Welcome to this practice of Yoga Nidra.
My name is Lauren Runyon and today you will be guided into a state of tranquility for the mind and body.
First let's begin to settle in,
Finding your most comfortable position for Yoga Nidra.
If you don't have one,
Traditionally this practice is done in Shavasana.
Support the body with as many props as you need to find a deep relaxation.
Possibly cover up with a blanket and know that it's also an option to cover the eyes with a light cloth.
And when you're ready,
Begin to turn inwards by closing down the eyes,
Initiating the beginning of withdrawing your senses from the world.
Allow your body to land to the earth completely,
Completely sinking and settling into the surface below you.
And if you are not lying on the floor,
Imagining that you are settling even deeper towards the earth,
Imagining that your body is like grains of sand that float towards the bottom of the water.
And your body that's made of trillions of grains of sand settles and floats deeper and deeper down into relaxation,
Relaxing all muscular effort.
Take a really big deep breath in through the nose,
Exhale sigh it out the mouth.
Two more times,
Inhale,
Exhale out the mouth.
This time focusing all of your attention on the belly rising as you inhale,
And the belly falling as you exhale.
Slowly scan the body from the top of the head all the way down to the feet and ask yourself,
Where are you still holding yourself up?
And can you let go of the effort there?
So starting with the head and the weight of the head,
Asking yourself,
Where am I resisting relaxation?
Where am I still efforting?
And then ask yourself if it's okay to let that go,
Releasing it for this time being,
Moving down to the other heavier parts of the body like the torso,
Scanning for any efforting.
Where are you trying to hold yourself up or where's the body resisting settling into the earth?
And without judgment,
Simply bring your awareness there and see if you can let it go.
Moving down to the hips and the sacrum,
The whole entire pelvic area,
Scanning and letting go.
Curiously discover where you're holding tension today so that you can make room for change,
Room for spaciousness,
And let's welcome your highest intention to the practice.
Your positive intention or heart's desire is called a sankalpa in the yoga nidra practice.
Speak your sankalpa silently three times or might you borrow this one.
My mind,
Body,
And soul are deeply at ease and in full harmony.
My mind,
Body,
And soul are deeply at ease and in full harmony.
Moving into the rotation of consciousness,
Inviting your attention to now move away from the mind and into the energy and sensations within as we trace the body part by part.
Might you welcome this experience as a gateway into embodying the physical body as infinite spacious vibrations that are not bound to your physical body.
Bring all of your attention to the sensations that you feel at the top of the head,
And the third eye center,
The right eye,
Left eye,
Tip of the nose,
The air moving in and out the nose,
The lips,
Inside the mouth,
Tip of the tongue,
Root of the tongue,
Middle of the throat,
Hollow pit of the throat,
Moving your awareness down to the center of your chest,
Feeling the aliveness and the infinite vibrations that extend from the heart center outwardly,
And the right chest,
Right shoulder,
Elbow,
Wrist,
Palm of the hand,
Back of the hand,
Tip of the right thumb,
First finger,
Second finger,
Third,
Fourth finger,
Wrist,
Elbow,
Shoulder,
Center of the chest,
Left side of the chest,
Left shoulder,
Elbow,
Wrist,
Palm of the hand,
Back of the hand,
Tip of the left thumb,
First finger,
Second,
Third,
Fourth finger,
The wrist,
Elbow,
Shoulder,
Center of the chest,
The solar plexus,
Navel center,
Pubic bone,
Right hip,
Knee,
Ankle,
Top of the foot,
Bottom of the foot,
The right heel,
Right big toe,
Second,
Third,
Fourth,
Fifth toe,
Ankle,
Knee,
Hip,
Pubic bone,
Left hip,
Knee,
Ankle,
Top of the foot,
Bottom of the foot,
The left heel,
Left big toe,
Second,
Third,
Fourth,
Fifth toe,
Ankle,
Knee,
Hip,
Pubic bone,
Base of the spine,
Moving up the spinal column one vertebrae at a time,
Pausing and sensing each vertebrae one by one,
33 times,
Moving to the base of the skull,
Feeling and sensing the weight of the head,
And the top of the head,
The right ear,
The left ear,
Feeling and sensing the right side of the body,
The infinite vibrational capacity of the right side of the body,
And all of the sensations present there,
Letting the right side go,
And bringing all of your awareness to the left side of the body,
Exploring the sensations,
And the energy,
And the feeling that expands from the body,
Out of the body,
And then can you experience the whole body at once,
The whole body,
Immersing yourself in the radiant vibration of the whole body,
Going deeper into the energetic layer,
As we join and follow the breath,
Witnessing the body breathing,
Undemanding,
Unhurried,
And unrestrained,
Witnessing the receiving of each breath into the body,
Creating a spacious distance,
So that you are observing the experience of the body being breathed,
You are not your body,
But the observer of the body,
A separate I am,
Letting the breath go,
Resting here in the vast empty stillness,
Beyond the boundaries of the mind,
Beyond the boundaries of the body,
Expanding into the silence,
Awaken and call forth your sankalpa,
Mentally whispering three times your deepest desire,
My mind,
Body,
And soul are deeply at ease,
And in full harmony,
Feel the sankalpa root,
And infuse into the deepest layers of your subconscious,
Spreading down and infusing every cell of your body,
Knowing that you've done all you need to do,
And that your mind,
Body,
And soul are deeply at ease,
Take a deep breath in through the nose,
Slowly let it out the mouth,
One more time,
In through the nose,
And out through the mouth,
Can you notice any thoughts,
Or emotions that are present right now,
Beginning to come a little closer,
Back to awake,
Back to the body,
As you notice the breath,
And the air moving in and out the nose,
And then beginning to notice the body,
And the shape it's taken on the surface below you,
And take just a second to notice any shifts that you've received from your practice,
And they could be really subtle,
Or maybe really profound,
And before you start to move,
Take just a moment to thank yourself for being here,
And making time for you and resting,
And your nourishment,
And when it feels right,
Begin to move the fingers,
Maybe touching the fingers one by one to the thumbs,
So first finger to the thumb,
Second,
Third,
Fourth finger to the thumb,
Releasing that,
Maybe opening and closing the hands,
Moving into the feet,
Taking any movements there that feel right for you,
Maybe inviting a full body stretch,
Or moving the head from side to side,
Taking anything that your body needs before you open your eyes,
As your practice of yoga nidra is now complete.
