Welcome to this yoga nidra practice for peace and rest.
Lying in Shavasana,
Allow yourself to get as comfortable as possible.
Bring the legs out wide and let the toes flop out to the side.
Bring the arms out wide,
Palms faced up and soften the shoulders away from the ears.
If it feels more comfortable for the lower back,
You can always slide a pillow or blanket underneath the knees.
Take another moment or two to adjust any clothing or blankets so you can remain in stillness for the rest of the yoga nidra practice.
The practice of yoga nidra is the act of hearing and the act of feeling.
That is all you need to do for the next few minutes.
Inhale deeply,
Allowing the ribs to expand outwards and then exhale completely to soften any areas of tension within the body.
Inhale again,
Create space and exhale,
Sink into the surface beneath you.
Take another deep inhale and slowly exhale,
Emptying the lungs.
Notice any sounds around you.
They might be inside the room or outside the room.
Notice how the air feels against your skin.
Feel your whole body becoming heavier and fully supported by the floor beneath you.
Now we will create our own personal sankalpa.
A sankalpa is a positive statement of intent,
Stated in the present tense.
It is a call to action that only you can do and should reflect an area of your life where change is necessary or a state of being is desired.
For example,
I feel at ease.
It's important to keep this same sankalpa with you until you see the change present itself in your life or until another one naturally arises during yoga nidra.
On the right side,
Visualize the right hand thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
Little finger.
Feel the chips of the fingers.
Be aware of your right palm,
Wrist,
Forearm,
The right elbow,
Upper arm,
The shoulder,
The right chest,
The right side of the stomach,
The thigh of the right leg,
Its knee,
The calf muscles,
The ankle,
The heel,
The sole,
The right big toe,
The second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe,
The whole right foot.
Now take your consciousness to the left side.
Visualize the left hand thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
Little finger.
Feel the tips of the fingers.
Be aware of your left palm,
Wrist,
Forearm,
The left elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
The left chest,
Left side of the stomach,
The thigh of the left leg,
Its knee,
The calf muscles,
The ankle,
The heel,
The sole,
The left big toe,
The second toe,
The third toe,
The fourth toe,
The fifth toe,
The whole left foot,
Your body touching the surface beneath you.
Be aware of the points of contact between the body and the surface.
Relax your heels,
Calf muscles,
Back of the knees,
Thighs,
Hips,
Lower back,
Upper back,
Right shoulder,
Left shoulder,
Shoulder blades,
Back of palms,
Back of the arms,
The neck and the back of the head.
Be aware of the top of the head,
The forehead,
Both sides of the forehead,
The right eyebrow,
The left eyebrow,
The space between the eyebrows,
The right eyelid,
The left eyelid,
Right eyeball,
Left eyeball,
Right ear,
Left ear,
Right cheek,
Left cheek,
The nose,
Upper lip,
Lower lip and the chin.
Feel the right foot,
The left foot,
Both feet together.
Feel the right leg,
Left leg,
Both legs together.
Right side of the torso,
Left side of the torso,
Both sides together.
Right hand,
Left hand,
Both hands together.
Right arm,
Left arm,
Both arms together.
Right side of the head and neck,
Left side of the head and neck.
Feel the entire head and neck.
Feel the entire back body.
Feel the entire front body.
Notice how heavy the body feels,
Supported by the surface beneath you.
Then let the body feel so light as if you could float away.
Inhale through the nose slowly and deeply,
Filling the lungs.
Then exhale even slower out the nose,
Empty.
Do that twice more.
Inhale,
Feel the breath go into your fingers and toes.
Then exhale even slower this time.
Once more at your own pace.
Visualise a flower with its petals closed inward at the centre of your chest.
As you breathe in,
The flower petals begin to open up.
As you exhale,
The flower petals slowly close in again.
Keep breathing this way,
Allowing the petals to gently open and close.
Allow the body to feel really heavy,
Really heavy.
Become aware of heaviness in every part of the body.
You are feeling so heavy that you are sinking into the floor.
Next,
Allow the body to feel really light,
Really light.
A sensation of lightness and weightlessness in every part of the body.
Your body feels so light that it seems to be floating away from the floor.
Allow the body to feel cold.
Imagine a time in your life when you felt really cold and let the chills be felt all over your body.
Then allow the body to become hot,
Remembering a time in your life when you felt heat within the body.
In your mind's eye,
Visualise yourself in the middle of a park.
It is early in the morning,
The sun is just rising in the sky and you are the only one there.
There is a sweet stillness in the air.
It is a beautiful park,
Calm and peaceful.
As you walk through the park,
You pass a garden full of roses.
You can smell the sweet scent of rose mixed with the morning air.
You walk onto the springy grass,
Listening to the birds chirping and welcoming the new day.
Next,
You walk by a fountain of water.
You can feel the cool spray of water against your skin as you walk by.
You keep strolling on grass.
After you pass the fountain,
You find a wooden bench.
You sit down on the bench,
Looking at the fountain with the rose garden in the distance.
You remain sitting there until the sun is high in the sky and a sense of peace and calm flows through you.
Remember your sankalpa.
Repeat it to yourself three times.
Bring your attention back to your body.
Deepen the breath.
Bring your attention back to the room you are in and the surface supporting you.
Make small movements in your fingers and toes.
Perhaps circle your wrists and ankles.
Bring your arms up over your head and point the toes,
Full body stretch.
When you feel ready,
Roll over to one side.
Keep the eyes closed or gaze soft.
Slowly come to a comfortable seat.
Bring your hands to a prayer position.
The practice of Yoga Nidra is now complete.
Namaste.
