Yoga Nidra For Vagus Nerve Stimulation

Beginning this yoga nidra exploring the earth element in a comfortable lying down position.

Adjusting your body so that you feel completely supported for going into a deep state of rest.

Beginning this yoga nidra practice in a place that is safe for you to enter a deep state of rest.

Allow your legs to either be apart or together.

Touching with the feet falling to the side,

Arms away from your body,

Palms open to the sky or resting on your torso.

Let your upper arms rest on the surface supporting you.

You might have support under the back of your head so that your chin remains below the level of your forehead.

Assisting the thinking mind to relax.

Support your back by placing a blanket underneath your knees.

If you could be 5 or 10% more comfortable,

Make any adjustments to bring ease and well-being throughout your body and mind.

During your yoga nidra practice,

Welcome every experience as a messenger.

Welcome and respond to each messenger with curiosity and openness.

Be aware that resting is a skill.

This yoga nidra is your space to practice this skill.

The skill of making space for stillness and serenity within your inner landscape.

I am simply your guide on this journey and you are your own vast teacher.

Allow anything that does not align and resonate to wash over you like waves washing footprints from the sand.

Bring attention to your senses,

Allowing each perception to come to you.

Sounds outside the room that you are in.

Sounds within the room.

The sound of breath moving in and out of your nose.

The sound from within your body.

The touch of air on your skin.

Smoothing out the forehead.

Releasing any expression in the face.

Releasing any holding in the hands.

Sensations where your body touches the surfaces that are providing support.

The earth rising up to meet your body.

Feel the sensations within your body.

Sensing the vibrant aliveness of the body just as it is.

And recall your intention,

Your sankalpa for today's practice.

Perhaps to cultivate the qualities of the earth element.

Grounded,

Resilient,

Balanced.

Building strong foundations within your life.

Cultivating inner strength and stability.

Embodying the steadfast quality of the ground beneath you.

You might arrive on your phrase,

Your intention,

Uttered in the positive and present tense.

Or you might use the sankalpa I offer you.

I have the inner strength and resilience to support me throughout my journey of life.

I have the inner strength and resilience to support me throughout my journey of life.

Repeating your sankalpa three times,

Silently in your mind.

Fully welcoming and affirming your intention for today's practice with your entire body and mind.

Notice where the body makes contact with the earth underneath you.

Feel the earth rising up to support the entire body.

Allowing the body to let go of any tension it might be holding onto.

Bring attention to your inner resource,

Your safe haven of peace and tranquility.

Today inviting you to explore the theme of the earth element.

Turn your attention to a visualization of a place in nature.

A place from memory or from your imagination.

A place in nature that nurtures feelings of being secure,

Peaceful and at ease.

Resting back and being absorbed into the image that arises in your mind.

Without judgment or the need for perfection,

There is no right or wrong answer.

Can you hold this visualization in your mind?

Feeling yourself walking through this place in nature.

What lies beneath your feet?

Can you visualize roots growing into the earth each time you make contact with the ground beneath your feet?

Can you visualize roots growing into the earth each time you make contact with the ground beneath your feet?

Can you visualize roots growing into the earth each time you make contact with the ground beneath your feet?

What are the sights around you?

What are the smells around you?

What are the sounds around you?

The fragrance of the plants?

The trees?

The earth beneath your feet?

The ripples and flow of air touching your skin?

Enveloping your body?

Perhaps you sense the sound of trickling water,

Cascading water.

Perhaps you sense the sounds of birds in the distance,

Waking the world with their song.

Images that create feelings of being secure,

Peaceful and at ease.

The felt sense of wellbeing throughout your body.

Know that you can return to this inner resource at any time,

Day or night,

And throughout your practice of Yoga Nidra.

Whenever you feel the need to be totally secure and at ease.

Allow my words to be your words as you rotate attention throughout your body.

Sensing your jaw.

Lips.

Teeth.

Floor of the mouth.

Ceiling.

Inner walls left and right.

Tongue.

Back of the throat.

The entire jaw,

Mouth and throat is sensation.

Give up being involved with thinking.

Instead welcoming sensations just as they are.

Sensation of the left ear.

Right ear.

Both ears at the same time is sensation.

Left nostril.

Right nostril.

Sensation of both nostrils.

Left eye.

Eyebrow.

Temple.

Cheekbone.

The entire left eye.

Right eye.

Eyebrow.

Temple.

Cheekbone.

The entire right eye.

Both eyes at the same time.

Without analysing,

Sensing your weight.

Forehead.

Crown.

Back of the head.

Neck.

Sensation along the inner walls of the throat.

And now begin to visualise roots growing into the earth as you bring attention to each part of your body.

Roots growing into the earth where each part of your body makes contact with the ground beneath you.

Left shoulder.

Left upper arm.

Elbow.

Forearm.

Wrist,

Palm and fingers.

The entire left arm.

Right shoulder.

Right upper arm.

Elbow.

Forearm.

Wrist,

Palm and fingers.

The entire right arm.

Welcoming both arms at the same time.

Upper chest and back.

Mid chest and back.

Belly and lower back.

Ceiling and floor of the pelvis sacrum.

Letting go of thinking.

The entire torso alive.

Breathing itself.

Roots growing deeper into the earth.

