Breath, Body, Sounds, Thoughts & Emotions: Yoga NIDRA with Tonya Minton
Photo by Emily Turner, edited by Sherry Ward
This meditation was originally written by Trained Spiritual Director Tonya Minton and offered during her monthly YOGA NIDRA meditation for Retreat House. You can listen to the meditation here. If you use this during a spiritual direction session or retreat, please give credit to the author.
Meditation:
Let’s start today in Mountain pose, eyes closed breathing naturally. Take notice of your body. While you check in with your alignment, feet shoulder distance apart, your weight is evening distributed on your feet side to side and front to back. knees in line with your feet, hips in line with your knees, shoulders in line with your hips, head straight, jaw relaxed. Arms are by your sides palms up in a posture of receiving.
Breathing in and breathing out.
Breathing in and breathing out.
Welcome to this restful space.
Breath in and breath out.
Notice how you come today. How does your body feel? How is it with your soul today? Where are your emotions? I invite you to be gentle and caring with yourself. How ever you come today is just fine. You are welcome to this space just as you are.
Our Yoga Nidra practice today is an opportunity for you to rest. And rest within your community here.
Let’s go ahead and lay down or sit in a comfortable chair where you can fully relax your whole body and your body is supported someplace that you are so comfortable you will not feel the need to move around. Feel that your hips are grounded on the surface you are resting and in alignment with your shoulders. Relax your shoulders, relax your neck, and relax the trunk of your body. Find the most comfortable position you can.
Allow your feet to be a comfortable distance apart, adjust them as needed for comfort.
Allow your arms to be a comfortable distance from your sides. Palms up in a posture of receiving if it is comfortable for you if its not find a comfortable posture for your hands.
Close your eyes if that is comfortable for you if not softly focus your eyes.
Make yourself even more comfortable. Bring your attention to your breath.
Take in a deep breath
Be comfortable and exhale and allow yourself to sink into the floor.
Breathing normally
Be aware of your body.
Be aware of your whole body from the top of your head to your toes and from the tips of your toes to the crown of your head.
However, you feel your body is okay.
Notice the sensations as they are arising in your body. These might be physical sensations
Notice how they come and pass. Inside your body. Outside your body. The surface of your skin.
You cannot do this incorrectly.
Be aware of your body.
You have arrived here today, and you are in exactly the right place at precisely the right time with precisely the right people gathered all around you, gathered all around you in this circle of belonging and everyone is welcome.
Welcome home to yourself
Give the weight of the body down into the earth, rest now
Breathe in and breathe out
Breath in and breathe out
Experience the stillness.
Experience the stillness
Experience stillness throughout your entire body.
Be aware of the stillness
Allow the stillness to encircle your and calm you.
Bring your attention to your breath.
Feel the sensations in your body as you are beathing.
Notice the physical sensations of the breath.
Notice and observe your breath. In the nostrils. In the throat.
In your chest ..or the belly…as best you can notice your breath. Now pick one place in your body and notice your breath in that one place.
Breathing in and breathing out. Being with your breath moment by moment.
Notice at the beginning of the inhalation. Then the full rising, to the pause at the end of the inhalation. Next is the transition point to the exhalation. Notice the sensations as the air is emptying from that place. Next, notice the pause at the end of the exhalation. Then the transition once again to the inhalation. Rest here and notice your breath as it moves in and out from your vantage place.
Bring your attention to the breath in your nostrils. Noticing the air is cooler as you breath in and notice how much warmer the air is as you breath out.
Bring your attention to your chest notice the movement of the ribs as they expand as you breath in and the contraction as you breath out.
Bring your attention to your belly, notice the rise and fall of the abdomen as you breath in and out.
Bring your attention to your whole body notice how your whole body rises and falls with each breath.
As we continue to lean into this restful space today, I invite you to think of an intention, a goal or prayer you would like to carry with you this next week. Just a word or two. Just a word or two. Just a word or two you want to carry with you.
Survey your body from head to toe and toe to head.
However, you feel your body is okay.
You cannot do this incorrectly.
Using your inner eye. Look around.
What do you see looking through your inner eye?
Whatever you see is fine and however things look through your inner eye is just fine.
Observe the body as if you are really curious, looking into the small nooks and crannies, as if you are an explorer surveying a place for the first time in great depth.
Let your awareness move deep within the body and travel through the center of the bones and organs.
You may experience sensations in the physical body, maybe even in your organs and maybe in your bones. Or you may experience a feeling or emotion, or a sensation of energy.
Any sensations you feel or ways of experiencing the body are welcome.
Let your awareness sink into your head, dropping deep within the head.
Allow your awareness to move through the head, behind the forehead, eyebrows and eyes.
Let’s move that Awareness through the center of the cheekbones and the jaw.
Feel your awareness as you move through your face.
Allow your Awareness to move down through the neck and to the right shoulder. Then your left shoulder, your right shoulder, your left shoulder
Let your awareness move deeper and deeper into the center of the bones, to the very bone marrow itself.
