Yoga Nidra Script - 8 Stage for Anxiety & Stress Management (40 mins 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 your 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 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 is 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 & 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 I will come out of the practice when I am asked 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.

Sankalpa

It is now time for you to make your Sankalpa or resolution. Say to Yourself - I am free from worries, anxieties and fears. I am relaxed and I am happy.

Repeat your sankalpa three times to yourself mentally clearly & with faith and focus.

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 collarbone … left collarbone … the chest… upper abdomen … navel … lower abdomen … the whole torso … the whole body … the whole body.

Long Pause.

Show me you are awake by moving your right toe. Yes, you are awake, you are aware & you are practicing yoga nidra.

Breath Awareness

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

Maintaining awareness of your breath, continue to breathe through the belly, with every inhalation the abdomen is expanding, with every exhale, the navel is drawn in towards the spine.

Now as you breathe in, mentally say the number 9 in your head and as you breathe out, mentally repeat 9 to yourself.

Breathe in, say 8 to yourself and as you breathe out, repeat 8 to yourself.

Continue this way counting backwards from 9 to 1 with every inhale & exhale.

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

Long Pause.

Check up your consciousness, be sure you are listening to me. You are not asleep, you are awake!

Feelings & Sensations (Anxiety & Release of tension)

Now Start to recollect the experience of anxiety, a feeling of losing control over yourself, any situation where you felt worried, stressed and a state of unknown fears taking over you. Feel that stress in your mind and body without concentrating on the source or situation that caused this experience. Feel your body becoming tensed, rigid and tight. Notice this feeling of tightness, tension around your body and focus on these areas.

Short Pause

Now take a deep breath in and imagine those areas becoming slightly relaxed, With every inhalation your body is becoming more and more relaxed. Imagine what this feels like, your body is becoming soft, loose, gentle, free and calm. Allow this feeling of relaxation to grown inch by inch throughout your body.

Inhale all the calmness into your system and Exhale all the tension and stress out. Breathe in all the relaxation and breathe out all the worries and fears.

Now begin to create an image in your mind, an image or picture of your IshtaDevata (Favourite God, Guru (teacher) or your higher consciousness), it could be anyone or any place where you derive maximum comfort and peace from. Imagine your Ishtadevata sending you a huge light of positive energy and creating a circle of protection around you. Imagine yourself safely cocooned inside this circle of protection where you are peaceful, stress free and free from all anxieties.

Enjoy the way you feel in this safe place. You feel calm, safe and secure here.

While staying in this space of safety and peace, revisit now your experience of the same anxiety that you felt before. Try to manifest the experience of anxiety while keeping the image of your Ishtadevata in the background. And see how that feeling of anxiety or tension simply melts away as you feel protected in this safe space. This is your zone, your secure protected space that is free from all worries and tensions.

Long Long Pause

Remain in your peaceful place while you breathe in and out longer and deeper. Imagine that all of the pains, tension and worries are floating away from you and right now in this moment, you are happy, calm and peaceful. Repeat the above affirmation in your mind with faith and conviction. Believe in this affirmation.

Visualization (Symbols)

I will now call out a number of different things, visualize them on the level of emotion, memory & imagination as it resonates with you. Jump from image to image and do not linger on any image for long.

• Cool Clear Water
• Vibrant Sunset
• Tall mountains
• Traffic Lights
• A good night’s rest
• Deep Breath
• Beautiful Garden
• Temple Bells Ringing
• Deep Blue Sky
• Relaxing afternoon
• A cat stretching
• A warm hug
• Doctors office
• Your reflection in a mirror
• Meditating buddha
• Mother
• Ancestral Home
• Laughing with friends
• The sound of my voice
• Your body lying on the floor
• Your body lying on the floor.

Sankalpa

It is now time to repeat your sankalpa. Repeat your sankalpa three times with focus, clarity & determination. Visualize your sankalpa taking shape, feel your sankalpa bearing fruit, becoming successful.

Externalization

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.

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.

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.