Yoga Nidra To Reconnect With Your Inner Light

Experience 25 minutes of deep relaxation and inner stillness with this Yoga Nidra practice. Guided gently by Soma Yoga Institute instructor Liz Heffernan, you’ll be invited to connect with your inner light, release tension, and restore balance to your body and mind. Perfect for unwinding after a busy day, easing stress, or preparing for restful sleep. This practice encourages self-awareness, calm, and a renewed sense of peace. No prior experience is needed—simply lie down, relax, and allow yourself to be guided.

Transcript

Come to a comfortable position,

Lying on your back.

Feel free to use a prop underneath your knees or any props that will support you in a supportive restful way.

Take your time to settle in.

Allow the feet to turn out comfortably to the sides.

Allow the backs of your hands to find a place of rest and comfort.

Even allow your fingers to gently open naturally.

Feel the bones of the body get a little bit heavier.

Allow the muscles to melt and the outer skin to soften.

Find a place here of stillness and settle into that.

If the urge to change or fidget arises,

See if you can watch this urge but choose not to react to it.

Remain still,

Relaxed,

And at ease.

Notice the breath in the body,

The natural rhythm of your breath.

And with your next exhale,

Release completely into the earth.

Trust the earth to support you fully.

Invite your body to settle,

Let go,

Let go physically,

And also let go mentally.

Notice the natural rhythm of your breath,

Watching it without changing it.

Just notice the inhale and the exhale.

Notice the breath as it comes in and goes out.

Begin to add a silent whisper to the breath pattern.

So on your inhale,

You can whisper SO to yourself as a silent mantra in the mind.

On the exhale,

Whisper HUM.

Allow the sound SO to take the whole in-breath,

Slow,

Drawn out with the breath.

Allow the sound HUM on the out-breath to be drawn out as a silent mantra in the mind.

Every breath in,

SO.

Every breath out,

HUM.

Remain awake,

Keep the mind aware of the breath's natural rhythm,

And link it to the mantra,

SO HUM.

Remain awake,

Remain aware,

And think,

I am practicing Yoga Nidra.

I am practicing deep yogic relaxation.

Fully awake,

Completely relaxed.

Inhaling SO,

Exhaling HUM.

Feel your entire body softening.

Feel the complete relaxation in every part of your being.

As your body is nourished in the safety of the warm earth beneath you,

Let your intention,

Your sankalpa,

To emerge.

Allow this intention to emerge from deep within your heart,

Deep within your entire being,

And repeat it silently to yourself three times.

Repeat your sankalpa as a statement of fact in the present tense.

And with your intention,

We will move deeper into our practice with the rotation of consciousness.

Remain aware,

Listen to my voice,

Move the mind according to the instruction.

As I say the different body parts,

Visualize that place in your body,

In your mind's eye.

Repeat the name of the body part to yourself,

As if you fill that part with awareness.

Sense and feel the sensations in each part.

Allow your awareness to flow from part to part.

Hear my voice.

Say the body part inwardly to yourself.

Sense and feel.

Bring your awareness to the right hand.

The palm of your right hand.

Back of the hand.

Right hand.

Right thumb.

Index finger.

Middle finger.

Ring finger.

Pinky.

Right wrist.

Right forearm.

Right elbow.

Right upper arm.

Shoulder.

Bring your awareness into the entire right shoulder,

Arm,

Hand,

And fingers.

Shift the awareness now to the left hand.

The palm of your left hand.

Sense and feel.

Back of the left hand.

Left thumb.

Index.

Middle.

Ring.

Pinky.

Left wrist.

Left forearm.

Left upper arm.

Left shoulder.

The entire left shoulder,

Arm,

Wrist,

Hand,

And fingers.

Bring the awareness now to the right foot.

The sole of your right foot.

Back of the right foot.

Right toes.

Right ankle.

Right shin.

Right knee.

Upper leg.

Right hip.

The entire right leg,

Foot,

Toes.

Shift your awareness to the left foot.

Sole of the left foot.

Top of the left foot.

Left toes.

Ankle.

Lower leg.

Knee.

Upper leg.

Left hip.

The entire left hip,

Leg,

Feet,

And toes.

Bring the awareness now to the inside of the mouth.

Notice the cheeks.

The tongue.

Right side cheek.

Left side of your cheek.

Notice the lips.

The right eyebrow.

Left eyebrow.

The entire right side of your face.

The entire left side of your face.

Bring the awareness now to the entire right side of the body.

From the crown of the head through the right fingertips and toes.

Right side of the body.

Shift the awareness to the left side.

From the crown of the head through the left fingertips and toes.

Left side of the body.

Notice now the entire back side of your body,

So everything that's touching the earth.

Notice the front side of the body,

Everything that's oriented towards the sky.

Notice the back body.

Feel this area grounded,

Heavy.

Whole back body grounded.

Sense into the front body,

Everything oriented towards the sky.

The whole front body light,

Spacious,

Weightless.

Front body light.

Back body heavy.

Now notice the whole body completely at ease.

The whole body deeply relaxed.

Find a place in the body that feels heavy,

Extremely heavy.

Allow that sense of heaviness to be felt more deeply.

Deeply and intensely feel heavy.

Now become aware of a place in the body that feels light.

Allow that sense of lightness.

Feel extremely light in that part of your body.

Heavy and light.

Feel heavy and light at the same time in the body.

Notice the inhalation.

Notice the exhalation.

With the inhale pattern,

Whisper so to yourself in the mind.

With the exhalation,

Whisper hum.

Every inhalation,

Whispering so.

