Yoga Nidra To Promote Deep Healing With The Natural Breath

In this yoga nidra practice, we use the star breath to clear energetic debris from the major body parts and use healing visualizations to unload trapped burdens that have been too difficult to process entirely on our own.

Transcript

Namaste. Welcome. My name is Stefano and this is your yoga nidra practice to promote deep healing with the natural breath. Thank you for being here today as we delve into powerful techniques that help regulate the nervous system and enhance vagal tone activation. It's an honor and a pleasure to guide you in this meditation. In this yoga nidra, We will bring our attention to the breath, Focusing on the center of the chest. And we will follow our awareness to the different extremities of the body, Allowing cleansing and sweeping breaths to release any debris and emotional charge that remain trapped within the body. Gently follow my guidance as you begin to unwind and experience new dimensions of calm and peace within yourself. Please take a moment now to find your most comfortable and supportive yoga nidra nest. Perhaps lying down in shavasana, Shavasana, Or adopting your most comfortable seated meditative posture. For those lying down in shavasana, Shavasana, Gently rest on your back in a supportive supine position. Perhaps on a yoga mat on the floor, On a couch, Sofa, Or recliner, Or even on your bed. And as you begin to unwind, Making sure to peel your arms away from your torso, Inviting a slight bend to the elbows so that your palms naturally face skyward and your fingers gently curl inward, Allowing your legs to separate so that your feet freely fall to either side. Gently covering your whole body with your favorite blanket and perhaps placing a pillow or cushion underneath your knees and behind your head to comfortably support your lower back and neck respectively. Beginning to relax the physical body as you gently tuck in the chin and shoulder blades, Allowing your chest to open, Inviting peace and contentment at the sacred heart space, Beginning to release the hinges of the jaw and dropping all expression from the face. As you decide whether to practice with your eyes open while maintaining a soft gaze into the distance or with your eyes closed, Perhaps while wearing an eye mask or an eye pillow, You are the sovereign of your own body at all times. Now allow your attention to turn inward, Bringing your attention to the breath. Feel the body beginning to relax with each progressive exhalation. We will chant a continuous OM together. As you chant, Let the sound come from deep within the belly and when you run out of breath, Take another full breath in and begin again. We will repeat this chant nine times. Let's begin. Taking a full breath in. OM Come to silence. Sense sound dissolving into silence, Into that silent space. Develop an even, Neutral awareness of the whole body. Become aware of the space occupied by the body. Become aware of the body and this space that is occupied by your body, Body and space together. Become aware of the whole body and the surfaces beneath you in relation to the surfaces that provide support. And at the same time, Become aware of all the points of contact between your body and the surfaces beneath you. These are very subtle physical points between body and floor or between body and bed. Feel the meeting points between the back of your head and the floor, Shoulder blades and the floor, Elbows and the floor, The back of the hands, And the floor, The buttocks and the floor, The calves and the floor, The heels and the floor. Develop awareness of all the meeting points between the body and the floor, Sensing all of these points simultaneously with evenly hovering awareness. Continue to feel these points of contact clearly and distinctly without falling asleep. Continue noticing the sensations within your vast and spacious awareness. Switch your attention to the eyelids and feel the narrow line of contact between the upper and lower eyelids. Feel the sharp points where they meet, Noticing the sensations at the inner corners of the eyes and the outer corners of the eyes. Intensify your awareness between the eyelids and then the lips center your attention on the line between the lips, The space between the lips. Now bring your attention to the soles of the feet, Feel the skin on the soles of your feet from the heels to the tips of the toes and from the tips of the toes back down to the heels of the feet. Now bring your attention to the palms of your hands, Feel the skin on the palms of your hands and fingers, Feel the skin and also become aware of the lines between the hands and the feet. Feel the lines on your palms and fingers. Concentrate with