Please lie down in a comfortable position.
Lie flat on your back,
With your legs comfortably apart,
Arms by your sides,
With your palms facing upward.
Adjust any clothing or props,
And allow yourself to be completely still.
This is the practice of Yoga Nidra,
A guided meditation designed to bring deep relaxation and awareness.
As you lie here,
Give yourself full permission to rest.
There's nowhere to go and nothing to do.
Simply listen,
Feel,
Be.
Take a slow,
Deep breath in through the nose,
And a long,
Slow breath out through the mouth.
Again,
We'll inhale deeply,
And exhale fully,
Letting go of tension.
One more time,
Inhale,
And exhale.
Allow your breath to return to a natural rhythm.
Now bring your mind to a sankalpa,
Which is a positive,
Heartfelt intention or affirmation.
It could be something simple like,
I am calm,
I am grounded,
Or I am safe,
I am at peace.
Silently repeat your sankalpa three times now,
With full awareness and belief.
We will gently move our awareness through the body.
You do not need to move,
Just follow along with your attention.
Bring awareness to your right hand thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger.
Ring finger,
Little finger,
The palm of the hand,
The back of the hand,
Wrist,
Forearm,
Upper arm.
Shoulder,
Right waist,
Right hip,
Right thigh.
Shin,
Heel,
Sole of the foot,
Top of the foot,
Right big toe,
Right second toe.
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe.
Now to the left hand thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
Little finger,
Back of the hand,
Wrist,
Forearm,
Shoulder,
Left waist,
Left hip,
Shin,
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole of the left foot,
Top of the foot,
Second toe,
Left third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe.
Now bring awareness to the back of the body,
Back of the head,
Upper back,
Shoulder blades,
Middle back,
Lower back,
Both buttocks,
The back of the legs,
Now the front of the body,
Forehead,
Nose,
Cheeks,
Jaw,
Mouth,
Tongue,
Throat,
Collarbones,
Chest,
Heart center,
Abdomen,
Lower abdomen.
Sense the whole body,
The entire right side,
The entire left side,
The entire body resting and still.
Breath awareness.
Now bring your awareness to your breath.
Observe the natural inhale and exhale.
Feel the air entering the nostrils and leaving the nostrils.
Notice the gentle rise and fall of the abdomen and the subtle expansion and contraction of the chest.
You're simply observing without changing the breath.
Let it be natural.
I am breathing in and I am breathing out.
Visualization.
Now imagine yourself in a peaceful place in nature.
Perhaps you're lying in a quiet forest or near the ocean at sunset.
Feel the ground beneath you.
You hear gentle waves,
The soft rustling of leaves,
Birds in the distance.
The air is fresh and cool and soothing.
Imagine a soft light surrounding your body that is calming and healing.
With each breath,
This light grows stronger,
Melting away any tension or stress.
Breathe in calm.
Breathe out stress.
With every breath,
You're sinking deeper into a sense of peace and wholeness.
Feel your body being held and supported by the earth.
Now return to your sankalpa,
Your intention.
Repeat it inwardly three times with clarity and feeling.
Now return to your sankalpa,
Your intention.
Repeat it inwardly three times with clarity and feeling.
Now return to your sankalpa,
Your intention.
Repeat it inwardly three times with clarity and feeling.
Now return to your sankalpa,
Your intention.
Repeat it inwardly three times with clarity and feeling.
Now return to your sankalpa,
Your intention.
Repeat it inwardly three times with clarity and feeling.
Namaste.
