Yoga Nidra For Calming The Nervous System (No Chant At End)

Welcome to Yoga Nidra.

I invite you to lay down on your back for this experience in Shavasana.

With arms at your side and palms facing up,

Let your fingers curl naturally.

With your feet about hips width apart and something to lightly elevate your knees,

Like a bolster or a pillow.

Allow your feet to become heavy and relaxed and feel free to use any other props that will increase your comfort.

An eye covering,

A heavy blanket,

Socks,

A pillow for your head.

You may wish to light incense.

Just 20 minutes of Yoga Nidra provides the same amount of restoration as four hours of deep sleep.

By bringing awareness to each place in our body and creating a safe environment,

We can reduce inflammation,

Which is the primary cause of dis-ease.

By relieving tension,

We can make space for the stresses of life without being ruled by them.

And by softening into this spaciousness,

We can allow feelings of compassion including self-compassion,

Love and ease to flow in.

Taking a deep breath in through the nose and as you exhale,

Audibly sighing through the mouth,

Allowing your body to move itself into deeper comfort.

Stretching or wiggling,

Squeezing and releasing.

Again,

Breathing in through the nose and as you sigh out,

Allow the space of your breath to wash over your face.

Letting go of tension in the eyes,

The forehead,

Relaxing the tongue,

Softening the lips.

And once again,

In through the nose and exhaling through the mouth to find your body heavier,

Noticing the points of contact between your body and the ground.

You are held here.

Holding these points of contact in your awareness,

Breathe in spaciousness,

Opening up to the stability and capacity of the earth beneath you.

Letting your breath return to normal,

Allow your lips to curl up slightly in appreciation to yourself for showing up,

To the earth for holding you.

And let your mind drift to a few other things or people you feel appreciation for.

If it feels natural to you,

I'd like to take a moment to call in anyone or anything that you feel may support you or guide you in your journey today.

A friend or family member,

An ancestor,

A spiritual or holy figure,

A place where you feel connected.

Let the feeling of their support sink in a little deeper to your entire body,

Physical and subtle.

Again,

Softening your face,

Your eye sockets,

Your eyebrows,

Your jaw,

Relaxing your shoulders away from your ears.

Let your arms become heavy,

Bring awareness again to the breath as it moves in and out through the nostrils.

How far down into the body is it traveling?

Is it light or heavy?

Easy or unsteady?

Without judging it,

Simply become aware of what's happening for you right now.

Can you feel the breath as it leaves your nostrils?

Can you lengthen the time it takes for one inhale,

One exhale?

We will now move into a three-part breath that brings more oxygen into the body,

Thereby reducing stress and anxiety and creating deeper states of relaxation.

We will begin by breathing in through the nose and pulling it down with your diaphragm,

Allowing your belly to gently expand,

Easefully.

And as you exhale through the nose,

Contract your abdominal muscles until all the air has been released.

Again,

Inhaling and letting the belly expand,

Exhaling and pulling the belly back in towards the spine.

Inhaling as the belly expands,

Exhaling and pulling the belly back in towards the spine.

Taking it a step further,

Inhaling and filling the belly,

Then letting the breath expand into the chest region and exhaling through the nose,

Pulling the belly back in and pulling your chest back in,

Pushing out all the breath until you are empty.

None of this should feel forced,

But rather gently guided,

Releasing any tension in the face,

Forehead,

Lips.

And again inhaling to the belly,

Filling the chest,

Exhaling emptying the belly,

Emptying the chest,

Inhaling filling the belly and the chest,

Exhaling emptying the belly and the chest.

Now inhaling into the belly,

Then into the chest,

And then into the upper chest and throat.

Before pulling in the belly,

Then the chest,

Then the throat.

Inhaling,

Filling the belly,

Chest,

Throat,

Exhaling emptying the belly,

Chest,

Throat.

Inhaling into the belly,

The chest,

The throat,

Exhaling emptying the belly,

The chest,

Throat.

Finding your own rhythm,

Each in-breath massaging your internal organs,

Each out-breath,

Your body becoming heavier on the ground.

In to the belly,

Chest,

And throat.

Out,

Emptying the belly,

The chest,

Throat.

Inhaling the belly,

The chest,

Throat.

Exhaling from the belly,

The chest,

Throat.

This breath brings oxygen to the blood,

Nourishing your entire being.

Allow the calm rhythm to flood your body,

From your crown to your feet.

Finding your own rhythm.

Continuing this breathing,

Allow a wave of relief to wash over any tension you may be holding onto.

And as your nervous system responds to the slowed breathing,

Become aware of the space you are in.

Noticing the physical sensation of clothing on your skin,

Any smells,

Background noises,

Your back on the ground.

Noticing where the back of your head touches the ground,

Let it become heavy.

The same heaviness a tree with deep roots possesses.

And allow it to become light,

Like the lightness of leaves in the sunshine.

