Yoga Nidra To Relax The Nervous System

Welcome!

It's great to have you here.

My name is Stefano and I'll be guiding you through Yoga Nidra,

A meditation that mirrors the physiological process of sleep.

I'll be guiding you through a sequence of meditation,

Mindfulness,

And relaxation techniques that will help you relax at the level of the physical body,

The breath,

The mind,

And through deeper aspects of your being.

Yoga Nidra is a form of NSDR,

Non-sleep deep rest.

It is a practice that will provide many of the same benefits of natural sleep.

The ultimate goal of Yoga Nidra is to reach a state where you can remain conscious even in the deepest levels of non-dreaming sleep,

Where you reach delta brainwaves.

However,

That naturally arises on its own.

You may catch glimpses of it in this practice,

But there's no need to set an expectation.

It will happen by itself.

And the more you practice,

The better you'll be able to maintain awareness during deeper and deeper levels of relaxation.

And you'll be able to carry these benefits throughout your waking life.

Just allow this time to be an opportunity for rest,

Relaxation,

And restoration.

And surrender your body to the surfaces that provide support.

There's nothing to do or achieve now.

Just follow along and allow all tensions and worries to melt away.

All you need to do is find a comfortable position,

Either lying down in Shavasana,

The corpse pose,

Using either a yoga mat or your bed,

Or any comfortable surface,

With support under your knees,

And maybe a pillow for the back of your head.

For the corpse pose,

Simply lie down on your back.

Allow your legs to separate and let go of all holding in your legs.

You don't need to keep them straight.

Just allow your feet to fall open to either side.

Bring your arms alongside your body and slightly separate them from your torso at a 30 or 60 degree angle,

Whatever feels most comfortable.

And turn your palms to face the sky without trying to keep them open.

Maintain a position that allows your fingers to curl inward.

Tuck your shoulder blades onto your back for support without strain.

Once you have set up your limbs,

Release any effort from holding them in position.

Allow your whole body to relax,

Dropping any expression from the face,

And allow your whole body to feel heavy.

As you surrender your weight to the field of gravity,

It's recommended that you have a blanket,

Maybe an eye pillow,

If it feels more comfortable.

And again,

Don't worry if you fall asleep or if your mind wanders.

The moment that you're able to come back to my voice and listen to the instructions,

Gently guide your attention back and follow the instructions to the best of your abilities.

If you can,

Remain as still as possible,

But if there's any discomfort or pain,

Notice it for a few moments,

And if it goes away,

Continue with the guidance,

And if it doesn't,

Gently readjust yourself so that you can be 10,

5,

Or even 1% more comfortable.

Allow yourself to completely relax during the practice,

And if you need to,

You can always assume a comfortable meditative posture in a seated position,

Making sure that you have a straight spine,

Allowing your neck to be tall,

Keeping your chin tucked in,

Chest forward,

And making sure that your hands are going to be on your lap with palms facing upward.

Also,

While maintaining a seated posture,

Make sure that your shoulders are dropped and relaxed,

Allowing yourself to maintain this posture with ease and without strain.

You can even practice yoga nidra while standing up if you have any pain in your spine.

Again,

Choose the position,

Posture that is most comfortable to you,

And allow yourself to make any adjustments at the beginning so that you can become deeply focused on your inner experience as the practice continues.

Typically,

We practice yoga nidra with the eyes closed,

But if for any reason this is not accessible to you,

Or it produces discomfort,

Know that you can practice with your eyes open while maintaining a very soft gaze to the distance.

No matter what position or posture you assume,

Just make sure that your limbs and extremities are not making contact with other objects in the room.

As you continue to practice yoga nidra,

You'll become more and more sensitive to touch,

Especially in your fingers and toes.

So make sure to keep your extremities away from a wall or bedpost.

Just make sure you have enough space to practice comfortably.

Also,

Know that as you practice yoga nidra,

It is common for your body temperature to drop as it mirrors natural sleep.

Have a blanket on the ready in case you need it.

Make sure that you take a few moments to pick a setting where you won't be distracted or disturbed.

Yoga nidra is typically practiced in an environment that mimics sleep.

So a cool,

Dark,

Quiet room would be optimal.

But again,

See what is available to you in the moment and go with that.

We'll be practicing different styles of yoga nidra.

The practice we'll do today will be of the amrit style of yoga nidra.

This is I Am Yoga Nidra,

The integrated amrit method of yoga nidra.

I will give you a reminder of all of these things,

But make sure that you take a few moments now to get ready and you can assume a comfortable position to follow along without interruptions.

And take a mental note of how you're feeling now in body and mind.

When you're done with the practice,

Notice any changes,

However subtle,

That you may experience so that you can begin to assess the impact of yoga nidra in both body and mind.

Now we'll begin the practice.

Any sounds or music in the recording will gently fall away as we begin the practice.

Now,

Follow my guidance as we take three deep breaths.

Ready?

Let's inhale together.

Hold the breath in,

Closing off the throat.

When prompted by the inner urging of the body,

Release the breath slow and steady.

Breathe normally.

Second breath now.

