Yoga nidra the art of conscious relaxation or psychic sleeping where the physical body goes into deep deep states of relaxation but the mind remains fully awake prepare by lying on the floor on your yoga mat or carpet and maybe cover the body cover up to the shoulders from the feet to the shoulders remove the hairband so the neck is straight head is straight the feet are about a foot and a half or two apart from each other arms are a foot away from the body adjust your own body your body is unique adjust it to where you are extremely comfortable and the palms are facing the ceiling close the eyes softly become aware of the floor you are lying upon become aware of your breath moving in and out of the nostrils the eyelids closed I want you to gaze into the center of the eyebrows the mind space or the chidakash as you gaze there I want you to scan the phase of life you're living at this moment whenever each and every one of us does that each and every one of us will naturally find different aspects of our lifestyle that we can improve upon I want you to find one of those aspects you want to improve and mentally mentally formulate a short positive phrase for it it is sometimes called a sankalpa an example is I am compassionate or I am on time or I am patient you know the phase of life you are going through mentally formulate your short positive phrase three times now very good now we're going to rotate the consciousness over the body whichever part of the body my voice says I want you to mentally repeat it mentally echo it simultaneously take your awareness to that part of the body the body remains still only the mind moves take your awareness to the right thumb second finger third finger fourth finger fifth finger fifth finger to the back of the right hand center of the right palm right wrist right forearm right elbow right upper arm right armpit right waist right hip right thigh right knee right calf right ankle right heel sole of the right foot right big toe second toe third toe fourth toe fifth toe take your awareness to the left side of the body to the left thumb second finger third finger fourth finger fifth finger take your awareness to the back of the left hand center of the left palm left left wrist left forearm left elbow left upper arm left armpit left waist left hip left thigh left knee left calf left ankle left heel sole of the left foot left big toe second toe third toe fourth toe fifth toe take your awareness to the right buttock the left buttock right shoulder blade left shoulder blade the entire spine the back of the neck the back of the head the top of the head the forehead the right eyebrow the left eyebrow the left eyebrow the right eyeball the left eyeball the right ear the left ear the left ear the left ear the right nostril the left nostril the tip of the nose the upper lip the upper lip the upper lip the lower lip the chin the throat the right collarbone the left collarbone the left collarbone the right chest the left chest the center of the chest the upper abdomen the upper abdomen the lower abdomen the navel take your awareness to the entire right arm to the entire left arm become aware of both arms simultaneously the right arm the left arm the right arm take your awareness to the entire right leg to the entire left leg become aware of both legs simultaneously take your awareness to the entire body the entire body the entire body the entire body as the physical body starts to move into deeper and deeper states of relaxation I want you to focus your mind on the breath at the entrance of the nostrils,
The mind is still awake on the breath try not to control the breath,
Just witness it moving in and out the breath is still moving in and out move the focus to the breath in the abdomen,
Try not to control the movement of the abdomen,
Just witness it as you inhale and exhale the abdomen naturally makes a small movement up and down,
Just be a witness as you inhale and exhale the abdomen naturally makes a small movement up and down,
Just be a witness as you inhale and exhale the abdomen naturally makes a small movement up and down,
Just be a witness and I want you to mentally,
Mentally count the breath backwards from 27 to 1 try not to lose count,
If you lose count start all over again if you fall asleep and you get up start all over again,
If you reach 1 before I start to speak start all over again as well mentally repeat 27 navel up,
27 navel down,
26 navel up,
26 navel down continue at your pace to 1 you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you I want you to just keep your gaze in the center of the eyebrows and this time try not to think of anything.
If random thoughts come up from the subconscious part of the mind,
Just witness them in a detached manner.
If no thoughts come up,
Just appreciate the inner silence of the mind.
Keep your gaze in the center of the eyebrows now.
As we come to an end of the yoga nidra practice,
I want you to mentally repeat your short positive phrase which you began with.
I'll repeat it three times now.
Bring the life force back into the physical body slowly,
Moving the fingers and toes slowly.
Move the wrists and ankles slowly.
Move your abdomen slowly.
Move your chest slowly.
Move the skin on the face slowly.
Roll the head from side to side and back to center.
Bend your left knee,
Left sole of the foot on the mat.
Take the right arm over the head onto the floor.
Roll over onto the right side of the body.
Right arm as your pillow,
Left palm on the abdomen.
Feeling relaxed,
Refreshed,
Rejuvenated.
The breath is slower.
Muscles from head to toe are relaxed.
The use of the left palm,
Push up off the floor.
Come up into seated posture.
Yoga nidra,
The art of conscious relaxation.
Take that relaxation with you for the rest of the day.
Adi om tatsa.
