Welcome to this practice of Yoga Nidra.
Feel free to stretch however you like and then settle yourself in as comfortably as possible as you come to lie down on your back.
Try to have your head,
Your neck and your spine aligned in one long straight line,
Resting your arms either side of you with your palms face up to the sky.
Keep your legs and feet out straight and rest them a comfortable distance apart and if it's more comfortable you can put a prop under your knees or thighs or simply have your feet on the floor with your knees up.
You can't do this wrong,
Just make yourself comfortable and listen to however your body is calling you to move and rest today.
Now close your eyes down and then take a deep breath in and sigh it out.
Take a moment to consider a Sankalpa.
If you already have a Sankalpa,
A heartfelt intention,
Call this into your mind.
If not,
Simply allow yourself to feel into your heartfelt desires.
Feel for a quality that you wish to embody in this present moment.
Feel that the quality is positive.
It's a quality that supports your highest good and your life's direction.
Now turn this feeling into a short concise statement about who you are as if you're embodying that statement right now in this moment.
This is your Sankalpa and it's okay if nothing seems to be happening.
Just trust that your Sankalpa will become obvious when the time is right and for now you can use something like I am joyful or my true nature is calm and peace.
Now sincerely repeat your chosen Sankalpa three times and hold it in your heart.
Start to scan your body mentally and physically.
Noticing places that are holding tension.
Noticing the places that are feeling relaxed.
Observing any places that are numb or neutral.
Take a big breath in and sigh it out.
Now begin to tense your right leg muscles.
Hold and squeeze them and then completely release.
Now tense your left leg muscles.
Hold and squeeze them and completely release.
Tense your right arm muscles.
Hold,
Squeeze,
Completely release.
Tense your left arm muscles.
Hold,
Squeeze,
Completely release.
Now tense all sides of your torso,
Your chest.
Hold and completely release.
Tense the shoulders,
The neck.
Hold and completely release.
Scrunch your eyes and your mouth,
The cheeks and hold.
Completely release.
Now tense your whole body all over.
Hold all the muscles and then completely release to relax.
You can now release and soften deeper into full body relaxation.
Mentally scan your body,
Noticing places that are holding tension.
Noticing places that are feeling relaxed.
Places that are feeling numb or neutral.
Take a big breath in and sigh it out.
Now move your attention to your breath.
Breathe in for 4,
2,
3,
4.
Breathe out for 4,
2,
3,
4.
Inhale 4,
2,
3,
4.
Exhale 4,
2,
3,
4.
Breathe in for 4,
2,
3,
4.
Inhale 4,
2,
3,
4.
Exhale 4,
2,
3,
4.
Continue to breathe in this way,
Inhaling and exhaling for 4 counts.
Each time you feel your mind wandering,
Simply bring your attention back to your breath.
Allow your breathing to become effortless and natural.
And now start to use your inner seeing to sweep away more tension.
Sense that you have a broom.
And that broom can sweep and brush away anything that's no longer needed.
To brush away your aches and pains,
Start brushing down your body from the top of your head down to your feet.
Using a sweeping feeling to clean out remaining tension and pressure.
Just do this 3 or 4 times at your own pace.
And now brush away feelings and outdated emotions.
Start brushing all the way down your body using a sweeping feeling.
Do this 3 or 4 times.
And now brush away worries and outdated thoughts.
Brushing all the way down your body.
Using a sweeping feeling to clean and clear away thoughts and to expand your awareness.
Just do this again 3 or 4 times.
Every time your mind wanders,
Brush that away too.
And continue to brush and sweep away what's no longer needed.
And perhaps noticing some clear and empty space opening up.
Making room for insights and creativity to flourish.
Creating space for pure awareness.
It's time to notice what's happening and how you're feeling.
Perhaps there's a sense of inner peace,
Inner joy.
If it helps,
Remember,
Recall a time when you were happy.
Or even pretend how it might feel to be happier.
Bring that joy alive by imagining where you were.
Imagining how it looks.
How it sounds.
How it smells.
Add more embellishments and details into the scene to bring it alive mentally,
Physically.
Recalling how it felt and letting that happy feeling be felt again right now in this moment.
Now,
Let the scene go and welcome everything in just as it is in this silent pause.
And from this experience of welcoming and being with everything just as it is.
Once more,
Welcome in your heartfelt pledge,
Your intention,
Your Sankalpa.
And repeat your Sankalpa with all of your heart three more times.
Sense and feel your Sankalpa is true.
It's happening right now.
And take a big breath in.
And sigh it all out,
Letting go,
Trusting that this or something even better is already unfolding.
On your behalf.
It's time to welcome your transition back.
Back to yourself and to others.
Starting to stretch and awaken your body.
Becoming aware and alert.
And now completely wide awake.
Take a moment to roll over to one side.
Take a few deep breaths here.
And then make your way up to a seated position.
And just take a few more moments to absorb your experience of Yoga Nidra.
Knowing there's a place inside that's always there to fully support you on your life path.
The practice of Yoga Nidra is now complete.
