Reclaim Your Calm: Yoga Nidra For Nervous System Reset

Experience the transformative power of Yoga Nidra, elevated by the addition of gentle breathwork and somatic grounding techniques. This unique approach soothes the nervous system, reduces stress, and promotes a deep sense of peace and rejuvenation.

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.

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.

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.

And 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 on to,

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 chest,

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.

Letting go of all of the air.

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.

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.

Slow and controlled.

Empty all of your air.

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

Our Sankopa.

The Sankopa 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.

If nothing comes easily to mind,

Consider trying,

My nervous system is flexible,

I rest with ease,

I am calm,

At peace.

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

Allow the Sankopa to solidify,

To feel real,

To feel true.

Shift your Sankopa from your mind into your heart space.

Follow the expansion and contraction of your heart space.

And with each round of breath,

Allow your Sankopa to settle,

To sink,

And to integrate into your heart space.

Allow it to become part of you.

Now repeat your Sankopa to yourself at least three times,

As many times as feels right to you.

Your Sankopa 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.

Pinky finger.

Top of the hand.

Right wrist.

Elbow.

Bicep.

Upper chest.

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.

Top of the hand.

Shoulder.

Left side of the chest.

Left side body.

Knee cap.

Top of the foot.

Big toe.

Second toe.

Pinky toe.

Small toe.

Sole of the foot.

Back of the knee.

Hamstring.

Left pelvis.

Right pelvis.

The entire pelvic bowl.

The reproductive organ.

The lower back.

Upper back.

Both shoulder blades together.

Back of the neck.

Back of the head.

Top of the head.

Right temple.

Left eyebrow.

Right cheekbone.

Back of the left eye.

Tip of your nose.

Upper lip.

Both clavicles.

Upper chest.

Abdomen.

The entire right side of your body.

The entire right side.

The entire left side of your body.

The entire left side.

Whole body as one.

Now,

Guide your attention from your whole body to your breath.

Allow yourself to fall back into your natural breath pattern.

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

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 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 connected.

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.

You are weightless.

Now,

Feel into the entire body.

The whole body.

Notice any sensations that are present.

Any shifts at all.

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.

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.

Reviews

Oh, I really loved this nidra, especially the outlining of the body and the breathwork. Thank you so much.