Yoga Nidra For Deep Relaxation
This is a yoga nidra practice to do before bed or whenever you need to deeply relax. This goes over breath, body, mind and helps you tap into your senses to stay mindful throughout the practice. Much love, Phoebe.
Transcript
You should be lying on your back with your knees slightly bent and supported.
Make sure that you are warm enough and that your position is one that will be comfortable for the duration of the practice.
It is best that you remain still during your practice so that both your body and brain have a chance to fully relax.
However,
If you become uncomfortable,
Please feel free to change positions.
Allow your eyes to close and keep them closed until the practice has ended.
Become aware of any sounds you can hear in this moment.
Nothing else but what you can hear without strain.
Begin to focus on the most distant sounds that you can hear.
Move your attention from sound to sound without labeling the source.
Gradually bring your attention to closer sounds until you find sounds that are within your room.
Without opening your eyes,
Visualize the four walls of this room.
The ceiling,
The floor,
Your body lying on the floor.
Visualize your body,
Your clothes,
Your hair,
Your face.
Become acutely aware of the existence of your physical body lying on the floor.
Become aware of your natural and spontaneous breath that moves in and out of your body without any effort.
The natural breath flows in.
Visualize the feeling.
Maybe there's a sense of coolness as you inhale the breath.
Follow this feeling into your nose,
Your sinuses,
And the back of your throat down into your lungs.
There is a sense of warmth as you exhale the breath.
Feel this warmth on your upper lip as you breathe out.
Inhaling and exhaling.
Allow your breath to become longer and slower.
Take a long,
Slow inhalation followed by a longer,
Slower exhalation.
Inhale.
And make your exhale even slower.
Notice the slight pause after the exhale.
Slow inhale.
Even slower exhale and pause.
Feel the urge to breathe bubble up inside of you.
And inhale.
Long,
Slow inhale.
Longer,
Slower exhale.
And then pause.
Where the body is neither breathing in nor out.
Now go back to the natural,
Easy breath,
Releasing any control over the inhale and exhale.
It is time to set an intention for your practice.
This can be a short,
Positive statement or just one word.
Repeat your intention three times.
Planting the seed in the soil of your mind to bring about transformation and healing.
And say to yourself,
I am practicing yoga nidra.
I am awake and relaxed.
We will now go on a sensory awareness throughout your body.
You will move your awareness to different parts of your body as soon as you hear them named.
Please say the name,
But do not move any part of your body.
Right hand thumb.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
Fifth finger.
Palm of the hand.
Back of the hand.
Wrist.
Forearm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
Arm pit.
Waist.
Hip.
Thigh.
Knee.
Calf.
Ankle.
Heel.
Soul 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.
Fifth finger.
Palm of the hand.
Back of the hand.
Wrist.
Forearm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
Arm pit.
Waist.
Hip.
Thigh.
Knee.
Calf.
Ankle.
Heel.
Soul of the foot.
Top of the foot.
Left big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
Now go up 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.
The 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.
Upper abdomen.
Navel.
Lower abdomen.
Right groin.
Left groin.
The pelvic floor.
The 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.
As though your body could float away from the floor.
The head is light and weightless.
The limbs are light and weightless.
The torso is light and weightless.
The whole body light and weightless.
You are rising higher and higher away from the floor.
Imagine your body becoming heavy.
Feel the heaviness in all parts of your body.
Each part is becoming heavier and heavier and heavier.
The head is heavy.
The limbs are heavy.
The torso is heavy.
The whole body is heavy.
Begin to concentrate on the space just in front of your closed eyelids.
Imagine it as if you are watching a movie at a movie theater.
The screen is as high and as wide as the eyes can see.
Become aware of any phenomena that manifests within it.
Colors,
Patterns,
And light.
Whatever you see is the manifesting state of your mind.
Continue your awareness of this space but do not become involved.
Practice detached awareness only.
And if any subtle images make themselves known,
Simply notice them without directing the images.
If thoughts occur,
Let them come and go but continue watching the dark space.
Continue this with detached awareness.
It is time to repeat your intention.
Please repeat the same statement or word made at the beginning of the practice three times mentally to yourself.
Come back to the feeling of your breath flowing in and out of your nostrils.
Maintain your awareness of breath and at the same time develop your awareness of your physical body.
Your body is relaxed.
Feel the container of your skin and the clothes and anything that is touching you.
Notice the heaviness of your body as it rests.
And take your awareness into all the points that are touching the surface below you.
The back of your heels,
Thighs,
Buttocks,
Shoulder blades,
Arms,
Hands,
And head.
Visualize the surrounding room.
Imagine where you are in the room and the other objects that are around you.
Lie quietly until you feel ready to move.
Please repeat the same statement or word made at the beginning of the practice three times mentally to yourself.
Come back to the feeling of your breath flowing in and out of your nostrils.
Come back to the feeling of your breath flowing in and out of your nostrils.
Bell
