Yoga Nidra For Deep Rest Or Sleep

Enjoy this soothing Yoga Nidra to help you ease into sleep, or to simply have a peaceful rest. You can listen to this at night to fall into deep restful sleep, or if you wake up in the middle of the night, or any time during the day that you would like to take a break and have a rest.

Transcript

Namaste,

This is Lara at Heartful Way and this is a yoga nidra that you can use as you are preparing for a good night's sleep or if you wake up in the middle of the night or alternatively if you need a rest and want to take a timeout anytime during the day.

So get yourself as comfortable as you can,

Resting in a supine position if possible,

Making sure that you're nice and warm,

Adjusting your body so that you are as comfortable as you can,

Closing your eyes,

Taking awareness inward,

Starting with the physiological sigh.

This is where we inhale in through the nose in two sips and exhale out through the mouth,

A long slow exhale.

As you're ready,

Inhale two sips in through the nose,

Long exhale out through the mouth.

And again,

Two sips in through the nose,

Long exhale to release.

One more,

Letting go even more.

Allow your body and awareness to settle.

Allow the breath to come into its own natural rhythm.

And notice how that feels in the body,

Creating a safe space,

A sacred space for your practice.

Imagine that you are surrounding your body with a beautiful cocoon of gold and white light.

All around you,

Sense this protective,

Nurturing cocoon around you.

This is your safe and sacred space,

All is well.

You are protected.

It's safe to let go and to relax,

Taking a moment to bring in your sankalpa,

Your heartfelt intention for your practice.

It could be about falling into a peaceful,

Restful sleep so easily and effortlessly.

Or it could be resetting your nervous system from stress or anxiety to total peace and calm.

Or anything else that you feel you need at this time.

You might formulate it into an affirmation,

Which is a statement in the present tense,

Such as,

I am falling into a peaceful,

Restful sleep easily and effortlessly.

Or,

I am at peace.

All is well.

I am safe.

Choosing your intention and stating it to yourself in your own words three times.

Now begin to notice your breath again.

How is your breath?

How does it feel in the body?

As you inhale,

Begin to count to four.

As you exhale,

Count to six,

Making the exhales longer than the inhales.

Let's do this for a few breath cycles.

Inhaling to the count of four.

Exhaling to the count of six or even seven or eight.

Choose a rhythm of counting that works for you.

A rhythm that extends the exhalation.

And slows down the breath.

Breathing in peace and loving light.

Breathing out all that no longer serves you.

Allow the entire process of breathing to be a vehicle for deepening your relaxation and your inner peace.

And allow the counting to fall away,

Staying connected to the flow of your breath.

Keeping that general shape and rhythm of the breath.

With a deep inhale and a long,

Slow exhale.

Again and again.

And then begin to notice a tiny pause at the top of the inhale and at the bottom of the inhale before the exhale.

As the breath transitions,

Notice the pauses there.

And then allow those pauses to smooth out.

Allowing the inhale to flow into the exhale.

And the exhale to flow into the inhale.

In a circular pattern.

Allowing the body to take care of the breathing process.

Following my guidance as we move awareness throughout the body.

Exploring sensations.

Start by bringing awareness to the right hand.

Sensing the right thumb,

Index finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger and little finger.

The palm of the right hand and the back of the hand.

Wrist.

Forearm.

Elbow.

Upper arm.

Shoulder.

Right collarbone.

Right side of the chest.

Waist.

Right side of the belly.

Right hip.

Knee.

Shin.

Calf.

Right ankle.

Heel.

Sole.

Top of the right foot.

Big toe.

Second toe.

Third.

Fourth.

Little toe.

Sense the whole right foot.

Leg.

Hip.

Right side of the torso.

Right shoulder.

Arm and head.

Sensing the whole right side of the body.

The whole right side of the body as sensation.

Shift the awareness into the left hand.

Sense the left thumb.

Index finger.

Middle finger.

Ring finger.

Little finger.

Palm of the left hand.

Back of the hand.

Wrist.

Forearm.

Elbow.

Upper arm.

Left shoulder.

Left collarbone.

Left side of the chest.

Waist.

Left side of the belly.

Left hip.

Thigh.

Knee.

Shin.

Calf.

Left ankle.

Heel.

