Journey Within - Yoga Nidra With Visualisation

Please prepare for Yoga Nidra.

Lie down on your back and position your body in Shavasana.

This is a position where we lie flat with our arms and legs somewhat symmetrical to the spine.

We turn our palms to face upwards and separate the feet about hip distance apart and ensure your head is also in line with the spine.

If for any reason Shavasana is not accessible for you,

Find an alternative resting pose where you can stay for a long time in comfort.

You may wish to cover yourself with a blanket so that you stay warm throughout the practice and maybe putting something small and comfortable underneath your head so that the back of the head has something soft to rest against.

Once you've found your position just adjust everything.

Adjust your body,

Your clothes until you are completely comfortable.

You should try during this practice to stay as still as you can.

There should be no movement and whilst the body stays still and relaxed,

The mind stays active and alert.

Just focus on the sound of my voice and use my voice as an anchor to help keep your mind alert and awake.

Take a deep breath now and as you breathe out feel the cares and worries of the day flow out of you.

One more time taking a slow inhale and as you exhale just let the cares and worries of the day release from the body and mind.

Now just bringing awareness to the face.

Invite your forehead to relax.

Let the eyes sink back into their sockets.

Allow the cheeks to soften,

The jaw to relax and just let the tongue loosen away from the roof of the mouth.

Allow that softness from the face to travel down into the rest of the body so that you once again feel soft yet stable in this stillness.

Sometimes in yoga nidra we might fall asleep.

If that happens it means your body needs to rest but you'll still get the benefit from the practice as my voice will still penetrate your subconscious mind.

Of course do your best though to stay awake during the practice and focus on the sound of my voice.

Say to yourself now in your mind I am aware.

I am aware that I am about to practice yoga nidra.

I am aware.

I am aware that I'm about to practice yoga nidra.

It's at this time now that you can bring yourself to remember your sankalpa.

Your sankalpa is a determined resolve or a heartfelt intention,

Something you wish to manifest in your life.

If you are already working with the sankalpa you can use the same one now.

If you do not yet have one you can simply use the one I provide for you now.

I am aware in every moment.

Take a moment to think of your sankalpa now or use the one I provide for you.

Now repeat the sankalpa three times in your mind as if it has already been realized.

Speak with determination and enthusiasm as you repeat your sankalpa.

We now begin rotation of consciousness around the body.

Just let your awareness move around the various body parts as I name them.

You do not need to move the body but just keep your awareness going but just keep your awareness going from point to point.

You may wish to repeat the name of the body part in your mind or just feel the sensation in that area.

Begin by bringing your awareness to the right hand,

The right hand thumb,

Index finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger,

And the little finger,

The palm of the hand,

Back of the hand,

Back of the hand,

The right wrist,

Lower arm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

The right shoulder,

Armpit,

The right side of the ribs,

Right side of the waist,

The right hip,

Thigh,

Knee,

Shin,

Ankle,

And the whole of the right foot,

The top of the foot,

Sole of the foot,

All five toes,

The right big toe,

Second toe,

Third,

Fourth,

And fifth toe,

The whole of the right foot,

The ankle,

Knee,

Pubic bone,

Navel,

And the centre of the chest.

Now take your awareness to the left hand,

The left hand thumb,

Index finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger,

Little finger,

Palm of the hand,

Back of the hand,

Left wrist,

Lower arm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

Left shoulder,

Left armpit,

Left side of the ribs,

Left side of the waist,

Left hip,

Thigh,

Knee,

Shin,

Ankle,

And the whole of the left foot,

Top of the foot,

Sole of the foot,

All five toes,

Left big toe,

Second toe,

Third,

Fourth,

And fifth toe,

The whole of the left foot,

The ankle,

Knee,

Hip,

Pubic bone,

Navel,

And the centre of the chest.

