Full-Length Yoga Nidra

This practice is 45 minutes, a full-length yoga nidra experience. Be sure to have time after to stay relaxed or go to bed or to have time to fully come back into the world before driving, etc. This meditation is completely guided and meant to take you through your layers, planting your intention, and bringing you back. I hope you enjoy it!

Transcript

So,

We prepare for yoga nidra by settling into shavasana and using a few breaths to allow the body to find comfort,

A place where you feel like your body can continue to relax.

Feel free to use props under the legs,

Under the neck,

The head,

Maybe an eye pillow over the eyes,

A blanket under or over or both.

Feeling cozy,

Comfortable,

And settled.

As you settle into shavasana,

Remember that it is best to remain still during yoga nidra.

However,

Of course,

If you need,

Make adjustments and then try to bring the mind and body right back to the practice.

I will be your guide throughout the practice.

You need to do nothing else.

Some of the practice may really connect and resonate with you and some of it may not.

It's fine and normal,

Just feel free to take what serves you and leave the rest behind.

This practice works to bring you to a state of consciousness where you're not awake and yet not asleep.

There's no right or wrong way to practice.

Let all judgment aside,

Be open to the experience and let the mind focus on the words of the practice and the sound of my voice.

Feeling the body relax and sink into your props and the mats,

We're going to bring our awareness to the breath.

We're not judging the breath,

We're trying to change the breath.

We are just noticing it.

Feel this rhythm that brings us life.

The in and out.

The rise and fall.

Then begin to slow the breath.

Work to send the breath low into the belly,

Feeling the belly fill with air.

With each exhale,

Just to slowly let the breath travel back up and out.

Never forcing the breath,

Just naturally letting it slow and deepen.

Begin to notice the impact as well on the body and the mind of this slow,

Deep breathing.

Notice the impact on the body and mind with this conscious breathing.

As you settle,

Continue to breathe slow,

Continue to breathe deeply,

And begin to allow the mind to think of a wish.

As with the entire practice,

Don't judge what the mind brings forward,

Just notice and observe.

Maybe there are many thoughts or feelings.

Allow them all to come forward in the mind and body and the heart as they consider what your deepest hopes and goals are.

Then begin to narrow in,

Focus on a specific goal.

Formulate the intention or goal into a clear,

Short affirmation.

Something in the present tense and in the positive.

A few examples could be,

I am safe and whole.

Or I am relaxed.

I am free from pain.

I have peace of mind.

Begin to focus in on that intention,

That affirmation,

And begin to repeat your intention to yourself silently with that slow and deep breath.

We will now allow our awareness to travel throughout our body.

Without any physical movement,

We'll simply bring your awareness to each body part as you hear it named.

Be open to any sensation that you feel as we move through the body.

We'll begin with the mouth.

Feel your mouth.

Feel any and all sensation in the mouth.

Feel the jaw,

The lips,

The upper lip,

The lower lip.

Notice anywhere where your lips might touch.

Feel the inside of the mouth,

The roof of your mouth,

Your tongue,

The upper teeth and gums,

The lower teeth and gums.

Notice the sense of taste in the mouth.

Now feel the left inner cheek,

The right inner cheek.

And now feel all the parts together as a whole.

Feel your nose.

Notice its nostrils,

The left nostril,

The right nostril,

Both nostrils.

Notice the sense of smell in the nose.

Notice the breath,

The nasal passages.

Follow those nasal passages all the way back into your head.

Be aware of your ears,

The right ear,

The left ear.

Notice your ears receiving sound.

Feel your ears hearing.

Feel the backs of the ears,

The earlobes,

The ear canals.

Follow the ear canals all the way into the inner ear.

Feel your eyes,

The left eye,

The right eye,

And both eyes together.

Notice the eyelids.

Become aware of each individual eyelash.

Notice where the eyelids touch.

Become aware of the surface of the eyes,

The front of the eyes,

And the backs of the eyes.

Move your awareness to the crown of your head.

And then to your forehead and your face.

Feel your whole head.

Feel the neck.

The back of the neck.

The sides of the neck.

And the base of the throat.

Follow your awareness all the way down the right arm to your right hand.

Notice the palm of your right hand.

The thumb.

The first finger.

Second finger.

Third finger.

And fourth finger.

Feel your whole hand.

Then become aware of the right wrist,

Forearm,

The elbow,

Upper arm,

The whole right shoulder.

Now follow that awareness all the way down the left arm to the left hand.

Notice the palm of your hand.

The thumb.

First finger.

Second finger.

Third finger.

Fourth finger.

Feel your whole hand.

Become aware of your left forearm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

The whole left shoulder.

And notice the base of the throat.

Become aware of the torso,

Your upper chest,

The upper back,

The shoulder blades.

Feel your heart center.

Notice your abdomen,

The ribs.

