20 Minute Yoga Nidra To Renew

Welcome.

I've had a request to record a shorter yoga nidra.

And so that's what I'm doing today.

So yoga nidra is a very deep guided meditation done lying down.

And this is going to be a 20 minute practice.

I love to do yoga nidra in the evening to help me fall asleep.

I also love to do it sometime in the afternoon if I'm feeling depleted or exhausted just a little.

This is actually better than a nap,

Because your body get goes into a deeper mode of relaxation than just a nap will even offer.

It said that just half an hour of yoga nidra is equivalent to about two hours of regular sleep.

So,

So get yourself comfortable.

I recommend that you lie down.

I'm going to stay seated as I guide you.

You don't need to see me.

Make yourself as comfortable as you possibly can.

Perhaps finding a blanket to cover you up with perhaps finding some sort of support under your knees so that all the tension from your lower back is released.

A couple of bed pillows or a couch pillow just to raise your knees a little bit higher so your lower back releases.

It's often really nice to put an eye pillow or some covering over your eyes.

And once you're ready,

Just take a deep breath in and side out.

Maybe do that a couple of more times.

Deep breath in and side out.

Now allow your whole body to rest on the surface that's holding it.

Notice if you can release the thighs,

The buttocks,

Arms,

Hands and fingers.

Imagine letting all expression melt from your face.

And you might tell your mind,

I am now practicing yoga nidra.

I will not sleep.

My body will rest.

My mind will stay awake and alert.

Rest assured that even if you do fall asleep,

You cannot do this practice wrong.

Throughout the practice,

You may notice that your mind wanders off.

And whenever you notice that that's a chance to begin again in this moment,

To come back again and again and again.

We're going to begin with a body scan.

This is a systematic cycling through the body mind that allows all parts of the body to release one by one.

And it also helps to clear energetic pathways.

Those blockages,

Those pockets of stress that accumulate without our even being aware of them.

So allow your awareness to come now to the right thumb feel or sense your right thumb.

Maybe there's tingling,

A sense of warmth or movement,

Vibration,

Right index finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger,

Pinky finger,

The palm of the right hand,

The back of the right hand,

Right wrist,

Forearm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

Right shoulder,

The right armpit,

The right side of the chest,

Right waist,

Buttock,

Thigh,

Knee,

Calf,

Ankle,

Sole of the foot,

Top of the foot,

Right big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

Fifth toe,

The whole right side of the body.

Let your awareness move now to the left thumb feel or sense the left thumb,

Left index finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger,

Pinky finger,

Palm of the left hand,

Back of the left hand,

Left wrist,

Forearm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

Left shoulder,

Left armpit,

Left side of the chest,

Waist,

Hip,

Buttock,

Left thigh,

Knee,

Calf,

Ankle,

Sole of the foot,

Top of the foot,

Left big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

Fifth toe,

The left side of the body,

The right side of the body,

The entire body,

Moving up the back body,

The soles of both feet,

Both heels,

Both calves,

The space behind the knees,

Both thighs,

Both buttocks,

Lower back,

Mid back,

Upper back,

The entire spine,

Shoulder blades,

Shoulders,

The back of the neck,

The back of the head,

The top of the head,

Forehead,

Both eyes,

The space between the eyes,

The bridge of the nose,

The nose,

Both cheeks,

Both ears,

The upper lip,

The roof of the mouth,

The lower lip,

The bottom of the mouth,

Insides of the cheeks,

The tongue,

The whole mouth,

The chin,

The front of the throat,

The chest,

The arms,

Hands,

Fingers,

The belly,

The belly,

The belly,

The fronts of the thighs,

Knees,

Shins,

Toes,

Feet,

The entire body,

The entire body,

The entire body,

Moving past the layer of the body into the layer of the breath,

The pranamaya kosha.

Just notice your breath.

Without needing to control your breath,

Begin to count your breaths backwards,

Assigning the same count to the inhale and the exhale,

Beginning at 17,

Breathing in 17,

Breathing out 17,

Breathing in 16,

Breathing out 16.

Continue at your own pace.

If you lose track of the count or you arrive at zero,

Begin again at 17.

Release the breath.

Release the counting.

Moving past the layer of the breath into the layer of the mind,

Emotions,

Feelings,

The mano maya kosha.

As I mention an image,

Allow yourself to visualize that image as best as you can.

I might move rapidly.

Sometimes I might move more slowly.

Again,

You can't do this part wrong or any part of yoga nidra.

Bring your awareness to the eyebrow center,

To the space between the eyebrows.

Imagine darkness,

Pink rose,

Waves on the ocean,

Blue sky in the evening,

Dark night,

Tiny shining stars,

High mountain range with snow capped peaks,

A ship sailing on the high seas,

A dove,

A galloping horse,

A white sandy beach,

A virgin forest with tall and dense trees,

A dove,

A small hut in the woods,

Roaring fire in a fireplace,

Burning fire in the bush,

Stormy night,

Full moon,

Mountain stream,

A lonely rock in the mountains,

A big garden of blooming flowers,

Rising sun.

Keep your awareness focused on the eyebrow center.

Visualize a large lake with lotus flowers floating in the lake,

A sailing boat,

People swimming,

A lonely wooden hut in the mountains,

A tiger in the forest,

Elephant,

Cobra,

Sound of a bell ringing,

Waves on the ocean,

Ship at sail,

Full moon,

Calm and quiet evening in a moonlit valley,

Mountain stream,

Refreshing cold bath in the mountain stream,

Experience of exhilaration.

Again become aware of the breath for the next several moments.

Imagine you can breathe in through the left nostril and breathe out through the right nostril,

Breathe in through the right nostril,

Breathe out through the left nostril,

Breathe in through the left nostril,

Breathe out through the right nostril,

Continue breathing in through the same side at your own pace,

Breathing out through the opposite side,

Breathing in through the same side,

Breathing out through the opposite side.

And once more,

Release the breath.

In your mind's eye,

Now imagine a really peaceful place.

This could be outside in nature,

A garden,

A beach,

A spot in the mountains.

It could be an interior space that you find very soothing,

Rewarding,

Healing,

Peaceful.

Imagine yourself in this space,

Wherever it is.

This is your safe haven.

Remember you can return to this space,

Whether it's imaginary or real,

Any time you like,

In your imagination to soothe you.

Take a moment to notice what do you see?

What do you hear?

What do you smell?

Imprint this space,

Knowing you can come back here any time you like.

Whenever you're ready,

You can begin to come back to your breath,

Begin to deepen your breath.

You might add gentle stretches or wiggles in your body,

Beginning to reawaken from your deep practice of yoga nidra.

Take your time with this.

I will leave you.

You can come back to your day whenever you're ready.

Thanks for taking this time with me.

Namaste.