I Am - Yoga Nidra For Releasing Tension

Welcome to the Integrative Amrit Method of Yoga Nidra and I am Yoga Nidra.

Begin by finding a supremely comfortable position,

Preferably lying on your back.

You can use blankets and other props to support your body.

You may also wish to have an extra blanket or eye pillow nearby.

Take a moment to get supremely comfortable and when you are ready,

Close your eyes and quiet your mind.

We will move our attention into the body to release trapped energy and move deeper into total relaxation.

Those with cardiac disease,

Hypertension and glaucoma should use caution.

If you cannot have undue pressure in the head for any reason,

It is important that you breathe normally as you tense the body.

As you inhale,

Make fists and deliberately induce stiffness and tension throughout your shoulders,

Arms and fists.

Tighten.

Tighten.

Even more.

Now let go completely.

Relax.

On your next exhalation,

Relax even more.

Let go.

Observe and feel the flood of energy in your arms.

This time as you inhale,

Deliberately induce stiffness and tension in the hips,

Legs and feet.

Tighten.

Tighten.

Hold.

Hold.

Let go.

Let go completely.

Relax.

Observe the flood of energy in your legs.

This time,

Tighten and tense the entire body as you inhale.

Arms,

Hands,

Shoulders,

Feet,

Legs,

Face,

Buttocks.

Tighten.

Tighten.

Hold.

Hold.

Now let go completely.

Relax.

On your next exhalation,

Let go even more.

Observe and feel the flood of energy extending to all the muscles,

Nerves and cells of your entire body.

Let your whole body melt into the flood of energy.

Let your body go limp like a ragdoll.

Relax even more.

Release any holding anywhere.

Be still.

Let go of all thoughts,

Worry and tension.

Give yourself fully to a higher power.

Relax.

Trust.

And let go.

Breathe in fully and exhale with a deep sigh.

And again,

Breathe in fully and exhale with a deep sigh.

Let go even more.

Feel a deep sense of contentment and peace in your heart.

Bring your body into awareness.

Recognize your body has been a trusted vehicle,

Creating accomplishments and contributions to the best of its ability.

Now it is time for your body to rest deeply.

Now follow my guidance as we take three deep breaths.

Ready?

Let's inhale together.

Hold the breath in,

Closing off the throat.

When prompted by the inner urging of the body,

Release the breath slow and steady.

Breathe normally.

Second breath now.

Inhale together.

Hold the breath in,

Closing off the throat,

Allowing tension to build,

Holding a bit longer without struggle.

And when prompted,

Release fully,

Expelling from the body whatever it no longer needs.

Deep seated tensions leaving your body with the breath.

Breathe normally.

And third breath.

Inhale together.

Hold the breath in,

Closing off the throat,

Holding even longer now but without strain.

When prompted,

Release the breath,

Breathing it all out,

Letting it go until there is nothing left,

Until you are completely empty.

Open.

Breathe normally.

Simply allow the breath to rise and fall in its own rhythm.

The breath becoming progressively quieter and more still until it is almost impossible to detect.

Maintaining this inner stillness,

Gently cover yourself and if you wish,

Place the eye pillow over your eyes.

As we enter this next phase of yoga nidra,

Remain as motionless as possible.

If you need to move or make an adjustment,

Do so mindfully and return to stillness as soon as you are able.

Resolve to remain awake,

Staying in touch with the sound of my voice.

Allow your entire body to respond to my words directly and nonmentally.

Allow any disturbances,

External or internal,

To draw you more deeply within.

In yoga nidra,

You enter the subconscious pranic field.

Let your mind merge and melt into the energy body and go beyond the boundaries of body and mind.

Now shift from thinking and doing to feeling and being.

Do absolutely nothing from now on.

Simply relax.

Drop into the deepest state of tranquility,

Stillness and peace.

Now become aware of the rising and falling of the breath.

Simply relax and observe the breath.

Notice if the breath is fast or slow,

Deep or shallow.

Whatever is happening,

Simply relax and witness the breath.

Now gently deepen your inhalations and exhalations.

Stay connected to every breath in,

Every breath out.

