Yoga Nidra Complete Practice
Yoga Nidra is a systematic method for deep relaxation and healing. The entire meditation is done lying down on the back. Have any props such as a blanket, bolster, or eye pillow nearby. This mediation explores various sensory perceptions throughout the physical and subtle body. Set your space, and treat yourself to this guided journey.
Transcript
Welcome to your practice of Yoga Nidra.
Take a moment to set your space.
Silence all devices,
Make sure that the room temperature is comfortable,
And gather any props you may need such as a blanket,
Bolster,
Or eye pillow.
Feel free to pause this recording to set yourself up.
To begin,
Please lie down on your back and support yourself with any props you like.
It can be nice to place a bolster under the back of your knees or a blanket under your head for support.
Cover the eyes with an eye pillow or a soft scarf.
Slightly tuck your chin to lengthen the back of your neck and relax the weight of your head down into the support.
With your arms resting at your sides,
Turn your palms to face up.
Allow the feet and legs to rest apart at a comfortable distance and make any other adjustments with your body or clothing so that you can completely let go into this position.
Yoga Nidra is a systematic method for deep relaxation and healing.
We are going on a journey of sensory exploration and inner reflection.
Acknowledge to yourself that you are carving this time out for you and allow whatever may be pending or on your mind to be just as it is for right now.
Keep in mind that this is your practice and the instructions are only suggestions designed to help guide you through your experience.
Feel free to embrace or disregard any of the instructions as you see fit.
Making any last adjustments to your body,
Begin to settle into a relative stillness for the duration of the meditation.
And while it is natural to fall in and out of wakeful consciousness,
Do your best to remain awake.
We are gently inviting the body to sleep while the mind remains alert.
Bringing your awareness fully into your body,
Get a sense for how you feel physically.
Notice any sensations that are present.
Without changing it in any way,
Notice your natural breath as it flows in and out of your body.
Get a felt sense for your level of energy in this moment.
Notice your more subtle layers of mind and emotion.
Without getting caught up in the content of your mind,
Simply observe.
Are there any thoughts or feelings present?
Lastly,
Can you notice the part of you that is observing the other parts?
The witness or observer to your experience.
From this place,
Gently exhale all of the air out of your body.
Then draw in a long,
Smooth,
Deep breath in through your nose.
And let it out very slowly through the mouth.
And again,
Drawing in a long,
Smooth,
Deep,
Easy breath.
And letting it go out through your mouth.
One more time,
Taking in a nice big inhale.
And releasing.
All the way out.
Now,
Letting the effort of your breath go,
Bring to mind an intention you have for your life.
Perhaps for peace of mind,
Healing,
A quality that you would like to cultivate,
Or for something else.
As you reflect on your intention,
Consider what is your heart's deepest desire?
What is something that you would like to manifest for yourself?
Letting go of the analytical mind,
Letting go of what we may think we should want,
Or what our culture tells us we should want,
See if you can feel into what is really important to you now.
Then,
Form a short,
Positive,
One sentence statement in the present tense,
As though it is true in this moment.
For example,
My body is healthy and whole.
I am well.
Or,
I am secure and at ease in who I am.
Or,
I trust the process of life.
It is important that your intention is authentic to you,
So take a moment to create an intention that is relevant to your life today.
Create a one sentence statement that is positive and in the present tense,
Imagining that it is true right here and right now.
Now,
Silently affirm your intention to yourself three times while feeling into the realization of that desire.
Letting your intention go,
We will now begin a journey of sensory exploration.
As we guide your awareness throughout your body,
Without any movement,
Notice any sensations that you can perceive.
Listen to the sound of my voice and welcome anything that arises in your awareness as a messenger to your inner exploration.
Do your best to remain still,
Yet awake and aware.
Bring your awareness to your left palm.
Notice sensation or tingling in the palm of your left hand.
Your left thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
And pinky finger.
