Before we begin,
I'd like to invite you to take a slow,
Gentle breath.
And simply arrive.
This Yoga Nidra is inspired by Abhinivesa,
The fifth of the five klesas described in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.
It is often translated as the fear of death.
But its meaning reaches much further.
It is the deep instinct to hold on.
To life.
To certainty.
To identity.
To what feels familiar.
And the fear of what might happen if we let go.
This practice is not about removing fear.
Fear is a natural part of being human.
Rather,
It is an invitation to discover a place within you that is deeper than fear.
A quiet awareness that remains steady through every change,
Every ending,
And every new beginning.
For the next little while,
Allow yourself to set down the need to control,
To protect or to hold everything together.
Trust.
That for these few moments you are completely supported.
So let's get ready for Yoga Nidra.
So lie down.
And allow your body to settle.
If you wish you can also do this practice sitting down.
Take a moment to adjust so that the body feels completely supported.
Effortless.
If you are lying down,
Let the legs fall open.
And Put the arms slightly away from the body with the palms facing upward.
If you are sitting down.
Make sure your spine is upright.
Your head is well supported.
And you can rest your hands on your knees or your thighs with your palms facing upward.
And gently close the eyes.
And let them stay closed until I tell you to open them at the end of the practice.
Take a slow breath in.
And exhale softly.
Once again,
Inhale.
And release.
And one more time,
Inhale deeply.
And exhale.
Now allow the bread to return to its natural rhythm.
Feel the weight of the body.
Being held.
Nothing to carry.
Nothing to protect.
Nothing to control.
For this time.
You can simply address.
Bring your awareness to the breath.
Natural Effortless.
Notice the inhale.
And the exhale.
And gently observe.
The Bread?
Is happening.
And you are aware of it.
That is breathing.
And there is awareness of breathing.
Now introduce a quiet intention.
A Sankalpa,
A resolve.
Something simple,
Something deeply supportive.
You may choose,
I can let go.
Or the eye rest in water remains.
Whatever is your Sankalpa,
Repeat it softly three times.
Let it settle.
Now we move awareness through the body.
Not thinking.
Just noticing.
As I name the part of the body simply,
Bring your awareness and notice that part.
We start with the right side.
Right Hand Thumb Index Pringle.
Middle finger.
Ring finger.
Little finger.
The palm of the hand.
The back of the hand.
List.
For them.
Elbow A B A M Shoulder.
UMPIT!
Light waste?
Right hip.
Tie.
Me.
Golf.
Ankle.
Heal Soul.
Top of the foot.
The Big Dough?
2nd tool TADA!
Phone.
Fair.
Now the left side of the body.
Left Hand Thumb Index finger.
Middle finger Ring finger.
Little finger.
The palm of the hand.
The back of the hand.
List.
For alarm.
Elbow Apple-um Shoulder.
Armpit.
Left waist.
Left Hip Tie.
Me.
Golf.
Ankle Heal Soul of the foot.
Top of the foot.
They don't?
2nd Tool Todd.
Fold.
Fifth.
Now the back side of the body.
Right Shoulder Blade Left Shoulder Blade Oppo back.
Middle back.
Lower back.
Buttocks,
Now the front side of the body.
The abdomen,
Navel Jest.
Right Chest.
Left chest.
Collarbones,
The chin.
Lower lip.
Upper lip.
Right cheek.
Left Cheek Nose.
Tip of the Nose Right Eye Left Eye Eyeblows Space between the eyebrows.
The forehead.
The Temples.
The top of the head.
The back of the head.
Now feel the whole body.
As one field.
Feel the whole body as one field.
And notice.
The body is being felt.
And you are aware of it.
Now bring the awareness to the breath.
Notice the inhale.
Arriving.
And the exhale.
Releasing Now gently deepen the awareness of the exhale.
Each exhale.
A soft letting go.
Nothing forced.
Nothing push.
Just the natural movement of release.
Notice.
You cannot hold the breath forever.
It comes And it goes.
And yet.
.
.
You remain.
Now?
Bring awareness to a place in your life.
Where you have been holding on.
Something you didn't want to lose.
Adull.
A version of yourself.
A situation.
A sense of control bring awareness to a place in your life.
Where you have been holding on.
See it gently.
From a distance.
And notice what happens in the body.
Is there a titan in you?
A contraction.
A subtle gripping.
Notice the quiet thought.
I don't want this to go.
Just observe without changing anything.
Now?
Very gently.
Imagine loosening your grip.
Just a little.
Not letting go completely.
Just softening.
And notice what happens.
Simply observe.
Now imagine.
You are lying beneath a washed open sky.
Endless.
Spacious.
Still.
Clouds drift slowly across the sky.
Eats Cloud.
Represent something you've been holding.
A memory.
And all.
Of fear.
A desire.
Some clouds feel close.
Some feel distant.
Bring your attention to one cloud.
Something you've been holding tightly.
See its shape.
Notice its movement.
And now.
.
.
Instead of holding it.
Allow it to drive.
You don't push it away.
You don't pull it closer.
You simply let it move.
And now another cloud.
And that too begins to drift.
And another.
And another.
Everything you've been holding.
Begins to pass.
And notice.
The sky does not change.
The sky does not hold.
It allows.
And now gently sense You are not the clouds.
You are the sky.
Open.
Unchanging.
Oh,
Man.
Nothing that passes takes anything from the sky.
Nothing that appears adds anything to it.
Rest here.
Now?
Let go of all images.
Notice thoughts.
Alizing?
And passing.
Sensation.
Coming.
And going.
Even the sense of I.
Appearing.
And dissolving.
And gently.
Rest as the awareness that remains.
Nothing needs to be held.
Nothing needs to be protected.
Now the turn to your Sankalpa.
The same one that you made at the beginning of the practice.
And if you did not have a Sankalpa,
You can choose I can let go.
Oh I rest in what remains.
Whatever your Sankalpa,
Your intention or your resolve.
Repeat it three times with complete feeling and awareness.
And bring your awareness back to the breath.
Bring your awareness back to the body.
Start to deepen the breath.
Gently.
Become aware of the temperature of the room that you are in.
Start to become aware of your surroundings.
Any sounds you can hear.
Any sense you can smell.
Start to make small movements.
Do your fingers.
Do the tools.
You can stretch if it feels natural.
And when you're ready.
When you're sure that you are wide awake.
Slowly,
Gently.
Allow the eyes to open.
The practice of Yoga Nidra is now complete.
Adios.
That's all.
