Yoga Nidra for complete relaxation

An individual has to move from a state of stress to a state of relaxation and then towards meditation. Meditation is a state of body and mind where the maximum healing happens.  The time in between relaxation and sleep, is meditation.  So today we practice Yoga Nidra to enter into this subtle state of ultimate relaxation.

Caution: Avoid falling asleep while doing this.

Exercise 1

• Lie on your back, on a mat or on a hard mattress

• Concentrate on your breath. Breathe deeply from the abdomen and just be aware of yourself inhaling and exhaling

• There are sixteen vital points in your body which can relax you totally, if you concentrate on them. Start concentrating on the forehead, move progressively to the nostrils, lips, chin, neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, fingertips, chest, abdomen, thighs, knees, calves, ankles and toes. Repeat this cycle two - three times

• Now imagine your limbs are detached from your body. Only the head, chest and abdominal area exist now. As you breathe in, feel the air entering your spine and cleansing it

• Concentrate on the different vital nerve plexus or nerve junctions called chakras and breathe in and out five - ten times, while concentrating on each point

• Start with the root plexus or mooladhara in the space between your anus and your genitals

• Move to the solar plexus or swadhisthan, four fingers above the navel

• Then to the midpoint of the chest, anahat

• Move to the throat, to visudhi

• Move to the point between the eyebrows, ajna

• Finally move to the crown, the suryachakra

• Imagine your limbs are once again attached to your body.  Be aware of your whole body as one unit for about two minutes

• Slowly open your eyes, stretch and get up.