Find a comfortable position lying down and allow your body to settle into the surface beneath you.
Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths,
Letting go of any tension or stress with each exhale.
Take a moment to set an intention or sankalpa for your practice.
This could be something you wish to manifest in your life,
A quality you want to cultivate,
Or an intention related to balance,
Calm or resilience.
Silently state your intention three times in your mind.
We'll now move through a series of muscle tensions,
Building up tension throughout your entire body before releasing it all at once.
As we progress tense each muscle group firmly but gently and maintain the tension as we move to the next group.
Start with your feet,
Curl your toes and tense the muscles in your feet.
Hold this tension.
While keeping your feet tense,
Now tighten your calf muscles.
Maintaining tension in your feet and calves,
Now tense your thighs and buttocks.
Continuing to hold tension in your lower body,
Tighten your abdomen and lower back.
Keeping all previous areas tense,
Make fists with your hands and tense your arms.
Now shrug your shoulders up towards your ears,
Adding to the full body tension.
Tense the muscles in your neck,
Still maintaining tension everywhere else.
Finally,
Scrunch up your facial muscles,
Squeezing your eyes shut.
Hold this full body tension for a count of 5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Now take a deep breath in and as you exhale release all the tension at once.
Let your entire body go completely limp and relaxed.
Feel the contrast between the tension and this new state of relaxation.
Allow yourself to sink deeper into this relaxed state,
Noticing the sensations of heaviness and calm throughout your body.
Bring your attention to your breath.
We'll start with a brief breathing exercise to help regulate your nervous system.
Inhale slowly for a count of 4.
Hold your breath for a count of 4.
Exhale slowly for a count of 6.
Pause for a count of 2 before your next inhale and repeat this cycle 5 times.
Then allow your breath to return to its natural rhythm.
Now we'll begin with a systematic relaxation of the body.
As I name each part,
Bring your awareness there and consciously relax it even further.
Relax your forehead,
Your eyebrows and the space between your eyebrows.
Relax your eyes,
Your cheeks,
Your nose and your mouth.
Relax your jaw,
Letting it fall slightly open if that's uncomfortable.
Relax your neck and throat.
Relax your shoulders,
Letting them melt into the floor.
Relax your arms,
Your hands and each finger individually.
Relax your chest and upper back.
Relax your abdomen and your lower back.
Relax your hips and pelvic area.
Relax your thighs,
Your knees and your calves.
Relax your ankles,
Your feet and each toe individually.
Feel your entire body becoming heavy and deeply relaxed.
Bring your attention to the area of your heart.
Imagine your breath flowing in and out through your heart area.
With each inhale,
Visualize nourishing energy entering your heart.
With each exhale,
Imagine releasing any tension or stress.
We'll continue this heart-focused breathing for the next minute.
Now we'll explore opposites to deepen your relaxation.
Imagine a feeling of heaviness throughout your body.
Feel the weight of your body sinking into the surface beneath you.
Now switch to a feeling of lightness.
Imagine your body becoming so light it could float away.
Imagine a sensation of warmth spreading through your body.
As if you're basking in gentle sunlight.
Now switch to a sensation of coolness,
As if a refreshing breeze is washing over you.
Visualize a sense of security and safety enveloping around you,
Like a protective cocoon.
Now allow yourself to feel completely free and unbound,
As if you could expand infinitely in all direction.
Imagine a soft warm light glowing in the center of your chest.
With each inhale,
This light grows brighter and expand.
With each exhale,
It spreads throughout your body,
Bringing a sense of harmony and balance to every cell.
Visualize this rhythmic pulsing of light synchronizing with your heartbeat,
Creating a state of coherence throughout your body.
Feel the rhythm of your breath,
Your heartbeat and this pulsing light all aligning in perfect harmony.
Imagine yourself in a peaceful natural setting,
A forest,
A mountaintop or any place that feels safe and calming to you.
Use all your senses to make this place vivid and real in your mind.
What do you see around you?
Notice the colors,
The shapes,
The movement.
Perhaps you see the gentle sway of trees or the soft ripples of water.
What sounds do you hear?
Maybe it's the soothing rhythm of waves,
The rustle of leaves or the soft chirping of birds.
What scents are in the air?
It could be the salt of the sea,
The freshness of pine or the crisp scent of mountain air.
How does it feel to be in this place?
Notice the temperature on your skin,
The textures beneath you.
Maybe you feel soft sand between your toes or cool grass under your feet.
Spend a few moments fully immersed in this tranquil environment,
Feeling completely at peace.
Let this sense of peace permeate your entire being.
As we come to the end of this practice,
Revisit your sankalpa or intention,
Stating it silently to yourself three more times.
Gradually become aware of your physical body and the space around you.
Notice how you feel,
Perhaps more relaxed,
Balanced or centered.
Wiggle your fingers and toes and take a deep breath.
When you're ready,
Slowly open your eyes and return to your surroundings,
Carrying the sense of calm and coherence with you.
Thank you for participating in this yoga nidra practice with me.