Bring your awareness now to the crown of the head,

The forehead,

The right eyebrow,

Left eyebrow,

The right eye,

Left eye,

Right ear,

Left ear,

Right cheek,

Left cheek,

The nose,

Upper lip,

Lower lip,

Teeth,

Tongue,

Chin,

And the jaw.

Awareness to the throat,

Back of the head,

And the back of the neck.

Awareness to the right shoulder blade,

Left shoulder blade,

The upper back,

Middle back,

Lower back,

And the entire length of the spine.

Awareness to the right buttock,

The back of the right thigh,

Back of the knee,

Calf muscle,

And the heel.

Awareness to the left buttock,

Back of the left thigh,

Back of the knee,

Calf muscle,

And the heel.

Awareness to the right side of the chest,

Left side of the chest,

The upper abdomen,

Lower abdomen,

The entire pelvis.

Now bring your awareness to the whole right arm,

The whole left arm,

Both arms together.

Awareness to the left side of the chest,

The upper abdomen,

The lower abdomen,

Awareness to the whole right leg,

Whole left leg,

Both legs together.

Awareness to the whole right side of the body,

Whole left side of the body,

The front side of the body,

And the back side of the body.

And now bring your awareness to the entire body,

The entire body.

Awareness in the entire body.

Now become aware of your breath.

Feel the flow of the breath that comes in and out of the lungs.

Do not try and change the rhythm,

Just let the breathing be natural.

There is no effort,

Just observe the breath come and go.

Now concentrate your awareness on the movement of the breath in your navel area,

The navel rising and falling with every breath.

Now as you watch this breath,

Start counting the breath down from the number 33.

33 33 33 navel rising and then falling.

32 navel rising and then falling.

31 navel rising and then falling and so on.

Say the words and numbers mentally to yourself to count the breaths.

If you lose count or reach zero,

Begin again at 33.

And now moving away from counting the breath,

We come to a phase of visualization.

Start by bringing your attention to the space behind the eyelids.

Just observe this area for a few moments.

I'm now going to name various objects and scenery.

You should try and imagine these as fully as you can with feeling,

Awareness,

Emotion and imagination.

If you cannot visualize anything that I suggest to you,

Just move on to the next one.

A burning candle.

A burning candle.

Burning candle.

Endless desert.

Endless desert.

Endless desert.

Torrential rain.

Torrential rain.

Torrential rain.

Snow-capped mountains.

Snow-capped mountains.

Snow-capped mountains.

Snow-capped mountains.

A Greek temple at sunrise.

A Greek temple at sunrise.

A Greek temple at sunrise.

A coffin beside a grave.

Coffin beside a grave.

Coffin beside a grave.

Birds flying across a sunset.

Birds flying across a sunset.

Birds flying across a sunset.

A cross above a church.

A cross above a church.

A cross above a church.

A cross above a church.

Stars at night.

Stars at night.

Stars at night.

Full moon.

Full moon.

Full moon.

Smiling Buddha.

Smiling Buddha.

Smiling Buddha.

Waves breaking on a deserted beach.

Waves breaking on a deserted beach.

Waves breaking on a deserted beach.

The symbol Aum.

The symbol Aum.

The symbol Aum.

Now it's time to bring your attention back to your Sankalpa,

To the intention or resolve that you used at the beginning of this practice.

The intention or resolve that you used at the beginning of this practice.

Repeat the same phrase again three times with the same determination and enthusiasm as before.

Now we'll slowly bring our awareness back to the sensation of the physical body lying on the floor.

Notice the contact points between your body and the surface below you.

And then slowly extend your awareness outward into the external world.

Begin to notice the sounds in the environment.

And then start to visualize the room that you're laying in.

The walls.

The ceiling.

The floor.

And any objects.

And any objects.

Energize the body with another slower breath.

And then when you feel ready to,

Begin to slowly move the fingers and the toes.

The wrists and the ankles.

And then draw the knees gently into the chest.

Take a gentle roll over to your right side.

Let your eyes blink open.

Make your way to seated.

The practice of Yoga Nidra is now complete.

You