Welcome to this practice of yoga nidra.
Journey through the elements.
So as we dive into the practice,
Take a moment here to make yourself comfortable.
Laying down on your back.
In Shavasana.
Allowing your legs and feet to fall to the side.
Maybe with a cushion underneath your knees if that feels supportive.
Rest your head on a thin cushion but just thin so your neck stays in a straight line and it's not bent too much.
Allow the arms to rest on the side of the body and the palms are facing up.
So yoga nidra,
The yoga of sleep.
Brings about really profound relaxation of the body.
So the physical body but also the energy body,
The mental and emotional body.
And this deep,
Profound rest.
Is full of potential.
Very beneficial for all layers of your being.
You manage to stay in the sweet spot between wakefulness and sleep.
However,
Choose the intention for your practice that works for you the best today.
Maybe it is to just give you time,
Space to rest.
Maybe it is to practice staying awake.
Maybe it is to just be with whatever arises.
So one more time,
Check that you're fully comfortable.
Then let's dive into it.
Today we begin the practice by choosing your sankalpa.
Your intention.
What is a desire that you have?
What is a longing your heart has?
What is something you would like to manifest in your life?
Your sankalpa is a positive,
Short,
Concise statement starting with the words I am.
For example,
I am complete.
I am free.
I am connected.
So choose your Sankalpa.
Take a deep breath.
And repeat it three times silently in your mind.
Once that is complete,
Allow the echoes of your Sankalpa to spread into your entire being.
And then from here,
Bring your awareness to the top of your head.
Rest your awareness just a little bit above your crown.
And imagine a light here,
A light that is somewhere between blue,
Turquoise,
And light purple.
It is a soothing,
Relaxing,
And tranquil light.
This nourishing and relaxing light is now beginning to enter your body from the crown downwards.
First it begins to fill your head.
Relaxing your brain.
And all those thoughts.
It flows down and merges with the throat and the neck.
Offering that part of you.
Hard and it's all about communication,
A rest.
There's no need to express yourself right now.
No need to communicate.
Allow all of these energies to take a break.
The light flushes down into your shoulders,
Arms,
And hands.
Washing away any responsibility.
Anything that feels heavy on your shoulders.
That keeps your hands from relaxing.
The light then continues into your chest.
Lovingly melting away anything that keeps you from taking deep and nourishing breaths.
The light also dances around your heart.
So your heart can become soft.
And tender.
The light flows further down and merges into your belly.
Cooling down any fiery energy.
In this part of yours.
Allowing yourself to rest.
And the light continues into your lower belly,
Into your pelvis.
Like warm water,
It flows all around the organs that I hear.
Soothing your digestive system.
Grabbing your productive organs.
Everything is drenched by this light,
This soothing light.
Somewhere between blue turquoise and light purple.
And then the light continues down into the bottom of your pelvis.
Flushes into the legs.
All the way to the feet.
Giving a signal to the muscles that have been carrying you from place to place,
The bones that have given you stability.
That they do not need to work right now.
There will be a time when they will be needed again,
But right now they can rest.
And just be.
And one more time,
Allow the light to flash and merge with your entire body.
The top of the head.
To the toes.
Now bring your awareness to your right hand thumb.
And allow your awareness to rest in your right hand thumb.
To all fingers,
All fingers on the right side.
Palm of the right hand.
Back of the right hand.
Forearm.
Elbow.
Bye-bye.
Right shoulder.
Armpit.
Right side of the chest.
Waist.
Bye.
Lower legs.
And calm.
EW!
Arch of the right foot.
Top of the right foot.
And all five toes.
All five toes.
And then feel the whole right side of the body at once.
The whole right side.
Shift awareness to the left hand side.
All fingers on the left side.
Palm of the left hand.
Back of the left hand.
Chris.
Work.
Elbow.
The arm.
Left shoulder.
Armpit.
Left side of the chest.
Ways.
The eye.
Lower leg.
Ankle.
Eel.
Arch of the left foot.
Top of the left foot.
And then all five toes.
All five tones.
Now feel the whole left side of the body at once.
The whole left side of the body at once.
Come to the back side of the body.
Allow your awareness to flow from the heels.
Along the backside of the legs to the buttocks.
Along the back.
The shoulders.
To the back of the head.
And then the top of the head.
Forehead.
Eyes and eyebrows.
Years.
Cheeks.
Nostrils.
Oops.
Tie a mouth.
Throat,
Chest.
Abdomen.
Legs.
And then the whole body.
The whole body.
Being fully embodied now.
As the body is resting.
Practicing your benny drop.
Bring your attention to your breath.
For a few moments allow your awareness,
Your mind to rest.
Continuous flow.
Of the breath.
And be natural.
Resting with the flow of the breath.
Relaxed,
You're at ease.
You are practicing yoga nidra.
It is now time for our journey through the elements.
We will invite sensations of the different elements into the body.
So begin with the element of earth.
Provide the element and sensations that you need.
How do you connect with the earth in two?
Your body.
By the sensations of solidity,
Of groundedness into your body.
Your body is deeply in touch with the earth underneath you.
Surrendering to gravity.
The sense of solidity and groundedness is coming from the earth up.
Into your body.
You are moved to the element of water.
Transition from a solid to a liquid state and invite sensations of fluidity into your body.
The body consists of a lot of water.
So allow your entire consciousness to merge with these sensations of fluidity.
Have this direct experience of water in your body right now.
Continue to the element of fire.
From liquid state,
You are now transitioning into fire.
Sensations of burning,
Of heat.
As well as the light of flames into your body.
You can clearly perceive the vibration of fire.
In your body.
Have this experience now.
Now invite the element of air into your experience.
Fire you move to a state of perceiving your body as a form of gas.
Everything is dissolving into a form of gas.
The frequency of air is moving into your body and taking over.
The entire landscape.
Thoughts or images.
Just feeling.
And continue until you feel you are one with the air element.
And then move into the element of ether,
Space.
Your thoughts,
Images and memories.
Feelings.
There is only space that enters your experience.
Beyond everything.
Find the element of space.
Into your experience.
Feel a sense of I am.
Without words or thoughts.
And silence.
And stillness.
We'll be here for a few moments in silence.
Resting.
Being.
Your consciousness.
And allow yourself to just be here.
And slowly,
Slowly come back to my voice.
Back to my voice.
Return one more time to your sankalpa,
Your intention.
And repeat it three times wholeheartedly in your mind.
Allow that seed of transformation.
To be planted in your consciousness.
And slowly,
Slowly feel more engaged in your individual form.
Use your breath.
Notice your body.
And begin to deepen the breath until you feel a natural impulse to send your awareness to your fingers and your toes.
And begin to move them.
And even as you begin to move your physical body stay in honor of the resting sensations,
The pause your body and mind has experienced.
And take the essence of that into the rest of your day.
With this the practice of yoga nidra is now complete.
Hari Om Tat Sat.
