Welcome to this yoga nidra practice.
My name is Shona and in this practice I'll be guiding your awareness through the body,
Breath and mind to a quiet place within where you can plant a seed of intention,
Also known as a sankalpa,
So that it can begin to make a positive change in your daily life.
If you do not yet have a sankalpa or intention with which to practice,
Please continue to practice the first yoga nidra in this audio series until you discover the right one for you at this time.
Before we get started,
I'd like to remind you that this is a practice of yogic sleep and should not be practiced while driving or operating machinery.
I also wish to remind you that yoga nidra is not hypnosis,
You are in control at all times.
Anytime during the practice you can open your eyes and stop the meditation if you're uncomfortable.
For yoga nidra to be effective,
All you need to do is follow the sound of my voice and remain aware and relaxed.
If you do happen to drift off,
It's okay,
Just continue wherever you are in the practice once you notice.
Let's begin.
Please find a comfortable place where you will remain undisturbed during your practice.
Remember to turn off your phone or put it on to do not disturb.
You can practice yoga nidra lying down or sitting up.
If you're lying down,
You may wish to place a bolster or rolled up blanket behind your knees and support your head with a pillow.
You might wish to cover up with a blanket to make sure you remain comfortable throughout.
Take a few more moments to get comfortable.
Rest your arms comfortably by your sides if you're lying down or place your hands in your lap if you're sitting.
Take a deep breath into the belly and hold for a moment.
And when you release,
You can close your eyes.
Begin to breathe naturally.
If you notice anything that still feels uncomfortable,
Please adjust that now.
Listen to sounds around you and seek out sounds that are outside of the room that you're in.
Let your attention move from sound to sound as an observer.
And now move your attention to sounds within the room that you're in.
Again,
Allowing your attention to move freely from sound to sound.
Bring your attention now to the sound of your breath.
Remind yourself,
I am practicing yoga nidra,
I am awake and relaxed.
Please bring to mind your sankalpa,
Your personal intention or resolve and state it silently to yourself three times.
Now we begin the rotation of consciousness.
I'm going to be naming different parts of the body as you move awareness to each part.
Take your awareness to each place and if you find it difficult to guide your awareness around your body,
You can name the body part silently to yourself after me.
We begin by taking your awareness to the right hand thumb.
Index finger.
Third finger.
Ring finger.
And little finger.
Soften the palm of a hand.
And back of a hand.
Wrist.
Forearm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
Relax the right ribs.
Waist.
And hip.
Release the right thigh.
Knee.
Calf.
And ankle.
Soften the top of your right foot.
And the sole of the foot.
The big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
And little toe.
Take your awareness to the left hand thumb.
Index finger.
Third finger.
Ring finger.
And little finger.
Soften the palm of a hand.
And back of a hand.
Wrist.
Forearm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
Relax the left ribs.
Waist.
And hip.
Release the left thigh.
Knee.
Calf.
And ankle.
Soften the top of the left foot.
And the sole of the left foot.
The big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
And little toe.
Relax the right heel.
Left heel.
Right knee.
Left knee.
Right glute.
Left glute.
Middle of the spine.
Right shoulder blade.
Left shoulder blade.
Back of the head.
Scalp.
Forehead.
Right eyebrow.
Left eyebrow.
Right eye.
Left eye.
Right cheek.
Left cheek.
The nose.
Upper lip.
Lower lip.
Jaw.
And tongue.
Soften the throat.
Right chest.
Left chest.
Centre of the chest.
Soften the abdomen.
Now with your awareness remaining on the abdomen,
Watch the gentle rise and fall of the navel with your breath.
Keep your awareness on this movement.
I'd like you to count your breath backwards from 27 to 1.
Each breath cycle together is one count.
Navel rising.
And falling.
27.
Navel rising.
And falling.
26.
Navel rising.
And falling.
25.
And so on.
If you lose your way it's okay.
Just begin again when you realise.
Please begin now.
Now with your awareness remaining on the abdomen.
Watch the gentle rise and fall of the navel with your breath.
You you you you keep your awareness to the tip of your nose and the sensation of air moving with each breath in and out keep your awareness on the sensation and once again I'd like you to count your breath backwards from 27 to 1 each breath cycle together is one count sensation of air breathing in and out 27 in and out 26 in and out 25 allow your breath to be natural and remember if you lose your way it's okay just begin again when you realize please begin now you you you bring into the body the sensation of heaviness feel heaviness in all parts of your body your legs are heavy,
Your arms are heavy,
Your torso and your head too you feel so heavy that you're sinking down into the floor bring into the body the sensation of lightness and feel lightness in all parts of your body your legs are light,
Your arms are light,
Your torso and your head too you feel so light that you're starting to float up away from the floor light as a feather imagine walking outside you're wandering along a winding path in a park it's early in the day and while there's a little light in the sky the sun hasn't yet risen this place is so peaceful and you know that you're safe here as you follow the path it's light enough for you to notice the beautifully manicured gardens dew covers the neatly trimmed grass and flowers fill the air with their sweet smelling fragrance ahead you see a sturdy looking wooden bench and you walk towards it you have a light backpack on and you slide it down your arms before putting it down on the ground inside there's a cushion that you place on the bench and you take a comfortable seat you reach back into the bag and pull out a flask when you unscrew the top the delicious aroma of your favorite morning drink escapes you take a sip and savor the flavor for a moment you carefully place your flask down next to you while you explore your bag once more you dig deep into the bag and find a scroll of paper tied with a ribbon unravel it carefully on a scroll of paper you see a note that you wrote to yourself your san calpa reading these words to yourself makes your heart expand with happiness and you know that it will come true repeat these words again silently in your mind the sun is about to make its grand entrance for the day you sit back to enjoy the sunrise and settle into a meditative state relaxed,
Peaceful and at ease the sun is about to make its entrance into a meditative state focus now on the space behind your closed eyelids it's as if you're looking at a giant blank movie screen that's as wide and as tall as you can see as you watch this space you may see colors,
Shapes or images or you may see nothing at all whatever your experiences today observe it without directing,
Judging or altering it watch this space with detached awareness you can see the sun is about to make its entrance into a meditative state focus now on the space behind your closed eyelids now please bring your awareness back to your breath feel the sensation of breath as it moves in and out of the nostrils now take your breath to deepen and follow its path all the way down to the abdomen and all the way back up and out the next deep inhale you take feels like it travels all the way to your fingers and toes as you begin little movements and stretches begin to feel the floor beneath you and the touch of air around you expand your awareness sensing the room around you,
Reorientating yourself to the space that you're in and stretch out now with a big inhale reaching out or up with the arms and stretching away through the toes sigh the breath out and bring your arms back in bend your knees and walk your feet closer to you you're welcome to hug your knees up to your chest if that feels good now take your breath to your side and rest there as you continue to increase your awareness of the space that you're in when you're ready please sit up when you find your seat place your hands together in namaskar or prayer position in front of your chest and thank yourself for your practice the practice of yoga nidra is now complete namaste
