Yoga Nidra With Visualization
by Maja Mika
Yoga Nidra takes us effortlessly into a state of harmonious, restful being. From here, we can be healed, restored and awakened to our deepest, all-knowing, all-welcoming self. It’s a sublime practice, gaining popularity the world over, and ongoing research continues to prove its effectiveness. Find a quiet place in your house, light a candle and grab a warm blanket.
Transcript
Please get ready for yoga nidra.
Lie down on your back on the floor and adopt the pose called Shivasana.
In this pose the body should be straight from head to toe,
The legs slightly apart and the arms a little away from the body with the palms of the hands turned upwards.
Adjust everything,
Your body position and close until you are completely comfortable.
During yoga nidra there should be no physical movement.
Close your eyes and keep them closed until you are asked to open them.
Take a deep breath and as you breathe out feel the cares and worries of the day flow out of you.
And in the practice which follows you are going to develop the feeling of relaxation in the body.
It is not necessary to make movements or deliberately relax your muscles.
It's a little bit like the feeling you have just before falling asleep.
When relaxation becomes deep,
Sleep does come but you should try to keep yourself completely awake in this practice.
So make a resolution to yourself now that I will not sleep.
I will remain awake throughout practice.
During yoga nidra you are functioning on the levels of hearing and awareness and the only important thing is to follow my voice.
Try not to analyze what I say,
Just simply follow my voice with total attention and feeling.
And if thoughts come to disturb you from time to time,
Do not worry,
Just continue the practice.
So allow yourself to become calm and steady.
Now bring the feeling of inner relaxation into the whole body.
Concentrate on the body and become aware of the importance of complete stillness.
Develop your awareness of the body from the top of the head to the tips of the toes and mentally repeat the mantra OM Complete stillness and complete awareness of the whole body and again mentally chanting OM.
Continue your awareness of the whole body,
The whole body,
The whole.
Become aware of the fact that you are going to practice yoga nidra.
Say mentally to yourself I am aware I am going to practice yoga nidra.
The practice of yoga nidra now begins and at this moment you should make your resolve,
You set your intention.
The resolve is very simple and try to discover one naturally.
A short positive statement in simple language stated three times with awareness,
Feeling and emphasis.
The resolve you make during yoga nidra is bound to come true in your life.
We now begin rotation of consciousness,
Rotation of awareness by taking a trip through the different parts of the body.
We will move from part to part and you will become aware of that part of the body.
Keep yourself alert but do not concentrate too intensely.
Become aware of the right hand,
Right hand thumb,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Fourth finger,
Fifth finger,
Palm of the hand.
Become aware of your palm,
Back of the hand,
The wrist,
The lower arm,
The elbow,
The upper arm,
The shoulder,
The armpit,
The right side of your waist,
The right hip,
The right thigh,
The kneecap,
The calf muscle,
The ankle,
The heel,
The sole of the right foot,
The top of the foot,
The big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe.
Become aware of the left hand thumb,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Fourth finger,
Fifth finger,
Palm of the hand,
Back of the hand,
The wrist,
The lower arm,
The elbow,
The upper arm,
The shoulder,
The armpit,
The left side of your waist,
The left hip,
The left thigh,
The kneecap,
The calf muscle,
The ankle,
The heel,
The sole of the left foot,
The top of the foot,
The big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe.
Now to the back.
Become aware of the right shoulder blade,
The left shoulder blade,
The right buttock,
The left buttock,
The spine,
The whole back together.
Now go to the top of the head,
The top of the head,
The forehead,
Both sides of the head,
The right eyebrow,
The left eyebrow,
The space between the eyebrows,
The right eyelid,
The left eyelid,
The right eye,
The left eye,
The right ear,
The left ear,
The right cheek,
The left cheek,
The nose,
The tip of the nose,
The upper lip,
The lower lip,
The chin,
The throat,
The right chest,
The left chest,
The middle of the chest,
The navel,
The belly,
The whole of the right leg,
The whole of the left,
Both legs together,
The whole of the right arm,
The whole of the left arm,
Both arms together,
The whole of the back buttocks,
Spine,
Shoulder blades,
The whole of the front abdomen,
Chest,
The whole of the back and front together,
The whole of the head,
The whole body together,
The whole body together,
The whole body together.
Please do not sleep.
Total awareness,
No movement,
The whole body lying perfectly still.
Visualise this image in your mind.
See your body lying perfectly still.
Become aware of your breath.
Feel the flow of your breath in and out.
Do not try to change the rhythm.
The breathing is natural,
Automatic.
There is no effort.
Maintain awareness of your breath.
Complete awareness of breath.
Now concentrate your awareness on the movement of your navel area.
Concentrate on your navel movements.
Your navel is rising and falling slightly with every breath.
With each and every breath it expands and contracts.
Concentrate on this movement in synchronisation with your breath.
The rise and the fall of your navel.
Concentrate on this movement.
Now begin counting your breaths backwards from 27 to 1.
Like this.
27,
Belly rising.
27,
Belly falling.
26,
Belly rising.
26,
Belly falling.
Say the words and numbers mentally to yourself as you count your breaths.
Be sure that you do not make a mistake.
If you do,
Go back to 27 and start again with total awareness that you are counting.
Start counting from 27 to 1.
Keep on with the practice.
No mistakes.
Now stop your counting of the belly breath and shift your awareness to the chest.
Please shift your awareness to the chest.
Your chest is rising and falling slightly with each and every breath.
Become aware of this.
Continue concentrating on the movement of the chest and start counting backwards from 27 to 1 in the same way as before.
Again,
Repeat the words and numbers mentally to yourself as you count.
No mistakes.
If you make a mistake,
Go back to 27.
Keep on counting with awareness.
Awareness and counting.
Now stop counting and go to the nostrils.
Become aware of the breath moving in and out of the nostrils.
Concentrate on the movement of the breath in and out of the nostrils and start counting as before.
27,
Breathing in.
27,
Breathing out.
Complete awareness.
Now stop your counting and leave your breathing.
We now come to visualization.
A number of different things will be named and you should try to develop a vision of them on all levels.
Feeling,
Awareness,
Emotion,
Imagination as best you can.
Burning candle.
Burning candle.
Endless desert.
Endless desert.
Egyptian pyramid.
Egyptian pyramid.
Heavy rain.
Heavy rain.
Snow-capped mountains.
Snow-capped mountains.
Greek temple at sunrise.
Greek temple at sunrise.
Birds flying across a sunset.
Birds flying across a sunset.
A clear blue sky.
A clear blue sky.
A green forest.
A green forest.
A waterfall.
A waterfall.
Stars at night.
Stars at night.
Full moon.
Full moon.
A single boat in the sea.
A single boat in the sea.
A jumping dolphin.
A jumping dolphin.
Wind from the sea.
Wind from the sea.
Waves breaking on a deserted beach.
Waves breaking on a deserted beach.
Eternal restless sea.
Eternal restless sea.
Now it's time to repeat your resolve.
Repeat the same resolve that you made at the beginning of the practice.
Repeat the resolve three times with full awareness and feeling.
Now draw your mind outside and become aware of your breath.
The natural flow of your breath.
Become aware of the whole body and aware of your breath.
Your body is lying totally relaxed and you are breathing slowly.
Become aware of the ground and the position of your body lying on the ground.
Visualise the room around you.
Visualise yourself and become aware of your surroundings.
You may begin to slowly move your body,
Stretching.
Please take your time.
Do not hurry.
And if you are sure that you are completely awake,
You can begin to slowly sit up.
And slowly,
When you feel ready,
You may open your eyes.
The practice of Yoga Nidra is now complete.
