Yoga Nidra
This is a Yoga Nidra or yogic sleep, is a practice to help you relax and unwind, providing a deep rested feeling, as if you had taken a nap. It's said that a 30 minute Yoga Nidra practice is equivalent to about 3 hours of sleep. Use this when you haven't had enough sleep, or you need a little pick me up to get you through the day.
Transcript
To this yoga nidra practice.
Yoga nidra,
Or yogic sleep,
Is an ancient practice that helps you to attain a state of mind and body union through meditation and deep relaxation.
It helps you develop focus through one-pointed awareness.
It can be more rejuvenating and effective than sleep,
And it can also offer deeper physical,
Emotional,
And spiritual benefits.
Sit comfortably in a chair or lie on your back in a way that's comfortable for you.
Find as much support as you need.
Maybe grab a blanket so you won't be cold.
Make sure that you'll be comfortable where you are for a while.
It's best that you stay still during this practice so that your mind and body have a chance to fully rest.
And if at any point you do feel uncomfortable,
Feel free to change your position at any point so that you can be relaxed and at ease.
Allow your eyes to gently close.
The practice of yogic sleep will guide you to a deeply relaxed state,
A state of consciousness between a relaxed wakefulness and sleeping.
Try your best to remain awake by listening to the sound of my voice.
You will be moving your awareness to different sensations and images.
Follow along with a relaxed awareness.
During this meditation,
Take in whatever it is that you need at this moment and leave behind whatever doesn't serve you.
If your mind starts to wander,
Simply notice it and gently come back to the sound of my voice guiding you.
Become aware of any sounds you hear right now.
Begin to focus on the most distant sounds that you can hear.
Allow your sense of hearing to radiate outward.
Seeking out any distant sounds and follow them for a few moments,
The gentle curiosity.
Move your attention from sound to sound without labeling them.
Gradually bring your attention to sounds that are closer by,
The sounds just outside of the place that you're in,
The sounds just inside this room.
Visualize the four walls of this room,
Ceiling,
Floor,
Your body resting on the floor,
And the chair.
Visualize the position of your body.
Close your face.
Become aware of your natural breath.
It's in and out of your body.
Not any effort.
Natural breath flows in and out through your nose.
Notice the feeling of your breath that comes in and out of your nostrils.
Sense of coolness as you breathe in.
Follow this cool feeling into your nose,
Your sinuses,
Down into your lungs,
And a sense of warmth as you breathe out.
Feel this warmth on your upper lip as you exhale.
Gently allow your breath to become longer and slower.
Take a long,
Slow breath in,
Then make your exhale slower than your inhale.
Notice that slight pause after your exhalation.
Slow inhale.
Even slower exhale than natural pause.
Long,
Slow inhale.
Longer,
Slower exhale.
And then pause where your body isn't breathing in or breathing out.
Just hovering in the pause between the breaths,
Not straining or trying too hard.
Continue to breathe like this for a few moments.
Now return to your natural breath.
Take a moment now to create your intention,
Your sankalpa.
Your sankalpa should be a short,
Positive statement or affirmation.
Let it arise naturally now,
Based on your heart's deepest longing,
Your dreams.
State your sankalpa clearly and with full awareness three times.
The sankalpa you make during yoga nidra plants a seed in the fertile soil of your mind to bring about transformation and healing.
And now say to yourself,
I am practicing yoga nidra.
I am awake and relaxed.
We'll now begin a journey of sensory awareness throughout the body.
Move your awareness to different parts of your body as soon as you hear them named.
Please say the name of the part to yourself and feel that part of the body without moving,
Holding it with a gentle awareness.
The practice begins on the right side,
Right hand thumb,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Fourth finger,
Fifth finger,
Palm of the right hand,
Back of the hand,
Right wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Armpit,
Waist,
Right hip,
Thigh,
Knee,
Calf,
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole of the foot,
Top of the foot,
Right big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe,
Left hand thumb,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Fourth finger,
Finger,
Palm of the left hand,
Back of the hand,
Left wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Armpit,
Waist,
Left hip,
Thigh,
Knee,
Calf,
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole of the foot,
Top of the foot,
Left big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe.
