Welcome to this practice of Yoga Nidra.
Yoga Nidra is the art of yogic sleep.
Settle into the most comfortable position you can find and let your body be fully supported by the surface beneath you.
Your bed holding you with quiet steadiness.
Allow your eyes to soften and close.
Take a slow breath in through the nose and a long easy exhale through the mouth.
Let the next breath be softer.
Feel your body beginning to settle now as if gravity is gently drawing you toward the earth.
Now bring to mind a simple,
Positive,
Heartfelt intention for this practice.
It may be something you are already working on or something as simple as I allow myself to rest.
And when you are ready,
Repeat your intention silently three times now.
Now let the words of your intention dissolve into the background of your awareness.
Gently move your attention now through the body without any effort or movement.
Just notice your right hand thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
Little finger,
Palm of the hand,
Back of the hand,
Wrist,
Forearm,
Right elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Right side of the chest,
Right hip,
Thigh,
Knee,
Calf,
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole of the foot,
Top of the foot,
Big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe and little toe.
Moving your awareness now to the left side,
Left thumb,
Fingers,
Palm of the left hand,
Back of the left hand,
Wrist,
Forearm,
Left elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Left side of the chest,
Right foot,
Hip,
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole of the left foot,
Top of the left foot,
All toes of the left foot.
Now sense the whole right side of the body,
The whole right side of the body.
Now the whole left side of the body,
The whole left side of the body.
And then the entire body resting as one,
The entire body resting as one.
Notice the natural rhythm of your breath now without changing it in any way.
The gentle rise of the abdomen with your inhale and the soft fall with the exhale.
Imagine the inhale flowing down the length of the body and the exhale melting all tension away.
With each breath now feel yourself sinking deeper and deeper into comfort.
Picture a soft safe darkness around you now,
Warm,
Spacious,
Safe as if you are floating in a quiet night sky supported effortlessly.
Thoughts may drift in and out like distant stars,
Let them pass without trying to reach for them.
Your only task here is to rest,
Your only task here is to rest now.
Let your heartfelt intention,
Your sankalpa return one more time in feeling and not words as an inner permission to allow yourself to rest deeply.
Feel the body heavy,
The breath slow,
The mind quiet,
You are safe,
You are held,
You are loved.
You are drifting toward deep nourishing sleep,
Allow yourself to slip gently into whatever comes next.
Rest,
Dreams or peaceful stillness.
