Yoga Nidra: Inner Light

This Yoga Nidra practice guides you through the five koshas, moving from surface awareness into the deeper dimensions of self. It is designed to support deep relaxation, tension release, and the discovery of patterns that shape the mind and body. As we explore these layers—physical, energetic, mental, intuitive, and blissful—you’ll have the chance to reconnect with your true self. This is a time for healing, renewal, and rediscovering the wholeness that’s already within you.

Transcript

Yoga Nidra is a practice for deepening self-awareness,

Dissolving mental and emotional tensions,

And relaxing the body into a tension-free state.

It is also a practice of returning to wholeness.

By systematically moving through the five koshas,

The layers of being,

Yoga Nidra invites you to go beyond surface-level awareness and explore the subtler dimensions of existence.

We will begin in Shavasana,

Lying down on your back in a safe and comfortable space.

Let your arms rest by your sides,

With palms facing up,

And extend your legs out long,

Allowing your feet to naturally fall open to the sides.

Cover yourself with blankets for warmth,

And use pillows for comfort and support.

As you settle in,

Take time to make any small adjustments,

Finding a position where you feel completely supported and at ease.

Once you've arrived,

Let go of the urge to move.

Rest in stillness,

Where your body can surrender fully into a state of deep relaxation,

While your mind remains alert and aware.

When you're ready,

Gently close your eyes and send your attention inward.

The practice of Yoga Nidra begins now.

Take a deep breath in through your nose,

And let it go completely out through your mouth.

Repeat this two or three more times on your own.

With each inhale,

Feel your body expand with the fullness of your breath.

As you exhale,

Allow any worries and concerns to melt away.

Now,

Release control of your breath,

And allow your breathing to be natural.

Become aware of your body resting on the floor.

Allow your body to become heavier as your muscles release and let go into the support.

Feel the muscles in your face relax.

Your forehead is smooth.

The muscles of your eyes loosen as they rest into their sockets.

Without opening your eyes,

Become aware of your sense of vision.

As you do this,

Gently shift your focus from outer seeing to inner seeing.

Redirect the energy of outward vision to your inner landscape,

And begin to scan through the space of the body.

As you sense and feel each area,

Acknowledge any areas of tightness or constriction.

Notice these places with loving awareness,

Allowing them to soften and release.

Use your inner vision to explore the entire body with a sense of curiosity and care.

Soften your ears and become aware of your sense of hearing.

Notice the sounds you can hear around you,

Far away and close by.

Feel into the space of your inner ears,

And allow this area to relax all effort.

Remaining connected to my voice as all other sounds fade away.

Bring awareness to your nose,

And feel the gentle touch of air as it moves in and out of your nostrils.

Notice any scents that may be lingering in the air around you.

Now let go of your sense of smell,

And allow it to rest.

Soften your lips,

Your tongue,

Your teeth,

And your jaw.

Notice any tastes that may be present in your mouth.

Draw the energy needed for your sense of taste inward,

And allow it to rest.

Experience the places where your body is in contact with the floor.

Notice the sensation of air on any exposed parts of your skin.

Feel the places where clothing or blankets are touching the body.

Become aware of the entire surface of your skin,

And invite each and every cell to soften as your sense of touch turns inward to rest.

With the mind guided inward and detached from external sensory distractions,

We begin to experience pratyahara,

The withdrawal of the senses.

The energy that typically flows outward through the senses is now redirected inward.

Only hearing remains connected to my words to guide you through the practice.

Allow yourself to settle more deeply into stillness,

Both within and around you.

Remain alert with heightened awareness as your body rests in savasana.

By working with a heartfelt intention in yoga nidra,

Alignment is created between your inner and outer worlds.

This is known as sankalpa.

Your sankalpa is a short,

Simple,

Clearly stated commitment to yourself that begins with the words I AM and unites who you are with the highest version of yourself.

If you have a sankalpa,

Prepare to repeat it mentally to yourself three times.

If you don't yet have a sankalpa,

You can remain silent and connect with a heartfelt intention for your practice today.

Please silently repeat your sankalpa three times now.

We now turn our attention to anamaya kosha,

The physical body,

The first of the five koshas or layers of being.

We'll journey through the body using a technique called savayatra.

This practice guides us through 61 vital,

Nerve-rich points in the body,

Helping us release any remaining muscular tension and helping the mind become calm and focused.

As I guide you from point to point,

The invitation is to bring your attention to each area,

Sensing and feeling that space.

You may also choose to visualize a point of light in each location,

Like a star in the night sky.

Another option is to mentally repeat each point as a tool to keep the mind awake.

Choose what feels most natural to you.

We will begin at the space between the eyebrows.

Send your awareness to the space between the eyebrows and bring into focus the point of light there.

Concentrate your attention while keeping your body relaxed.

