Yoga Nidra - For Beginners

Today really is an invitation to find somewhere comfortable where you won't be disturbed,

To switch off all the other alerts on your phone,

If you have a house phone still to unplug it,

And to lie down and really settle in to half an hour of deep relaxation and restoration.

So,

Yoga Nidra is essentially a practice of release and the first instruction is to get really comfortable and the second instruction is to get 10% more comfortable and for me nothing gets much better than that.

And so when we practice Yoga Nidra we're essentially sending our body into a parasympathetic state,

So we're activating that parasympathetic nervous system which is where we digest our food,

It's where we heal wounds,

It's where we rest and sleep more effectively and it's really it's the time when our body is telling our brain that it's safe to relax,

It's safe to switch off,

To turn the dial down and just come into a quiet place.

And so in a moment we'll begin the Yoga Nidra and it's a very specific process for the practice and all you need to do is follow my voice and I would absolutely say the recommendation is not to do this when driving or if you're sort of pottering about in your kitchen cooking dinner or whatever.

This really is an opportunity to take some time that is absolutely for yourself and when I first learned about Yoga Nidra I was taught that a 40-minute Yoga Nidra is equivalent to about four hours sleep.

You know our body goes into such a state of rest that it's as though we've been sleeping for you know more than four times as long as we've been doing the practice and certainly my experience of doing a 20-minute Yoga Nidra is the same.

And often I'll fall asleep during it.

The invitation is to try and stay awake but sometimes you just do,

That's just what your body most needs and so you know you just you lie with a blanket because when we go into a parasympathetic state our body temperature drops and so it's important to have something over us to keep us lovely and snug and warm and super comfortable.

Also to place something underneath your knees so to lie on your back maybe on a yoga mat or on your bed or on the floor and place something underneath your knees like a bolster or a couple of cushions or a blanket.

So you know a bolster or a couple of cushions or something.

This is really helpful if you have lower back issues but even if you don't it can be just even more relaxing just to just have your knees kind of propped up on something.

And to lie down ideally without a cushion or anything too high under your head.

You want your head supported so that your spine is lovely and straight or you know in its kind of natural shape.

And to have your hands,

Your arms out beside you,

Palms up underneath the blanket if you can or perhaps folded over on your tummy.

And that's about as much as you need to do.

So we'll play a little piece of music just to give you a time to get settled.

Just a minute or so to get settled and then you'll hear my voice begin and just close your eyes and enjoy.

And at the end of the Yoganidra once I finish speaking we'll play that beautiful piece of music that Angus composed for us,

Blue and Green Marble,

Which is just an exquisite little journey and I do recommend that you stay for that before moving on into whatever you need to do.

So thank you as ever for being here and for listening and I hope you enjoy this and I send you a hug and a wave.

Everything is okay.

There's nowhere to go and nothing to do.

You're here to simply feel your body and listen.

And it's okay if you don't hear everything I say.

It's natural to flow in and out of conscious hearing.

The deepest part of you,

Your core self,

Is always listening.

Whatever you experience today,

This practice will still work.

However you experience it will be the right way.

You're in a safe space,

A protected,

Held space.

Become aware of any sounds you can hear in this moment,

Just the sounds that float towards you.

You don't need to lean towards them.

Hear the most distant sounds.

There's no need to identify them.

Just notice that they're there.

Let your sense of hearing radiate outward,

Searching out these distant sounds and following them for a few moments.

Move your attention from sound to sound without labelling the source.

Gradually bring your attention to closer sounds,

To sounds outside this space,

To sounds inside this space.

Visualise where you're lying,

The space around you,

Your body.

Visualise your body where you are lying,

The position of your body,

Your clothes,

Your hair,

Your face.

Become acutely aware of the existence of your physical body lying where you are.

Come into stillness now and focus on your breath.

Remain still,

A deep rest,

Deep nourishment.

Feel your natural breath wherever you sense it and allow your breath to flow so your body becomes heavy,

Sinking into the earth.

Go deep inside now,

Deep inside to notice your heart's deepest longing.

What does your heart desire?

Create a Sankalpa,

An intention affirmation that reflects that deep desire.

A positive statement in the present tense as though it is already happening.

You may choose to say,

I am safe,

I am healthy,

I am happy,

I live with ease.

Create your own intention or Sankalpa and state it three times as though it is already happening.

Allow your awareness to travel through your body now on a journey of sensation.

Simply feel each part as it is mentioned and without moving,

Remain still.

Welcome all sensation just as it is.

Begin with the mouth,

Feel your mouth,

Feel sensation in your mouth,

Feel your jaw,

Lips,

Upper lip,

Lower lip.

