Yoga Nidra For Sleep

Welcome to this soothing and restorative Yoga Nidra guided meditation for sleep. In this calming session, you will take the journey towards profound relaxation and rejuvenation, making it easier for you to achieve a restful night's sleep. Your guide for today's practice is Ailsa and she will guide you through a 17-minute Yoga Nidra to help you relax, rest, and sleep.

Ailsa is from near Aberdeen in Scotland and has a soft Scottish accent. Allow her gentle and flowing cadence and her soft Scottish accent to lull you into a deep state of rest and relaxation.

Transcript

So beginning this yoga nidra practice in a comfortable position for your body. So you might be lying down on the earth on a yoga mat or on your bed. You can even do this seated upright. So just taking a few moments to arrange yourself in that position. So arranging your body so that you feel completely supported for going into a deep state of rest and self-inquiry. So your legs might be apart, Arms away from your body. Perhaps palms turned upwards and supporting the back of your head so that your chin remains below the level of your forehead. Throughout this practice. You could be 5 or 10% more comfortable. Make any adjustments to bring ease and well-being throughout your body and mind. Just noticing the earth underneath your body right now. Feeling how that surface rises up to support your body. Feeling the body heavy against the ground. Pressing firmly into the surface underneath you. Feeling heavy, Relaxed. Bringing your attention to your senses. Allowing each perception to come to you. The sounds around you and within your body. The touch of air on your skin. The sensation of where your body touches the surfaces underneath the body. Sensations within your body. Sensing the vibrant aliveness of your entire body. Just as it is. Consciously scanning the body for any sense of holding on in the muscles. Can you let go of any tension that you might be holding onto in the body? Feeling heavy, Relaxed. Taking this time to set an intention for this yoga nidra practice. It might be something that you're working with right now. Or it might be that you want to feel rested and relaxed. Taking a few moments to take that intention in the present tense and in a positive way. So it might be, I am rested. It might be, I am relaxed. It might be, I am content. So just taking some time to reaffirm that intention in your mind. How does that intention feel in the body? What are the subtle sensations of that intention? And just taking some time to work with the idea of an inner resource. So a place that you could come to during this practice or beyond this practice. That is a place where you feel secure, Relaxed. And so it might be a simple memory or perhaps it's a visualization. Welcoming that inner resource, That place of well-being. Spacious, Open, Timeless, Perfect, Familiar, Unchanging, Yet fresh and always present. If helpful, Invite in people or images. Images that nourish feelings of being secure, Peaceful and at ease. Knowing that you can turn to this place of well-being at any time, Day or night. And throughout today's yoga nidra practice. I'll allow my words to be your words as you rotate attention through your body. Sensing your jaw, Lips, Teeth, Gums, Mouth. The ceiling of the mouth, The floor, The inner walls right and left. The tongue, The back of the throat. The entire jaw and mouth. And turning your attention to any sensations in the right ear. Any sensation in the left ear. Both ears at the same time. And turning your attention to any sensation in the cheeks, The nose, The eyebrows, Coolness on the forehead. Sensation in the right eye and the left eye. Both eyes together. And turning your attention to the scalp, The crown of the head, The back of the head. Sensation in the entire head. And turning your attention to the back of the neck, The front of the neck, The upper back, The back of the ribcage, The front of the ribcage. The lower back, The belly button, The lower belly. Sensation in the entire torso. And turning your attention to the right shoulder and shoulder blade. The right upper arm and elbow. The right forearm and wrist. The palm of the hand, The back of the hand. The right thumb, Index finger, Middle finger, Ring finger and pinky finger. The entire right arm. And turning your attention to any sensation in the left shoulder and shoulder blade. The left upper arm and elbow. The left forearm and wrist. The left palm of the hand, The back of the hand. The left thumb, Index finger, Middle finger, Ring finger and pinky finger. The entire left arm. And bringing your attention to your right hip and thigh. The right knee, Shin, Calf. The right heel, Ankle, Sole of the foot and top of the foot. The right big toe, Second toe, Third toe, Fourth toe and little toe. The entire right leg. And turning your attention to any sensation in the left hip and thigh. The left knee, Shin and calf. The left ankle, Heel, Sole of the foot, Top of the foot. The left big toe, Second toe, Third toe, Fourth toe and little toe. And then bringing your attention to the entire front of the body. The entire back of the body. The entire left side of the body. The entire right side of the body. Sensing the inside and sensing the surface of the body. Welcoming the entire body as vibrant sensations. Radiating in all directions, Inwardly and outwardly. And perhaps taking some time to come back to that place of well-being. Noticing your inner resource. Noticing the sensations that arise in the body. Feeling heavy, Relaxed. Feeling heavy, Relaxed. Heavy, Relaxed.