Welcome to Ajna Chakra Yoga Nidra.
Start very comfortably on a mat with blankets and bolsters and pillows.
Lay on your back and support yourself with the props that you have around you so that you feel comfortable and at rest.
Start by relaxing each part of your body from the toes up to the head.
Feel your entire body relaxing even more deeply,
Becoming completely relaxed,
Limp,
Heavy,
Comfortable.
Now turn your attention inward,
Even more deeply inside,
To find your authentic self.
Begin by reflecting upon your values.
What is the most important to you in life?
What do you value?
Where does your sense of right and wrong come from?
Spend the next few moments thinking about your values.
The values you have been thinking of make up part of the core of who you are.
If you are being true to your values,
These core beliefs will drive your behavior.
It feels good to behave in ways that are consistent with your values.
For example,
If honesty is something you value,
This could be reflected in your life by being truthful.
If you value your family,
Perhaps your life reflects this in the time you spend with family members.
Think about how your values can be part of your day-to-day life.
Now consider what else makes you who you are.
Finding your authentic self involves learning who you truly are.
Your authentic self is the real you,
The person you are truly meant to be.
Your authentic self is the person you are the core,
The person you can be if nothing holds you back.
Imagine the person you believe yourself to be right now.
It's okay if you aren't quite sure who you are.
Just picture yourself going about the things you usually do in a typical day.
Imagine that you are watching yourself,
Observing yourself going about your usual activities.
See yourself getting up in the morning,
Going about your day.
Imagine the things that you do in a typical day.
See yourself doing these activities.
Picture this person,
You,
Standing in an empty room.
Imagine watching this person,
Observe.
Now imagine you could strip away all the things that hold you back from your full potential.
Imagine self-doubt dissolving,
Being replaced with confidence and self-assurance.
Picture this person before you and imagine all the things that get in the way of success,
Such as circumstances,
Lack of resources,
Lack of forgiveness,
Illness,
Baggage from the past,
Anything that is holding this person back in any way at all.
See these problems dissolving,
Disappearing,
Going away.
Now imagine this person standing in the empty room.
What is left?
Who is this person when all those barriers are stripped away?
This person is you.
Imagine who you are at the core,
The pure character that is left when there is nothing to get in the way of complete self-expression.
You may only have a vague picture in your mind right now.
Let's allow that picture to come into focus,
Becoming clear.
Think of your motivations.
What motivates you?
What drives your behavior?
What catches your interest or has caught your interest in the past?
What propels you to action?
Think about your personality and character traits,
The characteristics that are left when all barriers are removed and all fears have gone away.
At your fullest potential,
Your simplest form with no fears,
What traits do you have?
Think about your energy.
Are you laid back and calm or are you energetic?
Think about your other characteristics.
Are you introverted or extroverted?
Quiet or talkative?
Are you creative?
Are you practical?
What sorts of things do you appreciate?
What do you admire?
What do you like?
Imagine something that makes you feel happy.
What is it?
Think of some things you enjoy,
Things that you like to do.
Think about all the characteristics of the person who is left when all barriers and fears are removed.
Now,
Let's create a different picture.
Imagine yourself as a young child in a happy moment.
See the potential in this child.
Who is this young person?
What makes this child who she or he is?
Think about the characteristics that you share with this child.
In what ways are you similar?
In what ways does the current you differ from this child?
Think about how you have learned and grown since the time you were a small child.
Now,
Picture yourself as the child.
See the world through your younger self's eyes.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
What hopes did you have for your future self?
What dreams did you have as a child?
The hopes and dreams you had as a child were probably related in some way to your authentic self.
Something about your dreams was connected to a part of your true self.
What do these aspirations say about who you are?
What personal characteristics of yours are related to your childhood dreams?
For example,
If as a child you dreamed about becoming an astronaut,
You probably have some personality traits that relate to this dream,
Such as being adventurous,
Curious,
Analytical.
Think about your own childhood dreams and see what these dreams say about who you are.
Now,
Create one final picture in your mind.
Imagine in as much detail as you can the person you want to be.
Imagine your ideal self.
How would this person behave?
What does this person,
Your authentic self,
Value?
What motivates this ideal self?
What personal characteristics are present in this ideal version of you?
Imagine all the details of the person you most want to be.
The image in your mind right now of this ideal person is you.
This is your authentic self.
This is who you are.
At the core,
Beneath all of life's getting in the way,
This is you.
Spend a few moments with this image of your authentic self.
Now,
Allow yourself to step inside this image and fully become this person.
Become who you are.
For this moment,
Just be.
Simply be your authentic self.
Feel a sense of calm and serenity,
Secure in who you are,
Knowing who you are.
This is you,
Your authentic self.
You can take this authentic self with you,
Allowing this true essence of you to shine through in everyday life.
Allow your values,
Personality,
And motivations to shine through,
To guide your behavior,
To make up who you are.
You have always been this person.
You always will be your authentic self.
A positive,
Confident person.
A person you like and appreciate.
Underneath the challenges,
The baggage,
The demands of living life,
This is the real you that will always be with you.
Without opening your eyes,
It's time to begin to reawaken now,
To conclude this relaxation exercise.
Keep the image of your authentic self with you as you go about the rest of your day.
Express this true self and allow you to simply be you.
You now know that you can return to your life feeling confident and calm,
In touch with your authentic self.
