So get ready for Yoga Nidra.
Preferably lie down in Shavasana,
The dead man's pose or the corpse pose.
If you are practicing it sitting down,
It's perfectly fine.
Make yourself as comfortable as possible.
Adjust your blanket,
Your clothes,
Adjust your position so that you can practice Yoga Nidra without moving and without having any physical discomfort.
Make yourself as comfortable as you need to.
Close your eyes and keep them closed.
The practice of Yoga Nidra is the act of hearing and the act of feeling.
These are the only important factors.
In Yoga Nidra you function on the level of awareness and the level of listening.
In dreams you have no control.
In Yoga Nidra you are the creator of the dream.
Say to yourself mentally,
I will not sleep.
I will not sleep.
I will only listen to the voice.
Take a deep breath and as you breathe in,
Feel calmness spreading throughout the body.
As you breathe out,
Say to yourself relax.
Now become aware of sounds.
Become aware of the most distant sound that you can hear.
Search out a distant sound and follow it for a few seconds.
Now bring your attention to a closer sound and follow that sound for a few seconds.
Become aware of the area that you are practicing Yoga Nidra in.
Without opening your eyes,
Visualize the area that you are located in.
Become aware of the existence of your physical body.
Total awareness of your body lying in complete stillness.
Become aware of all the physical meeting points between your body and the surface that it is resting on.
Become aware of your natural breath.
Become aware of the deep spontaneous breath.
Do not concentrate.
Simply be aware and know that you are breathing.
The practice of Yoga Nidra begins now.
Say mentally to yourself,
I am going to practice Yoga Nidra.
I will not sleep.
I am going to practice Yoga Nidra.
This is the time to make your resolve,
Your intention,
Your Sankalpa.
State your resolve clearly with feeling and complete awareness three times.
We will now go to the rotation of consciousness.
As quickly as possible,
Awareness has to jump from point to point.
Repeat mentally the name of each part after me and simultaneously become aware of that part.
We begin with the right hand.
Right hand thumb.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
Fifth finger.
Palm of the hand.
Back of the hand.
Wrist.
Lower arm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
Armpit.
Waist.
Hip.
Right thigh.
Knee.
Calf muscle.
Ankle.
Heel.
Sole.
Top of the foot.
Right big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
Now the left side.
Left hand thumb.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
Fifth finger.
Palm of the hand.
Back of the hand.
Wrist.
Lower arm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
Armpit.
Waist.
Hip.
Left thigh.
Knee.
Calf muscle.
Ankle.
Heel.
Sole.
Top of the foot.
Left big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
Now the back side of the body.
Right shoulder.
Left shoulder.
Right shoulder blade.
Left shoulder blade.
Right buttock.
Left buttock.
The spine.
The whole of the back together.
Now the front side of the body.
Top of the head.
Forehead.
Right eyebrow.
Left eyebrow.
The eyebrow center.
Right eyelid.
Left eyelid.
Right eye.
Left eye.
Right ear.
Left ear.
Right cheek.
Left cheek.
The nose.
The tip of the nose.
The right nostril.
The left nostril.
The upper lip.
Lower lip.
The chin.
The jaw.
The throat.
The right collarbone.
The left collarbone.
The right chest.
The left chest.
Middle of the chest.
The navel.
The abdomen.
The lower abdomen.
Now the whole of the right leg.
The whole of the left leg.
Both legs together.
The whole of the right arm.
The whole of the left arm.
Both arms together.
The whole of the back.
The whole of the front.
The whole of the head.
The legs,
Arms,
Back,
Front,
Head together.
The whole body together.
Now bring your attention to your breath.
Draw your attention to the natural in-going and out-going breath.
Feel the breath moving along the passage between the navel and the throat.
On inhalation it rises from the navel to the throat.
On exhalation it descends from the throat to the navel.
Be completely aware of the respiration.
Navel to throat.
Throat to navel.
Total awareness of breathing.
Slow and relaxed breathing.
Navel to throat.
Throat to navel.
Now awaken the feeling of heaviness in the body.
The feeling of heaviness.
Become aware of heaviness in every single part of the body.
You are so heavy that you are sinking into the surface that you are resting on.
Awareness of heaviness.
Awareness of heaviness.
Now awaken the feeling of lightness.
Awaken the feeling of lightness.
A sensation of lightness and weightlessness in each and every part of the body.
Your body feels so light that it seems to be floating away from the floor.
Awareness of lightness.
Now the experience of pain.
