What are you holding that is holding you back? Check in and release whatever is no longer serving you so you can move forward in freedom.
Recommended Preparatory and Concluding Activities:
Commence with a smooth sequence of gentle motion to soothe joint rigidity.
Start or conclude by adopting the Abhaya Mudra, fostering courage and receptivity.
Setting In
Achieving a state of repose for this Yoga Nidra session, maintaining wakeful yet dreamlike consciousness.
Preparing for an unfolding of release and the resulting liberation.
Position yourself lying upon your back, or, if preferred, resting on your side, or seated upright with proper support.
Perhaps construct a snug haven using pillows, blankets, bolsters, an eye covering – whatever your physical form requires to attain maximum comfort in this precise moment. (Extended interval for settling) Disregard any obligations you believe demand attention. There is nothing required of you right now.
Effortlessly transition from the state of doing to the state of simply being. (Pause) This temporal space is exclusively allocated for you.
This practice is exclusively for your benefit.
There exist no prescriptions of obligation or prohibition.
It is impossible for you to execute this incorrectly.
Therefore, arrange your body in the most agreeable manner possible, precisely to your liking. Modify anything as you see fit. In any manner that resonates with you.
Tune into your internal requirements. Then, honor that internal request.
You might find optimal comfort with numerous cushions, covers, and supports; alternatively, you might prefer just a few, or perhaps none at all. All variations are equally valid and welcome.
Do whatever is necessary to feel sustained, embraced, and at liberty to relinquish accumulated tension.
Achieving repose for this exercise in non-action. (Pause)
Scan for any physical constraints such as bunched fabric, jewelry, or anything else that might interrupt your focus.
If you detect any such irritants, attend to them now. (Pause)
Draw a substantial breath inward… and upon the exhale, discharge any lingering tension.
Initiate a review to ensure every segment of the body is as deeply relaxed as possible. If complete relaxation proves elusive, that is acceptable. You are perfectly suited to this experience just as you are.
Confirm that your feet and ankles have achieved maximal relaxation. (Pause) Calves, knees, and thighs are as relaxed as they can be. (Pause)
Hips reached their fullest relaxation. (Pause)
Lower back, middle back, upper back – allow tension to dissipate. The entire spine is softening and sinking. (Pause)
Hands and arms surrender their hold. (Pause)
Shoulders and neck are melting, allowing tension to disperse. (Pause) Jaw, tongue, and cheeks are yielding softness. (Pause)
Eyes, forehead, and scalp are softening their grip. (Pause)
The entire physical form is merging with the support structure of the earth directly beneath you. Held securely by the foundation beneath you. (Pause)
Inhale deeply… and as you breathe out, release any residual tension.
Allow any thoughts or the compulsion to act to drift away. Simply exist. This interval is reserved for you alone.
No specific goal. Just tranquility. (Pause)
Make any final necessary positional adjustments if you haven’t already done so.
Begin to perceive stillness. Recognize your capacity to shift at any moment, yet savor the sweetness of this static state. This fundamental existence.
So easy, and yet so liberating. All the resources you require reside within this stillness. (Pause)
Receive these spoken directions effortlessly. No conscious striving is necessary.
Awareness without exertion. (Pause)
The Yoga Nidra sequence has now commenced. (Pause)
Consciousness Journey
Now, guide your detached awareness systematically throughout the body, moving from point to point.
Allow awareness to wander freely, maintaining a state of non-attachment.
You are not tasked with achieving any specific outcome or experiencing any required sensation. There is no mechanism to err in this process.
Merely allow your awareness to sweep across, unburdened and unbound. Commence by acknowledging the right side of your physical form. Become conscious of the right hand.
Right hand thumb.
Index finger.
Middle finger.
Ring finger.
Little finger.
Palm surface.
Dorsum of the hand. Effortless.
Right wrist.
Forearm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
Armpit.
Right flank of the rib cage.
Right side of the waist.
Right hip.
Thigh.
Knee.
Lower leg.
Ankle.
Heel.
Sole of the foot.
Top of the foot.
Right big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
Awake and cognizant.
Transfer your awareness to the left aspect of the body. Acknowledge the left hand.
Left hand thumb.
Index finger.
Middle finger.
Ring finger.
Little finger.
Palm surface.
Dorsum of the hand.
Left wrist.
Forearm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
Armpit.
Left flank of the rib cage.
Left side of the waist.
Left hip.
Thigh.
Knee.
Lower leg.
Ankle.
Heel.
Sole of the foot.
Top of the foot.
Left big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
Awake and cognizant.
Shift awareness to the apex of the head.
Crown of the head.
Forehead.
Right temple.
Left temple.
Right eyebrow.
Left eyebrow.
Area between the eyebrows. Sweep awareness across.
Right eye.
Left eye.
Right ear.
Left ear.
Right cheek.
Left cheek.
Right side of the nose.
Left side of the nose.
Upper lip.
Lower lip.
Chin.
