Yoga Nidra For A New Year

As you prepare for practice,

Take time to make yourself comfortable.

Use as many pillows,

Blankets,

Bolsters as you need,

As you want.

Give yourself support.

Take your time and find your way to a position that feels restful and supported.

From now until the end of this practice,

Your only responsibility is to yourself and your own comfort.

There is nothing you have to do.

All you do for the remainder of this practice is rest and breathe.

That is enough.

As you settle in to the comfortable space that you've made,

Feel the support of the earth.

You can close your eyes if it feels safe and comfortable to do so,

Or you can simply take a soft gaze,

Allowing the muscles of your eyes to relax.

Begin to tune in to the sound of your breath.

No need to control or change your breath.

Just notice it as it flows in and out of your body.

Now,

Feeling yourself supported by the earth,

Imagine drawing a circle around your body.

A circle of any material that feels powerful and protective.

It might be a circle of moonlight,

Of pine trees,

Of quartz,

Any material you like.

Now draw a circle around the perimeter of this circle,

Again using any substance that feels powerful and protective.

Perhaps a circle of starlight or fresh water,

Any material that you like.

And now a third circle around the perimeter of the first two.

Any material you like,

A circle of birch trees,

A circle of river rock,

Whatever feels powerful and protective.

Now draw your attention to any sounds that you can hear outside of the room where you are.

No need to name or analyze the sounds,

Simply notice them.

Now bring your attention in closer to any sounds that you hear inside of your room.

Again,

No need to name or analyze them,

Just notice.

Now draw your attention closer inside of the circles that you imagined.

Notice any sounds occurring around your body.

Just notice.

Finally,

Bring your attention in closer still to notice any sounds occurring inside your own body.

Your body supported,

Protected,

At rest.

You can set your intention for practice here.

State it in the present tense as though it is already happening.

It can be simple and tangible,

Like I drink enough water every day.

Or broader and deeper,

Something like I feel connected to the earth and the people around me.

It is up to you.

It's also fine not to set an intention.

If you have chosen one,

Repeat it to yourself three times.

Feel it take light like a spark lighting a candle.

So we begin the practice of Yoga Nidra.

Stay awake and alert,

But if you fall asleep,

Know that you are getting the rest you need.

There is nothing you need to do.

Simply follow the sound of my voice.

You can adjust your position if you need to.

You can move your attention to your breath or to some restful image any time that you need to.

It is not possible to do Nidra wrong.

This is your journey.

We will now rotate attention through the body.

Bring your attention to the space between the eyebrows,

Middle of the throat,

Right shoulder,

Right elbow,

Right wrist,

Right thumb,

Right index finger,

Right middle finger,

Right fourth finger,

Right small finger,

Right wrist,

Right elbow,

Right shoulder,

The hollow of the throat,

Left shoulder,

Left elbow,

Left wrist,

Left thumb,

Left index finger,

Left middle finger,

Left fourth finger,

Left small finger,

Left wrist,

Left elbow,

Left shoulder,

Middle of the throat,

Heart center,

Right nipple,

Heart center,

Left nipple,

Heart center,

Navel point,

Middle of the pubic bone,

Right hip,

Right knee,

Right ankle,

Right big toe,

Right second toe,

Right third toe,

Right fourth toe,

Right small toe,

Right ankle,

Right knee,

Right hip,

Middle of the pubic bone,

Left hip,

Left knee,

Left ankle,

Left big toe,

Left second toe,

Left third toe,

Left fourth toe,

Left small toe,

Left ankle,

Left knee,

Left hip,

Middle of the pubic bone,

Navel point,

Heart center,

Middle of the throat,

Space between the eyebrows,

Rest here at the space between the eyebrows.

Bring your attention to the breath as it flows into and out of the body.

Notice the movement of your body with each breath,

Contracting and expanding.

As breath flows in and out,

Bring your attention to the belly.

Breathe in and out three times.

Your attention on the belly,

Center of digestion and nourishment,

Center of power.

Now let go of the attention at the belly.

Bring your attention to the heart center.

Breathe in and out three times.

Your attention on the heart center,

Center of connection,

Center of courage.

