Welcome to the practice of yoga nidra.
Go ahead and get settled on your back,
Setting up a comfortable space for yourself.
Be sure to put support underneath your head and neck.
Place a cushion underneath your knees and a soft light piece of fabric over your eyes.
Make sure also that your hands and your feet are warm.
And just take the next 30 to 60 seconds to make sure that you are as comfortable and warm as you can be.
And we're going to begin with squeezing and releasing specific muscles and parts of the body to feel tension dispersing.
On your inhale,
Squeeze your feet,
Your legs,
Buttocks,
Squeeze,
Keep squeezing and hold.
And exhale,
Release.
Inhale,
Squeeze your arms,
Fists,
Shrug your shoulders to your ears,
Squeeze,
Squeeze,
Squeeze,
And exhale,
Release.
Inhale,
Squeeze your entire body,
Including your eyes,
Your cheeks,
Your lips,
Squeeze everything.
Keep squeezing,
Hold,
And exhale,
Release.
Feel your body and your mind beginning to soften.
Bring awareness now to your breath and notice that as you draw breath in,
You feel nourished and fed.
When you exhale,
You feel comfortable and supported.
Inhale,
You create more space.
Exhale,
You soften into that space.
Have the intention to be present and to remain aware and repeat that to yourself.
I will be present and remain aware.
I will be present and remain aware.
I will be present and remain aware.
Now begin to count backward from 10 on every exhalation with tension moving freely down and out of your body.
And with every count back,
Feel more tension releasing.
If you lose the count,
That's okay.
Count back over from 10 on each exhale.
And with every count back,
Feel more tension releasing.
And with every count back,
Feel more tension releasing.
Now we are going down to the lower part of the body.
Now we are going to bring awareness to certain parts of the body.
Simply feel into each place and feel relaxed there.
Bring awareness to your entire left leg from your hip down to your knee to your ankle and toes.
Feel your entire left leg sinking.
Bring awareness to your entire right leg from your hip to your knee to your ankle and toes.
Feel your entire right leg sinking.
Feel your hips and buttocks melting into the floor.
Feel your low back,
Mid back,
Upper back,
And shoulders softening and becoming heavy.
Feel your entire left arm from your armpit to your elbow down to your wrist and fingertips.
Feel your entire left arm falling against the surface.
Feel your entire right arm from your armpit to your elbow down to your wrist and fingertips.
Feel your entire right arm falling into the surface.
Feel the back of your head resting.
Feel all of these parts at once,
Heavy with rest,
And feel the most incredible sensation of being held,
Your body in a cocoon of loving presence.
Feel the back of your head resting.
Feel the back of your head resting.
Feel the back of your head resting.
In this deeply relaxed state,
Remember your intention.
I will be present and remain aware.
Repeat this intention three times to yourself.
I will be present and remain aware.
I will be present and remain aware.
I will be present and remain aware.
Bring awareness back to your breath.
And to the rise and fall of your navel.
Once again,
Feel an inhalation,
A sense of nourishment and vitality.
And on exhale,
Support and peace.
Begin to move your body and come back.
Take your time.
The practice of yoga nidra is now complete.