Throat nexus.
Right collarbone.
Left collarbone.
Right side of the chest.
Left side of the chest.
Heart center.
Navel area.
Pelvis region.
Shift awareness to the posterior aspect of the body.
Right buttock.
Left buttock.
Lower back area.
Middle back area.
Upper back area.
Right shoulder blade.
Left shoulder blade.
Back of the neck.
Back of the head.
Crown of the head.
Guide awareness downward to the entirety of the right leg.
The entirety of the left leg.
Both legs concurrently.
The complete torso.
The entirety of the right arm.
The entirety of the left arm.
Neck.
Head.
The complete anterior surface of the body.
The complete posterior surface of the body.
Acknowledge the entire body as a unified whole.
The whole body together.
The whole body together. (Extended pause)
Breath Observation/Mental Imagery
Perceive this entire field of existence, or the whole body, embracing the breath. The complete self, breathing. (Pause)
Inhaling the serenity of mere existence. Exhaling, releasing all tension.
Inhaling the serenity of mere existence.
And exhaling, letting go of every strain, every tension.
Once more, inhale the calm of simple being. And exhale, dissolving all strain, all tension.
Now, draw in universal energy from your surroundings.
And exhale, letting go of any weariness residing in body, mind, or spirit. Inhale vitality.
And exhale, shedding any lingering fatigue. Inhale vibrant life force once more.
And exhale, dispersing any remaining fatigue. Now, inhale positivity.
Exhale, allowing any negativity to depart. Inhale joyous optimism.
And exhale, releasing any trace of negativity.
One final time, inhale positivity, brimming with delight. And exhale, letting go of all residual negativity.
And if it feels appropriate now, breathe in light – brilliant and invigorating.
And as you exhale, release anything you wish to let go of, like dark vapor departing your essence.
Inhale radiant, revitalizing light.
Exhale dark vapor that vanishes instantly. Inhale radiant, invigorating light, filling your whole being.
And exhale anything you wish to detach from, manifesting as dark vapor that immediately dissipates.
Sustain this breathing pattern – absorbing positive, luminous light and energy, and exhaling anything designated for release, anything impeding your progress, anything that no longer serves your highest good.
Feel the buoyancy intensify with every relinquishing.
The openness expands, personal capability grows.
Freedom increases with each outflow of release.
Every act of release delivers greater freedom, tranquility, and joy.
Continue this style of breathing for several cycles. Inhaling radiant energy, exhaling anything you choose to release, likened to dark smoke that vanishes instantly. (Pause for 1 minute)
And now, relinquish the visualized breath pattern.
Let go and resume natural respiration. Ordinary breath.
Effortless breathing.
The body breathing by itself, peacefully. Your role now is passive.
Simply rest.
Abide in the delightful sensation of lightness, serenity, and freedom for the coming few minutes. (Pause for 3 minutes)
Externalization of Senses
Reacquaint yourself with the natural rhythm of your breath. Awareness returns to spontaneous breathing.
Observe the chest ascending on inhalation and descending on exhalation. (Pause)
Note the slight narrowing of the nostrils upon inhalation, the widening during exhalation. (Pause)
Guide awareness back into the physical experience of the body. Understand that the Yoga Nidra period is concluding.
Externalize the focus of the mind.
Be conscious that your body has been resting and engaging in Yoga Nidra. Recognize that you are resting within a defined space.
Keeping your eyes closed, internally picture the room surrounding you.
Visualize the walls. The floor surface. The items present in the space. Their positioning, hues, and textures.
Extend your awareness outward.
Return attention to the tactile feelings of your physical form – the sensation of your body against the surface supporting it. (Pause)
The tactile feedback of your clothing against your skin. (Pause)
The ambient temperature of the air making contact with your skin. (Pause) Externalize your awareness further. (Pause)
Yoga Nidra is now finished. (Pause)
Initiate gentle activity within the body; flutter your fingers, flex your toes.
Execute any slight bodily adjustments that feel agreeable. (Pause)
Now, engage in larger movements – move your feet, legs, hands, arms, activate any parts of your body signalling a need, and if you were supine, upon feeling ready, turn onto your right side.
Take several deep breaths, integrating the insights from your Yoga Nidra experience into your current reality. (Pause)
Recall any feeling of lightness achieved. Any sense of enhanced buoyancy, peace, joy, or potential. (Pause)
And if you were lying down, when ready, maintaining closed eyes if comfortable, slowly exert pressure to bring yourself into an upright, seated posture. (Pause)
Take your time; there is no constraint on speed.
Settle into a comfortable seat, spine as erect as possible. Take one deep inhalation… and a long exhalation.
Perhaps observe the revitalization of energy as you now sit upright. We will conclude by uttering Om and Shanti, three repetitions of each mantra.
Om Om Om Shanti Shanti Shanti (Pause)
And gently open your eyes softly when you feel prepared.
Welcome back, perhaps carrying a degree more freedom or ease than was present initially.