TEACHING YOGA NIDRA
TO CHILDREN
YOGA NIDRA CAN BE PRACTICED EVEN BY SMALL CHILDREN, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THEIR NATURE AND SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS. FOR CHILDREN BETWEEN 8 AND 14 YEARS, IT IS DIFFICULT TO REMAIN STILL IN ONE SPOT FOR EVEN 10 MINUTES. YET THEY RELAX FAR MORE QUICKLY AND DEEPLY THAN ADULTS. THEREFORE PRACTICE SESSIONS OF 10 OR 15 MINUTES ARE SUFFICIENT.
ROTATION OF CONSCIOUSNESS THROUGH THE BODY PARTS IS MOST EFFECTIVE, AND THE INTEREST OF YOUNGER CHILDREN CAN BE RENEWED BY VARIOUS FANTASIES WHICH STIMULATE THE IMAGINATION. FOR EXAMPLE - IMAGINE A BUTTERFLY LANDING HERE AND THERE, VISUALIZE LIGHTS WHICH TURN ON AT EACH BODY PART, EXPLORE THE BODY AS IF IT WERE AN ISLAND. THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ONLY LIMITED BY THE INSTRUCTOR'S IMAGINATION.
SIMPLE, SHORT VISUALIZATION SEQUENCE ARE ALSO IMPORTANT PART OF YOGA NIDRA FOR CHILDREN, WHEREAS IN ADULTS THIS PRACTICE IS FORESTALLED UNTIL THE ART OF SIMPLE, PHYSICAL AND MENTAL RELAXATION HAS BEEN ACQUIRED BY MORE PRELIMINARY PRACTICES. IN GENERAL, CHILDREN ARE FAR LESS TENSE AND PREOCCUPIED THAN ADULTS. THEY ARE MORE OPEN AND RECEPTIVE TO THE EXPERIENCE OF YOGA NIDRA.
ADVICE FOR INSTRUCTORS
- ADAPT THE PRACTICES ACCORDING TO THE PARTICULAR AGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHILD OR CHILDREN.
- IF YOU ARE CONDUCTING GROUP SESSIONS IT IS BEST WHEN SIX OR SEVEN CHILDREN COMBINE FROM THE SAME AGE GROUP.
- WHENEVER IT IS POSSIBLE, USE A ROOM THAT IS SPACIOUS AND AIRY AND WHICH HAS A FINE VIBRATION. TRY TO USE THE SAME ROOM FOR ALL PRACTICES.
- FOLLOW EACH SESSION WITH A SHORT DISCUSSION, AND PERHAPS WITH DRAWING, COLOURING OR ACTING OUT WHAT EXPERIENCED DURING THE PRACTICE. ALLOW EACH CHILD TO VOLUNTEER HIS EXPERIENCES. THOSE WHO ARE SHY SHOULD ALSO BE ENCOURAGED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY SAW AND EXPERIENCED. REAFFIRM EVERYONE'S EXPERIENCES AND MAKE SURE NO CHILD IS CONFUSED, LOST OR UNHAPPY.
BE CAREFUL NOT TO LOSE COUNT OR MISS A BREATH.
BREATH CAN ALTERNATIVELY BE IMAGINED PASSING IN AND OUT OF THE NAVEL OR IN AND OUT THE LEFT NOSTRIL, THEN THE RIGHT NOSTRIL.
VISUALIZATION
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ASANA : NOW YOU HAVE TO CONCENTRATE ON YOURSELF AS IF YOU ARE DOING ASANAS, YOGIC POSES. YOU SHOULD TRY TO VISUALIZE YOURSELF FROM THE OUTSIDE DOING THE POSES WITH PSYCHIC AWARENESS ONLY.. DO NOT MOVE YOUR BODY. PRACTICE MENTALLY SURYA NAMASKARA, SALUTE TO THE SUN. SEE YOURSELF IN EACH OF THE POSES, 1,2,3.. TO 12. NOW YOU ARE LYING DOWN, VISUALIZE YOURSELF IN SHAVASANA, DEAD MAN'S POSE... FROM SHAVASANA YOU MOVE TO SARVANGASANA, SHOULDERSTAND, HALASANA, PLOUGH, AND THE COUNTERPOSE MATSYASANA, FISH, NOW PASCHIMOTTANASANA, FORWARD BEND, BHUJANGASANA, COBRA... TURNING OVER, PADMASANA, LOTUS, AND THEN SIRSHASANA, HEADSTAND. CHECK THAT YOU ARE NOT SLEEPING.
