Yoga Nidra Method
Do exercise as
- Lie on your back, in shavasana, the corpse posture. Lie in such a way that your spine is aligned, and your feet and arms are a comfortable distance to your sides. It is best to have a thin pillow under your head and a shawl or blanket over your body so you do not become cold. Systematically move your attention through each of the points below.
- Forehead, throat
- Right shoulder, right elbow, right wrist, tip of right thumb, tip of right index finger, tip of right middle finger, tip of right ring finger, tip of right little finger, right wrist, right elbow, right shoulder, throat
- Left shoulder, left elbow, left wrist, tip of left thumb, tip of left index finger, tip of left middle finger, tip of left ring finger, tip of left little finger, left wrist, left elbow, left shoulder
- Throat, space between the breasts, right breast, space between the breasts, left breast, space between the breasts, navel, lower abdomen
- Right hip, right knee, right ankle, tip of the right big toe, tip of the right second toe, tip of the right middle toe, tip of the right fourth toe, tip of the right little toe, right ankle, right knee, right hip, lower abdomen
- Left hip, left knee, left ankle, tip of the left big toe, tip of the left second toe, tip of the left middle toe, tip of the left fourth toe, tip of the left little toe, left ankle, left knee, left hip
- Lower abdomen, navel, space between the breasts, throat, forehead
Next, do Spinal Breath practice
- Exhale as though you are breathing from the top of the head down to the perineum at the base of the spine.
- Inhale as though you are breathing from the perineum at the base of the spine, up to the top of the head.
- Exhale and inhale many times in this way, exhaling down and inhaling up.
- Imagine that the breath is flowing in a thin, milky white stream from top to bottom, and bottom to top. It does not matter whether or not you literally see the stream with your inner eye, but know that this stream of energy is actually there in the subtle body, and will someday be experienced directly.
Next, enter into Yoga Nidra through chakras
- Bring your attention to the space between the eyebrows. Remain in that space for several breaths, or up to a couple minutes.
- Bring your attention to the throat center and visual there a moon. Remain in that space for up to a couple minutes.
- Bring your attention to the space between the breasts, the heart center, and allow your awareness to empty completely of any images, impressions, thoughts, sensations, or other experiences. Just go deep into the stillness and silence.
- Remain in that deep stillness and silence for up to 10 minutes, but no more initially. With practice, the length of time may lengthen some, though this is not too important.
- After remaining in the stillness and silence for some period, there will likely come a moment when thoughts, impressions, or sensations return. They may return smoothly and gradually, or there may be a sudden jolt. When this happens, it is a natural sign that this session of Yoga Nidra is completed.
- Systematically bring your attention back outward from the stillness and silence, through the awareness of the relative quietness of the mind, the awareness of the smoothness of the breath, and this stillness of the physical body.
- Bring the deep stillness and silence with you, as you gently wiggle your fingers and toes, then gradually move as you wish, and open your eyes.
- After the Yoga Nidra, you might quietly return to your daily activities, or take a few minutes for meditation, contemplation, or prayer.