Welcome to Yoga Nidra find a quiet place and lie comfortably on your back in Shavasana pose you just need to ensure that your body is aligned from head to toe with your legs slightly apart and arms resting a bit away from your sides palms are facing upward make sure any adjustments are done as you need your posture,
Your clothing until you feel completely at ease when you come to the Yoga Nidra session try to remain physically still gently close your eyes and keep them closed until instructed to open take a deep breath and as you exhale,
Let go of any stress or concerns from your day in the upcoming practice you will cultivate a sense of relaxation within the body,
There's no need to move or consciously relax your muscles just allow the feeling of relaxation to naturally unfold similar to the sensation just before you fall asleep as the relaxation deepens,
Sleep may come you should aim to stay fully awake with your eyes closed this is very important make a promise to yourself repeat to yourself I will stay awake and alert throughout the practice during Yoga Nidra you will operate on the levels of hearing and awareness the key is to follow the guidance of the instructor's voice avoid to overthink or analyze the instructions this may interfere with your mental relaxation simply follow the voice with full attention and feeling if your mind begins to wander with other thoughts that's okay,
Just return to the practice allow yourself to settle into stillness and calm now bring about a deep sense of inner relaxation across your entire body focus on your body and recognize the importance of complete stillness become aware of your body from the crown of your head down to your toes and begin to mentally repeat the mantra OM complete stillness and complete awareness of the whole body again OM continue your awareness of the whole body the whole body the whole body chant again OM complete awareness of the whole body become aware of the fact that you are going to practice Yoga Nidra say mentally to yourself I am aware I am going to practice Yoga Nidra repeat this to yourself again at this moment you should make your resolve the resolve will have to be very simple you must develop a resolve to say at this time it should be a short positive statement in present tense in simple language something you want to resolve something you want to achieve that should be a very simple statement stated three times with awareness feeling and emphasis this resolve is called Sankalpa and the resolve you make during Yoga Nidra is bound to come true in your life now we are going to start the rotation of consciousness rotation of awareness by taking a trip through the different parts of the body as quickly as possible the awareness is going to go from part to part repeat the part in your mind and simultaneously become aware of that part of the body keep yourself alert and avoid concentrating too intensely now become aware of the right hand your right thumb and repeat thumb second finger third finger fourth finger fifth finger palm of the hand become aware of your palm back of the hand the wrist the lower arm the elbow the upper arm the shoulder the armpit the right waist the right hip the right thigh the kneecap the calf muscle the ankle the heel the sole of the right foot the top of the foot the big toe second toe third toe fourth toe fifth toe now become aware of the left hand thumb second finger third finger fourth finger fifth finger palm of the hand back of the hand the wrist the lower arm the elbow the upper arm the shoulder the armpit the left waist the left hip the left thigh the kneecap the calf muscle the ankle the heel the sole of the left foot the top of the foot the big toe second toe third toe fourth toe fifth toe now to the back become aware of the right shoulder blade the left shoulder blade the right buttock the left buttock the spine the whole back together now go to the top of the head the top of the head the forehead both sides of the head the right eyebrow the left eyebrow the space between the eyebrows the right eyelid the left eyelid the right eye the left eye the right ear the left ear the right cheek left cheek the nose the tip of the nose the upper lip the lower lip the chin the throat the right chest the left chest the middle of the chest the navel the abdomen the whole of the right leg the whole of the left leg both legs together the whole of the right arm the whole of the left arm both arms together the whole of the back buttocks spine shoulder blades the whole of the front abdomen chest the whole of the back and front together the whole of the head the whole body together the whole body together the whole body together remain awake total awareness no movement the whole body on the floor become aware of your body laying on the floor your body is laying on the floor see your body perfectly still laying on the floor in this room visualize this image in your mind now become aware of your breath feel the flow of your breath in and out of your lungs avoid trying to change the rhythm the breathing is natural,
Automatic you are not doing it there is no effort maintain awareness of your breath continue complete awareness of your breath now concentrate your awareness on the movement of your navel area concentrate on your navel movements your navel is rising and falling slightly with every breath with each and every breath it expands and contracts concentrate on this movement in synchronization with your breath go on practicing but be sure that you are aware now start counting your breath backwards from 27 to 1 like this 27 navel rising 27 navel falling 26 navel rising 26 navel falling 25 navel rising 25 navel falling and so on say the words and numbers mentally to yourself as you count your breaths be sure that you don't make a mistake if you do,
You must go back to 27 and start over again total awareness that you are counting now stop counting of the navel breath and shift your attention to the chest please shift to the chest your chest is rising and falling slightly with each and every breath continue concentrating on the movement of the chest and start counting backwards from 27 to 1 in the same way as before 27 chest rising 27 chest falling 26 chest rising 26 chest falling and so on again,
Repeat the words and numbers mentally to yourself as you count if you make a mistake while counting,
You must go back to the start again keep on with the practice counting and awareness awareness and counting cease the counting of the chest breath and move your awareness to the throat please move to the throat become aware of your breath moving in and out of the throat be aware of this concentrate on the movement of the breath and start counting backwards from 27 to 1 in the same way as before complete awareness of counting and the breath total awareness that you are counting try to remain awake keep on with the practice continue counting your breaths in the throat now stop counting go now to the nostrils become aware of the breath moving in and out of the nostrils concentrate on the movement of the breath in and out of the nostrils and start counting as before 27 breathing in 27 breathing out 26 breathing in 26 breathing out complete awareness continue counting keep on with the practice stop your counting and leave your breathing we now come to the visualization part a number of different things will be named and you should try to develop a vision of them on all levels feeling,
Awareness,
Emotion,
Imagination as best you can burning candle burning candle endless desert torrential rain Greek temple at sunrise birds flying across a sunset red clouds drifting a cross above a church a cross above a church starts at night full moon smiling Buddha wind from the sea waves breaking on a deserted beach waves breaking on a deserted beach the restless sea eternal restless sea waves breaking on a deserted beach waves breaking on a deserted beach now it is time to repeat your resolve repeat the same resolve that you made at the beginning of this practice do not change it repeat the resolve three times with full awareness and feeling relax all efforts draw your mind outside and become aware of your breathing become aware of the natural breathing become aware of your breath awareness of the whole body awareness of breathing become aware of your body laying on the floor your body is laying on the floor you are breathing quietly and slowly develop awareness of your body from the top of the head to the tip of the toes and say mentally in your mind OM repeat OM mentally to yourself twice more become aware of the floor and the position of your body laying on the floor visualize the room around you become aware of your surroundings start moving your body and stretching yourself please take your time you start moving your body when you are sure that you are wide awake you may sit up slowly and open your eyes the practice of yoga nidra is now complete Haryom Tat Sat
