Welcome to this Yoga Nidra session.
Yoga Nidra,
Often referred to as yogic sleep,
Is a powerful technique for achieving deep relaxation and meditative consciousness.
Through this practice,
You will be guided into a state of conscious relaxation where you can rejuvenate your mind,
Body and spirit.
So make sure you are in a quiet and comfortable place where you will not be disturbed.
Lie down on your back in Shavasana,
The corpse position,
With your arms by your sides,
Palms facing upwards.
You can use a blanket for warmth and a pillow under your head or your knees if needed.
Once you are settled,
Try to remain as still as possible.
Minimizing movement helps deepen the state of relaxation and allows you to fully immerse yourself in the practice.
Yoga Nidra is a practice of conscious relaxation,
Not sleep.
Try to stay awake and aware.
Follow the guided instructions closely without trying to rationalize anything.
If you find yourself drifting off,
Gently bring your focus back to these instructions.
So bring your awareness to the sensations in your body.
Notice how each part of your body feels.
Start from the top of your head and move down to your toes.
Feel the weight of your body sinking into the ground.
Allow yourself to let go completely,
Knowing that you are fully supported.
Now set a positive intention or sankalpa for this practice.
This could be something you want to cultivate in your life such as,
I am at peace or I am strong and healthy.
If you cannot think of an intention or sankalpa at this time,
The practice can be done without the sankalpa.
If you know your sankalpa,
Your intention,
Silently repeat this to yourself three times with full awareness and with conviction.
Now shift your focus to your breath.
Notice the natural rhythm of your breath without trying to change it.
Feel the cool air entering your nostrils and the warm air leaving.
Feel your breath as it moves in and out,
Allowing it to become slower and more relaxed.
We will now go into the rotation of consciousness.
We will rotate our awareness through different parts of the body.
As I name each part,
Bring your attention there and mentally repeat the name of that part.
Right hand thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
Little finger,
Palm of the hand,
Back of the hand,
Wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Armpit,
Waist,
Hip,
Thigh,
Knee,
Calf,
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole of the right foot,
Top of the right foot,
Right big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe,
Left hand thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
Little finger,
Palm of the hand,
Back of the hand,
Wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Armpit,
Waist,
Hip,
Thigh,
Knee,
Calf,
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole of the left foot,
Top of the left foot,
Left big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe,
Back of the head,
Top of the head,
Forehead,
Right temple,
Left temple,
Right ear,
Left ear,
Right eyebrow,
Left eyebrow,
The space between the eyebrows,
Right eye,
Left eye,
Right cheek,
Left cheek,
Nose,
Tip of the nose,
Upper lip,
Lower lip,
Chin,
Throat,
Right collarbone,
Left collarbone,
Right side of the chest,
Left side of the chest,
Middle of the chest,
Upper abdomen,
Navel,
Lower abdomen,
Pelvis.
Now return to the breath.
Begin to count each breath backwards from 10 to 1.
As you inhale,
Count 10.
As you exhale,
Count 9 and so on.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 1 Now imagine a peaceful place where you feel completely safe and relaxed.
This could be a beach,
A forest or the favourite spot from your childhood.
Visualise every detail of this place.
The colours,
The sounds,
The smells,
The feeling of the ground beneath you,
The wind blowing,
The colour of the sky,
The clothes you are wearing,
The shoes you are wearing.
Spend a few moments here,
Soaking in the tranquility and peace.
Now gradually bring your awareness back to your body lying on the ground.
Feel the support beneath you.
Wiggle your fingers and toes gently.
Take a deep breath in and as you exhale,
Roll on to your right side.
Stay here for a few seconds and then slowly come up to a comfortable seated position.
Bring your palms together in front of your heart.
Take a moment to feel gratitude for this practice and for the time you have given yourself.
Silently repeat your Sankalpa once more.
When you are ready,
Gently open your eyes and carry this sense of peace and relaxation with you.
Namaste
