Imagine the yoga nidra experience as a journey that travels from the most outward experience closer to the body,
Then inside,
And ultimately so far inside that the outer senses are being turned down.
After our preparation and relaxation phases,
I will ask you to repeat an intention three times in your mind.
If it helps,
You may pause here to create your intention so you are prepared.
Get ready for yoga nidra,
The yogic sleep.
Yoga nidra is a special form of guided meditation.
Please lay down in shavasana,
Corpse pose.
This is a pose in which you won't move.
Your legs are stretched out and slightly apart,
Your arms on the side of your body,
Palms facing down.
Find a comfortable position,
Fix your clothes.
If you have a tight belt,
You may loosen it.
And just relax.
Yoga nidra is about hearing and feeling.
That is all that matters.
When you are sleeping and dreaming,
You have no control.
In yoga nidra,
You are in complete control and create your dream.
Say to yourself silently in your head,
I will not sleep.
I will now practice yoga nidra.
Take a deep breath in,
And as you do so,
Feel calmness spreading throughout your body.
As you breathe out,
Say mentally to yourself,
Relax.
Now,
Listen to the most distant sounds.
Don't try to identify them.
Just imagine they are music.
Move your attention from sound to sound.
Slowly bring your attention to sounds that are closer to you.
Is there something just outside of the room where you are?
Now listen to sounds as close as possible to you.
Now,
Become aware of the room you are in.
Visualize yourself laying in this room.
See your body perfectly still in shavasana pose.
Where does your body meet the ground?
Become completely aware of all of these points.
Pay attention to your natural breath.
Don't change it at all.
Just observe it.
As it goes into your body and out.
Don't concentrate on it.
Just be aware of it.
Just keep listening to me,
To my voice,
And be aware that you are breathing.
This is all you need to do.
We will now begin the practice of yoga nidra.
Say to yourself,
I will not sleep.
I will now practice yoga nidra.
It is now time to state your intention silently in your mind.
State it three times to yourself and feel that you mean it.
We will now rotate our consciousness.
We will go very quickly.
As I name parts of your body,
Repeat the name of the part of your body in your mind as you briefly become aware of that body part.
We will begin the practice with our right hand.
Right hand thumb.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
Fifth finger.
Palm of the hand.
Back of the hand.
Wrist.
Lower arm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
Armpit.
Waist.
Hip.
Right thigh.
Knee.
Calf.
Ankle.
Heel.
Soul.
Top of the foot.
Right big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
Left hand thumb.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
Fifth finger.
Palm of the hand.
Back of the hand.
Wrist.
Lower arm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
Armpit.
Waist.
It.
Right thigh.
Knee.
Calf muscle.
Ankle.
Heel.
Soul.
Top of the foot.
Left big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe,
Right shoulder,
Left shoulder,
Right shoulder blade,
Left shoulder blade,
Right buttock,
Left buttock,
The spine,
All of the back together,
Top of the head,
Forehead,
Right eyebrow,
Left eyebrow,
Right eyelid,
Left eyelid,
Right eye,
Left eye,
Right ear,
Left ear,
Nose,
Tip of the nose,
Right nostril,
Left nostril,
Upper lip,
Lower lip,
Chin,
Jaw,
Throat,
Right collarbone,
Right chest,
Left chest,
Middle of the chest,
Navel,
Abdomen,
Lower abdomen,
Whole of the right leg,
Whole of the left leg,
Both legs,
Whole of the right arm,
Whole of the left arm,
Both arms together,
Whole of the back,
Whole of the front,
Front,
Head,
Together,
Whole of the body together,
Whole of the body together,
Whole of the body together.
Become aware of the whole body.
Become aware of the space your body is occupying.
Become aware of the whole body.
Become aware of all the space your body is occupying.
Become aware of the whole body and the floor.
At the same time,
Become aware of the meeting points where your body meets the floor.
These are very subtle meeting points between body and floor.
Feel them all.
Can you feel your head on the floor?
Your hands?
Can you feel your heels or calf muscles connected to the floor?
Become aware of all these meeting points simultaneously.
Feel these points distinctly.
Do not fall asleep,
But actively feel these points.
Now focus on the meeting points where your eyelids meet.
Feel the upper and lower eyelids meet.
Switch your attention to your lips.
Can you feel how your lips meet?
Focus on the line between your lips.
From the lips,
We move to our breath.
Become aware of your natural breath going in and out.
Become completely aware of the respiration from navel to throat,
How the breath is moving up and down in your body.
Don't concentrate on it,
Just be aware of it.
Observe the natural flow.
Now silently in your mind,
Begin to count backwards as you breathe.
27 in,
27 out,
26 in,
26 out.
20 in,
20 out.
21 in,
22 out.
22 in,
23 out.
23 in,
24 out.
24 in,
25 out.
25 in,
26 out.
26 in,
26 out.
9 in,
9 out.
8 in,
8 out.
7 in,
7 out.
3 in,
3 out.
2 in,
2 out.
1 in,
1 out.
Now imagine it is freezing cold.
Feel how your body is very,
Very cold.
Imagine you are walking on a very cold floor in the winter.
Feel the cold in your feet.
Now feel heat.
It's a blazing hot summer.
You are sweating.
Imagine yourself walking on hot sand or stone.
Feel yourself getting heavy,
Very heavy.
Your body is sinking into the ground.
Switch to absolute lightness.
You're as light as a feather and the wind can carry you.
You have never felt this light before.
Remember pain,
Physical or emotional.
It hurts.
Remember it.
Switch to pleasure.
Remember the most pleasurable experience you can remember.
It felt so good.
So good.
Imagine in front of you an infinite empty space.
You can project everything into that space.
It's a friendly and warm space.
Don't get entangled with it.
Just watch it.
Observe this infinite space.
You are now walking into a beautiful park.
It is early in the morning before sunrise.
Some birds are singing.
You see amazing trees and it is a very blissful experience.
In some distance,
You see a mystical glow.
As you come closer,
You realize that it is a small temple.
You are walking to this temple and enter inside.
There is a fountain inside.
On the walls,
Pictures of saints.
You sit down on the floor and close your eyes.
Incredible silence and peace fills your every fiber.
This is the most profound peace you have ever felt.
It fills your entire being,
Every cell,
With the deepest peace and joy.
Let us remain for a moment.
We now leave the temple and park.
Become aware of the infinite space in front of you again.
Only be aware.
Don't get attached.
Don't concentrate.
Be aware of colors,
Sensations.
You still radiate peace and tranquility.
Silently in your mind,
Repeat your resolve or your intention again three times.
Become aware of your breathing again.
Now become aware of your body,
The connections to the floor.
Develop complete awareness of the room you are in,
The sounds and your body.
Now become completely external again.
Begin to move your hands,
Arms.
Start moving your legs.
Open your eyes.
Stretch.
Please take your time.
The practice of yoga nidra is now complete.
