Slow Yoga Nidra For Deep Rest

Yoga Nidra is a form of guided meditation also known as “yogic sleep” or “effortless relaxation”. Practiced lying down, with a teacher our attention inwards, and we learn to surf between the states of wakefulness and sleep, where our body finds its natural state of equilibrium (homeostasis) – the breath balances and becomes quiet, unconscious and conscious aspects of the mind reveal themselves, and we fall into an innate state of deep, blissful awareness.

In this Yoga Nidra practice, my intention is to guide you effortlessly into a state of harmonious, restful being. Perfect if you are carrying too much stress, are concerned about burnout, or have trouble sleeping. As you get familiar with this practice you will find yourself letting go of 'efforting' or 'striving' and simply rest in the present moment - no judgment, no expectation, just deep rest.

Transcript

To prepare for this yoga nidra, I want to invite you to take a little time to ensure that you are as comfortable as possible. Make any small adjustments that will help to settle your body. No rush, No hurry here. It's about finding your sweet spot so that you're best supported to rest, To relax and to let go. You may of course move at any point within the practice once you become aware of discomfort, But ideally yoga nidra is practiced in stillness. So just invest in yourself now and take the time to find your sweet spot, Your place of ease and comfort and rest. Make yourself aware now of the room that you are in and imagine where you are positioned within it. Are there any sounds outside of the room? Can you hear them as pure sound without attaching a story or narrative to them? Are there any sounds inside the room you are in? Can you hear them as pure sound without attaching a story or narrative to them? Let all sounds now fall into the background of your awareness. Begin to take five or six easeful breaths, Focusing on your exhale. Allow each exhale to ground your body. Commit your weight to the support beneath you as though tension is falling through your body and into the ground underneath you. Make an intention for your body to rest. Make an intention for your body to rest deeply. Bring your awareness to the hinge of your jaw and see if you might let it slack even a little. Let the root of your tongue soften and widen in your mouth. Let your attention wander to the back of your left eye and the right eye, Imagining a spaciousness deep in the sockets behind the eyes. If your mind is busy right now, No problem, Nothing has gone wrong, No mistake. Just see if you might move your focus now from the front of your brain, Behind the forehead, To the back of the brain. Imagine thoughts and worries dropping back towards the ground. Let the back of your throat relax and widen and let the shoulder blades surrender now to the support underneath you. Let the lungs and the organs rest in the back of the body. Softening deeper now with each exhale. Softening deeper with each exhale. Visualise the muscles of your arms softening away from the bones. Visualise your skin softening away from the muscles. Imagine your whole body settling into rest. Imagine your whole body surrendering to rest. Visualise now your whole body resting deeply. Permission to rest deeply. We are going to move now through the different parts of the body. There is nothing for you to do except settle your attention on each body part I mention with an intention to rest. If you like, You can use the word rest silently on each part of your body to help you to soften and let go. Bring your awareness now to the space in between your left eyebrow and your right eyebrow. Rest. The centre of your throat, Rest. Make an intention for your right shoulder to rest. Rest your armpit. Let your attention run down your upper arm all the way to the right elbow. On down to the forearm and into the right wrist. The back of the right hand. Tip of right hand thumb. The tip of the right index finger. Tip of right middle finger. Tip of right ring finger. Tip of right little finger. Let the whole hand rest. Attention in the right wrist, Right elbow, Right shoulder. Let the whole right arm rest. Move your attention to your throat. Commit to rest. Awareness in the left shoulder, Left armpit. Let your attention run down the upper arm all the way to the left elbow. And on down to the left wrist. Become aware of the back of the hand. Tip of left hand thumb. Tip of left index finger. Tip of the left middle finger. Tip of the left ring finger. Tip of the left little finger. Letting the whole left hand now come to rest. Left wrist, Left elbow, Left shoulder. Let the whole left arm rest. Bring your attention back to the throat. Rest. The left collarbone. The right collarbone. The center of the chest. The right side of the chest. Center of the chest. The left side of the chest. The navel. The space in between the pubic bones. Let the whole abdomen and the whole torso rest now. Center of the right hip. Let your attention run down the right thigh to the right knee. Through the shin to the 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. Deep in the right hip. Let the whole right leg now come to rest. Space in between the pubic bones. The center of the left hip. Space in between the pubic bones. The center of the left hip. Let your attention run down the left thigh to the left knee. Through the shin to the 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. Deep in the left hip. Let the whole left leg rest. Space in between the pubic bones. Attention rising to the navel. Let the whole abdomen rest. Center of the chest. Let the walls of the throat relax. Space in between the eyebrows. Let your attention rest in between your eyebrows. Let your whole body rest. Your whole body rest. Without changing anything now. Witness the rhythm of your natural breath. Just as it is in this moment. Rest in