Yoga Nidra

Yoga Nidra is also known as psychic sleep. It is a pratyahara practice, which works with all our koshas. Yoga Nidra is beyond relaxation and it is beyond visualization. The concept of Sankalpa helps us set heartfelt intentions during the practice.

Transcript

Yoga Nidra practice for beginners by Sunita from sunitayoga.

Com.

19 minutes.

Please make sure you're lying down comfortably.

Take all the support you need.

Making sure legs are comfortable.

If not,

Feel free to adjust them now.

Make sure your arms are comfortable.

Your arms are resting beside you,

Preferably palm of your hands facing upwards,

But again see if that is comfortable for you.

If not,

Feel free to adjust now.

During Yoga Nidra,

The body temperature may drop,

So make sure that you're warm enough.

Maybe you need to wear your socks,

Your jumpers,

Maybe blanket on your body.

And if you prefer to take eye pillow,

Place it on your closed eyes.

Again,

It's up to you.

No pressure.

It's up to you.

No pressure.

So once you have taken all the support you need,

Once again let's tune into whole body and see if whole body is comfortable.

Please make sure that you are really comfortable.

Tune into any support that is underneath you.

Maybe bolster under your knees,

Maybe the mat underneath you or the bed.

Notice that support and gently allow your system to relax a little bit more towards this support underneath you.

Tune into your head and your neck,

Making sure head and neck is comfortable,

Jaw is relaxed,

Eyes are soft,

Whole body is resting.

Allow your tongue to rest comfortably in your mouth.

Once you are physically comfortable,

We're going to tune into sounds around us.

So find out as many sounds as possible.

Obvious sounds.

Sounds coming from all directions.

Sounds which are coming from distance.

Then tune into sound which are closer to you.

Tune into more subtle sounds.

And then gently letting go of this awareness of listening.

Tune into your whole body and notice any hard or soft surfaces touching your skin.

Find out as many surfaces as possible.

Notice,

Acknowledge and move to next.

Find out as many surfaces touching your skin as possible.

And then gently and firmly letting go of this awareness of sensation of touch.

Tune into your whole body once again and notice any physical sensations or energy movements happening in your body at this moment.

Find out as many sensations as possible.

Sometimes we can't even name these sensations.

That's okay.

Just notice,

Acknowledge and move to next.

Very gently letting go of this awareness of physical sensations or energy movements.

Tune into your breath now.

For next few moments we're going to inhale naturally,

Exhale.

Imagine you're taking one step down.

Continue breathing like this,

Inhaling naturally,

Exhale.

Imagine you're taking one step down.

Very gently letting go of that image.

Now from here we're going to form Sankalpa.

Sankalpa is about aim or goal of your life.

Choosing most important goal at this moment and forming a very positive sentence as if that goal is happening now.

Keep your sentence in present tense.

Keep it very positive and repeat it three times in your mind.

If you need time to think,

Maybe repeating it three times in your mind.

Now from here as I say,

Name of the body parts.

Bring all awareness towards this part of your body.

Maybe visualize this part in front of your closed eyes.

Keep your whole body as relaxed and as still as possible.

Just moving your awareness.

We're going to begin with the right side.

Become aware of your right thumb,

Right first finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger,

Little finger,

Palm of your right hand,

Back of your right hand,

Your right wrist,

Forearm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

Shoulder joint,

Right side of your torso,

Your right hip,

Your right thigh,

Knee,

Shin,

Calf muscle,

Ankle,

Sole of your right foot,

Your right big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

Fifth toe,

Your whole right foot,

Your whole right leg,

Right side of your torso,

Your right arm.

Tune into left side now beginning with your left thumb,

Left first finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger,

Little finger,

Palm of your left hand,

Back of your left hand,

Your left wrist,

Forearm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

Shoulder joint,

Left side of your torso,

Your left hip,

Thigh,

Knee,

Shin,

Calf muscle,

Ankle,

Sole of your left foot,

Your left big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

Fifth toe,

Your whole left foot,

Your whole left leg,

Left side of your torso,

Your left arm.

Tune into back of your body now beginning with back of your legs,

Your buttocks,

Your lower back,

Middle back,

Upper back.

Tune into your spine,

Your shoulder blades.

Tune into back of your arms,

Back of your neck,

Back of your head.

Tune into crown of your head now,

Crown of your head,

Crown of your head.

Tune into front of your body now beginning with your forehead,

Temples,

Eyebrows,

Eyelids,

Eyes,

Bridge of your nose,

Your nose,

Cheeks,

Ears,

Upper lip,

Lower lip,

Teeth,

Gums,

Tongue,

Jaw,

Neck,

Chest,

Abdominals,

Front of your arms,

Front of your legs.

Tune into your whole body now,

Your whole body,

Your whole body.

We're going to move consciousness into different parts of our body now.

Tune into your right arm and your right leg together.

Tune into your left arm and left leg together.

Tune into you right arm and left leg together.

Tune into your left arm and right leg together.

Tune into just your both arms now,

Just your both arms.

Tuning to just your both legs now,

Just your your both legs.

Tune into both arms and both legs together.

Tune into your both arms and your both legs together.

Tune into your both arms and your both legs together.

Tune into just your torso now Just your torso.

Front and back of the towards so tune in to just Just your head and neck now,

Just your head and neck,

Just your head and neck.

Tune into your whole body,

Your whole body,

Your whole body.

Imagine now your body is getting heavier and heavier and heavier.

Imagine your body is gently sinking towards the center of Mother Earth.

Let your body become heavier and heavier and heavier.

Gently bring your body back to its natural weight and now imagine your whole body is getting lighter and lighter.

Imagine your body is now floating towards the sky,

Your body is becoming lighter like a cloud,

Body is becoming lighter,

Lighter,

Lighter.

Gently bring your body to its natural weight.

Once again visualize your whole body,

Front and back of your body,

Your whole body,

Your whole body.

We're going to bring awareness towards area in front of our closed eyes.

Visualize golden sky,

Visualize golden sun,

Visualize starry sky,

Visualize butterfly fluttering,

Visualize lotus flower,

Visualize beautiful ocean,

Visualize birds flying,

Visualize blue sky,

Visualize beautiful garden,

Visualize soft burning candle light,

The light of your consciousness.

Continue visualizing this soft burning candle light for next few moments.

Very gently let these images dissolve and become aware of your breath moving in your body.

Inhaling deeply recall your sankalpa of positive affirmation and repeat it three times in your mind firmly believing that it is happening now at this moment.

Gently deepening your inhale,

Becoming aware of effects of practice so far,

Tune into any physical sensations,

Energy movements.

Inhaling deeply becoming aware that you have been practicing yoga nidra,

The practice is coming to close,

Gently deepening your inhale,

Become aware of clothes on your body,

Become aware of sensation of touch.

Inhaling deeply become aware of your surroundings,

Become aware of sounds around you,

Become aware of the room you are in.

With your next inhale gently begin bringing movements back in your body by wiggling your toes,

Your fingers,

Gradually increasing these movements,

Maybe rocking your head from side to side and whenever you are ready taking a nice stretch if you want to,

So doing whatever you want to bring yourself back in the room.

And if you are comfortable maybe turning on your favorite side,

Staying there for few moments,

Stay with the stillness for next few moments.

And whenever you feel like gently come up to sitting,

No hurry take your time.

The practice of yoga nidra is complete.

Namaste.