full awareness, Intensely, Evenly. Now bring your awareness to the face, Become aware of the skin on your face and develop your awareness to its fullest extent. Develop your awareness of the skin on your forehead, Become aware of any lines on your face feel all the contours of your face intensely and with your next exhalation allow all expression to drop from the face, Releasing the tiny muscles around the eyes allowing the eyeballs to rest back in their sockets, Releasing the tiny muscles around the mouth, Tongue resting in the mouth, Softening and easing lower jaw gently opening, Softening, Relaxing, Allowing the cheeks to soften towards the floor, Scalp resting on the skull, Without struggle or strain, Neck easing, Letting go of all holding, Tension, Pressure and tightness, Simply be available to the entire range of sensations in the face and head. Now drop into a sense of your whole bodily presence, Embrace this moment's experience, Undistorted by what you like or don't like, Let go of what is going, Let come that which is coming, This becomes your connection to source. Now gently scan the entire physical body to make any final adjustments to be five or even one percent more comfortable, Simply surrender the weight of the body to the omnipresent field of gravity, Sinking deeper and deeper into the surfaces that provide support, Feeling held and uplifted. Now take a deep breath in through the nose, And exhale with a deep sigh, Releasing any lingering physical tension, As you take another deep breath in through the nose, And exhale with a deep sigh, Letting go of any worries and anticipations of the mind, And take another deep breath in through the nose, Let go even more of deep sigh, Allowing the mind to become silent and still, Completely on its own, Letting go of all doing and thinking, And shifting to feeling, And being, In yoga nidra, Resolve to remain awake and alert. If you do fall asleep, Or if your mind wanders, Gently come back to my instructions, And the sound of my voice, As soon as you're able. If you need to move at any point, Know that you can do so mindfully, And then return to stillness, To the best of your abilities. Simply follow my guidance, And your body and mind, Effortlessly, To the rest. Now allow your awareness, To be drawn even more deeply within, And pour the light of awareness, Into the center of the chest, At the sacred heart space, And allow yourself to rest fully, In the vast stillness of the sacred heart space, And gently listen for the whispers of your heart. Now begin to recall your sankalpa, Your resolute intention, The vow that you make to yourself, To move in the direction in life, That connects you, With your heart's deepest longing, Your true heartfelt desire, The one that you wish to manifest, More than anything else in this lifetime, Be it for health, Healing, Or awakening. Now begin to formulate your sankalpa, As you plant the seeds of your resolute intention, At the center of the chest. You can phrase it in the form of a short positive affirmation, In the present tense, A single word, A visual scene, A psychic symbol, Or even as a felt sense. And if you have yet to become familiar with your sankalpa, You may rest in the space of no sankalpa, And see what arises, As you become more familiar with the deeper aspects of your being. Or, You may borrow the following intention for today's practice. I am creating supreme joy, Peace, And bliss within myself. I am creating supreme joy, Peace, And bliss within myself. I am creating supreme joy, Peace, And bliss within myself. Silently repeat your sankalpa, Three times, With feeling, And conviction. And on your next breath in, Gently draw fresh vital life force energy, To the center of the chest, The sacred heart space. Giving your sankalpa new life, Allowing it to grow and thrive. And as you breathe out, Allow your sankalpa to extend everywhere, At once. Feel it to be true, In this very moment. Feel as though it has already come to pass. Letting go now. Letting go even more, As you enter an effortless state of being. Now, Bring your attention to the center of your forehead, And prepare yourself for a grand journey in your body. As you bring your attention to the center of your forehead, Visualize a vibrant blue star, Or a bright circle of golden light there. And silently repeating the mantra, OM, Vibrate with the bright blue star. Remaining aware of the star, Throughout your journey. And as you follow my guidance, And we move our attention through the different parts of the body, Let your detached attention release the dormant healing power in the meridians and connected organs, To carry out the healing within. Letting the penance flow, Penetrating power of consciousness, Instantly