Harness The Power Of Yoga Nidra: Build Stress Resilience

Yoga Nidra, a deeply relaxing meditation practice, is inherently soothing to the nervous system. This session goes a step further to combine the tranquility of traditional Yoga Nidra with breathwork techniques to foster stress resilience. Rather than avoiding stress, this practice empowers you to cultivate a resilient nervous system, enabling you to face challenges with grace and ease.

Transcript

Hello,

And welcome.

My name is Yaesha,

And I am honored to have you here with me today.

Yoga nidra,

Or yogic sleep,

Is an opportunity to truly nourish your body and your mind.

It is a deeply restorative practice.

You may find that you fall asleep,

And you may not.

You will benefit whether you stay asleep or remain awake.

Yoga nidra,

In and of itself,

Is soothing to the nervous system.

This particular nidra practice has the added benefit of incorporating elements that stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system,

Which encourages a state of calm,

Healing,

And rest.

Let us now begin our practice.

First,

Bring yourself to a comfortable lying position.

Bring a blanket over top of you to cover and keep you warm.

Place any props you need to support you.

The goal here is to find the position that brings the most ease and the least resistance.

Become aware of your entire body.

Notice the areas where your body makes contact with the ground below.

Seek out the places where the blanket or your clothes make contact with your skin.

Notice the different sensations of the different fabric types.

Do you notice a difference in temperature between the patches of skin that are covered with the blanket and those that are not?

Guide your attention to the top of your head.

Start to trace the outline of your body.

Perhaps you do this visually,

Imagining each square inch of the outline of you.

Or maybe it feels more natural to feel or sense into each consecutive area that makes up the very outline of you.

Continue to trace this outline until you have circled the entire body,

Arriving back home at the top of your head.

Now feel into the outline of the entire body all at once.

Notice how your external outline holds all that is you inside of it.

You are here holding yourself.

The many parts that make you,

You are contained and safely held.

Just as your outline holds and supports all that is you,

Feel how the earth underneath you supports you too.

Notice the grounding,

Receiving quality of the earth beneath you.

Let this solid ground remind you to slow down to connect with her.

Let her remind you how she will hold and support you unconditionally.

The earth will take from you anything you need to release.

She willingly receives and transmutes it for you.

If there is something on your mind that you wish to no longer hold onto,

Or maybe a sensation or an emotion felt within your body,

Allow the earth to take this from you now.

If there is nothing present that needs to be released,

Continue to focus on the grounding,

Supportive connection between you and the earth beneath.

Let's now settle into deep diaphragmatic breaths.

You'll fill up starting at the level of the pelvis,

Then the belly,

And then finally the chest.

Continue inhaling,

Filling up with air until there is no possible further room for expansion.

Until you feel that from the bottom of your pelvis to the top of your clavicles,

You have completely expanded.

Let's begin.

Exhale,

Release all of your air slowly through your nose.

Inhale through your nose,

Filling your pelvis,

Your belly,

To the top of your clavicles,

Filling the entire chest.

Hold at the top.

Slow,

Gentle,

Controlled exhale.

As slow and controlled as you can go.

Release all of the air.

Again,

Inhale slowly,

Filling the pelvis,

Then the abdomen,

Then the chest.

Fill and expand.

Hold at the top.

Exhale with control,

Slow,

Gentle,

Through your nose.

And again,

Big inhale,

Filling the pelvis,

The abdomen.

Fill the chest in all directions.

Hold at the top.

Exhale with control,

Slow,

Slow.

Exhale,

Release all of your air.

And again,

Big breath in,

Pelvis,

Belly,

Chest.

Filling completely in all directions.

Hold at the top.

This time,

Take one further sip of air.

As slow and controlled as you can release the air.

All the way to the bottom,

Completely emptying your lungs,

Your belly,

Your pelvis.

Two more just like that.

Breath in,

Pelvis,

Belly,

Chest.

Filling completely in all directions.

Sip in one more breath of air.

Hold.

Exhale slowly and with control.

See if you can slow down your exhale even more on this round than you have previously.

Last round of breath.

Big inhale in,

Filling the pelvis,

The belly,

The chest.

Make this the slowest exhale yet.

Empty all of your air.

We'll now call in our heart's deepest desire,

Our Sankalpa.

The Sankalpa is a short,

Positive statement such as,

I am at peace.

I am calm.

Since we're working with the nervous system,

I encourage you to choose a statement that focuses on the nervous system's state of being.

However,

If something else entirely is calling to you,

Choose that.

Trust that.

And if nothing comes easily to mind,

Consider trying.

My nervous system is flexible.

I rest with ease.

I am calm.

I am at peace.

Take a few moments to find the statement that most resonates with where you are today.

Allow the Sankalpa to solidify,

To feel real,

To feel true.

Shift your Sankalpa from your mind into your heart space.

Follow the expansion and contraction of your heart space.

And with each round of breath,

Allow your Sankalpa to settle,

To sink,

And to integrate.

Allow it to become part of you.

Now repeat your Sankalpa to yourself at least three times,

As many times as feels right to you.

Your Sankalpa has now been planted deeply within your heart space.

You can come back to it at any time in the future.

