Welcome to the practice of Yoga Nidra.
Yoga Nidra is a guided rest practice and my name is Penny and I am so happy to be your guide.
I want to start out by letting you know that you don't need to do any type of visualization clearly or relax on purpose or concentrate during this practice.
Your only job is to listen and notice.
You're welcome to find a comfortable position and at any point in time you're welcome to move,
Adjust or change your position.
If something I say doesn't feel right for you,
You can simply let it pass.
This practice works through gentle attention,
Not effort.
So let's begin by taking a moment to make yourself completely comfortable.
Once you feel that you're comfortable,
Take a pause and notice.
Are there any small adjustments that you might be able to make?
Perhaps a subtle shift in your body or adjusting your head or legs or maybe you need added support underneath you at some point.
Adding anything extra or any micro adjustments right now could possibly bring you even 1 or 2% more comfort and let your body know it can settle.
Remember,
If at any point you need to move,
You can.
And if you fall asleep,
That's okay too.
There is nothing you need to achieve here.
This cannot be done wrong.
Soften,
Soften.
Bring your awareness to noticing the room around you in your mind's eye.
Notice any sounds you can hear without effort.
Simply notice the sounds near and perhaps the sounds more distant.
No need to label,
Simply notice.
Notice the surface beneath your body where your body is supported.
Notice the feeling of the floor or the mat,
The chair or the bed or even the earth beneath you.
Notice where the parts of your body meet the support beneath you.
Your head,
Upper and lower back and hips,
Your buttocks,
Heels and calves,
Elbows,
Hands.
Let yourself register that you're here right now.
Now I'd like you to bring to mind a place or a feeling or a general sense of support.
This place might be a place you've been or a place in nature or simply a feeling of steadiness or ease.
There's no need to picture it clearly.
Just sense what it's like to feel supported.
Notice how your body responds when you touch into this sense of support.
This is something you can return to at any point during the practice,
Especially if you drift off to sleep or wake up feeling unclear.
Let this sense of support be your home base.
If you work with a personal intention or a deep resolve,
Bring it to mind now.
This is something you choose for yourself.
It's a simple statement or even a single word.
It is stated in the present tense as if it has already occurred.
You might repeat it silently three times to yourself.
Notice how it feels in your body when you do.
Then let it rest quietly in the background.
Take time for that now.
At this time I'd like to have you bring your awareness to my voice as I guide you gently through the body.
There's no need to move the body.
Simply notice as attention moves.
If you miss an area or lose track that's okay.
Just begin again where you are.
Bring your awareness to your right thumb.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
Fifth finger.
Palm of the hand.
Back of the hand.
The right wrist.
Forearm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
Your right armpit.
The waist.
Right hip.
Thigh.
Lower leg.
Right ankle.
Heel.
Sole of the foot.
Top of the foot.
Right big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
Bring your awareness to your left hand thumb.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
Fifth finger.
Palm of the hand.
Back of the hand.
The left wrist.
Forearm.
Elbow.
Left upper arm.
Shoulder.
Armpit.
Waist.
Left hip.
Thigh.
Ankle.
Heel.
Sole of the foot.
Top of the foot.
Left big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
The whole right side of the brain.
The whole left side of the body.
Right side of the brain.
Left side of the body.
Right side of the brain.
Left side of the body.
The left side of the brain.
The right side of the body.
The left side of the brain.
The right side of the body.
Left brain.
Right body.
Bring your awareness to the top of the head.
Forehead.
The right eyebrow.
The left eyebrow.
The space between the eyebrows.
The right eye.
The left eye.
Both cheeks and your nose.
Your upper lip and your lower lip.
Your jaw.
The throat.
The right collarbone.
The left collarbone.
Your chest.
Upper abdomen.
Lower abdomen.
The entire pelvis.
The whole right side of the body.
The whole left side of the body.
The whole back side of the body.
The whole front side of the body.
The entire body as one field of sensation.
The whole body.
The whole body.
Your whole body.
Now bring awareness to the natural breath.
Notice the breath as it moves in and out.
No need to change it.
Notice where you feel the breath most easily.
The nostrils.
The chest.
The belly.
Feel the gentle rise on the inhale.
The gentle fall on the exhale.
If the breath slows on its own,
Allow that.
If it doesn't,
That's fine too.
You might sense the body being breathed.
The breath moving through the body without effort.
Notice sensations of heaviness in the body.
The feeling of being supported.
Now notice any sensations of lightness or space.
You can move gently between these two sensations.
Heaviness and lightness.
You could also allow them both to exist at the same time.
There's no right way to experience this.
Imagine a pond of calm resting water.
You notice a duck floating easily.
Its body is supported without effort.
The water simply knows how to hold it.
Notice the ease of floating.
At this time I'd like you to bring your attention back to your sankalpa or intention.
Can you recall it and let it arise again briefly?
Notice how it feels now and then let it go.
Bring your awareness to the room again.
The sounds.
The surface beneath your body.
Invite small micro-movements when you're ready.
Perhaps run your thumb across the edge of your fingertips on both hands.
Or softly wiggle your fingers and toes.
Take your time.
When it feels right for you,
Roll gently onto a side and pause there.
Notice your breath.
Ever so slowly,
You may return to sitting in your own time.
There is no rush here.
And if you're staying to drift off to sleep,
May your sleep be deep and restful.
Notice how you feel now compared to when we began.
Even the subtlest of shifts matter.
The practice of yoga nidra is now complete.
Namaste.