MOVEMENT IN TIME : NOW YOU ARE GOING TO TRAVEL INTO YOUR PAST, IN THE SAME WAY YOU HAVE TRAVELLED FROM THE PAST TO THE PRESENT.. RETRACING THE STEPS OF YOUR MEMORY AND CONSCIOUSNESS BACKWARDS FROM THIS TIME. THE PAST IS PART OF TIME AND TIME IS PART OF YOUR MIND. NORMALLY YOU WALK FORWARD IN TIME.. THIS TIME TRY AND WALK BACKWARDS. BY REMEMBERING YOUR PAST YOU ARE GOING INTO THE DEEPER RECESSESS OF YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS.
TRY TO REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED FROM THE PRESENT TIME TO THE TIME YOU GOT UP THIS MORNING... YOU HAVE TO GO BACK IN TIME AS IF YOU WERE WATCHING A FILM RUNNING IN REVERSE, OR IF NOT A FILM, A SERIES OF SLIDES. REMEMBER BACK TO THE START OF THE YOGA NIDRA, THEN RECALL WHAT YOU WERE DOING IN THE HALF HOUR BEFORE THAT. REMEMBER THE IMPORTANT OBJECTS AND FEELINGS IN THAT TIME, AND THEN KEEP ON PROCEEDING IN HALF HOUR OR ONE HOUR STAGES, TO WHEN YOU WOKE UP. STAGE BY STAGE, WITH FULL AWARENESS, VISUALIZE AND RECALL WHAT YOU WERE DOING, THINKING AND FEELING. WHEN YOU HAVE FINISHED, BRING YOUR MIND DIRECTLY BACK TO THE PRESENT.
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FURTHER IDEAS FOR GUIDED VISUALIZATIONS
THE FOLLOWING IDEAS CAN BE EXPANDED UPON, ALTERED OR USED TO INSPIRE YOUR OWN CREATIVITY:
- IMAGINE YOU ARE DRIFTING IN INFINITE SPACE, AMONG THE PLANETS AND STARS. VISIT AND EXPLORE SOME OTHER PLANETS BEFORE YOU RETURN TO EARTH.
- IMAGINE YOU ARE A BIRD, A FLUFFY WHITE CLOUD, A PLANE, A KITE, A SUBMARINE, ETC.
- IMAGINE YOU ARE A SHOE AND RETRACE EACH STEP YOU HAVE TAKEN IN A DAY.
- PAY A VISIT TO A CIRCUS OR FESTIVAL
- READ A FANTASY STORY FROM THE PURANAS, THE ARABIAN NIGHTS, HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN, OR SOME OTHER SUCH BOOK. DO NOT INTRODUCE THE VISUALIZATION SEQUENCE UNTIL FULL BODY AND BREATH RELAXATION HAS BEEN ACHIEVED. THE VISUALIZATION SEQUENCE SHOULD NOT CONTINUE FOR MUCH MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES, OTHERWISE LOSS OF CONCENTRATION COULD OCCUR.
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- IMAGINE YOU ARE OUTSIDE WALKING THROUGH A BEAUTIFUL GARDEN. IT IS EARLY IN THE MORNING AND YOU ARE COMPLETELY ALONE. THERE ARE NO OTHER PEOPLE AROUND, THERE IS ONLY YOU TO ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF NATURE. BECOME AWARE OF THE EARTH BENEATH YOUR BARE FEET. IT FEELS COOL AND VERY PLEASANT. NOW SEE ALL THE PLANTS AND TREES GROWING OUT OF THE EARTH AS YOU WALK BY THEM.
