Welcome to this yoga nidra for sleep.
Make sure you're comfortable and you can lie however you like and while you're settling in I'll just go over briefly what we're going to do.
So the nidra is around 25 minutes long and it's very gentle but if anything feels uncomfortable you always have permission to just open your eyes and move your fingers and that will take you out of the nidra state.
I'll guide you through the practice and all you have to do is listen to my suggestions but if anything that I say doesn't resonate with you ignore the words in themselves and allow yourself to drift and my voice will be a safe sound in the background,
A reminder that you're cared for.
In this nidra we'll prepare the body and mind for a good night's sleep by calming the nervous system and let go of any expectations to fall asleep because that can actually block the experience.
Sometimes we fall asleep straight away and sometimes it takes a bit longer and if tonight is one of those nights when you feel resistance to relax you'll still get something from this practice.
There's no such thing as a failure in a yoga nidra practice.
When you explore and soften into the resistance you'll get to know yourself better and you also get the chance to explore the liminal space a bit more.
So flow with the experience however it feels tonight.
The theme for tonight's nidra is gratitude.
What we focus on grows and in this nidra we'll gently train the mind in noticing and appreciating moments of beauty and gratitude in everyday life.
Sometimes it's hard to find,
You might feel even a bit low or sad but it's there,
It's always there,
It's just hiding.
A bit like a diamond which has become so dirty and dusty that it doesn't shine anymore and by caring for it,
Gently polishing it,
It will slowly begin to shine again.
So let's start by arriving in the body.
Where are you holding tension right now?
And bring your awareness to your breath.
Each exhalation is an invitation to soften and if you like sigh a couple of times in your own time,
Releasing the tension a bit more.
Now bring your awareness to the lower parts of your lungs,
Feeling the ribs expanding as you inhale and softening when you exhale.
Inhaling creating space,
Exhaling softening into that space.
Inhaling creating space,
Exhaling softening into that space.
And now we'll rotate the awareness around the body,
Focusing on gratitude and self-care by giving yourself a moment to drop down into your body and listen to it.
One body part at a time with self-compassion and love.
When I mention a part of the body,
Bring your awareness there,
Allowing it to soften.
Starting with the top of the head,
The forehead,
The right eye,
The left eye,
Nose,
The mouth,
The right cheek,
The left cheek,
The whole face,
The right ear,
The left ear,
Back of the neck,
Back of the head,
Right shoulder,
Right upper arm,
Right forearm,
And the right hand.
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Fourth finger,
Little finger,
Whole right hand,
Whole right arm,
The left shoulder,
The upper arm,
The left forearm,
And the left hand.
Thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Fourth finger,
Little finger,
The whole left hand,
The whole left arm,
The throat,
The collarbones,
The heart,
The belly,
The pelvis,
The right hip,
The right thigh,
The right lower leg,
And the right foot.
Big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe,
The whole right foot,
The whole right leg,
The left hip,
The left thigh,
The left lower leg,
And the left foot.
Big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe,
The whole left foot,
The whole left leg,
The tailbone,
The lower back,
The middle of the back,
The shoulder blades,
The whole back,
The back to the neck,
And the top of the head,
The whole right side of the body,
The whole left side of the body.
Gratitude for the whole body,
The whole body filled with a golden light,
The whole body glowing.
And now,
Let your awareness rest in your feet,
Feeling the weight of the heels grounded,
Safe,
And observe which other parts of the body are in contact with the bed or the ground,
Supported by the earth,
And maybe that connection gently changes when you breathe.
Inhaling,
A sense of lightness or space.
Exhaling,
Being held,
Supported.
Observing the breath and the way the body gently moves when you breathe.
If you like,
Add a soothing rhythm to your breath,
Without forcing it.
Count to four when you inhale,
And to six when you exhale,
Or use another ratio,
One that feels just right.
If it feels uncomfortable,
Don't push it,
You can always go back to just observing the sensations in your body as you breathe.
Your body is breathing for you,
It cares for you.
The breath flowing through you,
Maybe like waves of the ocean,
In starlight,
A warm summer night.
Inhaling,
Receiving,
And exhaling.
Washing away what no longer serves you.
Keeping the rhythm of the breath,
If you like,
Or letting go.
Guide your awareness to your nostrils,
Observing the texture and temperature of the air as you inhale and exhale.
Maybe a bit cooler as you inhale,
And a bit warmer as you exhale.
Feeling the qualities of the breath.
Inhaling,
Lightness,
Drifting.
Exhaling,
Grounding,
Softening.
Inhaling,
Feeling that you have both qualities within you.
Light,
And grounded.
Relaxing,
And drifting into sleep.
And now to a phase of images or sensations.
We'll go through images from your day,
For the brain to digest information,
Which can soothe a busy mind.
You can choose to either listen to my instructions,
Or just allowing images from your day to come and go as you like.
Bring your awareness to something you are grateful for that happened in the evening.
If you can't think of anything,
Maybe focusing on having a cosy bed to sleep in.
Safe,
And protected from the outside world.
And then to something in the afternoon.
And then to something at lunchtime.
And then to something in the morning.
And then let images from any time of day,
Any time,
Come and go.
Maybe you're drifting into sleep.
Maybe your mind is still active,
And that's okay too.
You're giving your body and mind a nurturing rest in this yoga nidra.
Drop down into the body a little bit more,
And listen to what your body is trying to tell you.
Where are you holding tension right now?
And then soften even more.
With each exhalation,
Allowing that part of the body to soften even more.
With each exhalation,
Releasing and softening.
Drifting and floating.
Resting in that stillness of not doing,
Just receiving.
Sleeping.
Sleep well.
Sleep well.
Sleep well.
Drifting.
Floating.
Releasing.
Softening.
This practice of yoga nidra is now complete.
Shanti.
Shanti.
Shanti.
