Welcome to this practice of Yoga Nidra.
My name is Penny and I am pleased to be your guide.
When you're ready take a slow deep breath in and as you exhale release yourself into stillness.
Make a commitment to yourself to be still.
You are consciously choosing this action of non-action right now.
It is through the stillness of the physical form that more expansive states of consciousness become accessible.
Settle into the stillness.
Allow your head and spine to be in alignment.
Your feet and ankles hip-width apart.
Toes dropping naturally to the sides.
Arms resting a few inches from the body.
Palms turned upward.
Fingers curling naturally.
If this is comfortable for you.
Or you may choose to rest your hands on your lower belly.
Gently press the back of your head into the surface beneath you and slide your shoulder blades slightly under your back to restore your natural lumbar curve and relax your body.
Adjust your chin so your throat is open and it's easy to breathe.
If it feels comfortable for you close your eyes if they aren't already.
Yoga Nidra is a system.
A system that is very restful.
A system that rests your impulses as you lie completely still.
Take a moment to adjust your clothing or your blanket or any pillows one last time.
And then commit to complete stillness knowing you can move if you become uncomfortable at any point.
Rest in knowing that from this stillness there is a great opportunity for change.
This meditation is creative and dynamic.
Subtle and profound.
As we ask the body to relax and drop into the floor we give the subconscious mind a chance to design,
To express.
Find your breath in your body now and breathe slowly.
Breathe evenly,
Naturally,
With complete ease.
It's almost as if your bones are settling down into the floor like lying in warm sand on a beach.
The sand gives way creating a perfect mold for your body to rest in.
Release tension in the jaw.
Soften the tongue.
Notice your belly lifting slightly as you inhale and falling slightly as you exhale.
There's no strain,
No forcing.
Let your concentration be soft,
Almost as if you're not concentrating at all.
What keeps you steady inside is your openness.
Bring your awareness to your ears and send your listening outward beyond the room.
Perhaps into the street.
Hear traffic,
Possibly people.
Not searching,
Not labeling,
Just noticing.
Bring your awareness closer.
Hear noises inside the room.
My voice,
Perhaps the air system,
The hum of electricity.
Bring your awareness very close.
Hear your breath.
Feel the drumming of your heart in your chest,
Your throat,
Perhaps fingertips,
And reverberations in your belly.
At the heart of this Yoga Nidra practice,
We focus on the Sankalpa.
A Sankalpa is a conscious intention,
A heartfelt desire you hope to manifest in your life.
It is a short,
Positive statement,
Often beginning with I am or I will.
For example,
I am peaceful or I am healthy.
Sometimes it is called your heart's prayer.
It is a strong,
Determined will to become,
To do,
To evolve.
It is one of the most powerful and transformative aspects of the Yoga Nidra practice and of our lives.
When we plant this seed of change,
We cultivate an attitude to act,
To think,
And feel aligned with our highest potential.
If you do not have a Sankalpa,
Turn your senses inward and ask your heart,
What do I need to grow?
Thoughtfully,
With courage and determination,
Plant your Sankalpa by repeating it to yourself three times in the present tense.
Now give thanks and let it go.
Say to yourself,
I am practicing Yoga Nidra.
I am awake and relaxed.
I welcome you to make any final adjustments as you recall in your mind a favorite place,
A personal safe haven where you feel secure,
Safe,
And at ease,
A place where you experience a sense of overall well-being and peace.
It could be lying on your couch near a fireplace or lying in a hammock by a lake.
Any place at all that is inviting to you.
In Yoga Nidra,
We call this place your inner resource.
It can be real or imagined,
So use as many images and details as you need.
What does it look like?
What does it feel like?
Are there any sounds there?
Any tastes or smells?
Notice how your body feels and where you sense your experiences while you're there.
You will use this inner resource to return to at any time during practice.
For example,
If you fall asleep and wake up feeling lost,
Simply return to your inner resource.
As we begin the practice,
Feel free to keep your eyes open or closed.
I will guide you to notice and feel physical sensations,
The breath,
Emotions,
Thoughts,
And feelings of well-being or joy.
Experience yourself as the witness of all comings and goings.
Whatever you experience is fine,
Just as it is.
There is no right or wrong.
Rest at ease and listen to my voice.
Bring your awareness to each body part without moving your eyes or body.
Just bring your attention in turn as I name each part.
Left heel.