dissolve any blockages and holdings, As you move your awareness through the different parts of the body. Simply rest in silent, Non-doing awareness. And let the pulsating and vibrating bright blue star remind you to resolve to yourself, That you will stay alert and awake. Once again, At the center of your forehead, The vibrating bright blue star, OM, Moving down to the brow center, OM, Pit of the throat, The bright blue star, In the right shoulder joint, Elbow, Wrist, The tip of your right thumb, Tip of the index finger, Middle finger, Ring finger, Index finger, And little finger, The right wrist joint, Elbow, Right shoulder, The bright blue star, At the pit of the throat, OM, Left shoulder joint, Elbow, Wrist, Tip of your left hand thumb, Tip of your index finger, Middle finger, Ring finger, And little finger, The left wrist joint, Elbow, Left shoulder, The blue star, In the pit of your throat, Filled with radiance, The vibration and pulsation of the bright blue star, Now at the center of the chest, The heart center, OM, The right side of the chest, Heart center, Left side of the chest, Heart center, At the middle of the chest, The heart center, Navel point, Center of the pubic bone, OM, Blue star, In your right hip, At the tip of the right big toe, Second toe, Third toe, Fourth toe, And fifth toe, Your right ankle, Blue star, In the perineum, At the tip of the left big toe, Second toe, Third toe, Fourth toe, And fifth toe, Left ankle, Blue star, In the perineum, Center, Of the pubic bone, OM, Navel point, Heart center, In the middle of the chest, In the pit of the throat, Its vibration, In the light, The blue star, Now traveling to the eyebrow center, OM, Blue star, In the middle of your forehead, With the mantra, OM, The rise and fall of your breath, Feel the breath that vibrates in the whole body, And all the points, From the top of your head, To the tips of your toes, And from the tips of your toes, To the top of your head, Feel all the points shine, Illuminating all corners of your body, As blue stars, Radiant, Pulsating, Vibrating stars, Feeling all the stars at the same time, The light and vibration everywhere, OM, Like one single breath, One single presence, Vibrating, And luminous, The energy points, In one single field, One star, One unified whole, Allowing the breath to flow like a never-ending wave, Allowing your body to breathe through all the points, Allow it to radiate with light, And vibrate with light, OM, Gathering your attention, The center of the forehead, The non-dream presence fully manifest within the third eye, Observe the vast stillness and silence here, Resting in this vastness, Allow whatever comes into your field of awareness, To be present, Without comment or judgment, Witness it all, As it floats by, Like clouds in the sky, Now bring your breath into awareness, Become aware of your natural breath, Observing the breath as it rises with the inhalation, And falls with the exhalation, Do not try to control nor change the breath, Simply witness it, Observing the gentle movements of your natural breath pattern, Observe the sensations of breath, The nostrils, The cool touch of air with each breath in, And the warm touch of air with each breath out, Sensing the moisture, Or dryness, Or the absence of sensations of the sinus cavities, Noticing the refreshing cool splash of air at the back of the throat, With each breath in, And the warm currents of air moving across the skin of the upper lip, Tiny hairs and muscles on the other side of the nose, The upper lip surrounded by warm currents of air with the exhale, Remain connected to every breath in, And every breath out, Noticing if the breath is fast or slow, Deep or shallow, Ragged or smooth, Simply relaxing, And witnessing the breath, No matter what's happening, Allow the breath to be just as it is, And allow yourself to be just as you are, Now follow my guidance as we begin the star breath, Bring your breath and awareness to the center of the chest, And feel as though you can breathe in and out through the center of the chest, Softening and easing, And as you breathe in and out through the center of the chest, Taking 12 deep and relaxed breaths at the center of the chest, Allowing the breaths to be smooth, Continuous, And deep, Without any pauses, Or any jerkiness in the breath, On your next breath in, Allow breath and awareness to travel from the heart center, All the way down your right leg to the tips of the toes, And as you exhale, Allow breath and awareness to flow from the tips of the toes of the right foot, Back up to the center of the chest, Repeating this breath nine more times, An unbroken stream of breath and awareness, From the center of the chest, All the way down to the tips of the