxed and let go.
Whatever intention you're working with for this yoga nidra,
Internally to yourself,
I want you to say it three times.
So you can let that intention gently fade away knowing you've taken the time to really listen to your heart's desire.
And allow yourself to drop out of the thinking mind and into the body as we go through a body scan.
And through this body scan,
We're going to slide down layer by layer into this effortless present of being.
So I'll call on different parts of your body and with rested awareness,
Just listen and be with the sensations that arise.
And these sensations can be tingling or buzzing,
Temperature.
These sensations might even be neutral.
Just notice that.
Notice what arise for you moment to moment,
Allowing it to be just as it is.
Allow that awareness to land at the top of your head.
Sensations and awareness in the whole top of the head.
And allow that awareness to be like a steady stream.
And as it starts at the top of the head,
Feel that flowing down the forehead.
And that awareness lands at the top of the eyebrows.
And awareness here at the left eyebrow,
Eyelid,
And all the muscles behind the left eye.
Allow that awareness to travel to the middle of the eyebrows.
Behind the right eyebrow,
Eyelid,
And all the muscles behind the right eye.
Awareness moves and flows to the bridge of the nose,
The tip of the nose,
The left nostril,
And the air flowing in and out of the left nostril,
The right nostril,
And the air flowing in and out of the right nostril.
And awareness flows down to the upper lip,
Lower lip,
The space between the lips,
The tip of the tongue,
The root of the tongue,
The back of the throat.
And allow that awareness to flow steadily down the throat and land at the hollow of the throat.
And awareness glides over to the right collarbone,
The right shoulder,
Upper arm,
Right elbow,
Forearm,
Wrist,
The right thumb,
Pointer finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
And pinky finger,
The front of the palm,
The back of the palm.
Sensations in all five fingers,
The tips of the fingers,
And feel the whole right hand and the whole right arm rested and aware,
Effortless,
Vibrating with sensations.
And allow that awareness to travel up the right hand,
Past the right wrist,
The elbow,
The shoulder,
And allow that awareness to land in the right armpit,
Right rib cage,
Right lung,
The right side of the waist,
The pelvis,
And the right hip,
Glute,
Right thigh,
Right kneecap,
Lower leg,
Ankle,
Heel of the right foot,
Sole of the foot,
Top of the foot,
The right big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
And fifth toe.
Awareness in the whole right leg,
The whole right leg and the right foot vibrating with sensations in rested awareness.
And allow that awareness to travel from the right leg over to the left side of the body.
And allow that awareness to land in the left foot at the fifth toe,
The fourth toe,
The third toe,
The second toe,
And the left big toe,
Top of the left foot,
Sole of the foot,
Heel of the foot,
And the left ankle,
Lower leg,
Left kneecap,
And the left thigh,
Glute,
Hip,
Left side of the pelvis,
Left side of the waist,
And the left rib cage,
Lung,
Left armpit,
And the left shoulder,
Upper arm,
Left elbow,
Forearm,
Wrist,
Back of the palm,
Front of the left palm,
And the left thumb,
Pointer finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
And pinky finger.
Awareness in the whole left hand,
The whole left arm.
Awareness in the whole left leg and the whole left foot.
And now feel the whole body,
The whole body from the crown of the head all the way down to the soles of the feet,
The whole body vibrating,
Illuminated with sensations,
Resting,
Releasing,
Softening,
All happening effortlessly,
Allowing yourself to go deeper and deeper within.
And now put all your attention on the breath and no need to change the breath.
Simply let it be effortless and natural here.
And simply focus on the act of breathing.
The breath is a portal into the present moment,
The best remedy for a wandering mind.
So if the mind has wondered,
Allow it to come back to this moment using the sound of my voice to guide you into the present moment.
And now bring your awareness to your nose and feel the air flow in and out of the nose naturally.
And I want you to visualize the air shimmering in front of your face,
Glowing golden as you breathe.
And as you inhale,
Imagine that air traveling through your nose,
Expanding down into the lungs,
Broadening the rib cage and filling up the belly.
And let this breath swirl around in the stomach,
This gentle breath.