Allow your mind to travel through the bones of the right upper arm.
Through the elbow and right lower arm bones. And up and down your right arm.
Awareness traveling through the center of the bones of the right wrist and the bones of the right hand and fingers.
Bring your Awareness now back through the bones of the right wrist.
The lower arm and the elbow, the upper arm and the right shoulder.
Awareness moving to the left shoulder and down through the bones of the left upper arm.
Let your observation be keen yet relaxed.
Mind travels down through the left elbow and the bone marrow of the lower arm bones.
Awareness of the left wrist and bones of the hand.
move through the bones of the left fingers.
Let your mind travel back up through the center of the bones of the left wrist and lower arm.
Awareness moving through the left elbow and upper arm and back up to the left shoulder.
Let your awareness remain deep as it descends through the chest, moving through the two lungs.
Awareness moves through the heart and stomach, liver and gallbladder.
Pancreas, spleen and kidneys. Let's spend a moment more loving and caring for these organs.
Continue to allow the mind to move through the intestines and reproductive organs.
Let your awareness move into the center of the right hip.
Allow the mind to move through the marrow of the right upper leg bone, through the right knee and lower leg bones.
Awareness continuing through the ankle, bones of the right foot and toes.
Observation moves back up through the bones of the ankle, lower leg and knee.
Continue to let the mind travel through the bone marrow of the right upper leg bone and hip.
Awareness travels through the center of the bones of the left hip.
Allow the mind to move through the marrow of the left upper leg bone.
Through the left knee and lower leg bones.
Awareness continuing through the ankle and bones of the left foot and toes.
Observation moves back up through the bones of the ankle, lower leg and knee.
Continue to let the mind travel through the bone marrow of the left upper leg bone and hip.
Awareness comes to the tip of the tailbone and moves inside the tailbone.
Let the mind travel up through the center of the sacrum and through each vertebra of the spine.
The mind travels up through the spine until it finally returns back to the center of the head.
Breathe in and breath out.
Allow your attention to come to rest on the forehead
Become aware of the point between the eyebrows,
You may experience the point as skin, bone or some other physical aspect
Or as a feeling, an awareness of energy such as a pulsing or vibration
You may see the point with your inner eye
Maybe you a point of light, like a blue star
You may hear sound or have a memory
You do not need to look for any of these experiences, but know they can arise
Be aware of your throat
You may experience it in some physical way or as a feeling or energy point
Look around with your inner eye, allow the
Point of light, blue star to illuminate everything for you
Be aware of your right shoulder
Allow any sensations to arise
Be aware of your right elbow
Any sensations are welcome
Simply observe without judgement what arises
Be aware of your right wrist
Be aware of the tip of your right thumb
Tip of your right index finger
Tip of your right middle finger
Tip of your right ring finger
Tip of your right little finger
Be aware of your right wrist
Be aware of your right elbow
Your right shoulder
Your throat
Your left shoulder
Your left elbow
Your left wrist
The tip of your left thumb
The tip of your left index finger
The tip of your left middle finger
The tip of your left ring finger
The tip of your left little finger
Be aware of your left wrist
Your left elbow
Your left shoulder
Your throat
Be aware of the center of your chest
Physical sensation, feeling, pranic sensation, point of light, blue star
Be aware of the right chest
Be aware of the center of your chest
Be aware of the left chest
Center of the chest
The navel
The Tailbone
The right hip
Allow any sensations to arise
The right knee
The right ankle
The tip of the right big toe
The tip of the right second toe
The tip of the right third toe
The tip of the right fourth toe
The tip of the right little toe
The right ankle
The right knee
The right hip
The tailbone
The left hip
The left knee
The left ankle
The tip of the left big toe
The tip of the left second toe
The tip of the left third toe
The tip of the left fourth toe
The tip of the left little toe
The left ankle
The left knee
The left hip
The tailbone
The navel
The center of the chest
The throat
The point between the eyebrows
(pause)
Sweeping the Causal Body
Breathe as though your whole body is breathing. Without actually altering the physical breath in any way, simply focus the mind on the breath.
Visualize that you are exhaling from the top of your head down to your toes.
Breathe as though you are inhaling from the toes up to the top of your head.
Exhale from the top of head down to the toes.
Inhale from the toes up to the top of the head. Continue to
exhale from the top of the head down to the toes.
Inhale from the toes up to the top of the head.
Exhale from the top of the head down to the ankles.
Inhale from the ankles up to the top of the head.
Continue to exhale from the top of the head down to the ankles.
Inhale from the ankles to the top of the head.
Exhale from the top of the head down to the knees.
Inhale from the knees up to the top of the head.
Continue to exhale from the top of the head down to the knees.
Inhale from the knees up to the top of the head.
Exhale from the top of the head down to the tailbone.
Inhale from the tailbone to the crown of the head.
Exhale from the top of the head down to the navel.
