Yoga Nidra For Deep Rest

This yoga Nidra practice invites deep rest and relaxation. Finding your inner resource of wellbeing, your inner sanctuary of peace. Exploring that place of calm and safety within yourself, followed by breath sensing, body sensing, exploring opposites, visualization, and experiencing yourself as pure awareness. Inviting in space and awareness to encourage deep relaxation and deep sleep.

Transcript

Begin your practice by finding a comfortable lying position,

Feeling yourself supported by the surface that your body is resting on,

Allowing your eyes to rest closed and taking time to settle into a position that feels just right.

During Yoga Nidra,

You're guided to notice and feel physical sensations,

The breath,

Emotions,

Thoughts,

Feelings of well-being or joy,

And to experience yourself as the witness of all of these comings and goings.

Whatever you experience is perfect,

Just as it is.

Now,

Simply rest at ease and follow my voice.

During Yoga Nidra,

Welcome every experience as a messenger that's inviting you to explore sensations and emotions and thoughts without trying to change,

Fix,

Or make anything happen.

As you welcome whatever's arising,

Your body and your mind are learning to remain at ease while you discover the place within that's always at ease and peaceful,

Experiencing yourself as the unchanging well-being,

Witnessing presence that's always welcoming everything.

Now feel your body settling completely into stillness.

Become aware of the room around you,

Your surroundings.

A sense of this space as a warm and comfortable,

Safe environment,

A place where you're supported to go deeply into understanding yourself and your true nature.

Sense the surface beneath you,

The air that caresses and touches your skin.

If you could even be 5 or 10% more comfortable than you are now,

What would you do to bring this deeper sense of comfort?

Do whatever it is that you need to do to give yourself this extra 5 or 10% more comfort.

Now inquire for a moment into the question,

What brings you to this moment?

Of all the places you could be right now,

What brings you here now,

Practicing Yoga Nidra?

What is your heart's deepest desire that's brought you here to this moment?

Can you find your deepest,

Most heartfelt intention for yourself for this practice?

If this practice is completely and radically effective and fruitful,

What is your heart's deepest longing that would come true as a result of practicing Yoga Nidra right now?

You might find this statement as a prayer or an affirmation.

Whatever it is,

Allow this longing to rise up naturally as your deepest heartfelt longing.

Perhaps it's the feeling of being whole and healed and healthy,

The feeling of deep self-acceptance and peace or well-being.

Whatever it is,

Welcome and affirm your heartfelt desire in the present tense with your entire body as if it were true right now.

And then set your desire aside and notice how it returns at the end of the practice or even as you go about your daily life.

Take a moment to find what we call your inner resource,

A safe place in your imagination,

Maybe a room somewhere outside,

Perhaps a place that you've been to before or a new place,

Just a special place that when you're here you feel totally comfortable,

Safe,

Protected and at peace.

This is a place that when you're here you can deeply rest and relax.

Take a few moments now to envision such a place and to feel how being here acts on your entire body and mind.

Using your spontaneous imagination,

Have a felt sense of what's here.

Using all of your senses,

What kind of things do you see or hear,

Smell,

Taste or touch in this place?

Who's there with you?

What do you see?

You may be bringing in friends,

People,

Animals,

Loved ones that when you think about them you feel deeply at peace,

Deeply relaxed,

Safe and comfortable and free to be exactly who you are.

You feel totally supported and valued for who you are just as you are.

Each time you practice yoga nidra,

Visit this place.

Allow it to become a safe haven that you can return to and visit any time you need to feel safe and protected and comfortable and relaxed.

And during your practice if you should feel stressed by a particular sensation or emotion or thought that's arising in your awareness,

Simply step back into this special place and feel relaxed and safe.

And then when you feel ready,

Step back into the emotion or thought or memory and begin welcoming it again into your awareness.

And now allow my words to become your words.

As you sense your physical body,

Feeling sensation in the body,

As I name each area you may feel sensations that are present or you may feel nothing in particular.

Whatever you experience is just as it is in this moment.

Begin to bring your attention to your mouth,

Sensations inside the mouth,

The roof of the mouth,

The floor of the mouth,

The inside of the cheeks,

Left and right,

Back of the throat,

Tongue.

The entire mouth is a field of sensation.

The ears,

The left ear and the right ear.

Sensing both ears at the same time and welcoming the breath as pure sensation in the nose,

The right nostril and the left nostril,

Both nostrils at the same time.

The eyes,

The left eye,

The right eye,

Both eyes together is a field of radiant sensation.

