Yoga Nidra Opposites Of Beliefs

The Yoga Nidra explores the space of consciousness that can hold multiple thoughts, emotions, beliefs, and sensations. This work can serve as a companion piece to the Space of Consciousness, my most recent offering. I suggest this pairing because it works from the understanding that we are not our thoughts, feelings, or beliefs.

We exist in a universe of seeming contradiction. Learning to separate our concept of the Self from the experience of living through, at times, very challenging circumstances can be very helpful in understanding that we are complete and whole. We are that which is aware of all that is occurring.

But we are not the chaos or the difficult emotions or thoughts that might be provoked during these times of struggle. I hope this is helpful.

Much love, Karen

Transcript

Hi,

My name is Karen.

This is a Yoga Nidra practice.

It's known as Opposites of Beliefs.

Begin your practice by finding a comfortable lying or seated position.

Feeling supported by the surface your body is resting upon.

Allowing your eyes to remain open or gently closed.

Taking time to settle into a position that feels just right.

During Yoga Nidra,

You are guided to notice and feel physical sensations,

Breath,

Emotions,

Thoughts,

And feelings of well-being or joy,

And to experience yourself as the witness of all of these comings and goings.

Whatever you experience is perfect,

Just as it is.

Now simply rest at ease and follow my guidance,

Allowing my voice to become your voice.

During Yoga Nidra,

Welcome every experience as a messenger that's inviting you to explore sensations,

Emotions,

And thoughts,

Without trying to change,

Fix,

Or make anything happen.

As you welcome whatever is arising,

Your body and mind are learning to remain at ease,

While you discover the place within that is always at ease and peaceful.

Experiencing yourself to be unchanging well-being.

A witnessing presence that is welcoming everything.

Feel your body settling completely into stillness.

We begin.

Bring attention to your senses.

Noticing the taste in your mouth.

The sounds around you.

Smells.

Images or colors behind your eyelids.

The touch of air on your skin.

Your senses open and alive.

Bring to mind your intention for today's practice.

How would you like to feel during and as a result of your practice?

Perhaps a sense of inner peace,

Joy,

Or well-being.

Perhaps relief from physical discomfort,

Habitual patterns,

Or emotional pain.

Your intention may be as simple as to remain alert throughout this entire practice,

But whatever it is,

Allow your intention to emerge fully.

Feeling your intention as an ally,

Supporting you to be focused and alert throughout your practice and in your daily life.

Affirming this and the feeling of your intention with your entire body and mind.

Noticing how it supports you during your practice and in your daily life.

Allow your heart's deepest desire,

Something that you want more than anything else in life,

To rise within.

This may be a desire for yourself,

Or for someone else,

Or for the world around you.

Whatever it is,

Allow this longing to rise up naturally as your deepest heartfelt longing.

Perhaps it's the feeling of being whole,

Healed and healthy,

The feeling of deep self-acceptance,

Peace,

Or well-being.

Whatever it is,

Welcome and affirm your heartfelt desire in the present tense with your entire body as if it's true right now.

Then set your desire aside and notice how it returns at the end of practice or as you go about your daily life.

And now,

Allow your inner resource,

A special place where you feel secure and at ease to emerge,

A special place where you feel grounded.

Perhaps this is a room that you know of,

Or a place in nature,

Or an image of a favorite symbol,

Or a feeling,

A simple feeling of deep peace.

Whatever your inner resource is,

Imagine using all of your senses,

Noticing the sounds,

Smells,

Tastes,

Colors,

Shapes that are present,

Sensing feelings of security,

Ease,

And well-being as you imagine your inner resource.

Experiencing feelings of security within you that are always available at a moment's notice.

As you do this,

Note in your body where you feel relaxed and warm.

Knowing that you can return to this secure place of well-being at any time during this practice or during daily life,

Whenever you need to feel secure,

Calm,

And at ease.

Now,

Let the sound of my voice be your guide.

Let my voice support you in experiencing sensations throughout your body.

As I name each area in your body,

You may feel sensations that are present,

Or you might feel nothing in particular.

But whatever your experience is,

It's just happening in this moment.

We begin.

Bring attention to sensations inside the mouth,

Roof of the mouth,

Floor of the mouth,

Inside cheeks,

Left cheek,

And right,

Back of the throat,

Tongue,

The entire mouth a field of sensation,

The ears,

Left ear,

Right ear,

Sensing both ears at the same time.

