Sahasrara (Crown) Chakra Yoga Nidra

Hello,

Catherine here from Yoga Niraska.

Welcome to today's practice.

We will be practicing yoga nidra or yogic sleep.

This type of yoga does not require any movement.

All you need to do is lie down in a comfortable position and listen to my voice.

You will be in a reclined position for the entirety of the practice,

So make sure that you have somewhere to lie down,

Either on your yoga mat or a bed or couch.

You may want to take a minute to find a pillow,

Blanket or sleep mask to ensure that you are comfortable.

You may choose to lie on your back in savasana or on your side in the fetal position.

I will guide you into deep relaxation using a variety of techniques,

Including breath work,

A body scan and visualization.

You may not remember all that is said during the practice as we reach deeper states of relaxation,

But your subconscious will receive this information.

Remember that there is no wrong way to do yoga nidra.

Trust that you will get what you need out of the practice.

Settling in now for the practice of yoga nidra,

Is there anything you can do to ensure that your body is even 5% more comfortable?

Perhaps placing an extra pillow beneath the head,

Neck,

Low back or knees,

Pulling a soft blanket over the body for warmth.

You might let the eyes flutter closed or place a sleep mask over them.

Letting the low back sink into the support of the earth,

Finding comfort,

Aiming to settle into stillness,

Making any final movements you need,

But knowing that you may move at any time during your practice if you need.

The theme of our practice today is the Sahasrara or crown chakra.

This chakra is located just above the crown of the head and represents our higher consciousness,

Connection to all things in the universe.

Signs of imbalance in this chakra include lack of connection,

Direction or purpose as well as superficiality or materialism.

The mantra of the Sahasrara chakra is,

I understand.

This is an affirmation to remind us that we have the ability to use our inner wisdom and knowledge of the world around us to come to new understandings and that these understandings may change over time as we continually reevaluate.

This mantra also reminds us that the more we connect with ourselves,

Each other and the universe around us,

The more we gain to understand about our place in it.

Repeat this mantra to yourself three times,

Either internally or out loud.

Inhale I understand and exhale.

Inhale I understand.

I understand.

We will take a journey through the body now,

Bringing your attention to each part of the body,

Following the guidance of my voice.

Imagine your awareness as a bright white spotlight.

Imagine this light shining on each part of the body as you bring your attention to it.

Noticing any sensations that arise when this light of awareness shines in the body.

Let's begin by imagining this cone of pure white light shining down onto the crown of the head.

As the light touches you,

It sends relaxing waves of energy down through the body.

On the next breath in,

Let the light fill your head with this pure cleansing energy.

Letting the mind go blank,

Softening the space between the eyebrows,

Loosening the jaw.

Letting the tongue fall away from the teeth,

Softening the cheeks,

The space around the eyes,

Releasing any tension in the face.

Feeling gentle breath in the nostrils,

The ears listening.

On the next breath in,

This bright spotlight flows down to the nape of the neck,

To the right collarbone,

Down to the shoulder,

The upper arm,

Elbow,

Forearm,

Wrist,

The palm of the right hand,

The thumb,

Index finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger,

Pinky finger.

This bright white spotlight shining on the right hand,

Moving back up the arm now to the wrist,

Forearm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

Shoulder,

Collarbone.

On the next breath in,

This bright spotlight shifts to the left collarbone,

To the shoulder,

The upper arm,

Elbow,

Forearm,

Wrist,

The palm of the left hand,

The thumb,

Index finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger,

Pinky finger.

This bright white light shining on the left hand,

Moving back up the arm now to the wrist,

Forearm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

Shoulder,

Collarbone.

As you breathe deeper,

The spotlight begins to expand downwards to the chest,

Feeling the lungs expand with breath and energy,

The ribs expanding too,

The belly gently rising and falling,

The whole upper body basking in this cleansing,

Relaxing white light.

The light flows now to the waist,

The hips,

The pelvis.

The spotlight of your awareness shines on the right thigh,

To the knee,

The calf,

Ankle,

The toes,

First toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

Fifth toe,

The right foot shining with bright white light.

Back up the leg now to the ankle,

The calf,

Knee,

And thigh.

The spotlight of your awareness shines on the left thigh now,

Down to the knee,

The calf,

Ankle,

Foot,

The toes,

First toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

Fifth toe,

The left foot shining with bright white light.