And sensing the forehead,

The scalp,

The back of the head and neck,

Inside the throat,

The left shoulder,

Left upper arm,

Forearm,

Wrist,

Left palm and fingers,

The entire left arm,

The right shoulder,

Right upper arm,

Forearm,

Wrist,

Right palm and fingers,

The entire right arm,

Both arms together as one field of sensation.

The upper chest and upper back,

Middle chest,

Middle back,

The abdomen,

Lower back.

The entire torso is a field of sensation.

The left hip and thigh,

Knee,

Left foreleg,

Foot and toes,

The entire left leg,

The right hip and thigh,

Knee,

The right foreleg,

Foot and toes,

The entire right leg.

Sensing both legs at the same time and sensing the entire front of the body,

The back of the body,

The left side and the right side,

Sensing the entire body,

Inside and outside is a field of radiant sensation.

And be aware of all that's now present in your awareness,

Feeling yourself as the one who's aware of everything that's present,

First sensing what's present and then experiencing yourself as the field of awareness in which everything is coming and going.

Become aware of the body breathing,

The flow of the breath as sensation,

Sensation in the nostrils,

The abdomen gently rising as breath flows in and releasing as breath flows out,

The body breathing naturally and rhythmically,

The in-breath,

Abdomen is rising,

The out-breath,

Abdomen's releasing,

No need to change anything,

The body breathing itself.

And now while gently retaining the breath at the top of the inhalation,

Bring your attention to the left side of the body and while exhaling and inhaling,

Welcome sensation throughout the left side of the body.

Then while gently retaining the breath at the top of the inhalation,

Bring attention into the right side of the body,

Exhaling and inhaling,

Welcoming sensation throughout the right side of the body,

Going back and forth from one side to the other at your own breathing speed,

Experiencing sensation first on one side of the body and then on the other side,

Giving time during retention for sensation to completely shift across the midline.

And when you're ready,

While holding the breath,

Sense the entire body simultaneously while allowing the body to return to its own natural breathing rhythm and be aware of all that's now present in your awareness,

Feeling yourself as the one who's aware of everything that's now present,

Sensing what's present and then experiencing yourself dissolving into being the field of awareness in which everything is arising.

And now imagine the whole body becoming light as though your body could float away from the floor and towards the ceiling.

The head is light and weightless.

The limbs are light and weightless.

The torso is light and weightless.

The whole body is light and weightless.

You're rising higher and higher away from the floor,

Feeling the body floating.

And now imagine your body becoming heavy.

Feel the heaviness in all the parts of the body.

Each part of the body is becoming heavier and heavier and heavier.

The head is heavy.

The limbs are heavy.

The torso is heavy.

The whole body is heavy,

So heavy that it is sinking down into the floor.

Awaken the experience now of cold in the body.

The experience of being very cold.

Imagine being outside in winter without enough clothing,

Feeling this chill permeating your entire body.

Having a direct experience of being very cold.

And now allow the sensation of warmth to spread throughout the entire body.

Recalling the feeling of heat in summer,

When you're out in the sun with no shade.

You feel heat radiating onto your skin,

Heat all around your body.

Now recall the experience of anxiety,

Intense anxiety and worry.

Feel this stress in your body and mind,

But don't concentrate on its source.

Recall a time when you felt really anxious,

Nervous,

Unsettled.

Create the experience of anxiety as clearly as possible.

And now allow the feeling of complete calm to envelop you.

Manifest the experience of calm in your entire mind and body and emotions.

You are relaxed and aware and completely calm.

Begin to concentrate on the space in front of your closed eyelids.

Imagine before you a transparent screen as though you were at a movie theater.

This screen is as high and as wide as the eyes can see.

Concentrate on this mind screen and become aware of any phenomena that manifests itself within,

Any colors or patterns or light.

Whatever you see is the manifesting state of your mind.

Do your awareness of this space,

But do not become involved.

Practice detached awareness only.

And if any subtle images make themselves known,

Simply notice them without directing the images.

And if thoughts occur,

Let them come and go.

But continue watching the dark space.

Continue this with detached awareness.

And now a number of different things will be named.

Imagine these things on the level of emotion,

Memory,

And imagination as best you can.

Moving from image to image as soon as you hear it.

Red desert.

Peacock feather.

Doctor's office.

A good night's rest.

Full moon.

Your reflection in a mirror.

Foggy morning.

Waiting for results.

Sun shining overhead.

Bouquet of flowers.

Tall tree.

Receiving help from others.

Cool clear water.

Making appointments.

A relaxing afternoon.

Laughing with friends.

