The Yoga Nidra Project

In honour of slow mornings, of grounding and centring, this practice is intended to support you in creating a stronger energy body and helping to reduce a feeling of being easily drained and burnt out. With repeated practice, you might find you feel the sanctuary within yourself throughout your days, and those around you sense and be inspired by your quiet strength and calm. In tending to ourselves, we become a healing presence to others. Offered with deepest love and reverence for all of our healing, may each of us contribute to the world becoming a better place for all sentient beings.Words: Phoebe BoonkerdVoice: Phoebe BoonkerdCover image by Jo Hilton, courtesy of Unsplash.The Yoga Nidra project will continue with more consistency now that I have found some strength and purpose in the project as a part of my offerings as a naturopath and creator of some ritual self-care items, under the name Women's Rites Holistic Health. See more on Instagram @womensrites.au or my (evolving) website www.womensrites.au. To sign up to monthly email musings, podcast releases and updates on health and healing: https://womensrites.myflodesk.com/pc1jbqwofn.

Welcome back to the in-between state. This practice is in the structure taught and recommended by Uma Dinsmore-Tuli, whom is a constant reference point for me in the creation of healing, gentle yoga nidra practices. You can learn more about her here: https://www.yoganidranetwork.org/. This practice is intended to support healing and release the effects of stress on your bodymind. In it, we explore the Hamsa mantra, among other techniques. The word Hamsa translates to "swan" in Sanskrit, and in yoga, it also refers to the breath. The mantra's two syllables, ham and sa, represent the breath's in-breath and out-breath, as well as the life force's ascending and descending currents. The mantra is thought to open a doorway to the experience that that we are identical to the Absolute, or transcendental Self, and the great Life of the cosmos. May this practice contribute to your life in a postive way. Much love, Phoebe ~ Words: Phoebe Boonkerd Voice: Phoebe Boonkerd Cover art: by Penabranca (https://www.penabranca.art/) If you have benefitted from this podcast and would like to make a donation, please do so at paypal.me/theyoganidraproject. Your contributions help to keep this podcast ad-free and helps me with the cost of recording studio time and other resources that help to improve the Yoga Nidra Project offering. It is my goal to keep this podcast freely available and ad-free, so your generosity helps me to stay true to this vision.

This is a seated to lying down practice that includes Chandra Bhedana pranayama, or moon-piercing breath. It is intended to connect with the lunar channel in the body, known in the subtle anatomy of yoga as Iḍā nāḍi. We begin in a seat and explore this deeply soothing breath, and follow with a gentle yoga nidra to invoke sleep and rest. This is made with love and deep care for our collective nervous systems, hearts, and minds that are so often overwhelmed by the noise of modern living. May your practice be blessed, and may it be for the benefit of all beings. Much love, Phoebe Words: Phoebe Boonkerd Voice: Phoebe Boonkerd Cover art: Prisca by Heather Heininge - https://hheininge-art.tumblr.com/ If you have benefitted from this podcast and would like to make a donation, please do so at paypal.me/theyoganidraproject. Your generosity helps to keep this podcast ad-free and contributes to resources that help to improve the Yoga Nidra Project offering.

Welcome to a simple and spacious practice for mind and heart integration and meaningful rest and self-care. I have intentionally left space between words to allow you to cultivate autonomy in your meditation. Sometimes words are like weeds (as in, there's too many!) and I want to provide guidance without crowding the mind. I hope you enjoy this practice. Connect with me on Instagram @phoebe_boonkerd to let me know what you think. with love, Phoebe Words: Phoebe Boonkerd Voice: Phoebe Boonkerd Thumbnail image: Unknown artist, from Pintrest *please contact me if you know who I can credit this image* --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/phoebe-boonkerd/message

