Hi,
My name is Molly Ray and welcome to this yoga nidra practice for relaxation.
I invite you to lay down,
Find a comfortable position,
Laying down on your back if that feels okay for your body.
You can support yourself using pillows or blankets.
Take your time to find a position that feels comfortable and like your body can relax.
If it feels safe for you,
You can close your eyes.
Make any last movements or adjustments.
See if you can make yourself a little bit more comfortable.
And then do your best to allow your body to remain still for the rest of this yoga nidra practice.
Trust your body and let it safe to relax for these moments as you lay down on your back.
Now take a moment to notice your sense of hearing.
What do you hear?
What sounds are the furthest away from you?
Notice the sounds.
See if you can notice the sounds without any judgment or categorization.
As if you're hearing the sound for the first time without awareness of what it is or what it means.
Begin to notice any other sounds getting closer and closer.
Noticing the sound of my voice.
Noticing the closest sound you can hear.
Can you hear your breath?
Can you hear your heartbeat?
Can you hear your mind?
And let it go.
We will now move into choosing a sankalpa.
If you are already working with a sankalpa for your yoga nidra practice,
Feel free to continue with that sankalpa.
A sankalpa is your intention for your practice or something that you are working towards.
Using a sankalpa can help us to reach our goals and move past old patterns towards a higher purpose.
It works well when it starts with I am.
Like I am relaxed.
I am peaceful.
Take a moment and select what you would like your sankalpa to be and repeat it three times silently in your mind.
Now,
We will begin to notice body part by body part.
Allow the awareness to move between each body part.
We begin with the right side of the body.
Bring your awareness to the right hand.
The right hand thumb.
Second finger.
Third.
Fourth and fifth finger.
Palm of the hand.
Back of the hand.
The right wrist.
The lower right arm.
The elbow.
The upper right arm.
The shoulder.
Arm pit.
The right side.
The right hip.
The thigh.
The back of the thigh.
Right kneecap.
The back of the knee.
The right ankle.
Heel.
Soul of the right foot.
Top of the foot.
Right big toe.
Second.
Third.
Fourth.
Fifth toe.
The whole right side of the body.
Now shift your awareness to the left hand.
The left hand thumb.
Second.
Third.
Fourth.
And fifth finger.
Palm of the hand.
Back of the hand.
Left wrist.
Lower left arm.
Left elbow.
Upper left arm.
Shoulder.
Arm pit.
The left side.
Hip.
Thigh.
Back of the thigh.
Left kneecap.
Back of the knee.
Right shin.
Calf muscle.
Ankle.
Left heel.
Soul of the left foot.
Top of the foot.
First big toe.
Second.
Third.
Fourth.
And fifth toe.
The whole left side of the body.
Now shift your awareness to the crown of the head.
The forehead.
Right eyebrow.
Left eyebrow.
The center of the brows.
Right eyelid.
Left eyelid.
Right eye.
Right eye.
Right ear.
Left ear.
The nose.
The tip of the nose.
The upper lip.
The lower lip.
The right cheek.
The left cheek.
The chin.
The throat.
Right collarbone.
Left collarbone.
Right chest muscle.
Left chest muscle.
The sternum.
Abdomen.
Navel.
Shift your attention to the bigger area of body parts,
Starting with the whole right leg.
The whole left leg.
Both legs together.
The whole right arm.
The whole left arm.
Both arms together.
The whole of the back.
The buttocks.
The spine.
The shoulder blades.
The whole of the front.
The abdomen.
The chest.
The whole of the front and back sides of the body together.
The whole body,
All body parts of the body together.
Do your best to stay awake and alert and aware of your body as it lies here on the back.
Notice yourself lying here.
See yourself as if you're watching yourself from the ceiling,
Lying down in your practice of yoga nidra.
Now bring your awareness to your breath.
Without trying to change or alter the breath,
Become aware of the rhythm,
Allowing it to flow with ease,
Allowing your relaxed belly to gently move with each breath.
Follow the breath as it enters through your nose or mouth,
Down into your lungs,
Expanding your chest and your stomach.
Follow the breath back up to the mouth,
To the nose.
And again,
Following the breath with your awareness down and into your body as you exhale,
Allowing with your awareness the breath as it leaves your body.
Now,
Shift your focus to the sensations of your breath.
Focusing on the sensations that I am about to describe.
Focus and imagine the sensation of heaviness,
Noticing heaviness holding your body down,
The weight of gravity pushing you down into the floor or your bed or the mat,
Wherever you're laying.
Feel the heaviness.
Feel heavy.
Now shift your focus,
Letting go of the sensation of heaviness.
Let it go and now focus on the sensation of light,
Your body light,
So light that it feels as if you could float right up from where you're laying.
Feel light.
Now let that go.
Shift your awareness to the images that I describe,
Starting with the image of a burning fire.
Picture a water flow flowing,
A forest dense with trees,
A bird flying through the sky.
The ocean at sunset,
A mountain with snow.
And finally,
A candle burning with a small flame,
Focus on the flame.
We will now observe five minutes of silence.
Do your best to stay awake and still and relaxed.
Bringing your awareness back.
To focus on your Sen Kapa that you chose,
Take a moment to repeat your Sen Kapa once again silently in your mind three times.
And then let it go.
So much energy is stored in our bodies and our minds,
Trapped.
And when we learn to relax,
Allow the body and mind to relax.
We receive so much benefit.
As if we sat in meditation,
Yoga Nidra allows us to clear the mind and body of stagnant energy and let it go.
If you can still remain perfectly still,
Visualize your body lying down from above as if you're at the ceiling.
And gently and slowly bring your awareness back down and inside of your body.
Take as much time as you need before beginning to bring physical movement gently and slowly starting with wiggling your fingers and wiggling your toes.
Slowly and gently bringing that movement to your neck,
Legs.
When you feel ready,
You may open your eyes.
The practice of Yoga Nidra is now complete.
Take as much time as you need.
There is no rush.
Allow yourself to maintain this sense of calm for the rest of your day,
Sending love.