As you inhale,

Know that you are inhaling.

As you exhale,

Know that you are exhaling.

Now we will inhale and exhale to a count of four.

Inhale one,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Exhale one,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Continue on your own,

Counting silently.

Find your own rhythm,

Soft and easy.

Release any struggle to make anything happen.

If any thoughts come into your mind,

Simply bring your attention back to the count.

Belly rising as you inhale,

Belly falling as you exhale.

Breath becoming longer,

Slower,

Deeper.

Tranquility,

Stillness and peace washing over you with each outgoing breath.

Now breathe normally.

Observe the breath becoming very quiet and still,

Almost non-existent.

Let the breath breathe itself.

Sink down into the silence beneath the mind.

Let go of any effort to make anything happen.

Drop into that silent space where all doing stops.

Let go.

Let go even more.

Now imagine your body being filled with sparkly,

Fizzy bubbles from bottom to top.

Feel all those sparkling bubbles in both feet,

Tingling bubbles.

Both ankles.

Both knees.

In the thighs,

Tingling.

Both hips.

In the belly,

Tingling.

Into the chest,

Popping.

Both arms.

Both hands sparkling and fizzing with bubbles.

Fizziness filling the neck.

The entire head light and shimmering.

Whole body tingling,

Sparkling and shimmering from the top of the head to the tips of the toes.

Feel the whole body buzzing and tingling with popping bubbles.

Now rest here,

Very still,

Very quiet.

Now rest back,

Empty.

Like a big blue sky.

In your sky,

Let every cloud come and go.

You can let everything come and go.

In time,

Every thought,

Every experience passes by like these clouds.

Some have already gone,

Already passed.

Now you can let it all go.

Stay steady,

Centered and calm in your being.

Rest here.

Continue on your journey,

Knowing you already have what you need.

You have always been loved.

Bring your attention to the center between your eyebrows and drop into the deepest level of relaxation.

Feel completely safe and comfortable as you hand yourself over to the power and protection of the presence.

Hand over all fear,

Apprehension and anxiety about all that you want to change,

Control and manage.

Let go of all doing.

Feel yourself as time transcendent presence right now.

Let go of all being.

Here,

Your intention and your affirmations are actualized and fulfilled with effortless ease.

If you have self-defeating patterns or habits that are holding you back,

That you want to be freed from,

Make that your intention now.

Allow this intention to go to the deepest levels of recognition with no hesitation.

Know that your higher self recognizes,

Honors and accepts your intention.

Have faith and trust that it has been heard and is being acted upon by a higher power of the source within you.

There is no need for you to do anything about it.

Bring your attention back to the center between the eyebrows and feel all the energies of your body from all meridians activated,

Purified and balanced.

Just experience.

At this time,

Feel the presence of any guides,

Mentors,

Teachers or family members you feel connected to.

You may sense this as a universal force or energy surrounding you,

Guiding you.

Know that this presence surrounds you always.

You can draw on this presence at any time.

If there is any guidance to be received at this time,

Either as felt sense,

Words or images,

Allow yourself to receive it now.

Otherwise,

Simply rest back in the grace and protection of the presence.

Now,

Begin to become aware of the rising and falling of the breath.

Slowly feel yourself beginning to rise to the surface of awareness.

Sense the body resting on the floor,

The quality of the air as it touches the skin.

Gradually,

You can move as if you are waking from a restful sleep.

Bend your knees and pull them closer to your chest.

Rock sideways gently.

Take your time.

Do not hurry.

When you are ready,

Turn onto your right side and curl into a fetal position.

Feel the safety,

Comfort and protection of the womb of existence.

Now you can gradually move and begin to sit up with your eyes closed.

Continue to stay deep in this inner experience.

Regardless of what you consciously recognize that has or has not changed,

Know that something deep within has shifted.

Become aware of your body and bring a deep sense of peace and contentment with you as you bring attention back to the body.

Notice how relaxed the body is,

How soft the breath is,

How silent the mind is,

How quiet the heartbeat is.

Be still and be grateful.

Know that you can easily enter here again and again.

Now you may gradually open your eyes.

Jai Bhagwan.