Yoga Nidra To Let Go
Inspired by nature and the seasons changing to fall, this guided practice will allow you to connect with the self and to let go of unhelpful beliefs. This practice is inspired by Swami Satyananda Saraswati.
Transcript
Please get ready for yoga nidra.
Go ahead and lay down either on the floor,
On your yoga mat,
On your bed,
Anywhere that you can make yourself comfortable.
Laying down in Shavasana,
Letting the palms of your hands face up towards the ceiling,
And let your feet splay out the sides.
Making any last minute adjustments to make yourself even more comfortable and committing to yourself not to move throughout this practice.
Go ahead,
Close your eyes and take three long,
Deep breaths.
And each time as you exhale,
Feel yourself letting go.
And now become aware of sounds in the distance,
Moving your attention from sound to sound,
Listening only.
Bring your attention closer,
Become aware of sounds in this room.
And develop an awareness of the room that you're in,
The ceiling,
The walls,
And your body lying on the floor.
Visualize your body lying on the floor.
At this moment,
You should set your intention,
Your Samkalpa,
It should be a short,
Positive statement stated in present tense.
Examples are I am compassionate.
I am patient.
Try to discover one naturally.
State your Samkalpa three times mentally,
Stated with feeling and awareness.
We will now begin our rotation of consciousness,
Bringing your awareness to different parts of your body as quickly as possible.
The mind is to jump from point to point.
And you can also envision that part of the body light up in a blue light.
We're going to start on the right side.
Bring your awareness to your right hand thumb.
Second finger.
Third.
Fourth.
Fifth.
Palm of the hand.
Back of the hand.
Wrist.
Lower arm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
Armpit.
Side.
Waist.
Hip.
Hamstring.
Right thigh.
Knee cap.
Calve muscle.
Ankle.
Heel.
Sole.
Top of the right foot.
Right toes.
First.
Second.
Third.
Fourth.
And fifth.
Bring your awareness to your left thumb.
Second finger.
Third.
Fourth.
Fifth.
Palm of the hand.
Back of the hand.
Wrist.
Lower arm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
Armpit.
Side.
Waist.
Hip.
Hamstring.
Left thigh.
Knee cap.
Calve muscle.
Ankle.
Heel.
Sole.
Top of the left foot.
Left toes.
First.
Second.
Third.
Fourth.
And fifth.
Go to the top of the head.
Top of the head.
Forehead.
Right eyebrow.
Left eyebrow.
The space between the eyebrows.
Right eyelid.
Left eyelid.
Right eye.
Left eye.
Right ear.
Left ear.
Right nostril.
Left nostril.
Right cheek.
Left cheek.
Upper lip.
Lower lip.
Chin.
Jaw.
Throat.
Right collarbone.
Left collarbone.
Right chest.
Left chest.
Middle of the chest.
Navel.
Upper abdomen.
Lower abdomen.
Right groin.
Left groin.
Right thigh.
Left thigh.
Right knee.
Left knee.
Right ankle.
Left ankle.
Right toes.
Left toes.
Now go to the back.
Right toes.
Left toes.
Right sole.
Left sole.
Right heel.
Left heel.
Right ankle.
Left ankle.
Right calf muscle.
Left calf muscle.
Back of the right knee.
Back of the left knee.
Back of the right thigh.
Back of the left thigh.
Right buttock.
Left buttock.
Right hip.
Left hip.
Whole spine.
Right shoulder blade.
Left shoulder blade.
Back of the neck.
Back of the head.
Top of the head.
Now the major parts of the body.
Whole of the right leg.
Whole of the left leg.
Both legs together.
Whole of the right arm.
Whole of the left arm.
Both arms together.
Whole of the front together.
The whole body.
The whole body.
Visualize the whole body.
Bring your awareness to your breath and draw your attention to the natural in-breath and out-breath.
Notice the rise and fall of your breath.
Do not force it.
Just be aware.
Maintain your awareness and at the same time start counting your breath backwards as following.
