Welcome to Yoga Nidra.
While most Yoga Nidra practices encourage some state of alertness throughout,
This practice is a guided relaxation toward sleep.
You may practice in bed with whatever pillows or blankets help you feel most comfortable.
We will move through a systematic process of guided relaxation.
I will guide you through each section and there will be some moments of silence preceded by instruction of what to do during the pauses.
The practice will have no formal closing but rather an invitation to drift into sleep.
As you get settled in your space,
Make any adjustments you can to find even a little bit more ease and comfort.
If you are lying down,
See if you can begin lying on your back.
Place a pillow or blanket underneath your knees if your back would like some support.
Draw your chin down to lengthen the back of your neck.
Allow your shoulders to rest heavy.
Often we carry tension with us so frequently that it becomes familiar and almost invisible.
Let's see if we can identify and release any tension by first exaggerating it,
Then releasing completely.
Begin by squeezing your hands into fists and pressing your arms down.
Keep breathing.
Hold this for three,
Two,
One,
Release.
Now squeeze your toes,
The muscles in your legs and press your heels down.
Hold here.
Keep breathing for three,
Two,
One,
Release.
Now squeeze all the muscles in your face,
Your jaw,
Your tongue,
Your eyes.
Keep breathing as you squeeze.
Hold here for three,
Two,
One,
Release.
Now the entire right side of your body.
Squeeze every muscle on the right side from your face to your arm to your belly to glute to leg to toes.
Hold here for three,
Two,
One,
Release.
Now the entire left side of your body.
Squeeze your face,
Shoulder,
Arm,
Torso,
Glute,
Leg.
Hold for three,
Two,
One,
Release.
Last one.
Squeeze all the muscles in your entire body from your head to your toes,
Right to left,
Front to back.
Hold.
Keep breathing for three,
Two,
One,
Release.
Now let's set an intention for the practice.
You may set your own or use these words as your intention.
I surrender to deep rest.
I surrender to deep rest.
I surrender to deep rest.
Bring your awareness to your current environment.
Notice what you notice.
Observe any sounds you can hear.
Notice any scents you can smell,
Any taste in your mouth.
Notice what you can feel,
The ground or bed beneath you,
Clothing or blankets over you.
What does this feel like on your skin?
What does the air feel like on your skin?
Notice,
Is it light or dark in your space?
Throughout this practice,
Notice if your mind goes back to the environment around you.
If it does,
Notice it and come back to the practice.
If you notice your mind wanders internally,
Observe it and come back to the practice.
Now we begin a rotation of awareness throughout the body.
There's nothing you need to do,
But simply listen and follow along.
Bring your awareness to your right thumb,
Observing sensation.
Bring your awareness to your right first finger,
Your second finger,
Third finger,
Little finger,
The tips of your fingers,
Right palm,
The back of your hand,
Wrist,
Lower arm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Side waist,
Upper leg,
Knee,
Lower leg,
Ankle,
The top of your right foot,
The sole of your foot,
Right big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Little toe,
The tips of your toes.
Bring your awareness to your left thumb,
First finger,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Little finger,
The tips of your fingers.
Left palm,
The back of your hand,
Wrist,
Lower arm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Side waist,
Hip,
Upper leg,
Knee,
Lower leg,
Ankle,
The top of your right foot,
The top of your left foot,
The sole of your foot,
Left big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Little toe,
The tips of your toes.
Bring your awareness to the entire right side of your body,
The entire left side of your body,
The entire front side of your body,
The entire back side of your body,
Entire body.
Bring your awareness to your belly.
Notice how this area moves with your breath,
Expanding on your inhales,
Softening on your exhales.
You will keep awareness here and count backward,
10 to 0 on your exhales.
So in your mind,
It might sound like inhale,
Exhale,
10.
Inhale,
Exhale,
9.
And so on down to 0.
If you get to 0 or lose your place,
Return to 10 and start again.
With awareness at your belly,
Count backward 10 to 0 on your exhales.
Begin.
Release awareness at your belly and bring awareness to your chest,
The heart center.
Notice how this area responds to your breath,
Expansive inhales,
Soft exhales.
With awareness at the heart center,
Count backward from 10 to 0 on your exhales.
Begin.
Release awareness at your heart center and bring awareness to your throat.
Notice the passage of air in the throat.
With awareness here,
Count backward from 10 to 0 on your exhales.
Begin.
Release awareness at your throat and bring awareness to your nostrils.
Notice the passage of air here,
The gentle,
Cool air drawing in and the soft,
Warm air releasing.
With awareness at the nostrils,
Count backward from 10 to 0 on your exhales.
Begin.
Release awareness at the nostrils.
Now imagine and feel these scenes.
Each one will be repeated a couple of times.
A field full of wildflowers.
A field full of wildflowers.
A candle flame.
A candle flame.
Heavy rainfall.
Heavy rainfall.
Wind from the sea.
Wind from the sea.
Clouds drifting across the sky.
Bright stars at night.
Bright stars at night.
Crickets chirping in the distance.
Crickets chirping in the distance.
A cloud of clouds.
A cloud of clouds.
A cloud of clouds.
A cloud of clouds.
A cloud of clouds.
A cloud of clouds.
A cloud of clouds.
A cloud of clouds.
A cloud of clouds.
A cloud of
