Sankalpa Yoga Nidra

A guided journey recorded in Bali, designed to support you in placing a seed intention into your subconscious. Create your 5-8 word sankalpa (heartfelt intention) prior to starting. This practice will help you deeply relax and, with repetition (40 days in a row is recommended), can help you create your heartfelt desire. The rest you get in this practice is equivalent to approximately 4 hours of sleep. It activates your parasympathetic nervous system and will help you deeply relax, yet wake up refreshed.

Appropriate at any time of day and perfect for beginners. Enjoy!

Transcript

Welcome to the practice of Yoga Nidra.

Welcome home.

This recording is being brought to you from the Les Valley in Bali,

A lush jungle,

Fertile with life and prana,

With a big abundant waterfall and spring water flowing through the land.

So allow yourself to settle in,

Imagining that you're here in Bali,

In Les Valley.

And by the time we're done with this practice,

You will see your body lit up like a starry night sky.

If you tend to fall asleep during Yoga Nidra,

I invite you to place your elbow on the earth next to you with one hand up into the air so that if you start to fall asleep,

When that hand falls,

It will wake you up and keep you in the Nidra state,

Which is the sweet spot between waking and sleeping.

And this is where we get to access our subconscious.

And this practice will also nourish you with deep,

Deep rest.

It's said that 30 minutes of Yoga Nidra is equal to about four hours of sleep.

So enjoy the practice,

Devote yourself to it,

And be here fully.

The first part of the practice is to get comfortable.

Lie down on your back or your side if you're pregnant or if you prefer laying on your side for some reason.

Take time to arrange your body so that you feel you are well supported.

Place cushions and pillows under your head and wherever else suits you so that you can feel absolutely at ease.

Having support underneath the knees can really help to let the lower back settle well.

Bear in mind that temperature may drop,

Body temperature may drop during the practice.

So if you feel the need,

Cover yourself with a blanket or sarong or put on socks or a sweater to keep warm.

You may like to use an eye mask or a scarf over your eyes to block out the light.

When you feel you're able to rest comfortably,

Settle into your chosen position and allow the body to become still,

Knowing that there is no need for any further physical movement during this practice.

Experience the state of zero desire for movement.

If that state is not present,

Then make whatever adjustments are necessary so that you feel super comfortable.

The ideal state for the physical body during yoga nidra is zero desire for movement.

If the desire to move does arise during the practice,

Simply watch it.

It will probably go away and you can remain still.

If the desire to move returns,

That may be a signal that you do actually need to move.

So do so with awareness and with the intention to regain comfort and stillness,

Returning to the state of zero desire for movement.

Now become aware very precisely of the position in which you are lying.

Know the shape and the posture of the body.

Know the shape and arrangement of the room.

Feel the points of contact between the side of the back of the body and the floor.

Be aware now of the gentle rhythm of the natural breath.

Feel the breath coming in and the breath going out.

If the breath moves freely and easily through the nostrils,

Breathe that way.

If it's more comfortable to exhale through the mouth,

Then do that.

Let whichever is the most comfortable and easy way of breathing arise naturally.

Allow the outgoing breath to release the weight of the body down into the support of the earth beneath.

With every exhalation now consciously transfer the weight of the body down through its points of contact with the floor into the support of the floor beneath.

Every exhalation is a letting go as if you could give away the whole weight of the body.

Be with the gentle rhythm of the natural easy breath.

Allow the body to settle deeper into stillness with every outgoing breath.

You are in the lap of Mother Earth.

Let her carry your weight.

Now take a moment to observe the stillness and quietness of the body.

As the body comes into a state of deepening stillness,

Allow for the breath to become more spacious and free.

Listen to the sounds of the breath.

Hear all the other sounds that are audible right now.

Now let the focus rest with the intimate sound of the breath coming in and going out,

The sound closest to you.

Feel the stillness of the body and the spaciousness of the breath.

Know that your practice of Yoga Nidra is held safely in a place of protection and security.