From the space between your eyebrows,

Move the point of light to the center of your throat,

Over to the right shoulder joint,

The right elbow joint,

The right wrist joint,

The tip of the right thumb,

Tip of the index finger,

Tip of the middle finger,

Tip of the fourth finger,

Tip of the fifth finger,

Back to the right wrist joint,

Right elbow joint,

Right shoulder joint,

Throat center.

Move the point of light to the left shoulder joint,

Left elbow joint,

Left wrist joint,

Tip of the left thumb,

Tip of the index finger,

Tip of the middle finger,

Tip of the fourth finger,

Tip of the fifth finger,

The left wrist joint,

Left elbow joint,

Left shoulder joint,

Throat center.

Move the point of light to your heart center in the middle of your chest,

Over to the right side of the chest,

Back to the heart center,

The left side of the chest,

Heart center,

Solar plexus just below the sternum,

Navel center,

Two inches below the physical navel.

Move the point of light to the right hip joint,

Right knee joint,

Right ankle joint,

Right big toe,

Tip of the second toe,

Tip of the third toe,

Tip of the fourth toe,

Tip of the small toe,

Back to the right ankle joint,

Right knee joint,

Right hip joint,

Navel center,

Over to the left hip joint,

Left knee joint,

Left ankle joint,

Left big toe,

Tip of the second toe,

Tip of the third toe,

Tip of the fourth toe,

Tip of the small toe,

Back to the left ankle joint,

Left knee joint,

Left hip joint,

Navel center,

Solar plexus,

Heart center,

Throat center,

Space between the eyebrows.

Rest your attention and the point of light at the space between your eyebrows.

Now bring your awareness to all 61 points together as one,

Like a constellation of stars in the night sky.

Sense their interconnection and feel into the depth and wholeness of Anamaya Kosha.

Now gently shift your attention to your breath.

Without any effort,

Simply observe its natural flow as it moves in and out.

Release any desire to control the breath,

Allowing it to move at its own rhythm.

Give your full attention to this process.

We are now entering Pranamaya Kosha,

The energy body.

Begin to observe the spaces between breaths,

The moments at the top of the inhale and the bottom of the exhale.

Allow these pauses to arise naturally as you remain a quiet observer.

With each breath,

You are guided deeper into the subtler layers of your awareness.

You are still and in this stillness,

You are free to let go of any need for control.

You are simply allowing life to be as it is in this moment.

Continue to disconnect from the habitual pattern of controlling the breath when it is in your awareness.

Become a witness to the breath and watch it with your full attention as if nothing else exists.

We will now deepen our connection to the breath by introducing a mantra.

The mantra is Hamsa.

It represents the sound of the breath itself,

A reminder of your connection to the present moment.

Hamsa translates from Sanskrit as I am that,

I am here now,

Fully present.

As you continue to observe your breath,

Mentally repeat Ham as you inhale and Sa as you exhale.

Allow this mantra to synchronize with your breathing,

Flowing without effort.

Begin now inhaling Ham and exhaling Sa,

Letting your awareness ride the wave of each breath.

Remain alert and allow your breath and the mantra to carry you into a deep,

Peaceful state of being.

Remain awake,

Keeping your awareness on the breath and the mantra.

Now let go of the mantra and return to a quiet mind.

Notice any effects you may feel from silently synchronizing the flow of the breath with the sound of the breath.

Awareness now moves into Mano Maya Kosha,

The mental body.

Exploring opposite sensations in the body allows the nervous system to find equilibrium between inner and outer experiences.

When the mind is quiet and the body is relaxed,

We can learn that even when we are immersed in a strong emotion or experience,

The opposite can also be true.

Use the power of your mind to create each experience as if it is happening now,

And notice what arises without judgment or concern.

Let's begin with the feeling of heaviness.

Experience the sensation of a very heavy body,

Every muscle and bone growing denser and heavier as your body sinks into the ground beneath you.

Sense the pull of gravity on your body,

Anchoring you down,

As if you could not move if you tried.

Feel the body becoming very,

Very heavy.

Now release the feeling of heaviness and feel your body becoming light.

Light as a feather,

As though your entire being is lifting off the floor,

Floating,

Becoming weightless.

Feel a sense of lightness through every part of you,

As if you are free from the pull of gravity.

Feel the body becoming very,

Very light.

Now let go of lightness and return to the sensation of heaviness without thinking about it.

Feel as though you are a rock,

Solid and immovable,

Merging with the earth beneath you.

Every part of you grows very heavy again.

Now just as easily,

Return to the feeling of lightness in your body.

Imagine you are spacious and buoyant,

Completely weightless like a cloud floating in the air above you.

Once again,

Drop the feeling of lightness and bring your awareness back to heaviness.

Rest into that dense,

Grounded sensation.

Now maintain the feeling of heaviness as you invite in the feeling of lightness.

Feel yourself sinking down and floating up at the same time.

