The practice of Yoga Nidra is a practice of yogic sleep.
You will be guided to a state of consciousness between wakefulness and sleeping.
There is a level of discipline required to remain just above the sleeping state.
While your mind is your own,
You can think or daydream if you choose.
The focused practice is to remain awake by listening to the sound of my voice.
Try to follow without excessive effort,
Absorb what you need and leave the rest behind.
If your mind becomes overactive with thoughts or worries,
Try to come back to the sound of my voice.
Find a comfortable position such as lying on your back.
You may choose to have your knees slightly bent and supported.
You may like a thin pillow or folded blanket to support your head.
If you are pregnant or for any reason you prefer it,
You may practice sitting upright or lying on your preferred side.
Do make sure that you are warm enough and that your position is one that will be comfortable for the duration of this practice.
Shift and move a little to let your body settle into a comfortable position.
Close your eyes.
Nothing else matters right now.
Take this time to do nothing.
Simply feel your body and listen.
Don't worry you'll become agitated if you do not hear everything I say.
It is natural to flow in and out of conscious hearing.
Whatever your experience today,
This practice will still work.
There is no way to do this wrong.
Simply listen without trying too hard.
Come into stillness now and remain still for deep rest.
Give your body and your brain a chance to fully relax.
Feel your natural breath.
Allow your bones to become heavy.
Feel your bones heavy and sinking into the earth.
Bring awareness now to the sounds around you.
Become aware of the sounds you can hear in this moment.
Listen out for the most distant sounds that you can hear.
Let your sense of hearing radiate outward,
Searching out these distant sounds and follow them for a few moments.
Move your attention from sound to sound without labelling the source.
Gradually bring your attention to closer sounds.
To sounds outside,
To sounds inside,
To sounds in the space you are in.
Without opening your eyes,
Visualise the space you are in.
Visualise what is around you,
What is above you and the ground beneath you.
Recognise your body position,
Your clothes,
Your hair,
Your face.
Become aware of the existence of your body on the ground.
It is traditional to make a sankalpa or resolve.
This creation of a sankalpa is about choosing to shape your mind in the way you want it to be.
It is thought that in the deep reset of yoga nidra,
The subconscious is very receptive and the sankalpa you make during yoga nidra plants a seed in your mind to bring about transformation and healing.
Your sankalpa should be a short,
Positive statement in simple language.
For example,
I am or I will statements that reflect your deepest values.
An example of a sankalpa you may wish to use is I am enough.
Or perhaps you have set a sankalpa before.
Repetition is powerful so you may choose to keep that one if you wish.
Your sankalpa should come to you naturally so if you are unsure,
Don't force it.
If you wish to use a sankalpa,
I invite you to state it clearly to yourself now.
In your head,
Say it with feeling and full awareness three times.
Allow your awareness to travel through your body now on a journey of sensation.
Simply feel each part as it is mentioned.
Without moving remain still.
We begin on the right side.
Right thumb,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Fourth finger,
Little finger,
Palm of the hand,
Back of the hand,
Wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Side body,
Hip,
Thigh,
Knee,
Calf,
Ankle,
Sole of the foot,
Top of the foot,
Right big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe and the little toe.
Moving to the left hand thumb,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Fourth finger,
Little finger,
Palm of the hand,
Back of the hand,
Wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Side body,
Hip,
Thigh,
Knee,
Calf,
Ankle,
Sole of the foot,
Top of the foot,
Left big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe and little toe.
Now bring your awareness to the back of the body.
Right heel,
Left heel,
Right calf,
Left calf,
Right thigh,
Left thigh,
Right hip,
Left hip,
Lower back,
Middle back,
Upper back,
The entire spine,
Right shoulder blade,
Left shoulder blade,
Back of the neck,
Back of the head,
Top of the head,
Forehead,
Right temple,
Left temple,
Right ear,
Left ear,
Right eyebrow,
Left eyebrow,
Middle of the eyebrows,
Right eye,
Left eye,
Right nostril,
Left nostril,
Right cheek,
Left cheek,
Upper lip,
Lower lip,
Both lips,
Chin,
Jaw,
Throat,
Right collarbone,
Left collarbone,
Right side of the chest,
Left side of the chest,
Upper abdomen,
Navel,
Lower abdomen and the pelvis,
The whole right leg,
The whole left leg,
The whole right arm,
The whole left arm,
The whole face,
The whole head,
The whole torso,
The whole body,
The whole body,
The whole body.
It is time to repeat your sankalpa.
Repeat the statement made at the beginning of the practice three times to yourself now.
Come back now to the feeling of your breath flowing in and out of your nostrils.
Begin your awareness of breath and at the same time develop your awareness of your physical body.
Your body is relaxed.
Notice the heaviness of your body.
Take into awareness the points that are touching the ground.
With your eyes remaining closed,
Start to visualize the space you are in.
Imagine the objects around you.
Lie quietly until you feel ready to move.
Start by slowly moving your hands and feet.
Take your time.
There is no hurry.
When you are sure that you are fully awake,
Gently open your eyes.
Notice the light and colours in your line of sight.
As you start to bring some movement to your body,
You might like to stretch out.
Perhaps a yawn or a sigh will come.
Simply allow it.
You could choose to hug your knees into your chest or perhaps take a gentle twist by lowering your knees to one side and then the other.
As you feel ready,
Prepare to move onto your preferred side.
Stay on your side for a few more breaths.
When you are ready,
Move gently into a comfortable seated position.
This practice of Yoga Nidra is now complete.
Namaste.