Know that the boundaries of the practice are secure and as you enter into the state of consciousness which is Yoga Nidra,

You are held safely within this protected space.

Invite now the mind to follow the example of the body and the breath to become stiller and quieter.

Invite the mind to create a single form of consciousness.

Allow that form of awareness simply to be,

I am practicing Yoga Nidra.

I am practicing Yoga Nidra.

I am practicing Yoga Nidra.

Let that be the form of consciousness for the rest of the practice of Yoga Nidra.

And now allow the focus of the mind to accompany the breath.

On the next exhalation,

Breathe down as if the breath could enter into the space of the heart.

Feel as if the heart herself is breathing.

Evoke there in the heart a feeling of thankfulness,

A sense of gladness simply for the opportunity to practice Yoga Nidra.

Feel this gladness as a gentle warmth that radiates from the heart.

Breathe into this warmth and be thankful for the opportunity to practice Yoga Nidra.

As the mind enters the heart,

Hear the breath of the heart as if it were the voice of the heart's own wisdom.

Now it's time to plant your seed of intention deep into your heart.

Recall your Sankalpa and repeat it silently three times in present tense as if it's already happened.

This is now like a seed that has been planted in the fertile soil of gladness and thankfulness.

It is surely already growing and thriving,

Manifesting in your life.

And now take the attention back to the physical body and prepare to guide the mind around the body as if the light of the mind's attention comes to shine on each part of the body in turn.

While the mind travels freely following the instructions,

The physical body remains motionless and takes deep rest.

Allow the light of the mind's attention to take the form of bright little stars.

As consciousness travels to each part of the body that is named,

Place a star on that part of the body,

Leaving it to twinkle there.

It is as if the whole body begins as a dark night sky and as the mind travels around it,

Bringing bright starlight to each part,

The body is illuminated like a great constellation of stars in the sky.

Bring the awareness to the tip of the tongue and shine a bright star at that point.

Then place twinkling stars on the floor of the mouth,

The roof of the mouth,

The upper teeth and gums,

The lower teeth and gums,

The inside of the right cheek,

The inside of the left cheek.

Move the awareness to the inner part of the right ear and shine bright stars all the way through and around the ear,

Right through to the outer part of the right ear,

The lobe of the ear,

The shell of the right ear,

The whole of the right ear.

Move the awareness to the inner part of the left ear and shine bright stars all the way through and around the ear,

Through to the outer part of the left ear,

The lobe of the left ear,

The shell of the left ear,

The whole of the left ear.

Feel both ears twinkling with the starlight of conscious awareness.

Then shine a bright star on the back of the head in the place between the two ears.

Shine a bright star on the back of the top of the head and have a star twinkling on the very top of the head.

A bright star on the crown of the head.

Then place a twinkling star at the right temple,

Left temple and the forehead.

A star on the right eye and one on the left eye.

Stars at the right eyebrow,

Left eyebrow,

Eyebrow center,

The right cheek,

Left cheek,

The nose.

Shine a bright star on the right nostril,

Left nostril.

Let there be a star at the bridge of the nose and a star at the tip of the nose.

Move the awareness down to shine a star on the upper lip,

Lower lip,

The chin and all along the jawline.

Be aware of the whole head.

Feel the whole head twinkling with tiny stars,

The light of conscious awareness.

Move the awareness to the neck and the throat.

Shine a star on the right collarbone,

On the left collarbone and one twinkling in the place between the two collarbones.

Then move the awareness to shine stars on the right shoulder and armpit,

The right upper arm,

Elbow and forearm,

Wrist back,

Back of the right hand and palm of the right hand.

Take the awareness to the right hand thumb and shine a little star there and each one twinkling on the index finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger and little finger.

Be aware of the whole of the right hand twinkling with the starlight of conscious awareness.

Now carry the attention back up the right arm and across over to the left side.

