Return To Stillness: A Yoga Nidra For Healing And Deep Rest

This practice is an invitation to come home to yourself — to slow down, turn inward, and rest in the quiet of your own being.

You’ll be gently guided through breath awareness, a slow body scan, and the experience of opposites — light and darkness, warmth and coolness, heaviness and lightness. With each layer, you’ll settle a little deeper into stillness.

There’s nothing to achieve here, nowhere to go. Just space to breathe, to listen, and to allow the body and mind to unwind naturally.

A simple, healing pause — a return to calm and wholeness within.

Transcript

We're about to enter a yoga nidra practice.

This is a deep sleep guided meditation that invites you to completely relax and let go of all of your worries and reconnect with your inner self.

This is your time,

Your space,

And there's nothing to do except to be here,

Rest,

Listen,

And be present.

So lying down on your back in a comfortable position,

Let your arms rest gently at your side,

Palms facing up.

Let your feet fall naturally outward.

Your head and your neck should feel supported and comfortable.

Your forehead is level or slightly higher than your chin.

Make any final adjustments or movements to allow yourself to feel supported,

Safe,

And soft.

Softly close your eyes and let your body settle into stillness.

Notice the points where your body is touching the floor or the bed and feel the weight of your body sinking gently into your support.

Trying to remain as still as possible during practice and just observing any discomfort.

If you need to make any adjustments or movements,

Just making it gently and returning to stillness.

Take a deep breath in through your nose.

Exhale slowly through your mouth and let go of anything you're holding on to.

Two more like that.

Deep inhale through your nose.

Open your mouth and slowly sigh it out,

Letting go of all tension.

Last one.

Deep inhale through your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth,

Letting it all go.

Now let your breath move naturally,

Flowing in and out like gentle waves on the shore.

With every exhale,

See if you can release and let go of what no longer serves you.

Let your mind become quiet and calm and alert.

Notice the sounds around you,

The room,

The space outside.

Just simply observe any sounds.

Let your awareness flow through your body from your head to your toe.

Notice if there's anything else that you can let go of.

Gently and quietly say to yourself,

I am aware and I am going to practice yoga nidra.

Repeat it softly to yourself one more time.

Bring your mind to your sankalpa,

Your personal intention.

This is a simple affirmation in the present tense,

Something you want for yourself,

Or something you want a little bit more of in your life.

If you can't think of anything right now,

Just use I'm opening myself to learning more about my deepest desires.

Repeat your sankalpa three times with awareness and allowing the words to sink in.

Filling your mind with the meaning and just visualizing your sankalpa seeping into your body,

Into your consciousness,

Into your mind.

Notice how that makes you feel.

Notice how that feels in your body.

If it brings up any thoughts or emotions or feelings,

Just notice it and feel grateful for that feeling.

Now we'll move through a rotation of consciousness,

A journey through your body.

Your body stays still.

Just follow my voice and let your mind's eye visit each area as I say it.

Notice any sensations or feelings in that area without judgment.

Bring your awareness to your right hand thumb,

To your index finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger,

And little finger.

Bring your awareness to the palm of the right hand,

The back of the right hand,

Your right wrist,

Forearm,

Your right elbow,

Upper arm and shoulder,

Right armpit,

Right side of the body,

Waist,

Hip,

Your right thigh,

Lower leg,

Ankle,

Heel of the right foot,

Sole of the right foot,

Top of the foot,

Your big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

And fifth toe.

Bring your awareness to the left hand thumb,

Index finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger,

And little finger.

Bring your awareness to the palm of the left hand,

The back of the left hand,

Left wrist,

Forearm,

Elbow,

Your left shoulder,

Left side of the body,

Waist,

Hip,

Your left thigh,

Heel of the left foot,

Sole of the left foot,

Top of the foot,

Your big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

And fifth toe.

Bring your awareness to the back of the body,

Your right shoulder blade,

Right glute,

Left shoulder blade,

Right glute,

Left glute,

The whole spine,

Lower back,

Mid back,

Upper back,

Back of your head.

Bring your awareness to the top of the head.

Your awareness is resting at the top of the head.

Now bring your awareness to the front of the body,

To your forehead,

Your right temple,

Left temple,

Right eyebrow,

Left eyebrow.

Right eye,

Right cheek,

Left cheek,

Right nostril,

Left nostril,

Upper lip,

Lower lip,

Chin,

Throat,

Chest,

Navel,

Abdomen,

Pelvis,

Pelvic floor,

The whole right leg,

The whole left leg,

Both legs together,

The whole right arm,

The whole left arm,

Both arms together,

The entire front of the body,

The entire back of the body.

Bring your awareness to your whole body.