Now let go of the attention at the heart center.

Bring your attention to the hollow of the throat.

Breathe in and out three times.

Your attention on the throat,

Giving your voice the support and the power it deserves.

Now let go of the attention at the throat.

Bring your attention to the space between your eyebrows.

Breathe in and out three times.

Your attention on this point.

Imagine the breath flowing in and out here at this point of inner visions.

Nourish your vision.

Now imagine that the body feels cold.

Feel cold rising throughout the body.

Cold legs and arms,

Cold heart.

Feel the sensation of cold,

The physical sensation.

Now let that sensation go.

Allow yourself to feel the sensation of warmth,

Physical sensation of warmth rising through your body.

Warm feet,

Warm hands,

Warm heart.

Feel the warmth rising and flooding throughout your body.

Feel this.

Now begin to feel warmth and cold,

Both sensations at the same time.

Your body feels warm,

Your body feels cold.

Hold both of these sensations.

Let that sensation go.

Imagine a time when you felt confused,

When you felt a lack of clarity.

Let that sensation permeate through your body,

Your heart,

Your mind.

Let any memory attached to that sensation go and just retain the sensation.

Confusion,

Lack of clarity.

Feel this.

Let that sensation go.

Imagine a time when you felt confident and clear.

Allow that sensation to permeate through your body,

A sense of clarity,

A sense of confidence.

Feel this.

Allow yourself to feel both sensations at the same time.

Feel confusion,

Lack of clarity,

And at the same time confidence,

Clearness of thought.

Hold both those sensations at the same time.

Feel this.

Now let that go.

Bring your attention back to the space between your eyebrows.

Rest.

See yourself at the entrance to a forest.

Night has fallen.

A full moon is rising behind you.

Moonlight falls on your skin,

Lights your way.

There is a path leading into the woods.

The path is lined with light,

Candles twinkling in glass jars.

As you step upon the path,

You hear the crunch of frosted leaves beneath your feet.

Feel a crisp and gentle breeze against the skin.

The path winds through the trees as you follow it.

Eyes adjust to the candlelight and the bright moonlight.

The way ahead is clear.

You hear the sound of a gentle brook as you follow the lighted path over a small bridge and find yourself in a small clearing.

There is a bench here carved from the roots of a massive tree and you sit down and gaze up.

The moonlight bathes your face.

The bench is warm and solid beneath you.

You feel yourself supported here.

The earth beneath you,

The woods around you,

The moon above you.

You are calm,

At rest,

Supported.

Feel this.

Now bring your attention to the space between your eyebrows.

Experience deep peace.

Witness your own connection to the earth.

Know that this moment of rest and peace,

This pause,

Will allow room to envision your next best step.

Feel this.

Rest in total peace and tranquility.

If you set an intention at the beginning,

Repeat it to yourself now three times.

Feel your intention lighting the way with every step you take.

As you are resting,

Supported by the bench carved of the roots of the tree,

You hear the call of an owl.

One by one,

Your wise counsel appears.

These are beings,

Living or dead,

Human,

Animal,

Or other,

Who light the way for you.

They arrive now,

Each one bearing a light,

Perhaps a candle or a lantern,

A flashlight or a star.

They surround you with support and they reflect your own strengths back to you.

Feel their presence.

Bask in their light.

As you sit in the light of your wise counsel,

Notice if a soul whisper comes to you,

An image,

A word or phrase,

And let that whisper sink into your body and your bones.

Rest with it,

Even as your wise counsel departs.

Everything is okay.

Feel this.

Notice the peace you feel in your body.

Observe the body experiencing deep peace and relaxation.

Vow to take this peace into your everyday life.

If you set an intention,

Repeat it to yourself now three times.

Know that it has been heard and that it will light your path into the new year.

Now,

Deeply relaxed,

Begin to emerge from your yoga nidra nap.

Notice the sensation of rest in your body.

Carry it into your day,

Your sleep,

Your life.

If your eyes have been closed,

You can flutter them open.

Begin to move,

Taking small movements,

Micro movements.

Let your body guide you.

Move with gentleness.

Yoga nidra is complete.

Now your new journey may begin.