37-Minute Yoga Nidra For Deeper Rest

A longer traditional Yoga Nidra practice for those wishing to spend more time resting deeply and turning their awareness inward. Settle the body, quieten the mind, and allow the practice to become a doorway to a deeper connection with your true self.

Transcript

Hari Om Tat Sat. Hari Om Tat Sat. Hari Om Tat Sat. Please begin by preparing yourself for the practice of Yoga Nidra. Gently lie down on your back in Shavasana. The body is straight from head to toe, The legs slightly apart, The arms resting a little away from the body, The palms facing upward. Take a moment to adjust the body until you are fully comfortable. If you need to make any final movements or adjustments, Please do so. Once you have settled, Allow the body to remain completely still until the practice of yoga nidra is complete. Close the eyes gently and keep them closed throughout the practice. Take a deep breath in and as you breathe out, Feel the cares and concerns of the day begin to soften and fall away. Allow the body to rest quietly, Supported and still. Begin by listening. Become aware of distant sounds. Move your attention from sound to sound. Listening only, Do not analyse. Use your hearing like a gentle radar, Scanning for sounds in the distance. Listen briefly. Then move on. Gradually draw your attention closer. Become aware of sounds outside this building. Than sounds inside this building. Than sounds within this room. Develop awareness of this room. The holds. The ceiling. The floor. And your body lying on the floor. See your body lying on the floor. Become aware of your physical existence. Become aware of the whole body as one complete field of sensation. Bring your awareness to the natural breath without changing it in any way. Remain aware of the body and the breath together and allow relaxation to deepen naturally. Gently remind yourself that you are remaining awake. Allow awareness to rest with hearing and feeling. The practice of yoga nidra now begins. Bring your awareness to a place of stillness within yourself. From this quiet and receptive state, A simple intention arises, Something clear, Meaningful, And true for you. It may relate to your well-being, Your inner balance, Or the way you wish to meet your life. Do not force anything. If nothing arises, That is perfectly fine. If an intention is present, Form it into a short, Simple statement, Traditionally known as a sankalpa. Steadily and gently, Silently repeat your sankalpa three times with quiet conviction and steady awareness. This enculpus softens and dissolves, Trusted as received. Return gently to simple awareness of the practice. Become aware of different parts of the body. As quickly as possible, Awareness moves from part to part without effort. Silently repeat the name of each part and simultaneously feel that part of the body. Remain alert, But do not concentrate too intensely. Simply follow the instructions. Will start on the right side. Right big toe, Second toe, Third toe, Fourth toe, Fifth toe, Top of the foot, Sole, Heel, Ankle, Calf, Kneecap, Thigh, Hip, Waist, Armpit, Shoulder, Upper arm, Elbow, Lower arm, Wrist, The hand, Palm, Right hand thumb, Second finger, Third finger, Fourth finger, Fifth finger. Left side of the body. Left big toe, Second toe, Third toe, Fourth toe, Fifth toe, Top of the foot, Sole, Heel, Ankle, Calf, Kneecap, Thigh, Hip, Waist, Armpit, Shoulder, Upper arm, Elbow, Lower arm, Wrist, Back of the hand, Arm, Left hand thumb, Second finger, Third finger, Fourth finger, Fifth finger, Fronts of the body. Toes, Ankles, Knees, Thighs, Groins, Abdomen, Chest, Collarbones, Chin, Jaw, Throat, Lips, Nose, Nostrils, Cheeks, Ears, Eyes, Eyelids, Eyebrows, Space between the eyebrows, Forehead, Crown. Back of the body. Toes. Soles. Heels. Ankles. Calves. Back of knees. Back of thighs. Buttocks. Hips. Spine. Shoulder blade. Neck. Back of head. Top of the head. Whole right leg. Whole left leg. Both legs together. Whole right arm. Whole left arm, Both arms together, The whole head, The whole back, The whole front, The whole body, The whole body, The whole body. That is one round. Repeat this one more time. Stay awake, Do not sleep. You are practicing Yoga Nidra. Right big toe, Second toe, Third toe, Fourth toe, Fifth toe, Top of the foot, Sole, Heel, Ankle, Calf, Kneecap, Thigh, Hip, Waist, Armpit, Shoulder, Upper arm, Elbow, Lower arm, Wrist, Back of the hand, Palm, Right hand thumb, Second finger, Third finger, Fourth finger, Fifth finger, Left big toe, Second toe, Third toe, Fourth toe, Fifth toe. Top of the foot, Sole, Heel, Ankle, Calf, Kneecap, Thigh, Hip, Waist, Armpit, Shoulder, Upper arm, Elbow, Lower arm, Wrist, Back of the hand, Palm, Left hand thumb, Second finger, Third finger, Fourth finger, Fifth finger. Front of the body. Toes, Ankles, Knees, Thighs, Groins, Abdomen, Chest, Collarbones, Chin, Jaw, Throat, Lips, Nose, Nostrils, Cheeks, Ears, Eyes, Eyelids, Eyebrows, Space between the eyebrows, Forehead, Crown. Back of the body, Toes, Soles, Heels, Ankles, Calves, Backs of knees, Backs of thighs, Buttocks, Hips, Spine, Shoulder blades, Neck, Back of the head, Top of the head. The whole right leg, The whole left leg, Both legs together. The whole right arm, The whole left arm, Both arms together. The whole head, The whole back, The whole front, The whole body, The whole body, The whole body. Awareness rests with the whole body. Bring your awareness gently to the natural breath. The body rests quietly, Observed from within. Bring attention to the natural quiet breath flowing without effort. Become aware of the breath as it passes through both nostrils. The natural breath enters through the nostrils and meets at the top of the nose, Forming a subtle triangle of sensation. As you inhale, Feel the breath rise. As you exhale, Feel the breath soften and