And now welcoming the breath as pure sensation in the nose,

Left nostril,

Right nostril,

Both nostrils at the same time,

The eyes,

Left eye,

Right eye,

Both eyes together,

A field of radiance sensation.

Sensing the forehead,

Scalp,

Back of the head and neck,

Inside the throat,

Left shoulder,

Left upper arm,

Forearm,

Wrist,

Left palm,

And fingers,

The entire left arm,

Right shoulder,

Right upper arm,

Forearm,

Wrist,

Right palm,

And fingers,

The entire right arm,

Both arms together as one field of sensation.

Upper chest,

Upper back,

Middle chest,

Middle back,

Abdomen,

Lower back,

The entire torso as a field of sensation.

Left buttock,

Left hip,

Thigh,

Knee,

Left lower leg,

Foot,

And toes,

The entire left leg.

Right buttock,

Right hip,

Thigh,

Knee,

Right lower leg,

Foot,

And toes,

The entire right leg.

Sensing both legs at the same time.

Sensing the entire front of the body,

Back of the body,

Left side,

Right side.

Sensing the entire body,

Inside and outside as a field of radiant sensation.

And be aware of all that is now present in your awareness,

Feeling yourself as the one who is aware of everything that's present,

First sensing what's present,

Then experiencing yourself as the field of awareness in which everything is coming and going.

Become aware of the body breathing,

The flow of the breath,

As a sensation in the nostrils,

The abdomen gently rising as breath flows in,

And releasing as breath flows out.

No need to change anything.

The body breathing naturally and rhythmically,

In-breath abdomen rising,

Out-breath abdomen releasing.

No need to change anything.

The body breathing itself.

Begin counting each breath silently backward from seven to one in the following manner.

In-breath abdomen rising seven,

Out-breath abdomen releasing seven,

In-breath abdomen rising six,

Out-breath abdomen releasing six.

Continue counting and breathing in your body's own natural rhythm.

And if you lose count,

Simply begin again at seven.

Breathing and counting.

Being with everything just as it is.

And now let go of counting with no need to reach the number one.

And be aware of the fields of flows of sensation throughout the body.

Now,

While gently retaining the breath at the top of inhalation,

Bring your attention into the left side of the body.

And while exhaling and inhaling,

Welcome sensations throughout the left side of the body.

And now,

While gently retaining the breath at the top of this inhalation,

Bring attention to the right side of the body.

Exhaling and inhaling,

Welcoming sensation throughout the right side of the body.

And now,

Going back and forth from one side to the other at your own breathing speed.

Experiencing sensation first on one side of the body,

Then on the other side.

Giving time during retention for sensation to completely shift across the midline.

And when you're ready,

While holding your breath,

Sense the entire body simultaneously while allowing the body to return to its own natural breathing rhythm.

And be aware of all that's now present in your awareness,

Feeling yourself as the one who is aware of everything that's now present.

Seeing what's present.

Then experiencing yourself dissolving into being the field of awareness in which everything is arising.

Remember that any time you experience a need to feel secure and at ease,

You can return to your inner resource at a moment's notice.

Now bring attention to feelings that are present throughout the body,

Such as warmth or coolness,

Heaviness or lightness,

Comfort or discomfort,

Allowing them to fully blossom in your body.

And if no feelings are present,

As may happen,

Simply welcoming whatever is present.

If it's helpful,

Locate the opposite of whatever you are feeling.

If you're feeling warmth,

Find coolness.

If you're feeling heaviness,

Find lightness.

If comfort,

Find discomfort.

Welcoming an opposite of feeling fully into the body.

Now,

Welcome both opposites of feeling in the body at the same time.

Without thinking,

Simply experiencing how doing this affects your body and mind.

Now,

Bring attention to an emotion that is present in your body,

Or one that perhaps you're working with in your life.

Or recall a memory that invites a particular emotion into your body.

Welcoming the emotion as sensation in your body.

Inviting this emotion to unfold fully as sensation in the body.

And if no emotion is present,

There's no need to make anything happen.

Simply welcoming whatever is present.

If an emotion is present,

Where are you feeling it in your body?

Allowing it to fully blossom.

Allowing it to blossom fully while welcoming thoughts,

Images,

Or memories that co-arise with this emotion.

And if it's helpful,

Allow an opposite emotion to emerge.

Perhaps recalling a memory that invites this opposite emotion into your body.

