Welcome.
Thank you for joining me today.
In this yoga nidra meditation,
We focus on the intention to fall asleep.
This meditation is for insomnia or anyone who wants to experience deep unconscious sleep when it's time to rest.
This modification to yoga nidra allows you to drift off into unconscious sleep during this meditation.
We will set up the meditation with a body scan,
Breath work,
And guided imagery for about 30 minutes,
And then drifting off to music designed to help you connect with delta or theta brainwaves that promotes a deep unconscious rest.
Imagine you're in a cozy cabin.
All your needs are met.
It is warm inside as you watch the snowflakes outside,
Knowing it's perfectly fine for you to simply be here just as you are,
Grateful for the warmth and comfort in the moment.
So now let's begin settling in now to prepare for sleep.
Be sure your body is comfortable,
Adjusting pillows,
Blankets.
You may choose to use an eye mask.
Dim the lights.
Adjust as much as you need to to become effortless,
Lying on your back,
Sinking deeply into the mattress,
Warm and cozy.
And begin by taking a deep breath at a 4-4 rhythm,
Exhaling from your heart.
Inhale 2,
3,
4.
Exhale 2,
3,
4.
Inhale 2,
3,
4.
Exhale 2,
3,
4.
Inhale 2,
3,
4.
Exhale 2,
3,
4.
One more time.
Inhale 2,
3,
4.
Exhale 2,
3,
4.
2,
3,
4.
Settle into stillness,
Nothing to do,
Nowhere to go.
As the snow falls gently outside,
Repeat the following affirmation to yourself,
Your heart's wish,
Your sankalpa.
I embrace moments of peace and calm.
I embrace moments of peace and calm.
I embrace moments of peace and calm.
And now imagine your awareness is moving throughout your body,
Following my guidance,
Remaining in stillness.
If you need to move,
Do so now.
Sometimes it feels more comfortable to lay on your side.
If you need to pause the audio,
Do so now.
There's nothing holding you back.
Become as comfortable as possible in your physical body.
And when you're ready,
Settle into stillness.
You notice that peace and calmness settles into each point of awareness in your body.
As you practice the body scan with me,
You may think of it as a massage for your nervous system,
Energetically sensing the gentle release of tension that comes with a gentle awareness at each point.
Begin with sensation in your mouth,
The roof of your mouth,
The back of your mouth,
The tip of your tongue,
The root of your tongue,
Upper gums and teeth,
Lower gums and teeth,
The space between your upper and lower lip,
The tip of your nose,
Inside the right nostril,
Inside the left nostril,
Right cheek,
Left cheek,
The right eye,
Eyelid,
Temple,
Right eyebrow.
Notice the space between your eyebrows,
The left eye,
Eyelid,
Temple,
Left eyebrow.
Feel the space between the eyes.
Notice if there is any residual tension in the eyebrows,
Eyes and forehead.
And simply ask this space to relax.
And now bring attention to your ears,
Right ear,
The folds and valleys of the outer ear,
A touch of air on the earlobe,
The ear canal deep inside the inner ear.
Notice now the left ear,
The folds and valleys of the outer ear,
The touch of air on the earlobe,
The ear canal deep inside the inner ear.
Witness the space between the ears.
Bring attention to your skull and hair at the top of your head,
The whole face and head along the neck and throat,
Softening,
Releasing any tension.
Bring awareness to your collarbone,
Right collarbone,
Upper arm,
Right elbow,
Lower arm,
Wrist,
Center of the right palm.
And counting your fingers down from five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Sensing the space around your fingers and follow your attention back to the base of your neck,
Left collarbone,
Upper arm,
Elbow,
Lower arm,
Wrist,
Center of the left palm,
Collarbone.
Counting fingers on the left hand down from five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Sense the space around the fingers on the left hand and bring your attention back to the base of your neck.
Sensing the whole pelvic bowl,
Witnessing the fluid movement of breath throughout the whole torso.
Feel sensation in your right hip,
Thigh,
Knee,
Lower leg,
Right foot.
Counting toes on your right foot down from five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Sense the space around the toes on the right foot.
And now bring your attention to your left hip,
Thigh,
Knee,
Lower leg.
Feel your left foot.
Counting toes on your left foot down from five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Sense the space around the toes on the left foot and bring awareness to your whole body down the left and right.
Front and back.
The whole body,
A unified field of sensation,
Bringing awareness throughout the whole body,
Head to toes,
Skin to bones.
And now bring awareness to your breath.
Breathing effortlessly at a rhythm that feels right to you.
Naturally,
Without effort.
Each exhale,
Letting go of any stress your body may be feeling and just surrender and let it go.
Bring awareness again to your heart center.
Breathing effortlessly as the air comes in and out of your heart center.
Inhaling and exhaling at your own rhythm.
Imagining your breath is as effortless as the fall of the snowflakes.
The breath is as effortless as the flames dancing in the fireplace.
Imagine inhaling the cool energy of the snowflake and exhaling warmth.
Inhale,
Embracing coolness.
And exhale,
Witnessing warmth.
Continue at your own rhythm as I hold space for about a minute for you to breathe with the image of the coolness of the snowflakes at the windowpane.
Softening as you exhale the warmth coming from the fireplace.
And gently bring your attention back to my voice.
Notice that with each breath,
As you exhaled,
You released any thoughts or mental busyness.
And if there's still some chatter,
Simply ask that part of you,
If these thoughts can wait for tomorrow,
Invite your senses to open and deepen as you listen to the body's intention to dissolve deep into unconscious rest in this peaceful journey to sleep.
And bring your awareness to feelings of gratitude that arise within your heart.
We will focus on a series of images that remind you of warmth,
Peace and calm.
Notice each snowflake gently falling outside.
And take a moment to reflect on a warm and comforting experience in your life.
Perhaps you think of a time when you felt deeply cared for,
When a friend,
A loved one,
Or a pet offered you warmth and kindness.
Invite gratitude to your heart as you become aware of the glimmers of comfort in your cozy yoga nidra nest,
In this warm cabin on a snow day.
A cozy blanket,
A warm cup of tea,
Or coffee,
Or hot chocolate.
A kind word.
The warmth of a hug.
Snuggling with a beloved pet.
A scented candle.
Burning with your favorite smell.
The aroma of a delightful meal.
Music that is soothing to your soul.
The comfort of the furnace turning on,
Bringing you more warmth.
The sound of snow falling on the roof.
Embracing gratitude for shelter,
A peaceful home.
As you settle into the safe space you're in now,
Allow each snowflake that falls to remind you of many warm blessings.
That have wrapped around you,
Just like the warmth of the cabin surrounds you now.
And witness a sensation of softness and warmth in your body.
Welcoming softness into areas where you have released tension.
And if you are still awake,
Return to your heart's wish,
Your sankalpa.
I embrace moments of peace and calm.
I will hold this space for two minutes in silence as you notice what comes next.
As you reflect on your own unique glimmers of warmth,
Peace,
And comfort in your life.
And again,
Returning to your sankalpa,
Or your heart's wish,
I embrace moments of peace and calm.
Moments of peace and calm.
And again.
Moments of peace and calm.
Becoming effortless,
Allowing your body to settle deeper into the mattress.
Allowing gravity to support you.
There's nothing to do.
And nowhere to go.
No more doing.
Only being.
Effortless.
Simply being.
As you drift into sleep.
And if sleep doesn't come,
You may return to the beginning of this meditation.
Or rest now with the music designed to rock you to sleep.
I wish you a long night of restful sleep.