the changing sensations of inhalation versus exhalation. As you begin to move into a mental version of alternate nostril breathing. The physical body would remain still and the breath easy. No force, No strain. Begin to visualize the breath now. Moving in through the right nostril. And out through the left nostril. In through the left. And out through the right. Allow the breath to be as easy and as soothing as possible. Imagine that the breath moves in from below the nostril. Travels all the way up past the center of the eyebrows. And into the middle of your brain. Watch the breath fall. Exhaling from the center of your brain. All the way beyond the tip of the nostril. Seeing the breath now. Move from the nostril to the brain. The brain to nostril with ease. Add counting to the breath. Count from 21 to 0. If you lose count or finish. Come back to 21. Your next tail through the right nostril. Will be inhale right 21. Exhale left 21. Followed by inhale left 20. Exhale right 20. Continue this silent count for the next few moments. No strain. No force. Easy breathing. Each time you get lost. Simply begin again at 21. Your next inhale through the right nostril. Will be inhale right 21. Exhale left 21. Followed by inhale left 20. Exhale right 20. Let all counting fall away. Let all effort dissolve into rest. Bring your attention now to the front of your body. From your face. All the way through your chest and torso. To your legs and feet. Let the whole front body. Rest into the back of your body. Let there be a feeling of weight in your body. As your front body settles back. Rests. Front body. Resting into back body. Imagine how it would feel. If your whole body. Were to feel weighty. As though you had let yourself. Sink into the support of the ground. Let your whole body now. Explore a restful. Deep heaviness. Sinking into deep rest. Now imagine your back body. Floating up into your front body. Whole body. Light. Spacious. Effortless. Let your whole body. Feel light. As though you are resting. Weightlessly. Spend time now. Exploring these two opposites. There is no rush. Let yourself. Feel the body heavy. And then. Feel the body light. Feel the body heavy. Feel the body light. Continue now on your own. How might it be. To feel the sensations. Of weight. Heaviness. And light. At the same time. Can you feel these opposites at the same time. Trying to merge the sensations of heavy. And light. Within your whole being. Can you rest deeply in between the two. Now. Neither heavy nor light. The essence of both. Without striving or grasping. Simply resting deeply. In between the two. Heavy. And light. A sense of deep. Deep. Rest. In your body. A sense of deep. Deep. Rest. In your mind. A sense of deep. Deep. Rest. In your whole being. Unchanging. Restful. Whole. Let your whole body rest. Resting in the changing nature of your whole self. Is there anything about this practice. That you would like to remember. To take with you. At all. A feeling. A sensation. A memory. A sense of deep rest. Remember no judgement. If there is nothing at all. Now. Meeting and welcoming. Whatever is your experience. Right here in this moment. Notice how your body feels now. Against whatever is supporting you. The weight of your muscles and bones. Notice which parts of you are touching. Whatever is supporting you. The head. The left shoulder blade. The right shoulder blade. The ribs. Back of the pelvis. The upper back. The flesh of your upper and lower legs. And your heels. Feel your breath move your body. Notice the natural easy rhythm of your breath. As you take a deeper richer breath now. How does that breath feel. A sensation in your body. How does the inhale feel. In comparison to the exhale. Remember where you are in the room. Feel free to lazily open your eyes if that is helpful. And then let the eyes fall closed again. Begin very slowly. And with exquisite care. To move your body. Wiggle your fingers and toes. Stretch your arms and legs. Listen to your body now. To see what movements might gently help. To bring the body back into a wakefulness. A yawn. A sigh. Perhaps a stretch. Now gently roll on your side. Let the eyes open softly. So you can take in some light and color. Shape and form. Use your top arm now. To slowly help you. To move into a sitting position. Bring your hands to your heart space. And take a moment now. To close this yoga nidra practice. In your own way. And perhaps. Taking with you. Any feelings or sensations of deep rest. Gently open your eyes. And take plenty of time now. To move back into your day.

Reviews

I particularly enjoyed the very slow pace in which finding comfort in the body and the entire practice was facilitated. I appreciate the spaciousness and respectful honoring of the bodies needs in this way. I had not use the floor and yoga mats for ymYoga Nidra in a very, very long time, but recognized my body wanted that. The depths of my relaxation was deepened by the floor versus couch or bed. At the end of the meditation, the slow coming back into the body with deliberate choice of what to move and when was particularly important as well as the continuing reminder to listen, pay attention and follow the body. My day had been rushed. I had pushed through my needs for food and rest. This was the pace for deep grounding, rest and reset I needed. I appreciate every single thing was focused on the body not imagery or imagination, unless I fell asleep and missed it, but I do not believe I did. By the way your retreat offering is beautifully curated and enticing.

Lovely nidra. I will come back to it. Thank you Dee 🥰🙏🏽

Thank you Dee & lovely to see what you are doing in Portarlington too!

That was so peaceful! Thank you so much for guiding me through this gentle way of being!

Very relaxing, slept a short while during the middle part. So I'll do this practice again some day.
The bell at the end was a bit cruel.