Yoga Nidra with Sankalpa & Visualization

Begin the practice of yoga nidra by lying down in a comfortable position.

You can lie down on your back with your feet comfortably resting to the sides.

Put your arms out at your sides at about a 45 degree angle palms facing up.

You may take any other comfortable position that is appropriate for your body.

You can place a bolster under your knees if you're lying on your back.

You can place a pillow under your head,

An eye pillow over your eyes.

And you can cover yourself up with a blanket.

Take the next few moments to become even more comfortable making any adjustments that you need.

As you settle in,

Begin to become aware of your breath.

Take in a deep inhale and on your exhale let go with a sigh.

Take another gentle slow deep inhale and release once again with a sigh.

Take another deep inhale noticing how the breath fills your lungs,

Lifts your belly,

And exhale all the way.

On your next inhale,

Tighten your hands.

Tighten,

Tighten,

Tighten,

And release.

And on your inhale,

Tighten your legs,

Tighten,

Tighten,

Tighten,

And release.

Next time on your inhale,

Tighten your arms and your legs.

Tighten,

Tighten,

Tighten,

And release.

Take your awareness back to your breath seeing if you can find any other tension that you can breathe into and breathe out.

Pay attention to the blanket if you have one on your body.

Pay attention to the floor or the bed that you're laying on.

Notice how your body feels laying here.

And make any final adjustments with the intention to remain still for the rest of the practice.

If you feel that you do need to take any movements or make any adjustments,

Go ahead,

Honor your body,

Take the movements that you need,

And do so with awareness and mindfulness.

Now begin to listen for your sankalpa.

Begin to listen for your intention.

Your intention may be a goal for today,

Or it could be something you wish to manifest in time,

Whether that be a few weeks or a few months.

Look inward to your heart and find your sankalpa.

In the next few moments,

I'll ask you to repeat your sankalpa three times in your mind with full optimism and full conviction that it will come to pass.

An example sankalpa is,

I am unconditionally loved,

Or I have all the resources I need to accomplish my goal.

Another one might be,

I am joyful,

And another one could be,

I live and walk in truth.

Now that you have your sankalpa,

Say it in your mind three times.

Now,

We will go on to the rotation of consciousness.

I will speak a part of the body,

And you will take your attention to that part.

You'll either bring your awareness there without moving it,

Or you can imagine a light as if that part of the body were lighting up.

Let's begin.

Take your awareness to your right hand thumb.

Index finger middle finger ring finger little finger thumb of the hand back of the hand right wrist forearm elbow upper arm shoulder armpit right side ribs right waist right hip right thigh knee lower leg ankle heel sole of the foot top of the foot right big toe third toe fourth toe fifth toe Now take your attention to the left hand thumb index finger middle finger ring finger little finger thumb of the hand back of the hand left wrist forearm upper arm shoulder armpit left side ribs left waist left hip thigh left knee lower leg heel sole of the foot top of the foot left big toe third toe fourth toe fifth toe Now take your attention to the back of the body right heel left heel both heels together right calf left calf both calves together right thigh left thigh both thighs together lower back mid back upper back the entire back the entire spine back of the neck the back right side of the head the back left side of the head the entire back of the head the top of the head the forehead right eyebrow left eyebrow both eyebrows together the center between the eyebrows the bridge of the nose the tip of the nose right nostril left nostril the entire nose lower lip lower lip both lips together the chin right side of the jaw left side of the jaw the entire jaw right cheek left cheek both cheeks together the entire face the entire head the entire right side of the body the entire left side of the body the whole body the whole body the whole body become aware of your breath without changing it notice your natural breath notice the belly rising on the inhale and gently falling on the exhale begin counting your breath starting at 20 count down inhale 20 exhale 20 inhale 19 exhale 19 continue counting like this if you lose track it's okay you can start again at 20 now let the counting go imagine the feeling of being very warm now imagine the feeling of cold imagine again the feeling of warmth heat now imagine the feeling of cold imagine the feeling of warmth imagine the feeling of cold imagine the feeling of heavy your body is so heavy now imagine feeling lightness floating imagine the feeling of heaviness imagine the feeling of lightness imagine the feeling of heaviness sinking heaviness now imagine floating lightness your body is light as light as a cloud visualize a cloud notice if the cloud is fluffy or is it dense or scattered imagine you're looking at the clouds and you bring your gaze lower and see an ocean you see ocean waves you look down even more and you see sand notice the texture of the sand notice the color of the sand what does the sand feel like on your bare feet what is the sound of the ocean is it rolling waves perhaps you hear sounds of birds seagulls splashing waves the time of day is your favorite time whatever that might be you notice the temperature the smells the sounds they're exactly as you want them to be as you enjoy the sounds the sights the smells the temperature you begin to hear the return of your son culpa with full faith optimism and conviction repeat your son culpa three times in your mind begin to become aware of the sounds outside the room become aware of the sounds inside the room notice the sound of your own breath fill your own heartbeat with your eyes closed visualize the room around you visualize the surface that you're laying upon become aware of the air on your skin the air going in your nostrils into your lungs cool and out your nostrils warm begin to take deeper inhales slowly and gently taking your breath into various parts of your body into your belly sending your breath to your arms to your legs your ganidhra is coming to an end you can lay here as long as you like when you are ready you may bring motion into your fingers and your toes stretching yourself gently and rolling to one side or the other no rush feel free to lay here as long as you like yoga nidra is complete