Yoga Nidra & Body Scan Meditation

This meditation practice is a body scan, one component of yoga nidra, that is a is a beautiful way to help you create a feeling of peace and balance.

Transcript

Hi everyone.

Thanks for joining me today.

We're going to do a yoga nidra which is a practice that helps your body move to a very relaxed state.

This is a practice that was created by Jennifer Reese and was recently shared in one of our yoga program partner studios in Pittsburgh.

So this practice is done best lying down.

So find somewhere where you can lie down comfortably.

And once you've found a comfortable position,

Close your eyes.

Let's open with a slow deep breath.

So slowly inhaling through your nose,

Feel the breath move up the front of the body lifting the heart.

And open your mouth and sigh it out.

Let's do that one more time.

Slow deep inhale,

Feel the breath move like a wave up the body lifting your heart.

And release with a sigh.

Allowing your body to settle here.

Now allow your awareness to move throughout your body as I guide you in this practice.

Visualize your body resting here.

And throughout this practice,

Feel each part and then we'll move to the next one prompted.

Do not worry if you cannot feel every part of the body.

Just imagine what it would be like to feel that part.

Begin by noticing your face.

Notice your jaw.

Become aware of any sensations in your mouth.

Without moving,

Feel the roof of your mouth.

Any sensations under your tongue.

Notice the space inside your mouth.

Inside of the right cheek.

Inside of the left cheek.

Sense any taste in your mouth.

Now feel all parts of your mouth together as a whole.

The entire mouth as sensation.

Now move your awareness to your nose.

Feel the length of your nose,

Your nostrils.

Noticing the right and then the left.

And then both nostrils together.

Feel your breath passing through both nostrils.

Feel your nose as a whole.

Move your awareness now to your ears.

Imagining the wrinkles and folds.

Noticing any sensations maybe in the backs of the ears.

The inner ear.

Be aware of your ears hearing these words receiving sound.

Feel your ears as orbs of sensation.

Feel your ears as a whole.

Now moving your awareness to your eyes.

Notice your eyelids,

Eyelashes.

The center of the eyes.

Backs of the eyes allow the eyes to soften into their sockets.

Notice both eyes as a whole.

All parts.

Move your awareness to your forehead.

Noticing any sensations that arise.

Softening your whole face now.

Moving your awareness over your throat and neck.

Noticing the right shoulder.

Feel the sensations of your shoulder resting on its support.

Move your awareness down to your right arm.

To your right hand.

Noticing the palm.

Thumb.

First finger.

Second finger.

Third finger.

And fourth.

Now feel the whole right hand vibrant with energy.

Now feel your right wrist.

And forearm.

Elbow.

Upper arm.

And shoulder.

Notice your whole arm.

Vibrant with energy.

Moving through the heart center.

To the left shoulder.

Feel your arm.

Left hand.

Notice the left thumb.

First finger.

Second finger.

Third finger.

And fourth.

The whole hand softly radiating with life.

Become aware of your left wrist.

Forearm.

Elbow.

Upper arm.

Shoulder.

Your whole arm resting.

Feel your chest.

The space around your heart.

Moving your awareness to your stomach.

Notice any feelings arising from your back body.

Maybe the connection you have with the support beneath you.

Feel your hips.

Notice the right hip,

The right thigh and knee.

Shin.

Ankle.

Top of the foot.

Soul of the right foot.

Feel your big right toe.

All of the toes.

Feel your whole right foot.

Vibrant with energy.

Feel your whole right leg.

Releasing down into the support beneath it.

Moving your awareness to your left hip.

Left thigh and knee.

Shin and calf.

Ankle.

Top of the foot.

Soul of the foot.

Big left toe.

All of the toes.

Feel the left foot vibrant with energy.

Feel your left leg releasing down into the support beneath it.

Now bring your awareness to feel the entire right side of the body.

Noticing how it may feel differently from the left,

Maybe not.

Just noticing any sensations arising from the right side.

Now feel the left side of the body.

Now feel the entire back side of the body.

All points connecting with the support beneath it.

All points grounding,

Centering,

Relaxing you.

Now notice all parts on the front of the body.

All parts open,

Absorbing,

Welcoming.

Anything that it confronts.

Now feel right arm and left arm together,

Sinking down from a place of balance.

Now feel right leg and left leg both equally relaxed.

Allow your awareness to wash over your entire body.

Noticing all parts simultaneously vibrant with energy and life and also relaxed.

Allow your breath to move fluidly.

Connecting all parts of your body.

Allow all parts to feel connected,

To feel a sense of unity.

All parts that you can feel and cannot feel equally important.

All parts filled with life.

Continuing to rest in this vibrant energy and relaxed state of peace,

Breathing fluidly.

Now feel right arm and left leg.

All parts of your body.

Beginning to gently deepen your breath.

Allowing your inhale to roll up the front of the body,

Lifting your heart.

And on your exhale,

The breath rolls all the way back down,

Softening.

As you're ready,

Rolling over onto one side of your body,

Hugging knees in towards your chest,

Finding the fetal position.

Your bottom arm can create a little pillow for your head.

And just taking a pause here.

Resting in the state of connection that you created with all parts of your body.

Mind and body connected through your awareness.

Noticing any feeling of peace and balance.

And seeing if you can bring that feeling of peace and balance with you to touch the rest of your day.

Thank you for joining me.

I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day.

Reviews

I do yoga Nidra meditation’s daily- usually between 30-40 minutes, but today my body and nervous system were going haywire and I didn’t have much time. I found this meditation and it was a wonderful 15 minutes. Will be saving and returning as needed. Thank you.

Thank you 🙏🏄🏻🙏😊

My favorite yoga nidra practice

Fantastic! Short and effective. Clean. Very relaxing! Thanks 💖🙏⭐️

That was great! Thank you :)

Relaxing...was asleep before it ended :) Thanks!

Very beautiful, thank you

Didn't reach till end, slept before that. Thanks for sharing.

Simple and clear yoga nidra very relaxing

My body is a Wonderland in my mind

Really excellent job. Successful meditation and hope to hear more.

Simple body scan. Nice.

Mellow well-paced and well-spoken trip into relaxation if the body. Thank you.

I particularly liked the way you guided through the sense organs. Thank you

Excellent. Loved. Time seemed to go faster than th 16 minutes indicated.

Feeling relaxed thank you