Welcome to this yoga nidra practice to relax and restore.
In this guided practice,
I encourage you to become as comfortable as possible so you can relax and wake up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.
Lie on your back on the floor and place a bolster under your knees.
You can use a pillow for your head.
Place something on top of your eyes so it is dark.
Try not to fall asleep.
If you do fall asleep that is okay.
When you wake,
Return back to the practice.
Close your eyes and notice your breath.
Allow yourself to shift if you need and readjust and then bring yourself back into the practice.
Take a deep breath in and as you breathe out let the cares and worries of the day flow out of you.
Loosen your entire body.
Do not let any tightness remain.
Allow each part of your body to become looser and looser and check in with your body and make sure it is loose and relaxed.
The fingers are loose and relaxed.
The toes are not moving.
The thighs and feet are not shaking.
They are still and relaxed.
The head is facing upward and the whole body is lying comfortably on the floor.
As you relax,
Make this resolution to yourself.
I will remain aware of what I am doing and stay awake throughout the practice of yoga nidra.
Repeat this to yourself.
I will remain aware of what I am doing and stay awake throughout the practice of yoga nidra.
Now it is time to state your resolve or sankalpa.
Your resolve should be short and a positive statement that is stated in the present.
Pick something that you are committed to achieving in the next three to six months.
State it as if you have already achieved what you desire and state your sankalpa three times with awareness.
The resolves you make during yoga nidra is bound to come true in your life.
Notice your inhale as it enters through the nose and feel the breath moving out of the nose.
Feel the flow of your breath in and out of your lungs.
Do not try to change the rhythm.
The breath is natural and automatic.
There is no effort.
Now concentrate your awareness on the movement of your navel.
Feel your belly rise on the inhale and feel your belly fall on the exhale.
With each and every breath,
The belly expands and contracts.
Now start counting your breaths backwards from ten to one.
From ten to one.
You can do it like this.
Ten belly rises.
Ten belly falls.
Nine belly rises.
Nine belly falls.
Eight belly rises.
Eight belly falls.
Say the words and numbers mentally to yourself.
If you lose track or forget what breath you are on,
That's okay and start back at ten.
We will now begin to relax each body.
We will now begin to relax each body part.
I will take you through different parts of the physical body.
Visualize them and repeat their names mentally as I say them.
Bring your awareness to the right side of your body.
Move your attention to the right thumb,
Right index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
Pinky,
Right hand,
Back of your right hand,
Right wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm.
Bring your attention now to your right shoulder,
Armpit,
Right side of your chest,
Abdomen,
Waist.
Move your attention to your right hip,
Hamstring,
Thigh,
Knee,
Right calf muscle,
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole of your foot,
Top of your foot,
Right big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
And fifth toe.
Relax the entire right side of your body.
Move your attention now to the left side of your body.
Notice the left thumb,
Left index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
Pinky,
The palm of your left hand,
The back of your left hand,
Your left wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Left armpit,
Shoulder,
Left side of your chest,
Left side of your abdomen,
Your entire waist.
Bring your awareness to your left hip,
Hamstring,
Thigh,
Kneecap,
Your left calf,
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole of your foot,
Top of your foot.
Move your attention to your left big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
And fifth toe.
Bring your mind to your eyebrow center.
Stay here until I tell you to move.
I will name a few different objects.
As I state them,
Try to visualize them quickly.
If you can't,
Don't worry.
Keep following the instructions.
Sometimes I will move fast.
Other times I will go slow.
I will repeat images,
Some you may be familiar with,
But don't think about it too much.
See a burning candle,
Waves in the ocean,
Blue sky in the evening,
Dark night,
High mountain range with snow-capped mountains,
A ship sailing on the high seas,
Burning candle,
Endless desert,
Torrential rain,
Egyptian pyramid,
A galloping horse,
A small hut in the woods,
A dove,
Burning fire in the bush,
Stormy night,
Full moon,
Mountain stream,
A lonely rock in the mountains,
Big garden of blooming flowers,
Rising sun,
Stars at night.
Keep your awareness on your eyebrow center.
See a large lake with lotus flowers,
A sailing boat,
People swimming,
A high mountain range with snow-capped mountains,
A cross above the church,
Chirping birds,
An elephant,
A cobra,
A sound of a bell ringing,
Waves on the ocean,
Ship at sail,
Full moon,
Stars at night,
Refreshing cold bath in a mountain stream.
Now become aware of the breath.
Inhale through the left nostril and exhale through the right.
Practice alternate nostril breathing.
In through the left nostril,
Out through the right.
In through the right nostril,
Out through the left.
Return back to your eyebrow center.
Visualize the rising sun,
Fog all around,
Pink rose,
The sunflower,
Drizzling rain,
Chirping birds,
An elephant,
Red like a tomato,
Cobra.
Now it is time to repeat your resolve.
Repeat the same sankalpa you made at the beginning of the practice.
Do not change it.
Repeat it three times with full awareness and feeling.
Bring your awareness back to your breath.
Begin to feel your belly gently rise and fall with each and every breath.
Now become aware of your physical body.
Become aware of your body lying on the floor in savasana,
Practicing yoga nidra.
Develop awareness of your body from the top of your head to the tips of your toes.
As a result of this practice,
Your whole body,
Your physical,
Mental,
Emotional,
And spiritual levels have become quiet,
Tranquil,
And peaceful.
You are revived and energetic.
Become aware of the environment,
The room,
And the surroundings.
Become aware of the floor.
Gently invite some movement back into your body,
But keep the eyes closed and take your time.
There's no need to hurry or rush.
And when you feel ready,
You can roll over to your right side and pause for a moment,
And then gently push yourself up to a seat.
When you feel ready,
You can gently blink your eyes open.
The practice of yoga nidra is now complete.
