Welcome!
This yoga nidra practice will help to connect with the natural flow of your breath so that you can achieve deeper relaxation and connect with the present moment.
Yoga nidra is a meditation practiced lying down in savasana and it's really important that you set up comfortably so that you can enjoy the meditation.
Go ahead and take the next few moments to settle into your space.
As you lie down in savasana,
Place a thin pillow or folded blanket under your head to keep your neck neutral.
Elevate the knees to alleviate the lower back and cover yourself with the blanket to enhance deeper relaxation.
If you need more detailed assistance,
Check the video in the description below to help you set up.
Once you are settled in,
Make as many adjustments as you need to find the most comfortable spot for your practice.
As soon as you start to settle into your space,
Begin by tuning in by noticing the sounds that you hear.
Effortlessly and without holding on to the sound,
Just let the mind go from one sound to the next and now start to notice your own sounds.
The subtle sounds happening inside of your body like the sound of an inhale and exhale,
The sound of the heart beating,
The sounds in your mouth,
The sounds of your body fidgeting.
Be aware of your own sound.
And now be aware of your body on the ground.
Notice the feeling of your body touching the ground.
Notice the meeting points between the body and the ground.
The back of the head and the ground.
The back of your arms and the ground.
The back of your hands and the ground.
The upper back and the ground.
Middle back and the ground.
Lower back and the ground.
Notice your whole body on the ground.
And now we are going to introduce an intention to help us connect with the breath.
So go ahead and repeat this intention after me and then you'll say it to yourself three more times.
With each breath I deeply relax and I connect with the present moment.
With each breath I deeply relax and I connect with the present moment.
Go ahead and repeat it to yourself three more times.
And now we are going to practice our body skin.
It's a rotation of awareness and for this all you do is you bring your attention mentally to the area of the body that I mentioned.
Your body will stay still and the mind will go from one part to the next.
No effort to keep up.
Bring your awareness to the right hand.
Tip of your right thumb.
Tip of your index finger.
Tip of the middle finger.
The ring finger.
The pinky finger.
Palm of the right hand.
Back of the right hand.
Right hand.
Right wrist.
Right lower arm.
Right elbow.
Right upper arm.
Right shoulder.
Right armpit.
Right waist.
Right hip.
Right thigh.
Right knee.
The right shin.
Right ankle.
Top of your right foot.
Sole of the right foot.
Heel of the right foot.
Ribbit toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
And fifth toe.
Move your awareness to the left hand.
The tip of your left thumb.
The tip of your index finger.
The tip of your middle finger.
The ring finger.
The pinky finger.
Palm of your left hand.
The back of the left hand.
Your left wrist.
Left lower arm.
Left elbow.
Left upper arm.
Your left shoulder.
Left armpit.
The left waist.
Left hip.
Left thigh.
The left knee.
Left shin.
Left ankle.
Feel the top of your left foot.
The sole of your left foot.
And the heel of the left foot.
Your left big toe.
The second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
And fifth toe.
Now move your awareness to the back of your head.
The back of your neck.
Feel the upper back.
The middle back.
And the lower back.
Feel your entire back.
Now feel the spine.
Become aware of your spine.
The right butt cheek.
The left butt cheek.
The back of the right leg.
And the back of your left leg.
Move your awareness to the top of your head.
The scalp.
Forehead.
Feel the right ear.
The left ear.
Feel the insides of the ears.
Feel the outer rims of the ears.
Right cheekbone.
Left cheekbone.
Right nostril.
Left nostril.
The tip of your nose.
The upper lip.
The bottom lip.
Feel the insides of the mouth.
Your tongue.
Upper teeth.
Bottom teeth.
The roof of your mouth.
Feel your entire mouth.
Now feel the throat.
Right side of the chest.
Left side of the chest.
The centre of your chest.
Your navel.
Lower abdomen.
Now feel the right leg.
Feel the left leg.
Now feel both of your legs together.
Feel the right arm.
Feel the left arm.
Feel both of your arms together.
Feel the right hand.
Feel the left hand.
Feel both of your hands together.
And now feel your entire body.
Be away of your entire body.
Notice your whole body on the floor.
And now notice your body breathing.
Notice your inhales and exhales.
Notice the movements of your body as you breathe in and out.
Notice the front of your body expand as you inhale.
And contract,
Sink down as you exhale.
Notice the movements of your body as you effortlessly breathe in and out.
And now just move your awareness to the centre of your chest.
Notice the movements there.
Notice how the chest expands up and out as you breathe in.
Down and in as you breathe out.
Notice the movements of your chest as you breathe in and out.
Now keeping the natural flow of the breath at the chest,
Count your breaths backwards 27 to 1.
So you're counting effortlessly on each exhale.
If you lose the count or finish,
Go back to 27.
So there's no rush,
There's no effort to finish your count.
Keep your attention at the centre of the chest and count your breaths 27 to 1 counting on the exhale.
And now let go of your count.
Move your attention to the navel.
That space a few inches above your belly button.
That space right around the lower ribs.
Observe the movements there.
Notice how the ribs expand out as you inhale.
And in as you exhale.
The ribs expand and flare out as you inhale and contract towards the midline as you exhale.
Notice that movement.
Now keeping your attention on the movements of your ribs,
Count your breaths 27 to 1.
So you're counting backwards on each exhale.
Count your breaths back 27 to 1.
And now let go of your count.
Move the awareness to your lower abdomen.
That space a few inches below your belly button.
And observe your breathing here.
Notice the belly rise as you inhale.
And pull back down as you exhale.
Notice the belly expand slightly as you breathe in.
And come back down as you breathe out.
Notice that movement for the next few seconds.
And now keeping your attention on the movements of your lower abdomen,
Count your breaths 27 to 1.
So you're counting effortlessly on each exhale.
If you lose the count or finish,
Go back to 27.
Count your breaths 27 to 1.
And now let go of your count.
And feel the body on the ground.
Notice the feeling of stillness as your body lies down effortlessly on the ground.
Notice the sound of your inhales and exhales as your body lies down still on the ground.
Notice the movements of your body as you breathe in and out,
As the rest of your body remains still and effortless.
Notice your body breathing.
Notice the sound of your body breathing.
Notice the effects of your breathing as your body becomes effortless and calm with each breath that you take.
And now go back to the intention that we set at the beginning of the practice.
With each breath,
I deeply relax.
I connect with the present moment.
Repeat it to yourself three more times.
With each breath,
I deeply relax.
I connect with the present moment.
And now slowly and gradually begin to bring your attention back.
Gradually add movement into the body by wiggling the fingers and toes.
Sway the head from one side to the other.
And then bend the knees one at a time so the soles of your feet are flat on the ground.
Pause.
Roll to the right side and pause in fetal position.
So you're curled in,
Your knees are curled in into your chest.
Pause here.
Whenever you're ready to come out of the practice,
Come up to sit.
It's important to take the time to close out what you started.
So go ahead and take your hands together at the heart center.
Lower the chin down towards the chest and keep the eyes closed if you can.
Take a long deep breath in through your nose.
And again,
Deep breath in through your nose.
And out through your mouth.
Your practice is now complete.
Thank you.