Sole.

Top of the left foot.

Left big toe.

Second toe.

Third.

Fourth.

Little toe.

Sense the whole left foot.

Leg.

Hip.

Left side of the torso.

Left shoulder.

Arm and hand.

Sensing the whole left side of the body.

The whole left side of the body as sensation.

Shift your awareness now and bring your awareness to the forehead.

Sensing the forehead.

Eyebrows.

Left and right.

Sense the right eyelid.

An eye.

Left eyelid.

And the eye itself.

Sense both eyes simultaneously.

The nose.

The nostrils.

The ear at the nostrils.

Right cheekbone.

Left cheekbone.

Both cheekbones.

Upper lip.

Lower lip.

Chin.

Jaw.

Throat.

Back of the head.

The whole neck.

The whole head and the whole face as sensation.

Sensing the whole head as sensation.

Both arms and hands.

The whole torso.

Front and back.

And inside.

Both hips,

Legs and feet.

The whole body.

The whole body as sensation.

Feel the breath again in the body.

Feel as though the whole body is breathing.

Imagine that you are breathing up from the toes all the way up to the crown of the head.

And down from the crown of the head all the way back to the toes.

Inhaling up.

Exhaling down.

Inhaling up from the toes to the crown.

Exhaling down from the crown to the toes.

And now imagine that your body is divided by a line in the middle.

And next time you exhale down.

Concentrate on the right side.

And then inhale up from the right toes along the right side up to the crown.

And then switch and exhale down the left side to the left toes.

Inhale up from the left toes up to the left side to the crown of the head.

And switch at the top.

Exhale down to the right side all the way down to the toes.

Inhaling up the right side.

Exhaling down the left side.

Next inhale up the left side.

Exhale down the right side.

Continue in this way.

Following your own rhythm of breath.

Switching to the other side at the top of the inhale.

Exhaling down the opposite side.

Up and down.

Up and down.

From side to side.

Feeling breath and energy flowing from side to side.

Letting go of the visualising.

Focus on the flow of breath and energy as a felt sensation from side to side.

Breath and energy flowing up and down from side to side.

Next time you inhale up.

Allow that dividing line to dissolve and exhale down both sides simultaneously.

Continue for a few breath cycles.

From the toes to the crown.

From the crown to the toes.

Both sides breathing simultaneously.

Now allow that to dissolve.

Allow the breath to just flow naturally without guiding it.

And bring your awareness to rest in the third eye.

The spot between the eyebrows.

Resting your awareness here.

Allowing it to deepen inward.

Sensing an inner stillness and silence deep within you moving toward that point of stillness in the third eye.

Allowing whatever else comes into your awareness to just flow by.

Drawing awareness deeper and deeper within.

Here there is nothing to do or to achieve.

You have entered the dimension of grace.

Allow yourself to rest here in deep inner peace.

In this sacred space of inner stillness and wholeness.

Of deep love for yourself.

Of deep love for others.

Just as you are.

Letting go.

Letting go.

Letting go of all need to control or manage things or outcomes.

Trusting the flow of life.

To take care of everything for you and for your loved ones.

Letting go.

Letting go.

You are safe.

You are loved.

For as long as you like.

And if you're listening to this at night.

Beginning to drift off.

Settling in to deep peaceful unconscious sleep.

Sleeping peacefully.

All through the night.

Restoring your whole body.

Into health and vitality.

For the morning.

Allow yourself to begin to drift off now.

Continue to drift off if your intention was to have a peaceful,

Restful,

Good night's sleep.

And if you're listening to this during the day.

And are going to wish to go on with your day.

At some point.

When you're ready.

You can gently begin to surface your awareness.

But there is no rush.

Take your time.

Give yourself as much rest here as you can.

For as long as you need.

Continue to enjoy this inner peace and silence.

For as long as you like.

Allowing the music to continue to soothe you.

Whether your intention was to sleep.

Or just to rest.

And then when you feel naturally ready.

Whether it's not until the morning.

Or whether it's in a little while.

You can bring yourself back into full consciousness.

Know that my love and blessings go with you and stay with you.

Into your night.

Or into the rest of your day.

Thank you ever so much for practicing with me.

Today.

Until next time.

With all my love in my heart.

Namaste.