Every exhalation,

Whispering hum.

Now draw your attention to the base of the body,

Root of the pelvis.

See a red square.

Root of the pelvis,

See a red square.

A feeling of safety.

Feel completely safe.

Draw your awareness to the area just below the belly button,

But above the pelvic floor.

See an orange triangle.

An orange triangle.

Feel a sense of fluidity,

Openness,

Freedom.

Sense and feel into the area of the solar plexus,

Above the belly button,

Below the heart.

See a golden sun,

Color yellow.

Center of inner strength.

Feel empowered.

Area of the heart.

Area of the heart center.

See an emerald green,

Six-pointed star.

Emerald green,

Six-pointed star.

Feel compassion.

The center of unconditional love.

Draw your awareness to your throat.

Color is blue.

See a blue crescent.

Area of the throat,

A blue crescent.

Tap into here,

Your ability to speak the truth.

Your ability to speak the truth and to listen with intuition.

Between the eyebrows,

Indigo.

Between the eyebrows,

Indigo in color.

Visualize an indigo eye.

See with clarity of vision.

An indigo eye.

See with clarity.

Sense and feel the crown of your head.

Crystal in color.

A 1,

000-petaled lotus.

Feel your connection to source.

Crown of the head,

1,

000-petaled lotus.

Connection to source.

Feeling blissful,

Connected.

Sense the balance between all these areas of the body.

Feel open,

Complete,

Connected.

And at ease through your entire being.

See the trunk of a tree.

The trunk of a tree.

A burning candle.

A burning candle.

Smiling Buddha.

A smiling Buddha.

A leaf floating on a breeze.

Prayer flags hanging from a temple.

Prayer flags hanging from a temple.

Birds flying across a sunset.

Birds flying across a sunset.

Waves breaking on a deserted beach.

Waves breaking on a deserted beach.

You see the summit of a mountain.

See the summit.

See the summit of a mountain.

Become aware of yourself walking up the side of a mountain.

Under a brilliant blue sky.

The path is gently worn.

The day is warm.

Your every sense is embraced by your surroundings.

Your eyes take in every element.

You wind your way up the mountain.

And take in the beautiful views.

White puffy clouds.

It is beautiful and calm.

Peaceful and serene.

Evergreen trees stately and tall.

You listen to the sounds of the place.

The rustling of the wind through the trees.

Birds chirping.

You are becoming attuned to the sounds of this place.

Which is so peaceful.

Smell the scents.

The heavy fragrance of pine in the air.

Notice the air as it touches the skin.

And let your skin enjoy the cool presence of this place.

That is so pristine and peaceful.

Your eyes take in the wide sweeping views.

And glimpse the beautiful scenery.

The busyness of the world below.

As you reach the crest of a hill.

You see a sacred monastery.

You see and approach a sacred monastery.

A sense of peace envelops you.

As you walk inside the monastery.

The sounds outside fade.

And you take in the stillness of this place.

You see a candle.

You sit in front of a candle and gaze at the flame.

The flame becomes brighter.

You can feel its light and warmth surround you.

You gaze at the flame meditating focused and calm.

With every breath the light and warmth of the candle becomes stronger.

And begins to permeate each and every cell.

You feel its warmth on your face.

You feel its warmth in your fingers and toes.

And deep inside your heart.

You feel safe and protected.

Relaxed and easy.

You notice the light and warmth of the candle.

Drawing to you all of the love.

Kind thoughts and sweetness.

That has ever been felt for you.

Every good wish.

Every smile.

And every gesture of gratitude.

This warmth is filling the field of energy around you.

You also sense the energy of love.

Love and gratitude.

Well wishes and sweetness well up from inside of you.

Attune to the peaceful stillness at your center.

Feel relaxed and easy.

Arms and legs loose and heavy.

While you continue to breathe in and out.

Strong and steady.

Still aware of this special place.

The cushion of energy.

The radiant light.

The warmth of the candle.

And the support all around and within you.

In this place,

Repeat your intention.

Your sankalpa.

Three times.

Repeat your intention three times.

State it in the present tense.

As if it is true.

You affirm now that it is time to return from your journey.

Carrying with you the love and peaceful energy of this place.

You rise and start the journey back down the mountain.

Once again you feel the mountain air.

And see the views of the world below.

As you wind your way down the mountain path.

You once again take in the beautiful views.

The white puffy clouds.

And you see the evergreen trees stately and tall.

You think to yourself,

I am practicing yoga nidra.

And mentally step softly back into the room.

Feel the support of the earth underneath you.

And take your awareness back into the breath.

Noticing the rise of the in-breath.

And the soft release of the out-breath.

You think,

I am practicing yoga nidra.

I am fully aware of my body.

I am fully aware of my breath.

And I am fully aware of this room.

Notice once again the gentle rise and fall of your body.

As you inhale and exhale.

Repeat silently to yourself.

The mantra SO on the in-breath.

And HUM on the out-breath.

Returning to awareness.

Allow the mind and the breath to be connected.

Through this very simple mantra.

SO HUM Begin now to move.

First your fingers and your toes.

Wiggle the fingers and the toes.

And as you are ready,

Expand the movement.

Stretch your arms up and overhead.

Nice and slowly roll to your right side.

And take a few breaths here.

Just allow this journey to truly land in your body.

Feel it woven into the fabric of your being.

Gently push yourself up to a seated position.

Place your hands together in Anjali Mudra.

In front of the heart.

Just take a moment here to bow your head to your heart.

Honoring the light.

That universal energy that resides within you.

And also radiates in each and every being that you meet.

Namaste