Welcome to this practice.
Yoga Nidra carries those who practice it at bedtime into a state of very deep relaxation and inner peace.
Get comfortably settled in your bed,
Ideally lying on your back,
With your feet slightly apart,
Your arms by your sides.
If you haven't already,
Gently close your eyes.
Start by taking three deep breaths.
Inhale deeply and exhale completely,
Letting go of any tension with each breath.
Let go of all your concerns and worries of the day.
Become aware of the sensations in the body as it makes contact with the surface beneath you.
Slowly pay attention to your breathing as it comes in and as it goes out.
Observe your natural breath without trying to control it.
Feel the rise and fall of your chest and the expansion and contraction of your abdomen with each breath.
Breathing in,
I am aware of my in-breath.
Breathing out,
I am aware of my out-breath.
Just simply know mentally this is an in-breath and simply know this is an out-breath.
I now invite you to set an intention for your practice.
At the end of this day,
It can be an intention of relaxation,
An intention of letting go or any other word that makes sense to you.
Choose your intention and mentally repeat it three times.
As you continue to breathe,
Allow your awareness to move through different parts of your body.
As I mention each part,
Gently shift your attention to that area.
There's no need to individually relax your muscles.
Just feel a sense of relaxation.
If thoughts come and go from time to time,
Don't worry,
It's entirely normal.
Let them pass like clouds in the sky and continue your practice.
Let's start with your right hand.
Feel your right thumb,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Fourth finger,
Fifth finger,
Palm of your right hand.
Wrist,
Elbow,
Right shoulder,
Right armpit,
Right side of the waist,
Right thigh,
Knee,
Calf,
Heel,
Sole of the right foot,
Toes of the right foot.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Now shift your awareness to the left side.
Become aware of the thumb of the left hand.
The second finger,
Third,
Fourth finger,
Fifth finger,
Palm of the left hand,
Wrist,
Elbow,
Left shoulder,
Left armpit,
Left side of the waist,
Left thigh,
Knee,
Calf,
Heel,
Sole of the left foot,
Toes of the left foot.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Moving to the front of the body,
Start with the top of the head.
The forehead,
The right eyeball,
The left eyebrow,
The space between the eyebrows,
The right eye,
The left arm,
The right ear,
The left ear,
The right nostril,
The left nostril,
The right cheek,
The left cheek,
The upper lip,
The lower lip,
The right clavicle,
The left clavicle,
The right chest,
The left chest,
The middle of the chest,
The upper abdomen,
The lower abdomen,
The right groin,
The left groin,
The right thigh,
The left thigh,
The right knee,
The left knee,
The right ankle,
The left ankle,
The toes of the right foot,
The toes of the left foot,
Right foot sore,
Left foot sore,
Right heel,
Left heel,
Right calf,
Left calf,
Back of the right knee,
Back of the left knee,
Back of the right thigh,
Back of the left thigh,
Right buttock,
Left buttock,
Right hip,
Left hip,
Entire spine,
Right shoulder blade,
Left shoulder blade,
Back of the head,
Crown of the head,
The entire right leg,
The entire left leg,
Both legs together,
The right arm,
The left arm,
Both arms together,
The entire head,
The entire back,
The entire front of the body,
The front and the back together,
The whole body,
The whole body,
Full awareness of your whole body.
Now,
Become aware of your whole body in relation to its support,
And become aware of the points of contact between the body and the bed.
Feel the points of contact between the back of the head and the mattress,
Shoulders and mattress,
Elbows and mattress,
Back of the hands and mattress,
Buttocks and mattress,
Calves and mattress,
Heels and mattress.
Perception of all the points of contact between the body and the bed.
Visualize your body resting on the bed.
Move your attention to your eyelids.
Feel the points of contact of the upper eyelids with the lower eyelids.
Feel the thin line where they gently join without tension,
Without pressure.
Intensify your perceptions of the eyelids' contact.
And now the lips.
Center your attention on the jumbo lips and the junction of the lips on the space between the lips.
And perhaps allow a gentle smile to come.
From the lips we return to the awareness of the breath.
As you continue to breathe naturally,
You may notice your breath becoming slower and more relaxed.
Continue to focus on your breath and feel your whole body breathing from head to toe,
Aware of your breath and the relaxation.
Your body is perfectly relaxed,
Resting on the floor.
Now take a moment to silently repeat your sankalpa.
Repeat the same intention as at the beginning of the session.
Say it three times with full conviction.
Now imagine a soft,
Warm and calming light above you.
This light is radiating peace and tranquility.
Allow this gentle light to surround you and fill you with a sense of deep relaxation and security.
In this state of profound relaxation,
Let go of any remaining thoughts or worries.
Imagine your thoughts as fluttering autumn leaves in the wind.
Feel yourself becoming lighter and more peaceful with each passing moment.
Feel your entire body and mind embracing a tranquil state of relaxation.
Rest in this peaceful state and let yourself safely drift into sleep.
