Take a moment to encourage yourself for wisely setting aside these next 10 minutes out of your day to support your health and well-being in such a powerful way by practicing yoga nidra.
So to begin your practice of yoga nidra,
Lie down in shavasana if it's possible or sit down somewhere where your back can be nice and comfortable and your feet firmly planted on the floor.
If you are lying down,
Place your arms away from the body but not touching the body with your palms facing up and adjust your legs so that your feet are at least hip width apart and then allow the feet and the legs to relax completely.
Perhaps a pillow or a bolster under your knees will allow the body to be supported even more comfortably.
An eye pillow placed over the eyes will allow you to experience deeper states of meditation as the weight of the eye pillow will help to ease tension in the brain and will soften the muscles around the eyes.
Your only task right now is to get your body as comfortable and as cozy as possible and then to listen to my voice as I guide you through the practice today.
You'll notice in stillness that the body naturally breathes itself here with no effort required,
Inhaling and exhaling.
Feel the movement of the breath as it comes into the body and then goes back out of the body.
Relax and let go.
Bring to mind an intention or resolve.
Perhaps you already have an intention you are working with or use this one,
I am peaceful and calm in all situations.
How would you feel if your intention was already true?
Feel that sensation now as you silently repeat your intention to yourself in the present tense and breathe.
Follow my guidance as we move our attention to different parts of the body.
Simply feel each body part as it is named without thinking about it,
Judging it or wishing for it to be different than exactly how it is right now.
Feel all 10 toes,
Feel the toes,
Sense the toes and feel both ankles,
The right ankle and the left ankle.
Feel both knees,
Sense the pelvis,
Feel the belly,
Feel the chest,
Shoulders,
Both elbows,
Right elbow and left elbow,
Both wrists,
Feel the palms of the hands,
Feel the fingers,
All of the fingers,
The throat,
Chin.
Feel the face,
The head,
The forehead,
The back of the head.
Feel the shoulder blades,
The spine,
The buttocks,
Feel the calves,
Heels,
Feel the soles of the feet,
Feel the entire body from the top of the head all the way down to the tips of the toes,
The whole body,
Feel the whole body resting in stillness.
Move your awareness to the ongoing breath.
Notice your inhale and notice your exhale,
No need to change it.
Simply feel the breath as it comes and goes.
In and again,
Breath coming in and breath going out.
Allow any mental chatter to dissolve into the background.
Focus only on your breathing,
Inhaling the belly rising and exhaling the belly falling.
Notice how soft and subtle the breath is.
If you become distracted by thoughts or memories or to-do lists,
Simply bring your attention very kindly back to the breath.
Become mesmerized by your breath,
Allowing it to relax the body even more.
Each inhale bringing nourishing oxygen,
Each exhale releasing tension.
Feel your body absolutely melting into the surface beneath you.
Let go even more.
Bring to mind your heartfelt intention,
Your resolve,
Once again,
And repeat it to yourself silently with feeling from the heart center.
How would it feel if it were already true?
Feel that sensation as you repeat it to yourself and breathe deeply.
I am peaceful and calm in all situations.
Notice on the physical and mental levels how quiet you have become.
How peaceful.
How calm.
And also how energetic,
Fresh and revived.
When you are ready,
Become aware of your surroundings,
The room around you,
Your body,
Your breath.
As you next inhale,
Invite some movement into your fingers and toes.
As you exhale,
Roll over onto your right side and take a few breaths there,
Keeping your focus inward.
And your way back to seated.
Thank you for practicing Yoga Nidra today.