Palm of the hand,
Back of the hand.
Your left wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
And shoulder.
Your entire left arm,
Hand and fingers,
Alive with sensation.
Become aware of the left side of your chest,
The left side of your ribs,
And your left waistline.
Your left hip,
Thigh,
Knee,
And lower leg.
Become aware of your left ankle,
Sole of the foot,
Top of the foot,
And toes.
Left big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
And fifth toe.
Your entire left leg,
Foot,
And toes,
Alive with sensation.
Gently guide your awareness to your right hand palm.
Notice sensation or tingling in your right palm.
Your right hand thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
And pinky finger.
Palm of the hand,
Back of the hand,
Your right wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
And shoulder.
Your entire right arm,
Hand and fingers,
Alive with sensation.
The right side of your chest,
The right side of your ribs,
And your right waistline.
Your right hip,
Thigh,
Knee,
And lower leg.
Become aware of your right ankle,
Sole of the foot,
Top of the foot,
And toes.
Right big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
And fifth toe.
Your entire right leg,
Foot,
And toes,
Alive with sensation.
Back of the body,
Right heel,
Left heel,
Right calf,
Left calf,
Right hamstring,
Left hamstring,
Right glute,
Left glute.
Lower back,
Middle back,
Upper back,
Your entire spine.
Right shoulder blade,
Left shoulder blade,
Back of the neck,
Back of the head,
Top of the head.
With awareness at the crown of your head,
Relax the scalp,
Forehead,
Right temple,
Left temple,
Right eyebrow,
Left eyebrow,
The eyebrow center point.
Right eye and eyelid,
Left eye and eyelid.
Awareness of both eyes at the same time.
Right ear,
Left ear,
Both ears at the same time.
Right side of face,
Left side of face,
Nose,
Right nostril,
Left nostril,
The sensation of air in both nostrils.
Upper lip,
Lower lip,
Both lips together,
Space inside the mouth,
Upper row of teeth and gums,
Lower row of teeth and gums.
Tongue,
Throat,
Jaw,
Front of the neck,
Center of the chest,
Center of the belly,
Pelvis,
Pelvic floor.
Right leg,
Left leg,
Both legs at the same time.
Right arm,
Left arm,
Both arms at the same time.
Right side of the body,
Left side of the body,
Face,
Your entire body.
Awareness of your entire body alive with sensation.
Sensing feelings within the body.
Find an area of the body that feels warm.
Allow yourself to feel the sensation of warmth more deeply in that area.
Now locate an area of the body that feels cool.
Allow yourself to feel the sensation of coolness more deeply in that area of the body.
See if you can feel warmth and coolness at the same time.
Feel into a sensation of heaviness.
The limbs and torso,
Heavy,
As though your body is merging with the ground.
Feel into a sensation of lightness.
The limbs and torso light,
As though you could float up and away from the floor.
See if you can feel heaviness and lightness simultaneously.
Observe how these feelings and all other sense perceptions arise and fall in and out of awareness.
Sensing now the solidity of your bones deep within the body.
Feel depth and density.
Feel the soft suppleness of your skin.
The superficial outermost layer of your body.
Feel density and suppleness at the same time.
Become aware of the sensation of air in the nostrils.
Observe the natural breath as it flows in and out of your body.
Without changing the breath in any way,
Feel the breath as it flows in and out.
Counting the breath down backwards from 11 to 0,
Like this.
10.
Breathing in.
Feel the breath flow in.
10.
Breathing out.
Feel the breath flow out.
And so on until you get to zero.
If you lose count or finish,
Simply begin again counting the breath down backwards from 11 to 0.
10.
Breathing in.
Feel the breath flow out.
10.
Breathing in.
Feel the breath flow out.
Letting go of counting.
Bring your awareness to the base of your spine and legs.
Visualize a deep red.
Welcome the feeling of safety and sense of being secure.
Now move your awareness to the space below your navel.