toes of the right foot, And as you exhale, Breath and awareness returning from the tips of the toes, Back to the center of the chest, On your next breath in, Allow breath and awareness to travel down from the center of the chest, Along the spine, All the way down to the base of the spine and perineum, And as you exhale, Allow breath and awareness to travel back to the center of the chest, Back up to the center of the chest, Each time you breathe in, Notice the sensations of the solar plexus, Pelvic center, And perineum, Each time you breathe out, Notice the sensations at the pelvic center, Solar plexus, And heart center, Allowing breath and awareness to sweep from the heart center, All the way down to the perineum, And back for a total of 10 breaths, On your next breath in, Allow breath and awareness to travel from the heart center, All the way down your left leg, To the tips of the toes, And as you exhale, Allow breath and awareness to travel back to the center of the heart, Allowing breath and awareness to flow from the tips of the toes of the left foot, Back up to the center of the chest, Repeating this breath nine more times, And unbroken stream of breath and awareness, From the center of the chest, All the way down to the tips of the toes of the left foot, And as you exhale, Breath and awareness, Returning from the tips of the toes, Back to the center of the chest, On your next breath in, Allow breath and awareness to travel from the heart center, All the way down your left arm to the fingertips, And as you exhale, Allow breath and awareness to flow from the fingertips of the right hand, Back up to the center of the chest, Repeating this breath nine more times, And unbroken stream of breath and awareness, From the center of the chest, All the way down to the fingertips of your left hand, As you exhale, Breath and awareness, Returning from the fingertips, Back to the center of the chest, On your next breath in, Allow your breath connected awareness to move up along the spine, All the way up to the crown of the head, And as you exhale, Allow your breath connected awareness to sweep down from the crown of the head, Back down to the center of the chest, Repeating this breath for a total of 10 times, Each time you inhale, Noticing the sensations at the pits of the throat, The nostrils, The inner corners of the eyes, The eyebrow center, The center of the forehead, And the crown of the head, And as you exhale, Noticing sensations in the center of the forehead, The eyebrow center, The inner corners of the eyes, The nostrils, The pits of the throat, And the center of the chest, On your next breath in, Allow breath and awareness to travel from the heart center, All the way down your right arm to the fingertips, And as you exhale, Allow breath and awareness to flow from the fingertips of the right hand, Back up to the center of the chest, Repeating this breath nine more times, An unbroken stream of breath and awareness from the center of the chest, All the way down to the fingertips of the right hand, And as you exhale, Breath and awareness returning from the fingertips back to the center of the chest, And now, On your next breath in, Allow your breath-connected awareness to sweep through the entire body from the center of the chest to each of the extremities, Perineum, And the crown of the head, And as you exhale, Allowing your breath-connected awareness to return to the center of the chest, Continue to breathe in this way for several breaths, Breathing in fresh vital life force energy, Replenishing, Restoring, And renewing all tissues of the body, And breathing out, Releasing any stored tension, Holding that was trapped deep within the cells of your body, Breathing in, And breathing out, Your breath expanding with the inhalation, Your whole body invigorated with fresh energy, And as you exhale, Your body relaxing and releasing what it no longer needs, Breathing in this way for a total of 36 breaths, And as you continue to breathe, Allow your awareness to become more refined, Noticing the subtle flows of energy, As you become one with the boundless field of energy, Extending everywhere, A whole separation between the borders of your body, The inside of your body, And the external world, Dissolving in a background of evenly hovering awareness, Experience silence and stillness, Extending everywhere, Allowing the breath to breathe itself as you enter an effortless state. Now visualize or imagine yourself floating on the surface of a vast blue lake, Feel yourself open and allowing, Surrendering the weight of your body to the gentle currents beneath you, Resting back, Empty and free from all doing, All thinking, Dissolving into the cool waters surrounding you, Bathing you, And