I am breathing in 27.
I am breathing out 27.
I am breathing in 26.
I am breathing out 26.
And so on.
Count to yourself mentally as you follow the rise and fall of your breath from navel to throat and back again.
Breathing is slow and relaxed.
I am breathing in 27.
And go ahead and stop the counting.
And awaken the sensation of cold in your body.
A sensation of cold.
Cold like winter.
Ice.
And awaken the sensation of cold.
Now awaken the sensation of heat in your body.
The sensation of heat.
Hot like the sun.
Like a hot summer day when you're out with no shade.
The sensation of heat.
Now awaken the sensation of a tense body.
Your muscles are feeling tense.
Your mind is racing.
The sensation of tension in your body.
And now awaken the sensation of relaxation in your body.
Complete relaxation where your mind is calm and your body feels heavy and at ease.
Complete relaxation.
Imagine yourself walking along a river.
A cool breeze is brushing against your skin and you're enjoying the cooler temperature as the season is changing.
Aspen trees are majestically lining the path that you are on.
The colors are starting to turn vibrant yellow,
Orange and red.
Fall is approaching.
A shift in season.
A time to reflect.
A time to turn inward.
A time to connect with your inner wisdom.
As you're walking along the river,
You come across a large smooth rock and you sit down and you make yourself comfortable.
You're watching the river flow through the creek and notice how the water is glittering in the reflection of the sun like small diamonds glistening in the sun.
The sound of the flowing river is soothing and a leaf that is moving along the river is catching your eye and you watch it with curiosity and notice how it gets stuck in a swirling pattern.
It swirls a few times before it is released and then continues to move along the river.
You close your eyes.
You reflect on patterns and thoughts in your own life that has a tendency to swirl,
Oftentimes unhelpful.
Sometimes these thought patterns appear automatic and might appear to swirl out of control.
You pause and reflect.
You bring one of these unhelpful beliefs to the surface,
A belief that you're ready to release.
Imagine your thought just like the leaf and release it into the river,
Set it free,
Let it go.
Let it go with the flow of the river washing away.
Watch it flow down the river,
Swirling a few times before it is released and you feel a sense of release,
A sense of relief,
A lightness in your body,
A lightness in your mind.
A cool breeze brush against your skin.
The leaves are moving in the wind.
The water is flowing down the river.
Change of seasons,
New beginnings.
Bring your sankalpa,
Your intention,
And envision it manifesting in your life and repeat it three times with feeling and awareness.
Deepen your breath and become aware of your surroundings.
Become aware of the whole body,
The whole body.
Bring your attention to your natural breath.
Develop awareness of your breath and gradually deepen it,
Make it stronger.
Become aware of your physical existence,
Your state of physical relaxation.
And at the same time,
Your breath is growing stronger.
Take a long,
Slow,
Deep breath in and let it out.
Develop awareness of your body,
Deeply relaxed,
Lying on the floor,
And visualize the surrounding room.
Start making small movements of your body.
Bend your fingers,
Move your toes,
Move your arms and legs,
And keep your eyes closed.
Take a few deep breaths and stretch yourself from your fingertips to your toes.
Take your time.
There is no need to hurry.
Feel free to remain laying down.
Or begin to gradually make yourself up to comfortable seated position.
Rub your hands together,
Feel the heat generate,
And cup your hands over your eyes and then gradually open them.
The practice of Yoga Nidra is now complete.
4.6 (101)
Recent Reviews
Joanne
February 26, 2025
Lovely yoga nidra, thanks 😊
Andi
February 22, 2024
No music. Aspen trees swirling leaves in river. 2/22/24
Phyllis
October 6, 2020
Loved the visualization in this practice. Very helpful. Thank you!
Catherine
November 11, 2019
Thank you🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Denise
November 5, 2019
Susanne, thank you so very much for this beautiful nidra practice.
Kelly
November 1, 2019
Such a nurturing voice. Positive and relaxing, loved it!