Feel your body resting fully on the surface,

Soft,

Heavy,

Completely supported.

Gently bring your attention to your breath.

Notice the natural rhythm,

Just as it is,

Without trying to change it.

Feel the rise and fall of your belly.

Noticing your body expand as you inhale.

Soften and release as you exhale.

Become aware of the belly expanding as you breathe in and gently softening as you breathe out.

Feel the breath moving in.

Let your body follow this natural rhythm of your breath.

Feeling your inhales and your exhales.

If thoughts start to come up,

Simply notice them and let them drift by,

Just like clouds in the sky.

As you watch them go,

See if you can bring your attention back to your breath.

Noticing your body breathe so naturally.

You can imagine your breath like waves on the shore,

Just flowing in and flowing out,

Continuous and natural.

Now,

If it feels comfortable,

Silently start to count your breath backwards from 27 to 1.

Inhale 27.

Exhale 27.

Inhale 26.

Exhale 26.

Inhale 25.

Exhale 25.

Continue at your own pace,

Allowing the counting to hold you in the present moment.

Connect you with your breath.

If you get distracted and lose track,

Don't worry.

Simply begin again from 27 and count down to 1.

When you feel ready,

Let go of the counting.

Coming back to your breath,

Noticing the ease of every inhale.

The ease of every exhale.

Now gently invite a sense of heaviness into your body.

Feel every part of your body growing heavy,

Sinking deeply into the support beneath.

Allowing the earth to hold you completely.

Feeling supported,

Grounded and heavy.

Now shift your awareness to the feeling of lightness.

Imagine your body feeling weightless,

As if it's floating.

Imagine every part of your body becoming weightless.

Now allow these two opposite feelings,

Heaviness and lightness,

To exist together.

Feel the balance they create,

Grounding and releasing.

Bring your attention to warmth.

Feel a gentle soothing warmth spreading through your body,

Relaxing every muscle and softening any tension.

Now notice coolness.

The body starts to feel cool,

Calm and refreshed.

A gentle coolness flowing through you.

Now allow these opposites,

Warmth and coolness,

To exist together.

Feel the balance they create.

The harmony between comfort and feeling refreshed.

Now bring your awareness to light.

Imagine a gentle radiant brightness filling your body,

Your mind and your spirit.

Now invite the calm of darkness.

Notice the quiet,

Dark spaces within.

Feeling grounded,

Still,

Quiet.

Allow these opposites,

Brightness and darkness,

To exist together.

Feel the balance they create.

The harmony between light and dark.

Now let go of trying.

There's nothing you need to do right now.

No place to go,

Nothing to do.

Just rest here.

Really rest.

Feel your body being held completely by the earth beneath you.

Notice the gentle weight of your body sinking in and softening.

Feel the rise and fall of your breath.

Easy,

Natural and effortless.

Let your awareness open and soften.

No need to control anything,

No need to fix anything.

Just be here,

Resting here,

Quietly in your own presence.

If thoughts start to come up,

That's completely okay.

Just notice them and let them float by like clouds across a wide open sky.

You don't need to follow them or watch them or hold on to them.

Just come back to this feeling of calm and ease.

If you start to fall asleep,

That's perfect.

Just trust your body.

It knows exactly what it needs.

If you stay awake,

That's perfect too.

Just float here in this space between dreaming and staying awake.

Rest here in stillness,

In this quiet space where everything slows down.

Your breath,

Your thoughts,

Even time itself.

Just resting and letting go.

Letting the stillness hold you,

Soothe you and restore you.

You're safe here.

Now gently bring your sankalpa,

Your intention,

Back to mind.

Feel it rising naturally from deep inside you.

Repeat it silently 3 times and letting each repetition feel a little bit more real.

A little bit more true.

Trust that this intention has been received.

The seed has been planted quietly within you,

Ready to grow and unfold in its own time.

Rest here for a moment,

Knowing that what you've imagined is already on its way.

Our practice is slowly coming to a close.

If you're awake,

Simply allow yourself to continue resting here as long as you like.

There's no need to rush,

No need to move or open your eyes.

Just rest in stillness,

Feeling calm,

Whole and at ease.

For those who drifted into sleep,

Let them remain in this peaceful rest.

Their bodies are taking exactly what they need at this moment.

If you're still awake,

Bring your attention back to the gentle rhythm of your breath.

The rise and fall of your chest.

The steady,

Quiet beat of your heart.

Let this feeling of calm,

Ease,

Spaciousness stay with you and know that you can return to the sense of rest and balance and stillness any time you want.

Feel gratitude for giving yourself this time to pause.

The practice is complete,

But rest here a little longer if you wish,

Letting the peace linger.

Thank you for practicing with me.