Shine stars on the left shoulder and armpit,

The left upper arm,

Elbow and forearm,

Left wrist,

Back of the left hand and palm of the left hand.

Take the awareness to the left hand thumb and shine a little star there and each one twinkling on the second finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger and little finger.

Be aware of the whole of the left hand twinkling with the starlight of conscious awareness.

Now carry the awareness to the center of the chest.

Place little stars twinkling now along the length of the breastbone into the right side ribs,

Left side and ribs.

Shine a star in the middle of the right shoulder blade and the left shoulder blade and a star twinkling in the space between the two shoulder blades.

Stars in the back of the waist and the right side of the waist,

Left side of the waist.

Stars twinkling in the lower back and on the right side of the pelvis and the left side of the pelvis.

A star shining in the right buttock and the left buttock.

A bright star at the navel and a star at the pubic bones.

Now take the attention to the right groin and shine stars there and on top of the right thigh and back of the right thigh.

A star twinkles at the kneecap and in the back of the knee,

Calf,

Shin,

Ankle,

Heel.

Shine stars along the sole of the right foot,

The top of the right foot.

Five little stars are twinkling,

One each on the right big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

Fifth toe.

The whole of the right foot and leg are twinkling with the starlight of conscious awareness.

Now take the attention to the left groin and shine stars there and on the top of the left thigh,

Back of the left thigh.

A star twinkles at the kneecap and in the back of the knee,

Calf,

Shin,

Ankle,

Heel.

Shine stars along the sole of the left foot,

The top of the left foot.

Five little stars are twinkling,

One each on the left big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

Fifth toe.

The whole of the left foot and leg are twinkling with the starlight of conscious awareness.

Be aware now of the whole body.

Be aware of the whole body.

Be aware of the stars twinkling now along the whole of the right side,

Foot and leg,

Arm and hand,

The whole of the right side,

Twinkling with the light of conscious awareness.

Be aware of the stars twinkling now along the whole of the left side,

Foot and leg,

Arm and hand,

The whole of the left side.

Both sides together.

Bring the light of the mind's attention to shine now inside the body,

Up into the womb or the womb space.

Let the light here shine in the form of a little moon,

A moon inside you.

See the light of the inner moon shining.

See all the little stars twinkling now in the constellation of the whole body.

Bring the light of the mental awareness to the whole of the right arm and hand.

And now take the awareness to the whole of the left arm and hand.

Now be aware of both arms and hands together.

And now take the awareness to the whole of the right leg and foot.

And now take the awareness to the whole of the left leg and foot.

And now be aware of both legs and feet together.

Be aware now of both arms and both legs together.

See the starlight twinkling through the whole of the right side,

The whole of the left side,

Both sides together.

Be aware of starlight twinkling in the whole of the head and the moonlight shining in the pelvis.

And now be aware of the whole body,

Like a constellation of tiny stars shining.

Be aware of the whole body,

Like the night sky,

Twinkling with the lights of conscious awareness.

Feel the whole of the physical body resting on the floor.

Remain alert and attentive to the practice.

I am practicing Yoga Nidra.

Let that be the form of awareness.

And now as the breath goes out,

Experience a sensation of extreme heaviness.

Feel that the body is so heavy that the bones might settle right down into the earth.

So heavy.

So heavy.

And as the breath comes in,

Experience a sensation of lightness.

As if the body was so light that it might even float up like a puff of smoke,

Moving up into the sky.

So light.

Almost weightless.

As the breath moves,

Alternate between these two sensations.

Heaviness on the exhalation and lightness on the inhalation.

Exhaling heavy,

Inhaling light.

At a certain point now,

Stop alternating between the two extreme sensations and invite both to be held simultaneously in the witness consciousness.

Be aware of heavy and light at the same time,

Together.

And now let go of this practice and simply become aware of the natural weight,

Shape and form.

Of the physical body as it rests on the floor.

Feel the whole of the physical body resting on the floor.

