I offer my obeisance to the divine in you and surrender to the oneness which binds us all.
Welcome to this Yoga Nidra meditation practice based on the theme of duality.
A seat for your soul before we commence today's practice.
The beauty of duality is that it gives meaning to everything.
Like how a canvas painted in black will not show anything but once we add white paint to it,
It gives meaning to both the colors.
The exhilaration of success is heightened by the possibility of failure.
A successful venture is more deeply appreciated when one has known the sting of setbacks.
Without the one,
The other has no meaning.
It is like understanding that day and night are not enemies but part of the same 24-hour cycle,
Each necessary for the other to exist.
With this thought,
Find a comfortable position to do this meditation practice.
You may do this practice sitting in a chair or cross-legged on the floor,
Whichever is your preference.
The recommended way to do the Yoga Nidra meditation practice is lying down on your back in Shavasana with your legs slightly apart and your arms at your sides,
Palms facing upwards,
Spine,
Neck and head aligned.
Feel free to use cushion and blanket for that extra support and to keep you warm.
If you like,
You can now close your eyes and take a few deep breaths,
Allowing your body to relax with every exhale.
Feel free to make any adjustments so that you are comfortable to do the meditation without any discomfort or uneasiness.
You may dim the lights in your room to enhance relaxation.
Aim of Yoga Nidra is to stay relaxed yet attentive and awake.
Allow yourself to arrive in this moment to be fully present.
As you are slowing down and withdrawing from your routine,
Allow yourself to be open and receptive towards everything arising in this moment.
Take a moment to pay your gratitude to your five senses,
Your body,
Your vehicle to navigate through this life,
This human experience.
Feel the points where your body touches the surface,
Your sense of touch,
The contact with the surface beneath you,
The support and balance it is providing.
To do this meditation practice,
Allow yourself to become present in this moment,
Letting go of any distractions or thoughts.
Notice the velvety darkness on your eyelids or any patterns or images emerging on your closed eyes.
Notice the distant and nearby sounds,
The rhythm of your breath,
The rhythm of your heartbeat,
The hum of silence.
Just notice.
Allow each sound to come and go without judgment,
Simply observing them as a part of your environment.
If you like,
You can now set an intention or sankalpa for this practice.
You can set an intention in form of a statement that resonates deeply with you.
It could be in the space between breaths,
I dissolve into oneness.
I am the sky in which all opposites appear and disappear.
Or it could be I am the stillness beyond opposites.
Repeat your intention silently a few times in your mind,
Feeling it within you.
Allow the energy of your sankalpa to radiate throughout your entire being.
If you like,
Allow your intention to rest gently in your heart and when you feel ready,
Move on to rotation of consciousness.
This rotation of consciousness can create a profound experience of exploring duality within oneself,
Reflecting on how these dualities manifest in your life and how they can embrace both sides for greater harmony and balance.
Bringing your awareness to the right side of your body,
Your right leg,
Your right arm,
Your right half of the body,
Noticing any sensations,
Weight and energy present there.
Acknowledge any qualities you sense in your right side of the body.
Shifting your awareness to the left side of your body,
Your left leg,
Your left arm,
Your left side of the body,
Your back,
Your chest,
Your belly,
Your face,
Your head.
Notice if there are any difference in the sensations of the energy of your left side and right side of your body.
Sensing the balance between the two sides,
Recognizing their interdependence.
Now focusing your awareness on the inhale and exhale,
The expansion and contraction.
Notice the duality of these two phases of breath,
One energizing and one calming.
Allow your breath to flow naturally,
Feeling the balance of energy and relaxation.
Notice the gap between your inhale and exhale and the stillness between every expansion and contraction.
Now bringing your attention,
Your awareness to your thoughts.
Notice the nature of your thoughts.
Are they light or heavy?
Fluid or rigid?
Acknowledge the quality of your thoughts.
Are they intuitive or more analytical?
Now gently shift your focus to your emotions.
Notice any feelings present in your body.
Embracing the duality of thoughts and emotions.
Recognizing their roles in your experience.
Allow both thoughts and emotions to coexist.
Understanding that they inform and enrich each other.
Now bringing your attention,
Your awareness on the physical sensation of your body,
Your form.
Acknowledging the solidity and presence of your physical being.
And now shifting your awareness from your body,
Your form to the space around your body,
The emptiness,
Your aura.
Embracing the potential and freedom of the empty space.
Sensing the connection between form and emptiness,
Understanding that both are essential to existence.
If your mind begins to wander Gently bring it back with loving kindness to your breath.
Feel the gentle nuances of your inhale and exhale.
Sensing how universe is always connected to you and has your back even when you're not conscious of your breath.
It is flowing in you all the time.
Now bring your attention to your feeling when you felt ignorant about a skill or domain or a matter.
How did you feel?
How did you feel in that moment?
What did you do with your ignorance?
Did the don't know feeling motivated you to learn?
Or made you feel disheartened?
Just recall your feeling.
Now recall the experience when you felt knowledgeable and wise.
When you felt that you are the subject matter expert.
What did go in the background to come to that point?
It could be any sphere of your life.
Now recall the experience and your feelings and emotions.
Now recall a memory when you felt sick.
What did you feel and do to improve your health?
And now recall a time when you were healthy.
How did you value your vitality of good health?
