Welcome to your Yoga Nidra practice.
What is Yoga Nidra?
Nidra is sleeping yoga but you are awake.
Nidra can reduce stress,
Can bring you more focus,
Stimulates the intuition and can catch up a couple of hours of sleep,
As Nidra allows us to enjoy the same feeling that we have when we are in the deep sleep phase.
During the practice you have nothing to do.
Your body should be completely relaxed and effortless.
No muscle is needed.
Maybe you want to add another layer of clothing,
As it can feel a bit cold during the practice.
You can't do anything wrong.
Even if you fall asleep,
Your practice will still work.
But still try to stay awake and try not to move anymore.
If you ever feel uncomfortable,
Go back to observe your breath.
And if needed you can of course move or open your eyes.
But maybe try to let the discomfort pass by and be the observer.
Or maybe even welcome the discomfort.
During the practice we will focus on our breath by doing some breathing exercises.
And during the whole practice try to breathe in and out of your nose.
Unless I guide you differently.
We will then dedicate some time for our intention,
Called sankalpa.
This is a positive affirmation or your deepest heart desire.
Then a body scan will follow where I will guide you through different body parts of your physical body.
And then I will bring you to a beautiful place where I will give you some time in silence.
So don't be afraid if I stay still for a certain time.
I will then continue to guide you.
Whenever your mind starts to wander,
Try to come back to your breath.
And most important,
Always remember there is nothing you can do wrong.
Just be open hearted and enjoy the experience.
So let's start.
To start the yoga nidra practice I would like to invite you to make yourself comfortable.
Lay on your back,
You can lay on a mat on the floor,
On your bed,
Your sofa.
Wherever you feel comfortable and where you can take a couple of minutes for yourself without being distracted.
Your legs are hip width apart,
Your feet fold to the sides.
Maybe you want to wiggle your hips to let the tension go.
Completely relax.
Your arms are alongside of your body.
Leave some space between the arms and your body.
Palms facing up,
Relax your shoulder,
Your neck.
Softly close your eyes.
Take a deep inhale through your nose and a full exhale through the mouth.
Take another deep inhale through your nose and a complete exhale through the mouth.
Repeat if it felt good.
Alright,
Nowhere to go,
Nothing to do.
Just be here.
Start to observe your natural breath.
Notice how the breath flows in and out.
Maybe it's fast or slow.
Maybe it's deep or shallow.
Notice the length of your inhales and exhales.
Are they the same or is one a bit longer?
Now be a bit more intentional with your breath.
Breathe in and out to the count of two.
Breathe in,
One,
Two.
Breathe out,
One,
Two.
Breathe in,
One,
Two.
Breathe out,
One,
Two.
Breathe in,
One,
Two.
Breathe out,
One,
Two.
Maybe you can increase to three.
So breathe in,
One,
Two,
Three.
Breathe out,
One,
Two,
Three.
Breathe in,
One,
Two,
Three.
And breathe out,
One,
Two,
Three.
Return to your natural breath.
Don't force it.
How do you feel now?
Equal length breathing is the most balanced way to gradually decrease stress and become relaxed and calm.
You can do this also during the day if you need to calm down.
Coming to today's intention.
Think of your heartfelt desire,
Something that is very important to you.
Create a short,
Simple and positive sentence as if your wish would already be happening.
Intention can be something big or very small.
When you have your sentence,
Repeat it mentally three times.
Let me bring your attention to your physical body.
I will move from one body part to the next.
While I mention it,
Try to relax it completely.
Let all tension go.
Let's start to relax your right heel.
Let it get heavy.
Let it melt into the surface below you.
Now relax your left heel.
Relax it as much as the right.
Relax your right calf.
Softness.
Relax the left calf.
Relax the knee.
Relax the left knee.
Relax the right thigh and the left one.
Relax the right hip.
And relax the left hip.
Both hips together.
Completely soften and relax.
Relax the lower back.
Soften the middle back.
And relax the upper back.
Now soften the back of the right hand.
And the back of the left hand.
Relax the right wrist.
And the left wrist.
Soften the right forearm.
And the left forearm.
The right elbow.
And the left elbow.
Relax the right upper arm.
And the left upper arm.
Relax the right shoulder.
Let it melt into the floor.
Relax the left shoulder.
Let tension go.
Both shoulders together.
Relax the neck.
Soften back of the head.
Relax your face.
Soften the point between your eyebrows,
The third eye.
Soften your forehead,
Your jaw.
Maybe you can even relax your tongue.
Let your eyes sink into the eyeballs.
Let the cheeks melt down like warm water.
Completely relax.
Take a deep breath into your nose.
Exhale completely through the mouth.
Now imagine how you lay on the beach.
Maybe you visualise your last vacation.
Or a lovely picture you once saw.
Imagine how it looks.
What you see on that beach.
Imagine how your body is placed comfortably on the sand.
Warm sand provides you a perfect place to relax.
Nowhere to go,
Nothing to do.
Perfect temperature for you.
The sun is warming the front of your body.
Feel the sun touching your skin.
Let the sun melt away your tensions.
You relax more and more.
The body gets heavy,
Sinks a bit more into the sand.
Relaxes more.
There's a soft breeze that brings fresh air.
Take a breath of that fresh air.
Feel how the air comes into your lungs.
With the next exhalation you let go.
Imagine how the tiredness is taken away by that soft wind.
Leaving you relaxed and refreshed.
Focus again on your breath.
Calmly breathe in.
Calmly breathe out.
Maybe you feel a change in the rhythm of your breath.
Maybe it's softer,
More balance.
Observe how your belly and chest move with the breath.
With the next inhale take a deeper and more intense breath into your belly.
Feel your torso expanding.
Exhale and let all air go out.
Completely exhale.
Take another deep breath in and release with your exhale.
Slowly come back to this very moment.
Notice again your body in your room.
Feel where it touches the surface on the mat or your bed.
Where your clothing touches your skin.
Softly start to move fingers and toes.
Let the whole hand and feet join the movement.
Gently move your head from side to side.
Wiggle your hips.
Give yourself a good morning stretch.
Maybe you bring your arms over your head,
Stretch yourself.
When you feel ready,
Softly blink your eyes open.
Notice where you are.
Take another deep breath in and out.
Slowly roll to your right side and then come back sitting.
Thank you for joining me today for the Yoga Nidra practice.
Namaste.