- LISTEN, YOU HEAR A LOUD CLAP OF THUNDER. LOOK UP. THE SKY HAS BECOME VERY DARK AND NOW IT IS STARTING TO RAIN. YOU ARE STANDING ON VERY GREEN GRASS AND YOU ARE WATCHING THE RAINDROPS BOUNCE OFF THE BLADES OF GRASS. SMELL THE WET EARTH, AND WITNESS THE STORM. DO NOT BE AFRAID ABOUT GETTING WET. IT DOES NOT MATTER. IT IS VERY PLEASANT TO GET WET.
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- NOW THE STORM HAS FINISHED. THE SUN BEGINNING TO SHINE THROUGH THE CLOUDS. FEEL THE WARMTH OF THE SUN ON YOUR SKIN. YOU ARE NO LONGER WET. YOUR CLOTHES ARE DRY AND YOU FEEL VERY WARM INSIDE. LOOK UP AT THE SUN AND FEEL ITS WARMTH AND ENERGY PENETRATING YOUR SKIN AND ENTERING YOUR BODY.
- NOW YOU ARE RUNNING IN THE GARDEN. YOU ARE VERY HAPPY AND CANNOT HELP BUT LAUGH WITH JOY. ALL AROUND IN THE TREES, BRIGHTLY COLOURED BIRDS ARE SINGING. HEAR THEIR MELODIOUS SONG ALL ABOUT YOU.
- A COOL GENTLE BREEZE IS BLOWING IN THE TREES. HEAR THE WIND RUSTLING IN THE TREES AND FEEL IT BLOWING AGAINST YOUR FACE AND THROUGH YOUR HAIR. BREATHE IN THIS FRESH LIFE-GIVING AIR.
❤ YOGA NIDRA ❤
💟 THE MOUNAM 💟
PREPARATION
PLEASE GET READY FOR YOGA NIDRA, YOU KNOW THE POSITION VERY WELL. CLOSE YOUR EYES AND ADJUST YOURSELF UNTIL YOU ARE COMFORTABLE. IT YOU WANT TO MOVE OR MAKE ANY FINAL MOVEMENTS, DO SO NOW. ONCE YOU HAVE ADJUSTED YOURSELF FINALLY, THE BODY SHOULD NOT MOVE UNTIL YOGA NIDRA IS OVER. SLOWLY BECOME QUIET, AS QUIET AS POSSIBLE. TAKE THREE LONG, DEEP BREATHS AND EACH TIME, AS YOU BREATHE OUT, FEEL YOURSELF L-E-T-T-I-N-G G-O. JUST FOR AN HOUR FORGET YOUR CARES AND WORRIES AND CONCENTRATE ON YOGA NIDRA.
RELAXATION : BECOME AWARE OF DISTANT SOUNDS. MOVE YOUR ATTENTION FROM SOUND TO SOUND... LISTENING ONLY, DO NOT TRY TO ANALYZE. BRING YOUR ATTENTION CLOSER, BECOME AWARE OF SOUNDS OUTSIDE THE BUILDING, THEN BECOME AWARE OF SOUNDS INSIDE THE BUILDING, THEN BECOME AWARE OF SOUNDS INSIDE THE BUILDING, INSIDE THIS ROOM. DEVELOP AWARENESS OF THIS ROOM.. THE WALLS, THE CEILING.. YOUR BODY LYING ON THE FLOOR... SEE YOUR BODY LYING ON THE FLOOR, BECOME AWARE ON THE FLOOR.. SEE YOUR BODY LYING ON THE FLOOR, BECOME AWARE OF YOUR PHYSICAL EXISTENCE.