Visualize a vibrant orange.
Welcome the feeling of fluidity and willingness to feel deeply.
Moving awareness up to the solar plexus,
Center of the belly.
Visualize a bright yellow.
Welcome the feeling of confidence and positive sense of self.
Bring your awareness to your heart center.
Visualize a radiant green.
Welcome the feeling of love and compassion toward yourself and others.
Center of the throat,
Harmonious blue.
Welcoming authentic expression,
Truth,
And capacity to listen fully.
Third eye,
Center of the forehead,
Vivid indigo.
Clarity of mind,
Inner vision,
Openness to insight.
Crown of the head,
Crystal clear light.
Welcome a sense of interconnectedness,
Universal consciousness,
Unity with all life.
Bring to mind an experience you've had of feeling a sense of wonder or inspiration.
Perhaps a personal discovery,
A particular work of art,
Or an experience in nature.
Notice where in your body you feel wonder or inspiration.
If it's helpful,
Explore the opposite feeling.
In a spirit of openness and curiosity,
Sense what it's like to feel disinterested or bored.
Notice where you feel disinterest or boredom in your body.
See if you can sense both emotions at the same time.
Inspired,
Disinterested,
Then both simultaneously.
Observe how these emotional states and all other sense perceptions arise and fall in and out of awareness.
Next,
Bring to mind an experience you've had of feeling empowered and expansive.
Perhaps a proud moment or success in your life.
Notice where in your body you can sense or experience feeling empowered.
If it's helpful,
Welcome the opposite feeling.
In a spirit of openness and curiosity,
Sense what it's like to feel disempowered or withdrawn.
Notice where you can sense or experience feeling disempowered in your body.
See if you can sense both emotions at the same time.
Empowered,
Disempowered,
Then both.
Observe how these emotional states and all other sense perceptions arise and fall in and out of awareness.
Welcome a feeling of fear or uncertainty.
Notice any thoughts or images that are associated with fear that arise in awareness.
Where in your body do you experience the sensation of fear?
Welcome a feeling of faith or courage that gives you a sense of security and feeling of safety.
Observe any thoughts or images that are associated with feeling safe and secure.
Where do you feel faith or courage in your body?
Can you feel fear and faith at the same time?
Guiding awareness now to the screen of the mind perceived behind the closed eyes.
Visualize the planet Earth,
Ocean waves,
A bountiful garden,
A campfire,
Wind blowing through the trees,
The night's sky,
A wisdom figure,
Power animal,
A pathway,
Journey inward,
Through a meadow,
Near flowing waters,
Safe and secure,
Taking in the sounds of birds and wildlife,
The vibrant colors of nature lit by the moon,
The fresh fragrance of plants thriving,
The touch of air on your skin,
And a palpable feeling of life energy around and within you,
Circulating throughout your whole self,
Interconnected,
Sense of oneness,
Everywhere and nowhere,
Spacious awareness,
Spacious awareness.
In this place of spacious awareness,
Call to mind the intention you set for yourself at the beginning of the practice,
Your heart's deepest desire.
Silently affirm your intention to yourself in the present tense three times while feeling into the realization of that desire as though it is true right here and right now.
Very good.
Spacious awareness,
Witnessing consciousness,
Observe thoughts and feelings,
Your breath and the energy of your body,
Sense your physical body lying on the ground,
Visualize the space that you're in,
And know that you have been practicing yoga nidra and the practice is now complete.
Very gently begin to deepen the breath,
Awaken movement in your fingers and toes,
Circle your wrists and ankles,
And with a nice big inhale,
Reach your arms overhead behind you,
And as you exhale,
Stretch out your whole body.
Taking your time,
Roll onto your side and pause for a moment to notice how you feel.
As you're ready,
Press yourself up to a comfortable seat,
Sitting nice and tall and at ease.
Notice how you feel.
Acknowledge yourself for taking the time to practice today.
Thank you.
