Welcome,
Today I will be guiding you through a practice of yoga nidra.
Yoga nidra is a form of tantra.
It is not sleeping,
It is not concentration,
But it is opening the inner chambers of your mind.
In yoga nidra you step down into the internal dimension of your consciousness.
If you don't understand anything in yoga nidra,
It does not matter.
The sound of my voice will act as a rope.
Just as you take a rope and go in and out of the depths of a cave,
So with the help of sound you will venture in and out of the mind.
If you find at times that you tune me out,
Don't worry,
Your subconscious is still listening.
Yoga nidra is this form of very deep relaxation.
You don't need to do anything except find a comfortable position.
Lying down ideally,
Stretching your body out,
Feet apart,
The palms of the hands turned upwards and your eyes gently closed.
Making all the necessary adjustments so that you are comfortable as possible.
Eventually we are looking for there to be no movement,
Neither conscious or unconscious,
But take any movements you need here and now to really get as comfortable as you can.
Remember that you are about to practice yoga nidra,
This dynamic state of sleep,
And that you have only to maintain awareness of hearing and feeling.
The body sleeps but the mind remains awake.
Try to remain alert so that you do not sleep.
Say to yourself mentally,
I will not sleep,
I will remain awake,
I am practicing yoga nidra.
Take a deep breath and as you breathe in,
Feel coolness and calmness spreading throughout the body.
And as you breathe out,
Feel your cares and worries flowing out of you,
Dropping away.
Become aware of your body and relax yourself completely.
Make yourself physically calm and steady.
Feel that the legs are relaxed,
The torso,
The head,
Arms and hands.
Develop awareness of your physical body right from the top of your head to the tips of the toes.
Relaxing your whole body mentally.
Relaxing yourself mentally.
Relax yourself by breathing normally and becoming aware of the breath as it moves between the navel and throat.
Awareness of your natural breath.
No forcing.
Navel to throat breathing.
Starting with this awareness and slowly feel yourself becoming more relaxed.
Now leave your breathing as it is and become aware that you are going to practice yoga nidra.
Yoga nidra begins now.
Using a sankalpa or a resolution or intention for your practice of yoga nidra today.
Saying it as if it is already true and happening.
Picking something that is positive and devoid of ego and try to be consistent and do not change it.
Now I will guide you through the different parts of your physical body through a rotation of consciousness.
One by one taking your consciousness to each and every part of your physical body.
As I say the name of the body part at the same time I want you to visualize each part and repeat its name mentally.
You don't need to make any physical movements or do anything.
Just moving your awareness and consciousness.
Visualize the particular part which I will name and say the name mentally.
Try to go along with me at the same speed.
I will move from one part to another and follow along with your awareness.
Get ready to move your consciousness but not moving your body.
Now visualize the right hand thumb and say mentally right hand thumb.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
Fifth finger.
Visualize all five fingers together.
Palm of the hand.
Back of the hand.
Wrist.
Forearm.
I am guiding you along the right side.
I will tell you when to shift to the left.
Visualize the right elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
Under arm.
Right chest.
Side.
Waist.
Hip.
Shoulder.
Glute.
Thigh.
Hamstring.
Knee.
Calf muscle.
Ankle.
Heel.
Soul of the right foot.
Top of the right foot.
Big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
All five toes together.
Now take your consciousness to the left side of your body.
Just as we were visualizing the parts of the right side.
Now visualize those parts on the left side.
The left hand thumb.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
Fifth finger.
All five fingers together.
Thumb of the left hand.
Back of the hand.
Wrist.
Forearm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
Under arm.
Left side of the chest.
Side.
Waist.
Hip.
Glute.
Thigh.
Hamstring.
Knee.
Muscle.
Ankle.
Heel.
Soul of the left foot.
Top of the left foot.
Left big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
All five toes together.
Now I will take you from your toes up to the crown of the head.
And be prepared.
Make your consciousness ready to move from the toes up to the head.
Right big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
All five right toes together.
Left big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
All five toes together.
Visualize all the left toes together.
Now moving your consciousness right and left as I say the parts alternately.
Right soul.
Left soul.
Both souls together.
Right heel.
Left heel.
Both heels together.
Right ankle.
Left ankle.
Both ankles together.
Right calf muscle.
Left calf muscle.
Both calf muscles together.
Right knee.
Left knee.
Both knees together.
Right thigh.
Left thigh.
Both thighs together.
Right hamstring.
Left hamstring.
Both hamstrings together.
Right glute.
Left glute.
Both glutes together.
Right hip.
Left hip.
Both hips together.
Waist.
Lower abdomen.
Upper abdomen.
Whole of the abdomen.
Right side of the chest.
Left side of the chest.
Both sides together.
Right collarbone.
Left collarbone.
Center of the collarbones.
Throat.
Right shoulder.
Left shoulder.
Right arm.
Left arm.
Right elbow.
Left elbow.
Right hand.
Left hand.
Right thumb.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
Fifth finger.
All five fingers together.
Palm of the hand.
Back of the hand.
Shoulders.
Lower back.
Middle back.
Lower back.
Right side of the back.
Left side of the back.
Whole of the spine.
Back of the neck.
Front of the neck.
The whole neck.
Chin.
Lower lip.
Upper lip.
Both lips together.
Teeth.
Tongue.
Right cheek.
Left cheek.
Both cheeks.
Right nostril.
Left nostril.
Both nostrils.
Tip of the nose.
Whole of the nose.
Right eyelid.
Left eyelid.
Right eyeball.
Left eyeball.
Both eyeballs together.
Right eyebrow.
Left eyebrow.
Eyebrow center.
Right temple.
Left temple.
Forehead.
Back of the head.
Crown of the head.
Whole face.
Whole head.
Now we will take the body in parts.
Whole right arm.
Whole left arm.
Whole right leg.
Whole left leg.
Whole front.
Whole back.
Whole right side of the body.
Whole left side of the body.
Whole body together.
Whole body together.
Become aware of the touching points between the floor or your bed and your physical body.
Become aware of the parts of your whole physical body absorbing energy.
Feel the vibrations of life moving through your body.
Experience tranquility,
Peace and quiet.
Become aware of the whole environment in your whole body.
Whole body.
Now bring your focus back to your breath.
Moving back and forth between navel and throat.
Keep your attention here and now.
If the mind wanders,
Bring it back to the breath again and again.
Now,
Revisit your sankalpa,
Your resolution or intention that you set at the beginning of this practice.
Calling it to mind and repeating it silently to yourself.
Awareness of breathing and awareness of relaxation.
Awareness of your physical existence.
Become aware of your arms and legs and your body lying stretched out.
Becoming aware of meeting points between your body and the floor or bed.
Develop awareness of the room,
Walls,
Ceiling,
Noises in the room,
Noises outside.
Lying quietly for a few more moments,
Keeping your eyes still gently closed.
Start moving your body and stretching yourself.
Taking your time.
Do not hurry or rush.
Wiggle your toes and your fingers.
Circle your wrists and your ankles.
If and when you are ready,
Slowly open your eyes.
Thank you for joining me for this practice.