BECOME AWARE OF THE EXISTENCE OF YOUR PHYSICAL BODY, CONCENTRATE ON YOUR PHYSICAL BODY AS A WHOLE... TOTAL AWARENESS OF THE NATURAL BREATH. CONTINUE WITH THIS AWARENESS OF THE NATURAL BREATH. CONTINUE WITH THIS AWARENESS AND FEEL YOURSELF BECOMING RELAXED. BECOME AWARE THAT YOU ARE GOING TO PRACTICE YOGA NIDRA, SAY TO YOURSELF, I AM GOING TO PRACTICE YOGA NIDRA, I AM GOING TO PRACTICE YOGA NIDRA". ONLY TWO DOORS OF PERCEPTION ARE OPEN... FEELING AND HEARING. YOGA NIDRA BEGINS NOW
RESOLVE
RESOLVE, RESOLVE... STATE YOUR RESOLVE WITH FEELING AND AWARENESS THREE TIMES.
ROTATION OF CONSCIOUSNESS
AWARENESS OF DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE BODY... AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE THE MIND IS TO JUMP FROM POINT TO POINT.
- RIGHT SIDE
- RIGHT SIDE WHOLE BODY
- LEFT SIDE
- LEFT SIDE WHOLE BODY
- FRONT SIDE WHOLE BODY
- BACK SIDE WHOLE BODY
- INNER PARTS
- MAJOR PARTS
BODY/FLOOR AWARENESS
CONCENTRATE ON THE BODY LYING ON THE FLOOR... YOUR BODY ON THE FLOOR... AND BECOME AWARE OF THE MEETING POINTS BETWEEN THE BODY AND THE FLOOR. HEAD-FLOOR, SHOULDER-FLOOR, ARMS-FLOOR, BACK-FLOOR, BUTTOCKS-FLOOR, THIGHS-FLOOR, CALVES-FLOOR, HEELS-FLOOR, THE WHOLE BODY AND THE FLOOR.
BREATHING
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BRING YOUR AWARENESS TO THE BREATH, BECOME AWARE THAT YOU ARE BREATHING.. BECOME AWARE OF YOUR BREATH IN GENERAL... JUST BECOME CONSCIOUS THAT YOU ARE BREATHING, NOTHING ELSE. CONTINUE YOUR AWARENESS OF BREATHING AND GRADUALLY BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO THE EYEBROW CENTRE.. IMAGINE THAT YOU ARE BREATHING THROUGH THE EYEBROW CENTRE AND THAT THE BREATH MOVES THROUGH THE EYEBROW CENTRE TO A POINT IN THE CENTRE OF THE BACK OF THE HEAD, PASSING THROUGH AJNA CHAKRA... MAINTAIN YOUR AWARENESS OF THE BREATH THROUGH THE EYEBROW CENTRE AND START COUNTING YOUR BREATHS OUT 54:1, AM BREATHING IN 53:1 , AM BREATHING OUT 53, AND SO ON.
AWARENESS OF COUNTING AND BREATH.. NO SLEEPING... IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE YOU MUST GO BACK TO THE START. BREATHING THROUGH THE EYEBROW CENTRE, BE SURE THAT YOU ARE AWARE OF COUNTING... IF YOU REALIZE ZERO, GO BACK TO 54 AND START AGAIN. CEASE YOUR COUNTING BUT MAINTAIN AWARENESS OF BREATHING... YOU ARE AWARE OF BREATHING, AND YOU ARE AWARE THAT YOU ARE LYING IN SHAVASANA, NOTHING ELSE BESIDES THESE .
CHAKRA VISUALIZATION
PREPARATION
LIE ON THE FLOOR WITH YOUR FEET SLIGHTLY APART, THE BACK OF YOUR HANDS AND YOUR ELBOWS SHOULD BE TOUCHING THE FLOOR AND YOUR HEAD SHOULD BE FACING DIRECTLY UPWARDS. RELAX OUR WHOLE PHYSICAL BODY. DO NOT LET ANY TIGHTNESS REMAIN IN ANY PART OF YOUR BODY. MAKE EACH AND EVERY PART OF YOUR PHYSICAL BODY LOOSER AND LOOSER. WHEN YOUR WHOLE PHYSICAL BODY HAS BECOME LOOSE AND RELAXED., BEGIN TO RELAX MENTALLY AS WELL. MAKE YOURSELF AS COMFORTABLE AS POSSIBLE, SO YOU DO NOT HAVE TO MOVE YOUR PHYSICAL BODY UNTIL I SAY "HARI OM TAT SAT" AT THE END OF THE PRACTICE.