And now as the breath goes out,

Allow for the light of the mind's attention to focus entirely on a single point in the center of the heart.

Like a little point of light is there.

On the exhale,

Gather the attention further and further inwards to rest at this single point of focus.

A tiny point of light in the center of the heart.

And as the breath comes in,

Experience a sensation of expansion.

As if that tiny point of light were radiating outwards through the whole body and beyond.

On the inhale,

Carry the light out into an expanding field of spacious awareness radiating from the heart.

As the breath moves,

Alternate between these two experiences.

Inward gathering and focus on the exhalation and outward expansion and radiance on the inhalation.

Exhaling into the single point of the heart and inhaling outwards to expand the light.

At a certain point now,

Stop alternating between these two extremes and invite both to be held simultaneously in the witness consciousness.

Be aware of the single point and expanded awareness at the same time together.

And now,

Let go of this practice and simply become aware of the natural boundaries,

Shape and form of the physical body as it rests on the floor.

And then,

Just notice the body breathing.

Be aware of the breath entering and leaving.

It is as if the body is being breathed.

There is no effort involved.

The breath is simply coming in and going out as if the body and the breath were very old friends.

And the breath simply lets itself in and out of the body with no formality.

It just comes and goes.

Be aware of the body being breathed.

Let the focus of the mind's attention rest with each breath.

Count these breaths starting with the next exhale.

Let that be number nine.

And then count on down to zero.

If the count goes astray,

It doesn't matter.

Simply begin counting again.

The point of the counting is to keep the mind attentive to each breath.

And now,

Leave off the counting.

Direct the whole of the focus of mental attention back into the space of the heart on the next exhale.

Hear the heart's breath and know that it carries the voice of the heart's guidance.

Listen now to the guidance of the heart's wisdom or hear the words of your own sankalpa,

Your positive affirmation or resolve.

Hear it repeated again over three times in the present tense as if it has already happened.

Nurture the seed of the resolution that you planted at the beginning of the practice.

Know that the sankalpa grows and flourishes now in your life.

Feel how it is actually to inhabit the reality of this resolution.

Experience the feeling of embodying the reality of the heart's guidance,

Of living the sankalpa now.

Remind yourself of the form of awareness that has been present throughout the practice.

I have been practicing Yoga Nidra.

I have been practicing Yoga Nidra.

I have been practicing Yoga Nidra.

Know also that the practice of Yoga Nidra has been held safely around you in a place of protection and security.

Know that the protective nurturing that has held the boundaries of this practice of Yoga Nidra continue to surround and protect you as you come forward towards the end of this practice of Yoga Nidra.

Be aware that the protection and the blessings of the practice of Yoga Nidra come now out with you into your everyday life.

Once again,

Direct the attention to the rise and fall of the natural breath.

Allow the breath to become a little deeper,

A little noisier,

So that you can hear the sound of your own breath entering and leaving your body.

Listen to the sound of your own breath.

Feel your body moving with each inhalation and exhalation.

Sense now that each inhalation is a waking breath,

Bringing vitality and strength to the body.

With each inhalation,

Feel the body returning to a waking state,

Full of energy and life.

Be aware now that the body is refreshed.

The mind is wide awake.

Begin to make tiny movements.

Touch the tip of each of your fingers and turn with the tip of the thumb.

Stretch out the fingers and wriggle them.

Wriggle the toes.

Turn the wrists and ankles.

Stretch and release through the muscles of the arms.

Stretch and release through the muscles of the legs.

Turn your head gently and slowly,

Side to side.

Bring your head back to center and take a long,

Comfortable stretch through the whole body in whichever way pleases you most.

Then roll over to the side and pause,

Resting and getting ready to sit up.

Wide awake.

Wide awake.

Wide awake.

The practice of Yoga Nidra is now complete.

When you feel ready,

Slowly ease yourself into a sitting position and open your eyes.

Reviews

Beautiful… much love and gratitude for this practice 🙏🏼🤍