Feeling more white light come in through the crown of your head,

Expanding and blossoming.

Just beneath the point of contact where your head touches the ground,

Become aware of the very top of the spinal cord.

The area that controls our most vital functions,

Body temperature,

Blood pressure,

And breathing.

Breathing in,

Allow this area to soften,

Much like a flower that's opening up and blossoming.

As you breathe out,

Let this area become a little heavier,

More rooted.

From the very top of the spinal cord and slowly moving down,

Breathe in blossoming light and breathe out rooted presence.

Breathing in the blossoming light,

Breathing out and rooting down.

Breathing in blossoming light,

Breathing out and rooting down.

Allow the heart space to expand.

Release any tension you may be holding.

Inhaling and exhaling.

Finding yourself at the bottom of the spinal cord,

Allow your out breaths at the base of your spine to send the deepest roots just as a plant has its taproot.

And bringing awareness to the connection that exists between the crown of your head and the base of your spine.

Relax any effort with your breathing.

It is now time for your sankalpa,

A resolve for your journey that comes from a place deep within the heart.

A short positive statement in the present tense that is the essence of your journey,

Spoken as though it is already happening.

Some examples would be I am at peace or I have all the help I need.

Bringing awareness to your heart space,

Allow sankalpa to arise and speak it to yourself three times.

We will now begin a journey through the body.

Allow your awareness to drift from one body part to the next as it is named.

Try to stay conscious during this process,

But know that your body will continue listening should you fall asleep.

For deeper states of relaxation,

Try not to move.

Surrender.

Begin with the inside of the mouth,

The tongue,

The floor of your mouth,

Inside of your right cheek,

The roof of your mouth,

Inside of your left cheek,

Your teeth,

Your gums,

Lips,

Upper lip,

Nostrils,

Bridge of your nose,

Between the eyes,

The third eye,

Forehead,

The crown of your head,

The opening at the crown of your head,

The right side of your head,

Right ear,

Right cheek,

Right eye,

Right eyebrow,

Between the eyes,

Left eyebrow,

Left eye,

Left cheek,

Left ear,

Left side of your head,

Inside your head,

The back of your head,

Inside your head,

Your whole face,

Your whole head,

The throat,

The neck,

The right shoulder,

Right armpit,

Right upper arm,

Right elbow,

Right forearm,

Right wrist,

Right hand,

The top of your hand,

The palm of your hand,

Your thumb,

Your index finger,

Your middle finger,

Your ring finger,

Your pinky finger,

Your fingertips,

And fingernails,

And knuckles,

Your whole right hand,

Your whole right arm,

The throat,

The neck,

The left shoulder,

Left armpit,

Left upper arm,

Left elbow,

Left forearm,

Left wrist,

Left hand,

The top of your hand,

The palm of your hand,

Your thumb,

Index finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger,

Pinky finger,

Your fingertips,

Your fingernails,

Your knuckles,

Your whole left hand,

Your whole left arm,

Both arms,

Both hands,

All ten fingertips,

All ten fingertips,

The throat,

The neck,

The upper chest,

The middle of your chest,

Your belly,

The right side of your torso,

Your right love handles,

The left side of your torso,

Your left love handles,

Your pelvic bowl,

Both hips,

The right hip,

The right thigh,

The right knee,

The right shin,

The right ankle,

The top of your right foot,

Your pinky toe,

Your fourth toe,

Third toe,

Second toe,

Your big toe,

All of your toes,

The sole of your feet,

The sole of your right foot,

Your whole right foot,

Your right ankle,

Right calf,

The back of your right leg,

Your whole right leg,

The pelvis,

Both hips,

Left hip,

Left thigh,

The left knee,

The left shin,

The left ankle,

The left top of your foot,

The pinky toe,

The fourth toe,

The third toe,

The second toe,

Your big toe,

All of your toes,

The sole of your left foot,

Your left ankle,

Your left calf,

The back of your left leg,

Your whole left leg,

All ten toes,

Both legs,

Your buttocks,

Your low back,

Your middle back,

Your upper back,

Your neck,

Your throat,

Your right hip,

Your left foot,

Your head,

Both shoulders,

Both arms,

Your torso,

Your right ankle,

Your right ankle,

Both legs,

Your entire body,

Your entire body.

We will now present a series of images that you may allow your attention to drift to.

A night sky,

A warm fire,

Tall grasses,

Rolling hills,

A grand river,

The moonlight,

The wind,

A mountain peak,

A lush valley floor,

An ancient forest,

A vernal pool still and deep.

And here,

Looking into the pool,

Allow your sankalpa to surface,

Speaking it to yourself three times,

Letting it ripple through.

More gently,

Coming back into the room,

The sounds around you,

The sensation of your body on the ground,

And clothes on your skin,

Deepening the breath.

Wiggling fingertips and toes,

And slowly making your way onto your side.

Then you're ready into a meditative posture.

Namaste.