Feel your belly,

The navel,

The pelvis,

And the hips.

Feel the right hip,

The right thigh,

The right knee,

The lower leg,

The ankle,

The top of the foot,

The sole of the foot,

The toes,

The whole right foot.

Feel again the pelvis and hips.

And then move your awareness to the left hip,

The left thigh,

Knee,

The lower leg,

The ankle,

The top of the foot,

The sole of the foot,

The toes,

The whole foot.

Notice both feet together.

And from the feet,

Move your awareness to your root at the base of the spine,

Your sacral center between the root and the navel,

The solar plexus at the navel,

Your heart center,

The throat,

Your third eye up in between the eyebrows.

And finally,

To the crown of the head.

Feel the back body resting on the earth.

Bring your awareness to the entire back body.

And then feel the front body.

Feel the right side.

And feel your left side.

Feel the midline of the body.

Feel your body as a whole,

Complete entity.

As we begin to notice feelings and emotions within us,

As we dive deeper,

Notice but try not to attach to any feelings or emotions that arise.

Try to be just an observer and feel without questioning or judging.

Allow yourself to awaken in the body the sense of feeling overwhelmed.

As this feeling awakens,

Notice how the body feels.

As you allow yourself to feel in that state of overwhelm,

How does the breathing react?

How does your mind react and feel?

Maybe remember a time when you felt overwhelmed to help you bring back all the sensations related to that experience.

With your next exhale,

Begin to let the sense of stress and overwhelm leave the body.

Begin to use the inhales to breathe in the feeling of being completely carefree.

Breathe in the feeling of having no deadlines,

No stress,

No worries,

No fears.

You are relaxed.

Maybe you begin again to breathe deeply.

Notice how the body feels as you allow yourself to feel totally relaxed and carefree.

Notice how your breath reacts,

How your mind reacts and feels.

Now awaken within the body feelings of heat,

Warmth,

And even of being hot.

Breathe in that feeling of warm summer sun,

Of a sandy beach with no umbrella.

Feel the heat of the sun.

And again,

Notice how the body feels as you allow this heat and warmth to fill you.

Notice the breath.

Notice the mind.

And any thoughts,

Feelings,

Or even colors that arise within you.

With the next exhale,

Begin to let that heat escape.

And begin to breathe in the feelings of cold,

Brisk,

Maybe winter air.

That coldness that strikes your face on winter mornings.

Even the stinging on your cheeks.

Imagine seeing your breath in front of you as the cold surrounds you.

Breathe in that coldness.

And be aware of how the body responds.

How the breathing responds.

How your mind responds.

Imagine the body getting heavy.

Heavier and heavier with each breath.

Feel as if your body is beginning to sink into the floor.

That you couldn't lift your body even if you wanted to.

Feel the legs getting heavy.

The torso heavy.

Now,

Bring forward the opposite sensation with each breath.

Each inhale brings lightness.

Weightlessness.

Each breath releases the weight.

Feel the legs becoming lighter.

The torso becoming lighter.

The arms,

Neck,

And head becoming lighter.

Feel the whole body becoming weightless as if it is lifting off the floor.

I'm turning to the mind fully now.

Allow the mind's eye to bring forth any thoughts,

Feelings,

Memories,

Colors.

Allow the mind to be in control and bring forward and take away anything as quickly as it chooses.

Just enjoy the sensation of observing.

Whatever you are seeing or feeling,

Thinking or noticing.

Allow it to happen.

And enjoy all of what the mind brings forward as if you are watching a movie.

Now,

Remember your heart's longing statement.

Your affirmation or intention.

Begin again to repeat it silently to yourself with each breath.

It is the present truth.

Imagine yourself lying in the room.

See yourself.

Your clothes,

Your hair,

Your body lying on the floor.

Begin to feel yourself lying on the floor.

Feel the back body against the mat.

Feel the heaviness of the arms and legs.

Begin to deepen the breath again.

Becoming consciously aware of the inhale and exhale.

Just start to become aware of those fingers and toes.

Identify them.

Breathe into them.

And then slowly begin to gently wiggle the fingers and toes.

Beginning to bring movement back gently into the body.

And we slowly start to bend the knees.

Drawing those legs and knees into the body.

And gently rocking or rolling onto one side or the other.

Always taking our time as we reawaken the body.

And we'll pause on our side to seal in our practice.

Final few breaths to inhale in the good of the practice.

And as we exhale out anything we don't want to take with us.

As you feel ready,

You can begin to press yourself up to seated.

Feel free to keep the eyes closed or a soft gaze down at the hands.

Take your time returning to the world.

Finding your way to a seat with a long spine.

Take one final inhale.

Breathing in that intention,

Your desire,

Your goal.

And exhale out any doubt or fears.

Ever so slowly return to the world and tread lightly.

Namaste.