Welcome back to the in-between state. Please enjoy this gentle yoga nidra practice, which invites pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses) with the use of sound. It also features a long body scan and a visualisation intended to help awaken creativity, where precious ideas are nurtured and allowed to reveal their potential with patience and time. This will be the last episode for 2023, I'm looking forward to sharing more in 2024. In this upside down, troubled world, may you continue to find sanctuary within. May we all be safe from harm, happy, and free. Words: Phoebe Boonkerd Voice: Phoebe Boonkerd Sounds: Forest with small river birds and nature field recording, from Pixabay Thumbnail image: White Oriental Lily Flower, photo by Annie Spratt, courtesy of Unsplash --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/phoebe-boonkerd/message

Join me for a seated pranayama practice and meditation practice. This practice is intentionally guided yet spacious, particularly in the latter stages, where silence is allowed for you to go deeper into your own meditation space, allowing greater autonomy while being gently guided to that space. Nadi shodhana is the name of the breathing exercise used, and is intended to 'floss' the major energy channels (nadis) along the spine - allowing for freer flow of energy, and is also thought to support integration and balance between the left and right hemispheres of the brain. My wish is that this practice acts as a realignment and stress release while helping you gain confidence in your own capacity to 'change dials' through breathwork and meditation, allowing greater awareness and presence to permeate your life. Words: Phoebe Boonkerd Voice: Phoebe Boonkerd Wind chimes: FXSaSc Wind Chimes far, courtesy of Pixabay Image: Photo by Helen Potter, courtsey of Unsplash --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/phoebe-boonkerd/message

Journey with me to the in-between state, cultivating rest and digest, healing, and inner peace. Thank you for listening. with love, Phoebe Words: Phoebe Boonkerd Voice: Phoebe Boonkerd Music: Andreea2702 via archive.org (https://archive.org/details/meditation-healing-music/Healing+Deep+Sleep+Meditation.mp3) Field recording: Tsan-Cheng Wu, tuman, Keelung - Waves. Published: Jun 24, 2012, via internet archive (https://archive.org/details/aporee_17490_20367) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/phoebe-boonkerd/message

This yoga nidra practice is suitable either as an initiation to sleep, or as means to tap into the in-between state during your day. Recorded on a balmy night at the height of Australian summer, the sound of crickets can be heard in the background. It is themed around a breath and prana-balancing technique detailed in Uma Dinsmore-Tuli PhD's radical, wonderful book Yoni Shakti: a woman's guide to yoga and tantra. Words: Phoebe Boonkerd Voice: Phoebe Boonkerd Thumbnail artwork by unknown artist, courtesy of Pinterest. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/phoebe-boonkerd/message

A gentle and invitational approach to the liminal space of yoga nidra, allowing the possibly of accessing one's own inner wisdom and creative thinking. Many, many thanks to all my listeners to your patience, lovely messages, kind reviews, and continued connection with this podcast. It means the world to me and keeps me inspired to continue. If you have any feedback, requests or suggestions, you are more than welcome to send me a DM via Instagram @phoebeboonkerd. Words: Phoebe Boonkerd Voice: Phoebe Boonkerd Field recording: 산절의 풍경 Wind bells at a mountain temple, by Abyssence, via Internet Archive, under Public Domain Mark 1.0 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/phoebe-boonkerd/message

This is a simple, bare bones yoga nidra practice, without music. The practice of Shavayatra is also known as the 61 points exercise, and is a form of yoga nidra from the Sri Vidya tantra tradition of the Himalayas. It helps us to deeply relax and enter into pratyahara, or sense withdrawal, and merge awareness between the body and the mind. An experience of energy like a network of throughout the body may be felt. The invitation is to just be with anything you experience. The practice involves briefly resting your attention, on each of the 61 points, as you hear them named. These 61 points correspond with energy-rich areas of the body, known as marma points. Script is adapted from the description of the practice provided on https://swamij.com/ thumbnail photo by Bruce Christianson, courtesy of Unsplash Comments and feedback on this and other episodes are always welcome. This podcast is an offering to all who listen, in a world and a time where cultivation of our own personal sanctuary of inner peace and wellbeing is becoming as urgent as it is elusive. If you have any feedback at all, please email me p8_@fea.st. with love, Phoebe --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/phoebe-boonkerd/message