Now go to the back of the body,
Right heel,
Left heel,
Right calf,
Left calf,
Right thigh,
Left thigh,
Right buttock,
Left buttock,
Lower back,
Middle back,
Upper back,
Entire spine,
Right shoulder blade,
Left shoulder blade,
Back of the neck,
Back of the head,
Top of the head,
Forehead,
Right temple,
Left temple,
Right ear,
Left ear,
Right eyebrow,
Left eyebrow,
Middle of the eyebrows,
Right eye,
Left eye,
Right nostril,
Left nostril,
Right cheek,
Left cheek,
Upper lip,
Lower lip,
Both lips together,
Chin,
Jaw,
Throat,
Right collarbone,
Left collarbone,
Right side of the chest,
Left side of the chest,
Center of the chest,
Upper abdomen,
Navel,
Lower abdomen,
The base of the body,
Whole right leg,
The whole left leg,
Whole right arm,
Whole left arm,
The whole face,
The whole head,
The whole torso,
The whole body,
The whole body,
The whole body.
Now imagine the whole body becoming light.
The head is light,
The limbs are light,
The torso is light,
The whole body is light.
You feel light and completely safe and at ease.
Imagine your body becoming heavy.
Feel the heaviness in all parts of the body.
Each part is becoming heavier and heavier.
The head is heavy,
The limbs are heavy,
The torso is heavy,
The whole body is heavy.
You feel heavy,
Completely safe and at ease.
And now awaken the experience of cold in the body,
The experience of chilly cold.
Imagine being outside in winter.
You feel a chill in your entire body.
And now allow the sensation of warmth to spread throughout the body.
Remember the feeling of heat in summer.
You feel warmth throughout your body.
Now allow a feeling of complete calm to envelop you.
Feel that sense of calm and ease in your entire mind,
Body,
And emotions.
All the tension leaving your body and mind.
You are relaxed and completely calm.
Now you will hear a number of different images.
Envision them as best you can.
Jump from image to image.
Red desert,
Bouquet of flowers,
Path in the woods,
Peacock feather,
Tall tree,
Taking a deep breath,
Buddha meditating,
Receiving help from others,
Vibrant sunset,
Beautiful painting,
Calm,
Clear lake,
Dog stretching,
A good night's rest,
Making appointments,
Beautiful garden path,
Favorite song,
You smiling,
Laughing with friends,
Mountain at sunrise,
Foggy morning,
Steaming cup of tea,
Temple on a mountain,
Waiting for something joyful,
Heartfelt hug,
The sound of my voice,
Sun shining overhead,
A burning candle,
The sound of my voice,
Your body on the floor or in the chair.
And now repeat your sankalpa,
Your affirmation.
In your mind,
Repeat the affirmation you made at the beginning of this practice.
Repeat it to yourself three times.
Come back to the feeling of the natural breath flowing in and out of your nose.
Maintain your awareness of the breath and begin to notice your body,
Your relaxed body,
Resting on the floor or in the chair.
Bring your awareness to all the points of your body that are touching the floor or the chair.
Visualize this room in your mind's eye.
Imagine where you are in the room and whatever is around you.
Rest quietly until you feel ready to move and begin to deepen your breath.
Slow,
Easy,
Natural breaths.
And now beginning to move slowly and mindfully,
Beginning with small movement,
Wiggling your fingers and your toes,
Circling your wrists and ankles.
Take a full body stretch,
Reaching your arms up overhead,
And then hug your knees in.
Roll onto whichever side is comfortable for you.
When you feel ready,
Gently begin to open your eyes,
Slowly finding yourself back here where you began,
Feeling comfortable and relaxed.
If you're lying down,
Use your hands to slowly press yourself up to a seat and allow your head to be last to come up.
Sit quietly for just a little while longer and enjoy the deep relaxation in your body,
Your mind,
And your entire being.
The practice of yoga nidra is now complete.