And on your next exhale,
Find yourself releasing the breath as you push the air out of your belly,
Gently contract the ribs and empty out your lungs.
So again,
On your next inhale,
That shining air travels through your nose,
Expands down into the lungs,
Broadens the rib cage and fills up the belly.
And as the stomach swirls around with this gentle refreshing breath,
Let it build and then find yourself releasing the breath on an exhale as you push all the air out of the belly,
Gently contracting the ribs and emptying out your lungs.
So keep doing this breathing pattern here,
Using that breath to really support you,
To aid you on your journey of letting go and releasing and using those exhales to really find yourself softening,
Whatever that looks like for you.
So you can let that imagery drop.
And now I want you to imagine that there's a golden orb floating at the base of your spine.
And on your next in breath,
Imagine that this golden orb flows up from the base of your spine,
All the way up all 33 vertebrae in your spine and landing in the brain.
And feel fresh oxygen swirling around your brain,
Clearing away any thoughts,
Any resistance you have and on your exhale,
Find yourself releasing out and down to the base of your spine.
So again,
On your next in breath,
Imagine that this golden orb flows up all 33 vertebrae in your spine,
All the way to the brain and you feel that fresh rejuvenating oxygen swirling around your brain,
Softening any thoughts,
Patterns that may arise.
And on your exhale,
Really find yourself releasing out and down to the base of your spine.
Do that a couple more times.
Really allow yourself to breathe here with that visualization,
Allowing yourself to settle into solace,
Allowing yourself to release,
Giving yourself permission to go deeper and deeper within.
You're gonna let that imagery fade and find yourself softening with the breath.
And finally,
Using the breath to help us on this journey of releasing and relaxing,
We're gonna count down from seven to one and we're gonna use the phrase,
Open up on the inhales and release on the exhales.
So on your next inhale,
Internally say to yourself,
Inhale seven,
Open up.
And on your next exhale,
Internally say to yourself,
Seven,
Exhale,
Release.
So inhale six,
Open up and exhale six,
Release.
Inhale five,
Open up and exhale five,
Release.
And then do the next four on your own.
And each time you internally say this to yourself,
You silently whisper this,
Finding yourself getting quieter and quieter,
Letting it become a silent whisper,
An internal understanding.
And now,
Allow your breath to simply be.
Let your lungs fill up with fresh oxygen and release and soften on the exhales.
And find this as an act of restoration.
Find your breath as a companion on your journey to release and let go.
And now,
Moving into a visualization where symbols and images will be mentioned,
Knowing that whatever you experience is perfect,
Just as it is.
Allow yourself to be here with detached awareness,
Simply observing what arises in your mind moment to moment.
Golden brown leaves crunching below your feet in a sunny park.
Golden brown leaves crunching below your feet in a sunny park.
Golden brown leaves crunching below your feet in a sunny park.
Two mallards with emerald green heads gliding over a still peaceful pond.
Two mallards with emerald green heads gliding over a still peaceful pond.
Two mallards with emerald green heads gliding over a still peaceful pond.
Dark orange falling leaves landing in a forest stream.
Dark orange falling leaves landing in a forest stream.
Dark orange falling leaves landing in a forest stream.
A luminous red-tinted harvest full moon beaming across the night sky.
A luminous red-tinted harvest full moon beaming across the night sky.
A luminous red-tinted harvest full moon beaming across the night sky.
You can gently allow those images and symbols to fade away and feel the whole body here,
The whole body together,
Together as one.
And imagine your whole body settling into rest.
Imagine your whole body surrendering to rest.
And visualize the whole body resting deeply from the crown of the head to the soles of the feet the body softens and release.
And this echoing of softness ripples throughout the whole body allowing things to get slow and steady.
Allowing everything to slow down and giving yourself permission to rest deeply.
Allow things to really soften.
The edges get soft.
They dissolve and disappear.
The breath is effortless and easy.
And just as a leaf slowly descends from an autumn tree and nestles on the ground,
You too allow yourself to nestle in ground here,
In rest,
In relaxation.
So I'll leave you in silence to be with yourself as you release and relax,
To rest and be.