But for now,

Let it go,

Trusting it has been safely planted.

We'll now move into the rotation of consciousness.

Visualize or feel into each body part as I call it out,

Without actually moving the body part itself.

Invite in any sensations that may arise.

We'll start on the right side of the body.

Right thumb.

Second finger.

Third finger.

Ring finger.

Pinky finger.

Finger.

Top of the hand.

Right wrist.

Elbow.

Bicep.

Shoulder.

Upper chest.

Right side body.

Right hip.

Top of the foot.

Right big toe.

Second toe.

Little toe.

Back of the knee.

Right hamstring.

Right glute.

Moving to the left.

Second finger.

Ring finger.

Pinky finger.

Top of the hand.

Shoulder.

Left side of the chest.

Left side body.

Shin.

Top of the foot.

Right big toe.

Second toe.

Pinky toe.

Sole of the foot.

Back of the knee.

Hamstring.

Left pelvis.

The entire pelvic bowl.

The reproductive organs.

The lower back.

Upper back.

Both shoulder blades together.

Back of the neck.

Back of the head.

Top of the head.

The back of the right eye.

Back of the left eye.

Left cheekbone.

Tip of your nose.

Upper lip.

Both clavicles.

Upper chest.

Abdomen.

The entire right side of your body.

The entire left side.

The left side.

The whole body.

Whole body as one.

Now guide your attention from your whole body to your breath.

I will now guide you through a breath pattern that shifts the nervous system into an even deeper state of calm.

You'll breathe in for four counts.

Breathe out for six.

Hold at the bottom of your exhale for four.

I will guide you the whole time.

Just follow my voice.

Focus on controlled,

Even breaths.

Exhale,

Release all of your air.

Inhale,

Breathe in for one.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Slow exhale for six.

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

Hold at the bottom for four.

Three.

Follow my voice.

Inhale.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

Exhale.

Six.

Five.

Four.

Three.

One.

Hold at the bottom for four.

Three.

Two.

One.

Inhale.

Fill and expand for four.

Three.

Two.

One.

Exhale for six.

Allow yourself to sink,

To connect with the earth.

Hold at the bottom for four.

Three.

Two.

One.

Inhale.

Fill and expand for four.

Three.

Two.

One.

Gentle exhale for six.

Five.

Four.

One.

Hold at the bottom for four.

Three.

One.

Gentle inhale for four.

Feel the expansion for two.

Slow exhale for six.

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

Hold at the bottom for four.

One.

Soft inhale for four.

One.

Exhale for six.

Five.

One.

Hold at the bottom for four.

Three.

Hold at the bottom for four.

Three.

Two.

One.

Last round.

Inhale for four.

Feel the expansion.

Exhale for six.

Five.

Four.

Three.

One.

Hold for four.

Three.

Two.

One.

Big breath in.

And let it go through your mouth,

Releasing all your air.

Allow yourself to fall back into your natural breath pattern.

Zoom out and bring your attention back to the whole body.

Trace the outline of your body.

Notice the exterior container of the body holding the contents within.

Fill the interior contents of your body with the sensation of a gentle heaviness.

A grounding into the earth.

A soothing,

Welcoming sensation of pressure.

You are held.

You are grounded.

You are connected.

You are here,

Right here,

Contained and present within the container of the outline of your body.

You are heavy.

You are grounded.

You are heavy.

Fill the interior contents of your body with the sensation of lightness,

Of weightlessness.

Your body is so light.

You are so light.

You are unencumbered.

You are free.

Now feel into the entire body,

The whole body.

Notice any sensations that are present,

Any shifts at all.

Guide your awareness from the whole body back into your heart space.

Notice expansion and contraction of the space with each breath.

Become aware again of your sankalpa.

After all,

It has been here for you this whole time.

Your sankalpa has been here with you this whole time.

Allow yourself to reconnect with it.

Is it giving you any type of message,

Any information?

Is there anything your sankalpa desires you to know?

Is there something you must shift or change within yourself?

And for the last time of our practice,

Shift your attention back to the whole body.

The whole body.

Become aware of the outline of your body.

Now gently reach your awareness outside the container of your being,

Beyond your body,

Beyond the outline of your body.

Become aware that you are in a room with surroundings.

Extend your awareness to listen for any external sounds.

You may notice a sound or a noise coming from inside the room you're in.

Perhaps you hear something coming from beyond the room or even beyond the building.

Take a deep breath in.

Ground into the sensation of your lungs moving in space.

The feeling of blankets on your skin.

The air on your exposed skin.

The way your back body feels pressed against the cushion beneath it.

You may choose to stay here in meditation or if you feel ready to move on with your day,

Bring gentle movement to your hands,

To your feet.

Rub the palms of your hands together,

Generating warmth.

Now cover your eyes with your cupped hands,

Bringing that warmth up to your face.

Gently open your eyes.

Slowly remove your hands from your eyes,

Letting your eyes slowly adjust to the light.

Look around the room.

Take in your surroundings.

Thank you for showing up for yourself today and being here with me.

I encourage you to return to this practice daily to nourish your sankalpa,

To ease stress and to support your nervous system.

I will see you next time.