INSPECT YOUR WHOLE PHYSICAL BODY AND MAKE SURE THAT IT IS ALL LOOSE AND RELAXED. THE FINGERS ARE LOOSE AND NOT STUFF, AND THE TOES ARE NOT MOVING. THEY ARE STILL AND RELAXED. THE THIGHS AND FEET ARE NOT SHAKING, THEY ARE STILL AND RELAXED. THE HEAD UPWARDS, AND THE WHOLE BODY IS NOW LYING COMFORTABLY ON THE FLOOR. IT IS LIKE A DEAD BODY, SO STILL, SO QUIET, SO IMMOBILE. MAINTAIN THIS TRANQUILLITY AND IMMOBILITY UNTIL I ASK YOU TO MOVE.
VISUALIZE JUST YOUR SPINE LYING ON THE FLOOR, ONLY THE SPINE AND NOT ANY OTHER PART OF THE BODY. FEEL AS IF YOU ARE STANDING NEARBY AND WATCHING IT. AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE SPINE, SEE A STEM EMERGING FROM THE INSIDE. AT THE TOP OF THIS STEM A FLOWER IS FORMING, AND AROUND THE FLOWER ARE SEVERAL LEAVES, BEAUTIFUL GREEN, ROUND LEAVES WITH DROPS OF DEW GLISTENING ON THEM LIKE PEARLS. IF YOU SHAKE THE LEAVES, THE PEARLS FRAGMENT INTO MANY SMALL BEADS. IF YOU SHAKE THEM AGAIN, THE SMALL BEADS COME TOGETHER AGAIN TO FORM BIG PEARLS. AS YOU SHAKE THE LEAVES, THE WATER COMES TOGETHER AND THEN DISPERSE AND FRAGMENTS.
THE LOTUS FLOWER AT MOOLADHANA IS DARK RED WITH FOUR PETALS. YOU ARE LOOKING AT IF FROM THE TOP BECAUSE THE ROOT IS UNDERNEATH THE SPINAL CORD WHICH IS LYING ON THE FLOOR. THEN AT THE BASE OF THE SPINE, IN SWADHISTHANA, SEE THE VERMILLION LOTUS WITH SIX PEARLS. THE LEAVES ALSO HAVE DROPS OF WATER ON THEM JUST LIKE THOSE IN MOOLADHANA. YOU CAN SHAKE THEM IN THE SAME WAY AS YOU DID IN MOOLADHARA, AND ALL THE WATER NEVER DISPERSES INTO MANY PEARL-LIKE DROPS.
THE WATER NEVER TOUCHES THE PETALS OF THE LOTUS FLOWER. THOUGH THE LOTUS IS ROOTED IN THE BOTTOM OF THE POND, AND IT RISES UP THROUGH THE WATER, YET ITS PEARLS ARE NEVER WET. THEREFORE, SAGES AND YOGIS ADVICE US ALWAYS TO BE AS DETACHED FROM EVERYTHING IN THE WHOLE UNIVERSE AS THE LOTUS LEAF IS FROM THE WATER, COMPLETELY NON-ATTACHED. THE LOTUS COMES FROM THE WATER, IT ONLY SURVIVES DUE TO THE WATER, YET IT DOES NOT GET WET, THE WATER CANNOT TOUCH IT. IN THE SAME MANNER, WE ALL LIVE IN THE WORLD, WE EAT AND ENJOY AND SUFFER, WE PRACTICE SADHANA AND DO MANY THINGS, YET WE SHOULD BE DETACHED FROM ALL OF THIS.