A heavy sensation alongside a soft and spacious one.

Notice how your body can feel both rooted and expansive,

Dense and light,

As if holding two opposing forces simultaneously.

Now release the opposite sensations of heaviness and lightness completely and return to whole body awareness.

A quiet body and a quiet mind.

It's time for visualization as we visit Vijnanamaya Kosha,

The wisdom lair.

Please guide your attention to the dark space behind your forehead.

Rest your awareness there and notice anything you see in the darkness.

Focus,

But do not strain and connect to the creative energy that is always there.

As I name objects,

Allow images to spontaneously appear in this space.

Simply notice what arises without assigning meaning to it.

Keep your inner gaze soft and use the creative power of your mind to visualize the following images.

A bright yellow sunflower.

A drawing made by a child.

A worn out pair of shoes.

Sunrise over the ocean.

Sunrise over the ocean.

Sunrise over the ocean.

Freshly folded laundry.

A ball of yarn unraveling.

A bicycle made for two.

A hammock swaying in the breeze.

A teapot with milk and sugar.

A house plant in the light of the morning sun.

A trail winding through a forest.

Bring your trail more clearly into view and imagine yourself walking down it in the light of the morning sun.

The sun filters through the trees,

Creating patterns of light on the ground.

You hear the rustle of leaves as a gentle breeze moves through the forest.

Smell the scents in the air.

Feel the cool temperature against your skin.

Create this clearly in your mind.

Continue following your trail as it starts to ascend upward.

Eventually you reach an overlook where the path opens to an expansive view.

From here you can see in all directions.

You pause,

Feeling the warmth of the sun on your face,

The vastness of the sky,

And the openness of the space around you.

In this moment you are inspired,

Free,

And without limits.

Your mind opens wide and your body softens into its natural state,

Free from tension and constriction.

You feel as if every cell is renewed and alive with energy.

See and feel yourself in this evolved state.

From this place of deep connection,

Begin to travel back in time.

See yourself as a baby,

Resting peacefully.

Now watch yourself grow,

Moving through the stages of your life.

See yourself as a small child,

Moving naturally,

Playing freely,

And living from moment to moment.

As you journey through your timeline,

Let images and memories arise effortlessly.

As they come,

Do not hold on to any particular one.

Simply notice.

Observe each stage of your life as if you are your own loving mentor.

You are witnessing your growth and your path from a place of wisdom and acceptance.

As you reach your current age,

Allow yourself to continue moving forward in time.

See yourself growing older,

Your body aging naturally,

And your mind rich with the wisdom of your experiences.

You are now looking at a wise and elderly version of yourself.

This person has witnessed your entire history,

Past,

Present,

And future,

And has words of wisdom to share.

Look deep into their eyes and see your own eyes looking back at you.

Listen now to everything this person has to say,

And receive your own truth.

Now allow all images to fade and rest with a clear and open mind.

Anandamaya Kosha is the innermost layer of your being,

The bliss body,

Where you can access profound stillness and joy.

Here,

You have the opportunity to reset deeply held patterns in your body and mind.

Hold yourself in loving awareness,

And with each breath,

Release anything that no longer serves you.

Let go of the layers of your personality,

The stories you tell,

The roles you play,

And your habitual behaviors.

Release your history and all that has shaped you until now.

Feel your protective armor falling away.

Sense yourself wide open,

Expansive,

And connected to all of life.

Your inner light shines through as you rest in the essence of what you truly are,

Radiant,

Limitless,

And whole within yourself.

Stay here in deep meditation,

And I will let you know when it's time to return.

Slowly come back to the sound of my voice.

In this place of quiet receptivity,

It's time to repeat your sankalpa,

Exactly the same as you did at the beginning of the practice.

Bring it to mind and hold it steady as you prepare to plant this seed in the fertile soil of your mind.

Please silently repeat your sankalpa three times now.

Let go of your sankalpa and bring your awareness back to the quiet ebb and flow of your breath.

It has been there this whole time.

Begin to visualize the room around you and prepare to return to wakefulness.

As you're ready,

Begin to move your fingers and toes and stretch in any way that feels good.

Take your time returning to movement and allow yourself to integrate the effects of this practice.

Sit quietly for a few minutes or write in a journal.

Whatever you choose,

Go slowly and carry this practice with you for as long as you can.

Thank you for being here with me today.

The practice of yoga nidra is now complete.

Hari Om Tat Sat Hari Om Tat Sat Hari Om Tat Sat

Reviews

Thank you, Kristen🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻What a delight to be led through the 5 koshas into bliss🙏🏻🌟🌟🌟🌟🙏🏻

One of the best yoga nitras I have done, a great process of gentle relaxation to start. And taken through each kosher without haste and throughly. Consistently taking me into a deep nitra state. Almost seems as if I had made an order for my own meditation.
Thank you Kristen. ❤️🙏