Fully supported by the earth underneath you.

Left hip.

Thigh.

Knee,

Shin and calf.

Ankle,

Foot and toes.

The entire left leg.

Alert.

Attentive.

Sensing the right hip.

Thigh.

Knee,

Shin and calf.

Ankle,

Foot and toes.

The entire right leg.

Welcoming both legs at the same time.

Roots growing deeper into the earth.

Fully supported by the earth underneath you.

Sensing the front of the body.

The back of the body.

Left side.

Right side.

Sensation deep inside the body.

On the surface.

Welcoming the entire body.

Vibrant sensation.

Radiating in all directions.

Inwardly and outwardly.

Welcoming your experience just as it is.

And feelings of the earth underneath you.

Supporting the entire body with stability and security.

Sensations where your body meets the ground.

The sensation of your body growing heavy.

Relaxed.

The physicality and the qualities of the earth element.

Roots growing deeper into the earth.

Fully supported by the earth underneath you.

Be aware of the body breathing itself.

Flows of sensation and energy as breath flows in and out of the body.

The inflow and outflow of the breath through the nostrils.

The chest and belly gently rising and releasing.

The expansion and softening of the ribcage.

Begin alternating sensation from one side of the body to the opposite side.

At the top of each inhalation,

Shift your attention across the midline into the left nostril and side of the body.

Exhaling,

Sense the left nostril and side of the body.

At the top of your next inhale,

Shift your attention across the midline into the right nostril and side of the body.

Exhaling,

Sense the right nostril and side of the body.

At the top of your next inhale,

Shift your attention across the midline into the left nostril and side of the body.

Exhaling,

Sense the left nostril and side of the body.

Going back and forth at your own breathing pace from one side of the body to the other.

Shifting your attention on sensation from one side of the body to the other.

Saturating alternate sides of the body with the breath.

Letting go of thinking.

Welcoming sensation first in one nostril and side of the body,

Then the other nostril and side of the body.

Now shift your attention into both nostrils and the entire body.

Welcome flows of sensation and energy coming and going throughout the body.

The entire body breathing itself.

Expanding in all directions.

Inwardly.

Outwardly.

Breathing freely,

Fully,

With ease.

Softly and lightly attentive.

To all that is now present.

Letting go of thinking.

Simply resting.

If helpful,

Interweave your inner resource,

Your safe haven of peace and tranquility.

Feeling secure and at ease throughout your body.

Held.

Supported.

With kindness,

Compassion and gentleness.

Staying with the flows of energy and sensation that are present as the body breathes itself.

Not analysing.

Simply welcoming sensation.

Note how all of these sensations,

As well as passing thoughts,

Emotions and images,

Are constantly changing,

Coming and going.

The whole body a constantly changing field of rippling,

Flowing,

Radiating sensation.

Sense all that you are now aware of.

Sensing yourself as spacious,

Unchanging awareness.

In which all of the changing sensations are arising and unfolding.

Changing sensation revealing unchanging awareness.

And as you explore the theme of the earth element.

Notice the steadfast and enduring quality of the earth.

The steadiness and stability of the grounds beneath you.

The strength and resilience of plants within an ecosystem.

The tangible physicality of the gross body.

Our body's ability to regenerate and heal.

The density and solidity,

Yet flexibility of every living being on this earth.

All capturing and encompassing the earth element.

Throughout today's practice nurturing the qualities of the earth element.

Stability,

Security,

Grounding,

Strength,

Balance.

Within your entire body,

Mind and spirit.

Noticing where the body makes contact with the earth underneath you.

Feeling the earth rising up to support the whole body.

Allowing the body to let go of any tension it might be holding onto.

If helpful,

Interweave your inner resource.

Your safe haven of peace and tranquility.

And everything to be just as it is.

Without trying to understand or change anything.

Simply being just as you are.

And everything just as it is.

Being spacious,

Unchanging awareness as changing experiences come and go.

Take a moment and reflect back on the journey that you have just taken.

Your journey exploring the earth element.

Sensing the qualities that have been present or are present right now.

Feelings,

Emotions,

Thoughts.

Sensations and awareness.

In which everything is arising,

Unfolding and passing away.

Be aware of your intention,

Your sankalpa once more.

Repeating it three times in your mind.

And if helpful,

Interweave your inner resource.

Your safe haven of peace and tranquility.

Feeling secure and at ease.

Throughout your body held,

Supported with kindness,

Compassion and gentleness.

Take your time now to transition into your waking life.

Sensing the room around you.

Hearing sounds within your body.

Sounds within the room.

Sounds outside the room.

Begin to open and close your eyes.

Returning to your eyes open state of waking consciousness.

Alert.

Awake.

Take a moment to be intentional about transitioning from this part of your day and into the rest of your day.

Perhaps affirming why you choose to practice Yoga Nidra.

Begin to move your body.

Perhaps moving your head from side to side.

Perhaps moving your fingers.

Your toes.

Your ankles.

Your wrists.

Perhaps reaching out behind you.

Taking a full body stretch.

And take your time to abide in this space of peace and serenity that you and only you have created for yourself.

Knowing that you might be more sensitive to light and sound,

To any external stimuli in the hours following this Yoga Nidra.

And offering you the invitation to inviting gratitude for taking this time for yourself.