NOW AT MANUPURA, BEHIND THE NAVEL, VISUALIZE A TEN PETALLED YELLOW LOTUS. SEE THE LEAVES UNDERNEATH, SPARKLING WITH PEARL-LIKE DROPS OF DEW. BEHIND THE HEART, AT ANAHATA CHAKRA, SEE TWELVE PETALLED BLUE LOTUS. IT ALSO HAS MANY LEAVES UNDERNEATH, COVERED WITH MANY FINE DROPS OF DEW. VISUALIZE IT.
AT VISHUDDHI, BEHIND THE THROAT, IS A SIXTEEN PETALLED PURPLE LOTUS WITH MANY LEAVES UNDER IT, AND DEW DROPS SHINING ON THEM LIKE PEARLS, AT AJNA , BEHIND THE EYEBROW CENTRE, SEE A TWO PETALLED GREY LOTUS WITH TWO LEAVES BENEATH IT, COVERED WITH DEW DROPS LIKE PEARLS. AND THE RADIANT FULL MOON IS ABOVE THEM, ABOUT THREE INCHES AWAY. ABOVE AJNA CHAKRA, AT THE TOP BACK OF THE HEAD, IS BINDU. THERE YOU WILL FIND THE BRIGHT FULL MOON. AND IF YOU GO STILL FURTHER, ABOVE THE FULL MOON , ANOTHER THREE INCHES AWAY, YOU SEE THE THOUSAND PETALLED BRIGHT RED LOTUS AT SAHASRARA.
AGAIN VISUALIZE MOOLADHARA, WITH ALL THE LEAVES AND DEW DROPS ON THEM. THEN SWADHISHTHANA... MANIPURA..... ANAHATA.... VISHUDDHI... AJNA..... BINDU.... SAHASRARA. IN SAHASRARA SEE THE THOUSAND PETALS, SEE THE LEAVES WITH THE DROPLETS OF WATER SHINING LIKE JEWELS . FEEL THE QUALITIES OF THE DIFFERENT CHAKRAS, AND WHATEVER SENSATIONS ARE EMANATING FROM THEM. AGAIN : SAHARANA... BINDU... AJNA... VISHUDDHI... ANAHATA.... MANIPURA... SWADHISTHANA... MOOLADHANA.
NOW PLACE YOUR WHOLE BODY ON A LOTUS FLOWER. YOUR WHOLE PHYSICAL BODY IS LYING RELAXED ON THE LOTUS, AND THE FLOWER IS MERGING INTO YOUR PHYSICAL BODY.
RESOLVE: NOW REMEMBER YOUR RESOLVE, YOUR SANKALPA. REPEAT THE SANKALPA. REPEAT THE SANKALPA. REPEAT YOUR SANKALPA.
FINISH : AND NOW BECOME AWARE OF ITS POSITION LYING IN SHAVASANA, PRACTISING YOUR NIDRA. AND AS A RESULT OF THIS RELAXATION. THE WHOLE BODY, ON THE PHYSICAL, MENTAL, EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL LEVELS, HAS BECOME SO QUIET, TRANQUIL AND PEACEFUL, YET SO FRESH, REVIVED AND ENERGETIC.
THE WHOLE BODY, BECOME AWARE OF THE WHOLE BODY. BECOME AWARE OF THE WHOLE ENVIRONMENT. BECOME AWARE OF YOU AND MET TOGETHER IN THIS ROOM. BECOME AWARE THAT I AM LEADING YOU IN YOGA NIDRA, AND THAT YOU ARE PRACTICING IT. BECOME AWARE OF THE WHOLE ENVIRONMENT, THE WHOLE ENVIRONMENT, THE WHOLE ENVIRONMENT.
NOW WITHOUT JERKING YOUR BODY OR OPENING YOUR EYES, SIT UP SLOWLY AND FACE ME. SIT IN SUKHASANA WITH THE HEAD AND BACK STRAIGHT. NOW INHALE DEEPLY AND WHILE EXHALING, CHANT OM.
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