Yoga Nidra With Sending Loving-Kindness
Practicing loving-kindness helps us cultivate the Four Abodes: Friendliness (Metta), Compassion (Karuna), Appreciative Joy (Mudita), and Equanimity (Upekkha). Friendliness is characterized by a warmth that extends outward and envelops others. As our capacity for loving-kindness deepens, we develop true compassion, which allows us to genuinely empathize with others' pain and struggles. Appreciative joy reflects a heartfelt appreciation of others' positive qualities and successes, free from envy or jealousy. Ultimately, this journey leads to equanimity, a state in which we remain caring and engaged with equal openness and acceptance toward all people, relationships, and circumstances.
Transcript
Get ready for Yoga Nidra.
Lie down preferably in Shavasana and if you're sitting too that's perfectly fine.
Adjust your position so that you can be comfortable,
So that you can be still for the complete duration of the practice.
And you can close your eyes.
You are now preferably in Shavasana.
With your feet slightly apart,
Arms plop to the side,
Palms facing upwards.
If you're sitting you can have your hands on your thighs with your palms facing towards the ceiling.
And now start to become aware of the weight of your physical body.
Your body is heavy.
Let the surface that you are resting on hold your body.
Let your body go.
Let it sink into the surface.
Now bring your focus to your breath.
Easy,
Relaxed,
Natural breaths.
Observe the breaths as they enter and leave your nostrils.
Now bring your focus to your whole physical body from head to toe.
Focus on your whole body.
Observe your whole body.
You are aware of the whole body,
The physical body from head to toe.
Not just the awareness of your legs,
Arms,
Trunk,
Chest or head.
But you are aware of the whole body.
The body as a whole.
Complete and constant awareness of the body.
Be aware that you are going to practice Yoga Nidra.
And say mentally,
I am aware I am going to practice Yoga Nidra.
I am aware I am going to practice Yoga Nidra.
I am aware I am going to practice Yoga Nidra.
Relax your body.
Relax your mind.
You are completely relaxed by breathing normally and concentrating on the natural flow of the breath in the nostrils.
As you inhale,
Your belly is rising.
And as you exhale,
The belly is relaxing.
With each exhalation,
Let your body relax a bit more.
Observe the breath as it passes through your nostrils.
Check if the breathing is more from the right or the left nostril.
Observe the flow of the breath.
Enjoy the flow of the breath.
Easy.
Enjoy the flow of the breath.
Easy.
Relaxed.
Calm breathing.
Keep your focus on the practice.
Do not wander.
Now bring to mind your resolve,
Your sankalpa,
Your intention.
And repeat your sankalpa three times mentally with complete feeling and emotion.
We will now go into the rotation of consciousness.
Become aware of the body parts as I name them.
Mentally visualize the body part and any sensations in that part.
We begin with the right side.
Right foot,
Heel,
Sole of the foot,
Big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe,
Right ankle,
Calf,
Shin,
Knee,
Thigh,
Hamstring,
Hip,
Right side of the waist,
Right ribcage,
Right chest,
Right collarbone,
Right hand thumb,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Fourth finger,
Fifth finger,
Back of the right hand,
Palm of the hand,
Wrist,
Lower arm,
Upper arm,
Armpit,
Right shoulder.
Now the left side.
Left foot,
Heel,
Sole of the foot,
The big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe,
Left ankle,
Calf,
Shin,
Knee,
Thigh,
Hamstring,
Left hip,
Left side of the waist,
Left ribcage,
Left chest,
Left collarbone,
Left hand thumb,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Fourth finger,
Fifth finger,
Back of the left hand,
Palm,
Wrist,
Lower arm,
Upper arm,
Armpit,
Shoulder.
Observe the pelvis,
The lower abdomen,
The stomach,
The heart,
The whole chest.
Observe the throat,
Neck,
Chin,
Lips,
Nose,
Right cheek,
Left cheek,
Right eye,
Left eye,
Right ear,
Left ear,
Forehead,
Crown of the head.
Observe your whole body.
Observe the whole body.
The whole body.
Your whole body is very calm and still.
Let us move a wave of relaxation throughout the body.
The wave of relaxation is moving through your feet,
Ankles,
Calves,
Knees,
Thighs,
Hamstrings,
Pelvis,
Pelvis,
Back,
Abdomen,
Chest,
Arms,
Shoulders,
Throat,
Neck,
Face,
Forehead,
Crown of the head.
Going now into loving kindness.
Sending loving kindness to yourself.
Remember a time that you were happy.
Recollect a time when you felt happy.
And when that happy feeling arises,
And when that happy feeling arises,
Observe this warm glowing feeling at the center of your chest.