Where do you experience it in your body?

Taking your time.

Welcoming this opposite of emotion.

And now,

Moving back and forth several times between opposite emotions.

Experiencing first one.

Then the other.

Sensing how each is experienced in the body.

And now inviting both emotions into awareness at the same time.

Without thinking,

Simply experiencing how this affects your entire body and the mind.

And be aware of all that is now present in your awareness.

Feeling yourself as the one who is aware of everything that's now present.

Sensing what's present.

Then experiencing yourself as the field of awareness in which everything is arising.

Remember,

There's no right way or wrong way of doing any of this.

And that you're welcome to return to your inner resource at any time.

Welcome a thought or belief that you sometimes fall into or take to be true about yourself.

And if no belief is arising,

Simply being with whatever is present.

If there is a belief present,

As you hold this belief about yourself to be true,

Where and how do you feel it in your body?

Sensing how this belief affects the entire body.

Noticing any images or thoughts that co-arise with this belief without trying to change anything.

If it's helpful,

Bring to mind the opposite of this belief.

And as you hold this opposite belief about yourself to be true,

How does it affect your body?

Welcoming any images,

Emotions or memories that also emerge.

Being present to your experience just as it is,

Without trying to change or fix anything.

And now,

In your own rhythm,

Alternate several times between these opposites of belief.

Welcoming first one as true,

And then the other.

Experiencing how each belief acts upon your body and the mind.

And now welcome both of these opposites of belief.

At the same time,

While experiencing how this affects your entire body and the mind.

Be aware now of all that is present in your awareness.

Feeling yourself as the one who is aware of everything that's now present.

Sensing what's present.

Then experiencing yourself as the field of awareness in which everything is arising.

Be attentive to sensations throughout your body of pleasure,

Happiness,

Joy or well-being.

Or perhaps recall a particular event in your life that invites feelings of pleasure,

Joy or well-being into your body right now.

Welcoming whatever emerges just as it is.

Perhaps experiencing the sensation of joy as an inner smile that radiates from your heart.

The heart smiling.

And this smile of sensation expanding throughout your entire body.

Flowing out into your torso,

Arms and hands.

Down into your pelvis,

Legs and feet.

Flowing up into your head and face,

Mouth,

Lips and eyes smiling.

The entire body smiling.

Radiant and alive with the feeling of joy or well-being.

Or a sense of being okay just as you are.

And be aware of all that is now present in your awareness.

Feeling yourself as the one who is aware of everything that's now present.

Sensing what's present.

Then experiencing yourself as the field of awareness in which everything is arising.

Dissolving into being pure awareness itself.

Open and spacious.

Being awareness in which everything is coming and going.

Awareness in which everything is welcome just as it is.

Being awareness and reflecting upon all that has been or is now present.

Sensations.

Emotions.

Beliefs.

Joy.

Well-being.

The experience of being pure awareness.

Everything just as it is.

Yourself just as you are.

Now come back to your inner resource,

Your place of grounding.

Security and well-being.

Noticing your breathing.

It's easy and rhythmic.

Your forehead at ease and cool.

Belly.

Hands.

And feet.

Warm and at ease.

And bring to mind your intention for this practice.

Perhaps noticing the formation of an intention for your next practice.

Recall your heartfelt desire as a resonance of sensation in your body.

Experiencing it as an accomplished fact in this moment.

And imagine going about your daily life.

Noticing sensations,

Emotions,

And thoughts all constantly changing.

Yet all the while feeling yourself as unchanging spacious awareness in which everything is coming and going.

Now,

Taking your time,

Transitioning to your alert and wide awake state of wakefulness.

Sensing your body.

And the room around you.

Perhaps wiggling your fingers and toes or inviting gentle movement with your body.

And as you feel ready,

Gently opening your eyes,

Reorienting to where you are and where you're going.

Coming fully alert and wide awake.

And perhaps before ending your practice,

Experience the feeling of gratitude for taking time to practice Yoga Nidra.

Welcoming and loving yourself.

Experiencing yourself as timeless,

Open.

A spacious well-being that is perfect just as it is.

And yourself as whole,

Healthy,

And perfect just as you are.

Yourself as unchanging spacious awareness in which everything is unfolding.

And the understanding that you always know the perfect response to each moment.

As you take the time to welcome your deepest knowing.

May you be well and safe and free as is the right of all beings.

I wish you peace,

Shanti.

Namaste.