Sole of the left foot.
Left big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Left pinky toe.
Top of the left foot.
Inner ankle.
Around the back of the ankle.
To the outer ankle bone.
Back to the front of the ankle.
Left shin.
Knee.
Calf.
Thigh.
Femur.
Hip.
Lower back.
Right lower back.
Back of right hip around to the front of the right hip.
Your entire right thigh.
Front and back.
Right femur.
Right knee.
Right calf.
Ankle.
Foot.
Right toes.
Your front abdomen.
The left and right rib cage.
Around the sides and back.
The spine from the tailbone.
Up through shoulder blades.
Back of neck.
Left shoulder blade.
Left shoulder.
Left upper arm.
Left elbow.
Left forearm.
Left wrist.
Back of left hand.
Left hand thumb and fingers.
Right hand thumb and fingers.
Back of right hand.
Right wrist.
Left forearm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
Shoulder blade.
Front of the chest.
Right and left collarbones.
Center of the throat.
Right ear.
Left ear.
Base of skull.
The jaw.
Lips.
Tongue.
Bridge of nose.
Eyes.
Forehead.
Top of head.
Feel your whole body.
Your whole body.
Your whole body.
Your whole body.
Imagine shaking a tissue in the sunlight and seeing dust particles flow in the air.
Transform these particles into gold.
Begin to imagine gold particles flowing in and out of your body as you breathe.
They rise through your feet touching every cell all the way up to the crown of your head.
As you exhale,
Release the golden particles down through your body and out through your feet.
Continue to breathe like this washing your entire body with gold light.
Release the gold particles and with your eyes closed look at the space between your eyebrows.
Expand this space gently remembering there's no wrong way and you can return to your inner resource at any time.
Imagine stepping outside barefoot on a very cold morning.
Notice frost under your feet.
Feel the cold moving up through your legs.
Notice the sensations in your chest as you breathe.
Experience the cold fully.
Now release the cold and immerse in warmth.
A sauna,
Jacuzzi,
Or sun-drenched day.
Feel the heat in your legs,
Back,
Chest,
Arms,
Hands.
Taste the salt of perspiration.
Alternate between cold and heat exploring how they blend and overlap.
Feel your body becoming light as if floating toward the ceiling.
Head,
Limbs,
Torso,
All weightless like a feather.
Float higher and higher and higher and higher.
Now feel your body becoming heavy,
Each part sinking into the floor like a sandbag.
Alternate between light and heavy exploring where the two sensations meet and perhaps blend.
Recollect a feeling of anxiety,
Intense worry,
Stress in your mind and body.
Notice it fully without focusing on its source.
Now allow a sense of complete calm to envelop you.
Softness,
Security.
Alternate between anxiety and calm until perhaps a middle ground of equanimity is found.
Imagine floating on a soft,
Fluffy white cloud.
Feel the cloud rising beneath you,
Surrounding you with protective cushioning.
The walls and ceiling disappear as you drift into a sunny,
Blue sky.
Feel the cloud supporting your whole body.
You notice the horizon stretching in a full circle.
The ground below looks like a patchwork quilt.
Fields,
Rivers,
Lakes,
Forests.
The air is so fresh and so clean.
You are weightless,
Comfortable,
Supported,
Safely floating.
Recall your Sankalpa.
Notice its resonance in your body.
Take a few moments to feel it fully.
In this space,
Your Sankalpa takes root and grows.
If you didn't have a Sankalpa,
That's okay.
Your purpose for being here is enough.
Perhaps a Sankalpa arises now.
Notice any changes,
Any shifts in your mind.
Feel back into the part of you that is aware of all this being aware of being aware.
Sense the air and the air clothing touching your skin.
Hear the sounds inside and outside the room.
Notice your breath moving in and out of your nose.
Any tastes in your mouth,
Notice.
When you are ready,
Gently rub your palms together,
Creating warmth.
Gently place them over your eyes.
You may transition slowly to alertness or drift off to sleep.
Experience gratitude for taking time to practice Yoga Nidra.
Offer love to yourself as a timeless,
Open,
Spacious well-being,
Perfect just as you are.
Recognize your whole self as whole,
Healthy,
And complete.
And trust that you always know the perfect response to each moment as you welcome your deepest knowing.
Sense everything around you.
Thank you for practicing Yoga Nidra.
It has been my honor to be your guide.
Namaste.