Warm glowing feeling at the center of your chest.
And when you get to that feeling,
Let go of the memory and just keep the feeling of happiness.
Now make a wish for your own happiness.
No matter what kind of wish,
Just feel the wish.
Put that wish in your heart and surround yourself with that feeling.
Thoughts will arise.
And when you realize you have been distracted,
Simply let the thought go and release any tension,
Any tightness that might have been caused by that distraction.
Now make another wish for your own happiness.
And as you make this wish,
Let it resonate within your heart.
Let it envelope you like a warm blanket.
Now you will send loving kindness to your spiritual friend.
Send loving kindness to a spiritual teacher or friend.
Send loving kindness to a spiritual teacher or friend.
Someone that when you think of them and their good qualities,
You deeply respect them and you sincerely wish well for them.
Let your mind be filled with the image of your spiritual friend.
And as you fill your mind with their image,
Send loving kindness to your spiritual friend by evoking the following feeling within yourself.
I feel this happiness and wish this too for you.
May you feel this happiness too.
I feel this happiness and wish this too for you.
May you feel this happiness too.
And now visualize your spiritual friend smiling back at you.
And now visualize your spiritual friend smiling back at you.
Smiling back at you,
Being joyous.
If any thoughts arise,
Realize that you are distracted and let the thought go.
Keep evoking feelings of loving kindness and sending them to your spiritual friend.
Now send loving kindness to a beloved person,
A family member or a dear friend.
Someone that when you think of them,
You feel a deep connection.
Let your mind be filled with the image of this dearly beloved person.
And as your mind gets filled with this image,
Start sending loving kindness to him or her by evoking the following feeling within yourself.
I feel this happiness and wish this too for you.
May you feel this happiness too.
I feel this happiness and wish this too for you.
May you feel this happiness too.
I feel this happiness and wish this too for you.
May you feel this happiness too.
And visualize your beloved person smiling back at you.
Smiling back at you,
Being joyous.
If any thoughts or distractions arise,
Simply let them go without holding on to them.
And keep sending loving kindness to your dearly beloved person.
Now bring to mind a neutral person.
Someone who you know but have no special feeling towards.
Someone who you know but have no special feeling towards.
Maybe someone who serves you over the counter or an acquaintance.
A neutral person.
And let your mind be filled with the image of this neutral person.
Fill your mind with the image of this person and then start to send loving kindness to him or her by evoking the feeling within yourself.
I feel this happiness and wish this too for you.
May you feel this happiness too.
I feel this happiness and wish this too for you.
I feel this happiness and wish this too for you.
May you feel this happiness too.
If any thoughts arise,
Any distractions arise,
Simply let them go.
Let them go and keep the turning to evoking feelings of loving kindness and sending them to this neutral person.
And visualize this neutral person smiling back at you.
Smiling back at you being joyous.
Now bring to mind a hostile person.
Someone who you currently have difficulty with.
Fill your mind with the image of this hostile person.
And as you fill your mind with the image of this hostile person,
Start to send loving kindness to him or her by evoking the feeling within yourself.
I feel this happiness and wish this too for you.
May you feel that happiness too.
If you feel any resistance,
Try to let the resistance dissolve.
Try to let the resistance go.
And keep sending loving kindness to this person.
And keep sending loving kindness to this hostile person.
I feel this happiness and wish this too for you.
May you feel the happiness too.
Now become aware of your capacity to radiate loving kindness to all around you.
Let go of the image of any specific person.
And project this aroused feeling of loving kindness to all points of the compass.
To the north,
To the south,
To the east,
To the west.
Project this loving kindness to all points of the compass.
Project your capacity to radiate loving kindness all around you.
Now try to become your own witness.
Try to become your own witness.
Try to become your own witness.
Say to yourself,
I am not this physical body.
I am not these senses.
I am not this mind.
I am not this breath.
I am not these thoughts.
I am not these feelings.
I am not emptiness.
I am not pain.
I am not cold.
I am not this mind.
All of these are changeable.
But I am unchangeable.
I am the immortal self.
Observe the self,
The silent observer for a few moments.
Now bring your attention back to your breath.
Observe the movement of the breath.
And once again repeat your sankalpa three times,
Your sankalpa,
Your intention.
Repeat it three times with complete feeling and emotion.
Start to become aware of your surroundings.
The room that you are practicing yoga nidrayana,
Start to become aware of your physical body.
Your fingers,
Your toes,
Start to wiggle them.
Start to become aware of your physical body.
Your toes,
Start to wiggle them.
You can start to stretch your body.
And if you are in shavasana,
You can come into the seated position.
And slowly open your eyes.
The practice of yoga nidra is now completed.