as you gaze up to the infinite blue sky, Witnessing the sky that allows all experiences to move through it, Clouds come and go, Birds fly across the sky, As do planes and kites, As you rest back, Floating on the lake, You allow everything to come and go, Noticing dragonflies flying up above you, Chasing each other, With your peripheral vision, Noticing the trees in the distance, Observing the branches dancing in the wind, And the air on a distant lake shore, The sun's warm rays caressing your face, You know this place, This is a part of you, It can never be diminished or destroyed, In this place, You are as vast as the sky itself, Pure, Steady, Timeless, And rest here, With any lingering worries of the future, With any memories of the past, Arise, Unfold, And pass away, In their own time, All that has happened in your life has already gone, Already passed, You are here, In this moment, Calm and relaxed, Just be here, In this moment, Allow the inner wisdom of your body and mind to release what they no longer need, Allow the waters of the lake to cleanse and heal you, You don't need to hold it in, Not anymore, Give it to the lake and sky to hold for you, See yourself exhaling your worries and concerns, And cares, Allow yourself to simply be in this moment, Your experience in life has the power to help you become who you were really meant to be, You already have what you need in this moment, Let this deep knowing permeate every part of your body and mind, And just like the ripples in the lake, Sense an ever-expanding sense of peace and calm, Wash over you, Extending everywhere throughout, Giving yourself permission to feel comfortable and at ease at this time, Floating effortlessly in this lake, As you gaze upon the sky, And give yourself permission to enter the deepest level of relaxation right now, Letting go of all visuals, And resting your awareness at the center of the chest, There is nothing further for you to do or achieve, Simply dissolve and disappear into the vast stillness at the center of the chest, The sacred heart space, Empty of all doing, All past, All future, Merging into the space, As you remain empty of thoughts, Visuals, Memories, All emotions and sensations dissolving, All changing phenomena, Floating by like clouds in a clear blue sky, Letting it all gather and dissipate, Come and go, Be the space in which it is all happening, And feel yourself as time-transcendent presence right now, Now silently recall your sankalpa, Your resolute intention, Or continue to rest into sacred heart space, And see what arises naturally on its own, Or if you'd like, You can repeat the following affirmation three times, I am creating supreme joy, Peace, And bliss within myself, I am creating supreme joy, Peace, And bliss within myself, Allow this intention to go to the deepest levels of recognition with no hesitation, Have faith and trust that it has been heard, And that it is now, And that it's being acted upon by a higher power of the source within you, Bring your attention back to the heart center, Feel all the energies of your body, From all channels activated, Purified, And balanced, My force is flowing freely through you, Healing the body, And calming the mind, Allow your heart to open, And feel content, Just experience, And now, Begin to become aware of the rise and fall of the breath, Gently deepening your breath, Slowly feel yourself beginning to rise to the surface of awareness, Sense the whole body resting on the surfaces beneath you, Notice the touch of air on your skin, And visualize the four walls, The floor, And the ceiling, Of the room you're in, And gradually, Begin to move and stretch, As if you're waking from a restful nap, Wiggle your fingers and toes, Bend your knees and pull them closer to your chest, Rock sideways gently, Take your time, Do not hurry, Then just turn onto your right side, While hugging your knees, Feeling safe, Comfortable, And protected, In this very moment, As you bring your intention back into your awareness, Once more, Changing nothing, Or silently repeating the affirmation, I am creating supreme joy, Peace, And bliss within myself, Know that something deep within you, Has shifted, To connect you with your intention, Now gradually begin to sit up, With your eyes closed, Becoming aware of your body, Bringing a deep sense of peace and contentment with you, As you bring your attention back, To your whole body, Noticing how relaxed the body is, How soft the breath is, How silent the mind is, And how quiet the heartbeat is, Be still, And be grateful, Know that you can come back here, Again and again, Now, You may gently open your eyes, The practice of yoga nidra, Is now complete, Good job everyone, May the spirit be victorious,