Inhale together.

Hold the breath in,

Closing off the throat,

Allowing tension to build,

Holding a bit longer without struggle.

When prompted,

Release fully,

Expelling from the body whatever it no longer needs.

Deep seated tensions,

Leaving your body with the breath.

Breathe normally.

And third breath.

Inhale together.

Hold the breath in,

Closing off the throat,

Holding even longer now,

But without strain.

When prompted,

Release the breath,

Breathing it all out,

Letting it all go until there is nothing left,

Until you're completely empty,

Open.

Breathe normally.

Gently allow the breath to rise and fall in its own rhythm,

The breath becoming progressively quieter and more still until it is almost impossible to detect.

Be still.

Let go of all thoughts,

Worry,

And tension.

Give yourself fully to a higher power.

Relax,

Trust,

And let go.

Breathe in fully,

And exhale with a deep sigh,

And again.

Breathe in fully,

And exhale with a deep sigh,

And let go even more.

Feel a deep sense of contentment and peace in your heart.

Now bring your intention into your awareness in the form of words,

Images,

Or as a felt sense if you are unclear about your intention.

Just see what appears in your field of awareness.

Repeat your intention silently three times.

Bring your body into awareness.

As long as your body has been a trusted vehicle creating accomplishments and contributions to the best of its ability,

Now it is time for your body to rest deeply.

Imagine a stone resting in your hand.

Notice how heavy the stone is,

What it feels like.

Feel and sense the stone.

If you were to describe the stone,

What would you say?

What does it feel like?

Notice if the stone naturally remains in your hand or instinctively rests in another part of your body.

Where is the stone now?

Notice what it feels like there.

Just be aware.

Maintaining this inner stillness,

Gently cover yourself.

And if you wish,

Place an eye pillow over your eyes.

As we enter the next phase of Yoga Nidra,

Remain as motionless as possible.

If you need to move or make an adjustment,

Do so mindfully and return to stillness as soon as you are able.

Resolve to remain awake,

Staying in touch with the sound of my voice.

Allow your entire body to respond to my words directly and non-mentally.

Allow any disturbances,

External or internal,

To draw you more deeply within.

In Yoga Nidra,

You enter the subconscious pranic field.

Let your mind merge and melt into the energy body and go beyond the boundaries of body and mind.

Now shift from thinking and doing to feeling and being.

Now shift from thinking and doing to feeling and being.

Now shift from thinking and doing to feeling and being.

Do absolutely nothing from now on.

Simply relax.

Drop into the deepest state of tranquility,

Stillness,

And peace.

In the third eye,

Drop into the deepest state of tranquility,

Stillness,

And peace at the eyebrow center.

Drop into the deepest state of tranquility,

Stillness,

And peace at the brow center.

Now your consciousness is in direct communion with your energy body.

Now your consciousness is in direct communion with your energy body.

Now direct your full attention to your breath.

Create no struggle around breathing.

Use the breath to release any tensions.

Slowly deepen your inhalations and exhalations.

Let your breath flow in a steady,

Uniform,

Unbroken stream.

Continue until asked to stop.

Let your attention be totally connected to your breath as it flows in and out.

Bring all of your attention to the expansion and contraction of your abdomen.

As you breathe deeply in and out with each exhalation,

Release all tension held in your body.

Let go.

Breathe out any holdings in the body.

Use your breath to progressively enter a deeper level of stillness and silence.

We will continue with 10 more slow,

Deep breaths.

Count them like this.

10.

I am breathing in.

10.

I am breathing out.

9.

I am breathing in.

9.

I am breathing out.

And continue until asked to stop.

Be absorbed in the sound of your own breath.

Let yourself be more relaxed and peaceful with each breath.

Now allow your breath to return to normal.

Feel the energetic impact of the breath in the form of pulsations in the body.

Your attention allows the energy field in the body to grow and expand.

Experience it.

Energy follows attention.

Let your mind melt and merge in the river of energy flowing throughout your whole body.

Let go.

Let go even more.

As I name the body part,

Bring your total attention accompanied by a feeling of heaviness,

Sinking like a stone in water,

Both feet heavy like stones,

Calves and knees heavy,

Sinking deeper,

Thighs and hips very heavy like lead,

Abdomen,

Chest and back,

Gravity pulling you down deeper,

Shoulders,

Arms and palms very,

Very heavy.

Feel your entire head heavy like a stone.

Give your body completely and totally to the omnipresent field of gravity.

Now experience your whole body heavy like a rock.

Feel your whole body sinking deeper and deeper.

Totally let go into the pull of gravity,

Sinking,

Sinking,

Heavy like a stone,

Sinking deeper into stillness and silent awareness.

Now shift your attention,

And as I name the part of the body,

Let all the heaviness drain away.

Let your body be buoyant and light like a fluffy cloud,

Both feet limp and light,

Calves and knees empty and free,

Feel it,

Thighs and hips hollow,

Weightless,

Abdomen,

Chest and back light and empty,

Shoulders and arms and palms floating,

Head hollow,

Empty.

Feel your whole body empty,

Light and hollow.