In this extended yoga nidra practice, we will explore the concept of an inner garden sanctuary, in which to nurture yourself and water the seeds of your heartfelt desires. We also explore themes of unconditional love and compassion, towards yourself and all beings. Greater equanimity is created by observing the way the mind creates, maintains and dissolves sensations and images. It is my sincere wish that you enjoy this practice and that it enhances your own sense of inner peace and wellbeing. Words: Phoebe Boonkerd Voice: Phoebe Boonkerd Music: Andreea2702 via archive.org (https://archive.org/details/meditation-healing-music/Healing+Deep+Sleep+Meditation.mp3) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/phoebe-boonkerd/message

Find a comfortable seat and explore the practice of sama-vritti, or box breathing. This is a pranayama practice that activates the parasympathetic nervous system, soothing and calming the mind, as well as enhancing lung capacity. We are using a count of four for each breath in and out, as well as for holding the breath between the two. Move gently, the practice can be challenging initially. Once learnt, this technique is something you could integrate into daily life, for example while sitting in traffic, needing a mental break from work, or even while out walking, to increase your in the moment awareness, and relieve stress and tension. Words: Phoebe Boonkerd Voice: Phoebe Boonkerd Music and editing: @YogaMuay --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/phoebe-boonkerd/message

Find deep release of stress, tension and whatever you no longer need with this simple yet powerful yoga nidra practice. . Words: Tamara Verma (Skyhawk), from the book, "Yoga Nidra Scripts" Voice: Phoebe Boonkerd Music: Andreea2702 via archive.org (https://archive.org/details/meditation-healing-music/Healing+Deep+Sleep+Meditation.mp3) Artwork: Violet Rain by Kinuko Y. Craft --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/phoebe-boonkerd/message

This is a simple and spacious practice of conscious rest, inviting you to retreat into the nest of the deep Self. May this practice nourish your entire being. Blessings and love to all as we transition to 2022. May we find strength through conscious rest and tending to the self. May all beings be happy and free . Words: Phoebe Boonkerd Voice: Phoebe Boonkerd Music: Akshat Ratanpal via archive.org (https://archive.org/details/@akshat_ratanpal) Image: Phoebe's portrait by Gabriella Baptistel --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/phoebe-boonkerd/message

A practice designed to support you in drifting into deep sleep. Wishing you deep, rejuvenating, healing rest. . Words: Phoebe Boonkerd Voice: Phoebe Boonkerd Music: Akshat Ratanpal via archive.org (https://archive.org/details/@akshat_ratanpal) Artwork: Psyche Sleeping, by Kinuko Y. Craft --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/phoebe-boonkerd/message

Through a web of vibrations and subtle energies we do not fully understand, we are connected to all of life. In this second episode of The Yoga Nidra Project, we move along from the fundamentals of breathing to a 50-minute deep dive into the timeless practice of yoga nidra, exploring our own inner landscape. The theme of this practice is 'Connection'. . Words: Phoebe Boonkerd Voice: Phoebe Boonkerd Music: Akshat Ratanpal via archive.org (https://archive.org/details/@akshat_ratanpal) Image by Greg Rakozy, courtesy of Unsplash Gratefully acknowledging the influence and learning I gained from the work of Richard Miller of iRest and Dr. Angela Cerkevich's spectacular yoga nidra practice I came across many years ago. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/phoebe-boonkerd/message

We begin our journey into the world of yoga nidra with this fundamental practice of diaphragmatic breathing. When we have forgotten how to breathe properly, it is difficult to effectively relax. With practice, diaphragmatic breathing improves our nervous system regulation, shifting us out of the fight or flight response, by balancing the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. It improves and heart rate variability, lowers blood pressure and promotes vasodilation. Diaphragmatic breathing also reduces anxiety and promotes healthy sleep, and has been observed to reduce pain perception in people who are dealing with chronic pain. Your feedback on your experience with this practice is welcome. Voice: Phoebe Boonkerd Words: Phoebe Boonkerd Music: David Renda (www.FesliyanStudios.com) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/phoebe-boonkerd/message