Try to remember the experience of pain.
Any pain you have experienced in your life,
Mental or physical.
Recollect the feeling of pain.
Now recollect the feeling of pleasure.
Any kind of pleasure,
Physical or mental.
The feeling of pleasure.
Recollect this feeling and relive it.
Make it vivid.
Awaken the feeling of pleasure.
Now withdraw your mind and concentrate on the space in front of your closed eyes.
The space we call Chidakasha.
Imagine before you a transparent screen through which you can see infinite space.
A space that extends as far as the eyes can see.
Concentrate on this space and become aware of any phenomena that manifests within it.
Only awareness of this space without becoming involved.
Detached awareness.
Now visualize yourself walking through a peaceful forest,
A serene forest.
Golden sunlight filters through tall ancient trees.
The air is crisp.
The scent of the earth fills your senses.
You see a sacred lake.
Its waters are calm,
Reflecting the sky like a mirror.
You step toward the edge and look into the water.
Your reflection stares back.
But something else appears.
Six ripples moving across the surface.
Each carrying an image,
A presence,
A part of your mind that longs to be seen.
A ripple shows you an image of longing,
Something or someone you deeply desire.
A craving that has held power over you.
Notice the energy of karma.
Notice the energy of desire.
How it pulls.
How it grips.
Now take a deep breath.
Imagine stepping into the lake.
The water surrounding you.
As you exhale,
Feel the grasp of desire loosen.
You do not need to cling.
The ocean of existence already holds everything.
Let go.
And watch the ripple dissolve.
The next ripple reveals krodha.
Anger.
A memory of anger,
Resentment or hurt.
The fire of anger rises,
Tightening your chest.
Observe it,
But do not react.
Breathe in deeply.
And as you exhale,
Visualize this fire transforming into a cool,
Soothing breeze.
The anger melts away.
It has been replaced by compassion.
You are free from its hold.
The water shifts again,
Showing lobha,
Greed,
The desire to possess more,
The fear of scarcity.
You see yourself holding tightly to something.
Someone.
Unwilling to release.
Take another deep breath.
And as you exhale,
Imagine your hands opening,
Releasing what you hold.
Trust in the abundance of life.
Feel the relief of letting go.
The ripple fades.
In the next ripple,
The lake reveals moha,
Illusion.
Beliefs or attachments that cloud your vision.
It may be an identity.
A false story that you tell yourself.
See this illusion clearly.
As you breathe,
Imagine a soft rain cleansing the water.
Revealing the pure truth beneath.
Clarity emerges.
You are not these illusions.
You are something far greater.
You are expansive.
You are free.
The next ripple brings madha,
Pride.
The feeling of superiority.
The feeling of separateness.
It rises like a tall tower,
Keeping you distant from others.
Breathe deeply.
And with each exhale,
Let the walls of ego dissolve into the earth.
Grounding you.
You are not above or below.
You are part of everything.
The lake remains still and washed.
And finally the last ripple stirs.
Matsarya,
Envy.
It shows you a moment when you compared yourself to another.
Felt small or felt resentful.
Take a deep breath.
And as you exhale,
Let the feeling dissolve into gratitude.
There is no need to compare.
You are unique.
You are whole.
You are perfect just as you are.
The ripple fades,
Leaving only peace.
The lake is still now clear and limitless.
As you stand in its center,
Feel the absence of these six enemies.
There is no desire.
No anger.
No greed.
No illusion.
No pride.
No envy.
Only awareness remains pure,
Washed,
Boundless.
You are the still water.
You are the sky above.
You are the silence,
The space between thoughts.
There is nothing to fight.
Nothing to resist.
Just peace.
Just being.
Now remember your resolve,
Your sankalpa,
Your intention.
And repeat the same resolve you made at the beginning of the practice.
In the same words,
With the same attitude,
Repeat your resolve now three times.
With feeling and emphasis.
And now become aware of your breathing.
Become aware of your natural breathing.
Awareness of breathing and awareness of relaxation.
Become aware of your physical existence.
Become aware of your arms,
Your legs,
Your body.
Become aware of the meeting points of your body and the surface that it is resting on.
Become aware of the area you are practicing yoga nidra in.
Walls.
Ceiling.
The floor.
Noises.
Noises around you.
Take your mind out.
Become completely external.
Start moving and stretching yourself.
And when you are sure you are wide awake,
If you are sleeping,
You can sit up slowly and open your eyes.
The practice of yoga nidra is now complete.
Hari Om Tat Sat.