Sense the emptiness of your body and silence of your mind.

Enter the power and protection of your energy body.

Embrace its feathery lightness.

Feel completely safe and secure.

Feel yourself getting lighter and lighter.

Until you begin to float in the air,

Give yourself permission and freedom to float out of your physical body.

Release your energy body from your physical body.

Experience the freedom of this new dimension,

Released and freed from identification of your body and mind,

Free of all inhibitions and boundaries of your body and mind,

Past and future.

Observe your body completely at peace,

Resting in stillness.

Recognize you are the spirit,

Separate from the physical body.

Enjoy the spirit,

Freed from all limitations,

The innate healing wisdom of the body,

Liberated and functioning optimally.

Now settle back into the physical body as you remain deeply established in your connection with spirit and faith and trust.

Give yourself the permission to enter into the deepest level of relaxation right now.

Let go.

Nothing to do or achieve.

Dissolve and disappear into stillness.

Open,

Empty of all doing,

All past,

All future.

Merge into this space and be empty.

Sensations,

Thoughts,

Images,

Floating by like clouds on a clear blue sky.

Letting it all gather and dissipate.

Come and go.

Be the space in which it is all happening.

Be the space in which it is all happening.

Be the space in which it is all happening.

Be the space in which it is all happening.

Be the space in which it is all happening.

Here,

Your intention and your affirmations are actualized and fulfilled with effortless ease.

If you have an intention,

Bring it into your awareness three times in the form of words,

Images,

Or as a felt sense.

If you do not have an intention,

Just remain silent and let spirit,

Who knows what is best,

Do it for you.

Allow this intention to go to the deepest levels of recognition with no hesitation.

Know that your higher self recognizes,

Honors,

And accepts your intention.

Have faith and trust that it has been heard and is being acted upon by a higher power of the source within you.

There is no need to do anything about it.

Bring your attention back to the center between the eyebrows and feel all the energies of your body from all meridians activated,

Purified,

And balanced.

All channels are open and the life force is flowing freely,

Healing the body and calming the mind.

Open your heart and feel content,

Just experience.

Establish yourself firmly in faith and trust to receive the grace,

Protection,

And guidance of the higher self within you.

Establish yourself firmly in faith and trust to receive the grace,

Protection,

And guidance of the higher self within you.

The more often you go to your source,

The easier it will be to return there and the longer you can stay there.

Feel the presence of your own spiritual guides surrounding you and blessing you.

Accept their blessing and grace,

Embody it,

And spread it wherever you go.

Now you have prepared the base from where you can carry out interactions with life and interpersonal relationships with the integrative power of love and the source within.

You are the emissary of light and love.

Carry it everywhere you go and to everyone you meet.

If you have an area that you feel needs healing,

Be it physical,

Mental,

Or emotional,

Allow this light and love to flow into that area now.

Begin to become aware of the rising and falling of the breath.

Slowly feel yourself beginning to rise to the surface of awareness.

Sense the body resting on the surface beneath you,

The quality of the air as it touches the skin.

Gradually you can move as if you're waking from a restful sleep.

Bend your knees and pull them closer to your chest.

Rock sideways gently.

Take your time.

Do not hurry.

Then just turn onto your right side and curl into a fetal position.

Feel the safety,

Comfort,

And protection of the womb of existence.

Bring your intention into your awareness again.

Change nothing.

Every time you find yourself in reaction,

You are empowered to replace it with your intention.

Now you can gradually move and begin to sit up with your eyes closed.

Continue to stay deep in this deep inner experience.

Regardless of what you consciously recognize but has or has not changed,

Know that something deep within has shifted to connect you with your intention.

Become aware of your body and bring a deep sense of peace and contentment with you as you bring attention back to the body.

Notice how relaxed the body is,

How relaxed the body is,

How soft the breath is,

How silent the mind is,

How quiet the heartbeat is.

Notice how relaxed the body is,

How soft the breath is,

How silent the mind is,

How quiet the heartbeat is.

Be still and be grateful.

Know that you can easily enter here again and again.

Now you may gradually open your eyes.

Thank you for practicing yoga nidra with me today.

I would like to get your feedback either in the comment sections or if you wanted to send me an email about your experiences with today's practice.

If you have any questions or if you would like to share your intention for your practice,

Please share below.

Also,

It would be nice to know where and when you started your practice today.

You can check the description of the video for additional information about the practice of yoga nidra as well as this individual recording.

And you're invited to also check out the other videos on the channel with other yoga nidras depending on what you need most right now.

If you've enjoyed this practice today,

Please consider sharing the video with others who would benefit from it.

And to receive further notifications,

You can always subscribe to the channel and sign up to receive the notifications.

As the community grows,

I'll include more and more styles of yoga nidra for people to explore the different benefits that can be obtained from this practice.

Not just for sleep,

Not just to reduce stress and anxiety,

But also for developing equanimity and self-realization,

As well as many practical applications to increase focus and energy and vitality.

Thank you again for practicing with me today.

Enjoy Bhagwan.

May the Spirit be victorious.

Victory to the Spirit.