Yoga Nidra Script - 4 Stage 20 minutes Practice

Preparation

Get ready for the practice of Yoga Nidra.

Lie down in savasana, let your body sink into the floor, Get comfortable. Make any adjustments if you wish at this point, take you feet wider than your hips, allow your feet to flop to the sides. Palms a little away from the hips allowing your armpits to breathe. Make sure you are warm enough and take a position that would be comfortable for the entire duration of the practice.

Relax your shoulders, relax your arms, relax your hips, your back, your knees, your ankles. Lift your head a couple of times to release any tight spots from the back of your neck. Now allow your eyes to close and keep them closed for the entire duration of the practice. If you feel any tension or tight spots in any part of your body, take your awareness to that body part & consciously relax that body part.

Long Pause.

It is best that you remain still during the practice of Yoga Nidra, however if you become uncomfortable, please feel free to make changes with very minimal movement.

Short pause.

It is natural to flow in and out of conscious hearing during this practice. Understand that whatever your experience today, is the experience meant for you. There is no way to do this wrong.

Short pause.

Know that you are in a safe environment and protected space. Stay awake by listening to the sound of my voice, if your mind starts wandering which is natural, just come back to the sound of my voice.

Short Pause.

Now say to yourself – I am practicing Yoga Nidra, I am awake & I will remain awake till the end of the practice. And You will come out of the practice when I ask you to do so.

The practice of Yoga Nidra begins now.

Internalization

Sound Awareness – Become aware of any sounds you can hear in this moment, nothing else but what you can hear without straining your ears. Start by focusing on the most distant sounds, move your attention from sound to sound without labelling the source.

Long Pause.

Now move your awareness to sounds within this room to the sound of your breath, the sound of your breath flowing freely between your nostrils.

Long Pause.

Now visualize yourself within this room, visualize the 4 walls of this room without opening your eyes. The ceiling, the floor, the walls, visualize your position in the room, your body lying on the mat, the parts of your body touching the mat, your clothes, your hair, your face. Your entire body lying on the mat.

Long Pause.

Become aware of your natural breath, become aware of your natural and spontaneous breath that moves in and out of your body without any effort. The natural breath flows in through both nostrils. Notice the feeling of the breath as it comes in and out of your nostrils.

Long pause.

Rotation of Awareness

We will now begin a systematic journey of awareness throughout the body. You will move your awareness to different parts of your body as soon as you hear them named.

Short Pause.

We will begin with the right side

Right hand thumb … 2nd finger … 3rd finger … 4th finger … 5th finger … palm of the right hand … back of the right hand … wrist … forearm … elbow … upper arm … shoulder…right side of the chest… right waist …right hip …right thigh …right knee … right calf …right ankle … top of the right foot … right big toe … 2nd toe … 3rd toe … 4th toe … 5th toe.

Short Pause.

Moving to the left side

Left hand thumb … 2nd finger … 3rd finger … 4th finger … 5th finger … palm of the hand … back of the hand … wrist … forearm … elbow … upper arm … shoulder … left side of the chest… waist … hip … thigh … knee … calf … ankle … heel … sole of the left foot … top of the left foot … left big toe … 2nd toe … 3rd toe … 4th toe … 5th toe.

Now go to the back of the body … the soles of the feet, right & left heels … right & left calves … the back of your knees, the back of your thighs … lower back … middle back … upper back … the entire spine … right shoulder blade … left shoulder blade … back of the neck … back of the head. Top of the head … forehead … right temple … left temple … right ear … left ear … right eyebrow … left eyebrow … space between the eyebrows … right eye … left eye … right nostril … left nostril … right cheek … left cheek … upper lip … lower lip … your entire mouth … chin … jaw … throat … right collar bone … left collar bone … the chest… upper abdomen … navel … lower abdomen … the whole torso … the whole body … the whole body.

Long Pause.

Breath Awareness

Breathing: Slowly Become aware of your breath, Feel the flow of your natural breath in and out of your nostrils, the breathing is normal & spontaneous without any effort.

Maintain awareness of your breath and continue to breathe through the belly, with every inhalation the abdomen is expanding, with every exhale the navel is drawn in towards the spine. As you continue to breathe through the abdomen, begin to count your breaths, starting from 9 to 1, start counting your breaths backwards from 9 to 1.

Long Long Pause.

If you lose track of the count midway, then begin from 9 again.

Long Pause.

Gradually come back to the feeling of your breath flowing in and out of your nostrils. Maintaining your awareness of breath, become aware of your physical body. Your body is relaxed and lying on the floor. Feel the different parts of your body lying on the floor and take your awareness into all the points that are touching the floor; the back of your heels, thighs, the back, shoulder blades, arms, hands and head.

Long Pause.

Externalization

Shift your attention to sounds within this room, the sound of your breath, sounds around your mat, sound of my voice, Short Pause. now move your attention to sounds outside the room, sounds you can hear without strain.

Long Pause.

Move your awareness back to the room inside & visualize the room. Imagine where you are in the room and the other objects that are around you. Lie down quietly until you feel ready to move. Start by slowly moving your hands and feet, take your time, there is no hurry. When you are sure that you are fully awake, bend your knees & roll over to the right side, spend a few moments here, revisiting your practice, feeling safe, secure, calm & peaceful. Use your left hand to press yourself up from the floor and slowly sit up in any comfortable posture.

Seated stillness for a couple of moments. Take a deep inhalation & exhale out completely. Bring your palms to your heart center & rub your palms, transfer the warmth of your palms to your eyes, rub your palms one more time generating heat, place your palms on any part of the body that may need comfort, healing. Bring your palms in front of your eyes, open your eyes & look into your palms, blink your eyes open.

Thank you, the practice of yoga nidra is now complete.