Inhale from the navel up to the top of the head.
Exhale from the top of the head to the center of your chest.
Inhale from the space between the breasts up to the top of the head.
Exhale from the top of the head down to the throat.
Inhale from the throat up to the top of the head.
Exhale from the top of the head down to the space between your upper lip and your nose.
Inhale from the space between your upper lip and your nose up to the top of the head.
Exhale from the space between the eyebrows to the space between your upper lip and your nose.
Inhale from the space between your upper lip and your nose to the space between the eyebrows.
Continue to exhale from the space between the eyebrows to the point of your nose.
Inhale from the tip of your nose to the space between the eyebrows.
Exhale from the top of the head down to the tip of your nose.
Inhale from the tip of your nose up to the top of the head.
Exhale from the top of the head down to the throat.
inhale from the throat up to the top of the head.
Exhale from the top of the head to the center of your chest.
Inhale from the center of your chest up to the top of the head.
Exhale from the top of the head down to the navel.
Inhale from the navel up to the top of the head.
Exhale from the top of the head down to the tailbone.
Inhale from the tailbone to the crown of the head.
Exhale from the top of the head down to the knees.
Inhale from the knees up to the top of the head.
Exhale from the top of the head down to the ankles.
Inhale from the ankles up to the top of the head.
Exhale from the top of head down to the toes.
Inhale from the toes up to the top of the head.
Be aware of the space between the eyebrows.
Breathe as though you are breathing from the space between the eyebrows.
(pause)
Be aware of the space at the throat.
Visualize at the throat: a moon.
Be aware of the space at the heart center. Go deep, deep within the space. Go deep into the
silence. Empty, empty, empty.
Go deep into the stillness and the silence in the space of the heart. Empty, empty, empty.
Be aware of the space at the heart center.
Be aware of the deep stillness and silence that is in that space.
Allow your attention to carry that deep stillness and silence.
Be aware of the space at the throat bringing with you that deep stillness and silence.
Be aware of the space between the eyebrows.
Be aware of the quietness of your mind while remaining aware of that deep stillness and silence that is beneath, behind or subtler than the mind.
Be aware of the smoothness of the breath while continuing to remain aware of that deep stillness and silence inside of, deeper than the breath.
Be aware of the stillness of the physical body while holding awareness of that deep stillness and silence.
As you rest in this stillness, start to open yourself up to the sounds around you.
First listen for the sounds inside your body. Maybe you can hear your heart beating. Maybe you can hear the air moving through your lungs and through your veins. What else can you hear inside your body? Oh maybe your tummy is talking to you?
Now listen for the sounds coming from outside the body. What do you hear? Maybe you can hear sounds in the room that you are? Maybe you can hear sounds from outside? Maybe cars as they pass or maybe traffic further away? Notice the directions of those sounds. Notice the volume the tone the pitch are the sounds continuous or intermittent are they sharp or subtle of the sounds. Notice the tendency of the mind to name the sounds. Notice how the sounds are layered. Notice the background sounds.
Next allow your mind to wander. Allow your thoughts to just come up maybe words, phrases, or images. Allow yourself to be curious and receptive, even if they are unwanted or unpleasant. Notice how thoughts might be a glimpse or maybe repeated or continuous. Notice how your mind is affected by thoughts and emotions, do you feel calm, peaceful, restless, anxious, quite? Whatever it is that you are feeling just accept it and then allow the thought to gently move away. Without pursuing or pushing them away, just allow them to come up and unfold then move away.
Be aware of our experience today allow that deep stillness and silence that is underneath, behind, and in the quiet mind. Notice the smoothness of your breath and the stillness of your body, gently and slowly start to move your fingers and toes.
Continue to move your fingers and toes.
Begin to move your arms and legs, awakening them gently.
Move however you wish as you integrate the experience of Yoga Nidra into your waking
state.
Bring that deep stillness and silence with you. Keep it with you while you resolve to return
to this state of deep stillness and silence often. Slowly and gently come to a sitting position. Keeping your eyes closed and your body relaxed. Noticing your breath and it moves in and out of you.
I want to share with you a few words from Thich Nhat Hanh about the importance of breath. We know that breath is important for our physical bodies to live and exist, but Thich Naht Hanh reminds us that our breath is much much more. He says:
Breath is the bridge that connects life to consciousness, the bridge that unites your body to your thoughts. Whenever your mind becomes scattered, use your breath as the means to take hold of your mind again. Thich Nhat Hanh
How do you use our breath to take hold of our mind?? Here is what I know about our breath. Breath drives our nervous system so when you are low on energy and need to have more energy inhale slower and exhale short and fast, like this….. this creates energy. When you need to calm down, do a double inhale and a long slow exhale, like this …….this will calm you. I encourage you to practice these tools so when you need them you will have them.
Thank you for your time today I hope you have a wonder rest of your week and I hope you find joy in this Lenten season.
This meditation was written by Tonya Minton. Learn more about her here.