return. The two streams of breath move separately then draw closer and unite at the eyebrow center. Remain aware of both nostrils together, The inhalation and the exhalation natural and effortless. Notice the temperature of the breath. Observe whether the incoming breath feels cooler and the outgoing breath feels warmer. In yogic tradition the breath flowing through the left nostril is called ida, Cooling, Luna. The breath flowing through the right nostril is called pingala. Warming. Solar. Simply observe this natural alternation without controlling the breath in any way. Imagine the breath flowing alternately as in Noda Shodhana, Inhaling through one nostril, Exhaling through the other. Breathing in through the right nostril, Breathing out through the left. Breathing in through the left nostril, Breathing out through the right. Awareness includes both nostrils together again. With steady attention begin counting the breath backwards, Counting each inhalation and exhalation together. Inhale, 54. Exhale, 54. Inhale, 53. Exhale, 53. Inhale, 52. Exhale, 52. Continue counting steadily and moving backwards towards one, Maintaining full awareness. Stay awake. Stay awake. Do not sleep. You are practicing Yoga Nidra. If the count is lost, Return to the beginning and start from there. Allow the counting to come to an end. Gently stop counting. Remain with complete breath awareness. Awareness rests quietly with the breath. Bring awareness to the field of sensation. We begin with the sensation of heaviness. Become aware of heaviness in the body. A sense of weight, A sense of sinking down feel heaviness in the toes, Heels, Ankles Bye for now. Knees. Bye. Ips. Lower back. The abdomen. The chest. The upper back. Shoulders, Arms, Hands. Face. The whole body feels heavy. The whole body feels heavy. The whole body feels heavy. Now the opposite sensation arises. The sensation of lightness. Become aware of lightness in the body. A feeling of ease, A feeling of buoyancy. Feel lightness in the toes. Healed. Ankles, Calves, Knees. Thighs. Hips. Lower back. The abdomen. The chest. The upper back. Shoulders. Arms, Hands, Neck, Face, Head. The whole body feels light. Now bring to mind the sensation of pain. Something already known. Recall the sensation. Observe it without resistance. It is present. The sensation fades. Now bring to mind the sensation of pleasure. Something simple and familiar. Recall the sensation, Allow it to be experienced fully Awareness intensifies. Awareness rests quietly as sensations naturally fade. Bring awareness to Chittakasa. The inner space behind the forehead. This is an inner dark space perceived when the eyes are closed. An infinite space. Silent. Still. Boundless. Become aware of this inner space extending in all directions. Above. Below. In front, Behind. The space is vast and unmoving. Remain as a witness. There is no need to enter this space, Simply observe. Watch without expectation, Without effort. If colors appear, Observe them. If patterns appear, Observe them. If images or shapes arise, They appear and they pass. Do not follow them. Do not reject them. Remain detached as though watching from a distance. Chittakasa remains unchanged whether something appears or nothing appears. Remain steady in awareness resting in this inner space. Awareness rests quietly in Chittakasa. We come to visualization. A series of images will be named. Each image is named three times. The images arise naturally. There is no need to concentrate. No effort is required. If images appear, Clearly accept them. If no image appears, That is also fine. Remain relaxed and receptive. Burning candle, Burning candle, Burning candle. Endless desert. Endless desert. Endless desert. Egyptian pyramid egyptian pyramid egyptian pyramid torrential rain, Torrential rain, Torrential rain. . . Snow Calf Mountains, Snow Calf Mountains, Snow Calf Mountains, Greek Temple at Sunrise, Greek Temple at Sunrise, Greek Temple at Sunrise, A coffin beside a grave, A coffin beside a grave, A coffin beside a grave. Birds flying across the sunset. Red clouds drifting. Red clouds drifting. Red clouds drifting. Across above a church, Across above a church, Across above a church. Stars at night, Stars at night, Stars at night. Full moon, Full moon, Full moon Smiling Buddha, Smiling Buddha, Smiling Buddha. Wind from the sea. Wind from the sea. Wind from the sea. Waves breaking on a deserted beach waves breaking on a deserted beach waves breaking on a deserted beach the restless sea, The restless sea, The restless sea. The eternal restless sea. The images fade naturally. Awareness rests quietly. The resolve arises once more. Recall the same sankalpa formed earlier, The simple, Clear intention. Without effort it arises naturally in awareness. Silently repeat the sankalpa three times with clarity and quiet conviction. Do not analyse it, Do not change it, Simply repeat it as it is. Let the words fade and awareness rest quietly. Bring awareness back to the natural breath. Become aware of the breath moving quietly in and out without changing it in any way. Bring awareness back to the body lying on the floor, The whole body resting in stillness. Become aware of the presence of the physical body here and now. Gradually become aware of the space around. The flow beneath. The room. The sounds near and far. Awareness externalizes slowly, Remaining calm and steady. Gently begin to move the body. Move the fingers, Move the toes. Gently stretch the arms and legs. Stretch the whole body comfortably without strain. When the body feels ready bend the knees and turn gently onto one side remain here for a short time allowing the body to adjust When it feels natural slowly return to an upright position. When ready, Allow the eyes to open. The practice of yoga nidra is complete. Hari Om Tat Sat, Hari Om Tat Sat, Hari Om Tat Sat