Back up the leg now to the ankle,

The calf,

Knee,

And thigh.

The whole lower body encased in this healing white light,

Releasing any tension,

Feeling relaxed.

The whole body now in the spotlight of pure awareness.

This bright white light surrounding the entire body,

Healing,

Cleansing,

Relaxing,

Energizing.

Bringing your attention to the breath now,

Witnessing the natural rhythm of breath,

The gentle movement of air in and out of the nostrils,

Noticing cool air entering the body and warm air leaving.

There is no seed sound for the Sahasrara chakra,

Only silence.

Count your breaths from 10 to 1 as you begin to breathe deeper and deeper.

When you get to 1,

Bask in a few moments of silence before we return to our journey.

Inhale 10,

Exhale 10.

Inhale 9,

Exhale 9.

At your own pace now,

Counting down to 1.

1,

2,

3,

4.

5,

6,

7,

8.

Letting the breath return back to its natural rhythm now.

Right into your body,

A sense of peace,

Feeling your body sink into the earth,

Feeling supported,

Totally at ease,

Soft,

Relaxed.

Nowhere to go,

Nothing to do,

But just lie here at peace,

Feeling a gentle warmth radiating through the body from the inside out.

Some energy removing any tension from the muscles,

Limbs lying heavy,

Breathing softly.

Let your mind be free of attention to the body and the breath now.

Imagine that your mind's eye wander as I guide you through some visualizations.

Imagine the tightly closed bud of a lotus flower just above the crown of the head,

As if floating on water.

It begins to open slowly as one petal emerges,

Followed by a second and a third.

As it opens wider,

A row of five petals can be seen.

Heading wider,

Eight petals are visible.

A new row emerges and there are now 13.

Another row makes 21,

34,

55,

89,

144,

And so on until the lotus flower has revealed 1,

000 beautiful,

Shimmering opalescent petals.

It begins to open as you inhale,

Unfurling its petals as if opening to the sun.

And as you exhale,

It begins to close as if signaled by the moon.

Opening and closing,

Opening and closing,

Opening and closing,

Undulating on invisible waves.

Imagine now that there is a beam of bright white light shining straight up from the center of this lotus flower.

Imagine yourself stepping into this beam of pure cleansing light,

Floating weightlessly within this column of energy.

The light begins to radiate in all directions now.

You are becoming one with this bright white light,

Expanding outwards in every direction,

Reaching out across the world,

Out into space,

Into the universe,

Onwards and onwards,

Becoming one with all things.

The beautiful white light of your awareness everywhere at once.

Remember your mantra now.

I understand.

I understand.

I understand.

Reaffirming to yourself that you have the power to connect to yourself with others and with all things.

That you have the capacity to understand all things because you are intricately connected with all things.

Although you may not understand everything right now,

One day your consciousness will once again become part of the universe once more,

Separate from nothing,

One with the universe.

Bringing your attention back to the breath now.

Focusing on the sensation of breath and the nostrils.

Cool air in.

Warm air out.

Focusing on the feeling of breath.

Focusing the feeling of the breath as it touches the roof of the mouth and the back of the throat,

All the way down and into the lungs,

Expanding outwards,

Pressing against the ribs,

Expanding the spaces between them.

And the sensation of the lungs compressing,

The diaphragm lifting,

Sending air back up and out.

Taking a deep breath in now.

Long sigh out.

Deep breath in.

Long sigh out.

Deep breath in.

Long sigh out.

Coming back into the physical body now.

Feeling warmth,

Perhaps under clothing or blankets.

Feeling coolness on exposed skin,

Perhaps on the cheeks or ears.

Sensing any sounds in the room around you,

Any smells.

Noticing the light behind the eyelids,

Perhaps fluttering them open.

Adjusting to the light.

Wiggling fingers and toes.

Taking a big stretch if that feels good.

Tensing all of the muscles in the body as you inhale and sighing as you exhale,

Releasing any tension.

Repeating this cycle a few times.

Tensing and relaxing.

Tensing and relaxing.

Moving slowly and mindfully now.

Rolling over onto one side.

Taking a moment here to rest and reawaken.

And finally pushing yourself up to a seated position.

Concluding your practice of yoga nidra today.

Thank you for showing up for yourself and taking the time to practice with me.

The light in me sees and honors the light within you.