Notice where the lips touch,

Feel the inside of the mouth,

Roof,

Under tongue,

Upper teeth and gums,

Lower teeth and gums,

Tongue,

Root of the tongue,

Center of the tongue,

Tip.

Notice sense of taste in the mouth,

Feel the left inner cheek,

Right inner cheek.

Now feel all the parts together now as a whole,

Feel your mouth as sensation,

As energy,

As radiant vibration.

Feel your nose,

Notice the nostrils,

Left nostril,

Right nostril,

Both nostrils.

Notice the breath,

Nasal passages,

Follow nasal passages all the way back into your head.

Become aware of your ears,

Right ear,

Left ear,

Both ears simultaneously.

Feel the wrinkles and folds of the ears,

Backs of the ears,

Ear lobes,

Ear canals,

Follow ear canals into the inner ear.

Notice your ears receiving sound,

Listening,

Feel your ears hearing,

Feel your eyes,

Your eyes,

Left eye,

Right eye,

Both eyes together.

Notice eyelids,

Feel each eyelash,

Notice where the eyelids touch,

Become aware of the surface of the eyes,

Centers of the eyes,

Backs of the eyes.

Feel your eyes now as energy,

Radiant glowing embers,

Bring awareness to your crown,

Forehead,

Face,

Feel your whole head,

Feel your neck,

Back of the neck,

Sides of the neck,

Throat.

Notice your right palm,

Thumb,

First finger,

Second finger,

Third finger,

Fourth finger,

Feel your whole hand alive with energy,

Feel your wrist,

Forearm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

Whole shoulder,

Notice the notch at the base of the throat,

Notice your left palm,

Thumb,

First finger,

Second finger,

Third finger,

Fourth finger,

Feel your whole hand alive and filled with sensation,

Feel your left wrist,

Forearm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

Whole shoulder,

Notice the notch at the base of the throat,

Become aware of the upper chest,

Upper back,

Shoulder blades,

Feel your heart center,

Notice your abdomen,

Ribs on the back,

Solar plexus,

Feel your belly,

Navel center,

Pelvis,

Hips,

Feel your right hip,

Thigh,

Knee,

Lower leg,

Calf,

Ankle,

Foot,

Toes,

Sole of the foot,

Whole foot,

Feel again the pelvis,

Left hip,

Thigh,

Knee,

Lower leg,

Ankle,

Foot,

Toes,

Sole,

Whole foot,

Notice both feet,

Feel your root between your sitting bones,

Navel center,

Solar plexus,

Heart center,

Throat center,

Mouth,

Third eye between the brows,

Crown,

Crown,

Feel now the back body resting on the earth,

Bring awareness of your whole back body as sensation alive with vibration,

Feel now the front body filled with radiant vibration,

Pour your awareness like liquid into the right side of your body,

Feel the right side,

Pour your awareness like flowing senses into the left side,

Feel your left side,

Feel midline,

Feel your body as a whole,

Complete entity,

Feel sensation throughout your entire body,

Begin to notice your breath,

Your natural breath as it flows through you,

Feel the in-breath,

Note the out-breath,

As you exhale,

Imagine a wave passing downward through your body,

Carrying away tensions,

As you inhale,

A fresh wave flows upward through your whole body,

Bringing a sense of calm to every cell,

Then exhale,

Wave flowing downward through your body,

Carries away fears,

Inhale,

Fresh wave wave upward,

Brings serenity,

Notice your body lying where you are,

Feel all the places where you touch what you are lying on,

Notice the sense of the sky above,

Notice all of the space surrounding you,

Let your body expand wider into the space that surrounds you,

Notice your breath,

Feel its rhythm and pace,

Take a moment now to recall your sankalpa,

Your intention affirmation,

And repeat it to yourself three times in the present tense,

As though it is already happening,

We are now completing this relaxation practice,

Before moving,

Sense your fingers and just imagine them moving,

Now begin to wiggle your fingers,

Feeling every sensation as you do,

Notice your toes,

Begin to wiggle your toes,

Gently rock your head side to side,

A slow awakening,

Draw a deeper breath into your belly,

Into your chest,

And rock slowly over to your right side,

Into a fetal position,

And stay here for a few moments,

If you prefer to rest here,

Get comfortable,

Perhaps put your head upon your arm,

Snuggle into your blanket,

And if you choose to return to whatever the rest of your day holds,

Keeping your eyes closed,

And pressing your left palm into the floor,

Gently draw yourself up into a comfortable seated position,

Lengthen your spine,

Take a full breath in,

And as you exhale,

Imagine filling your whole body with light,

And with your eyes still closed,

Bring your hands onto your face,

And notice how you feel right now,

Notice the effects of the practice,

Bring your hands down to your heart,

May there be peace,

Eternal peace in your heart,

And ever so slowly now,

Allow the eyes to softly open to a gentle downward gaze.