A warm embrace.

Burning candle.

Path in the woods.

Vibrant sunset.

Taking a deep breath.

Cat stretching.

A beautiful garden path.

Your favorite song.

Your body lying in this place.

Become aware of the body breathing itself.

The gentle rise or fall of the abdomen during inhalation and exhalation.

Without controlling or manipulating the breath in any way.

Simply be aware of the movement of breath in and out of the body as a flow of pure sensation.

Be aware of the body breathing itself.

During exhalation feel the gentle falling of the abdomen.

Inhaling the gentle rising up for a few moments.

Count each breath.

From 11 back towards 1.

Inhaling 11.

Abdomen rising.

Exhaling 11.

Abdomen falling.

Inhaling abdomen rising.

Exhaling abdomen falling 10.

And so on.

At your own speed of breathing.

Coordinate the breath.

The sensation of the breath and the alertness of the mind in the counting.

If you are momentarily distracted or finish,

Gently bring your attention back to the breath for the counting.

Starting over again at 11 each time you find yourself distracted.

And as you're counting every once in a while.

Sense the mouth.

Sense the residues of tension that may be present in the mouth,

In the ears,

In the palms of the hand,

In the feet.

Be spontaneously drawn to areas of tension in the body while continuing to sense the breath,

The rise and fall of the abdomen,

And the counting.

And now let the counting fall away.

Stay with the flow of the breathing.

Stay with the flow of sensation that arises through the body breathing itself.

The subtle energetic flow of sensation and feeling.

Experience how the feeling is during inhalation and exhalation.

Not intellectualizing or analyzing,

But simply sensing the differences of feeling and sensation between exhalation and during inhalation.

What is the feeling that each breath evokes in the body?

Not trying to figure anything out or to think about it or name it.

Just experiencing pure inhalation,

Pure exhalation.

And see where you're spontaneously drawn by sensation.

Notice the body.

Any sensation in the mouth,

The head,

The arms,

The chest,

The belly,

Pelvis,

Legs.

Note any sensations of pleasure,

Joy that are present,

Maybe bliss.

Sense the large and subtle feelings of pleasure,

Of happiness,

Of joy,

Or bliss that's present.

You might even feel your heart smiling.

The heart smiling so that this smile expands into your entire body,

Into your torso and pelvis and legs,

Into your arms and up into your face and head.

Your whole body smiling.

The sense of joy throughout the entire body.

All of the cells in the body radiantly alive with a feeling of joy,

Pleasure,

Or happiness.

And if it's helpful,

Remember someone who loves you,

Someone whom you love.

Allow their image or that of a particular circumstance or situation to invite the feeling of pleasure and joy into your body.

And then relinquish the memory and the image and simply remain with the pure feeling of happiness,

Pleasure,

Or joy that's present in the body.

And notice the subtle sense of yourself as an observer and experience the subtle movement of thought.

I am experiencing this.

I am experiencing joy.

I am feeling this sensation.

And meet each thought as a movement that's unfolding in your awareness.

Allow all of these objects that are now present in your awareness,

The sensation,

The breath,

Feelings,

Thoughts,

Pleasure.

Let all of these objects,

These movements be present just as they are.

And experience yourself as this vast,

Open,

Spacious awareness that contains them all,

That touches,

Caresses,

And supports each of these movements.

Find your way,

Not looking at the quality of these movements,

But at this openness,

This spaciousness.

You are the openness itself.

Experiencing yourself as awareness itself,

As awareness itself.

And see how the mind tries to visualize awareness,

How the mind tries to imagine or conceptualize it.

Imagining and conceptualizing are movements of thinking.

Set them free in this spacious presence of awareness.

Find how awareness touches and caresses everything,

Penetrates everything.

And be aware once more of your heartfelt prayer,

Your deepest,

Most heartfelt prayer.

Set it free to announce and claim itself.

See how it may have changed,

Feeling it as an obvious statement of fact.

And then take a moment and walk back through this journey that you've just taken,

Sensing the different qualities that are or have been present,

A feeling in the body,

An emotion that may be present,

Body sensations,

Thoughts that are coming and going.

And sense the room around you,

The feeling of beginning to move back into the world,

And going about your day or evening.

And can you,

As you imagine moving into your everyday life,

Feel into the vast openness in which all of these activities,

Your entire life,

Is unfolding?

Feeling each emotion,

Each thought,

Each body sensation,

And feeling your personality.

It has a quality of density about it,

A center and periphery,

Mass and space,

And yet there is equally this quality here of openness that is neither a center nor a periphery.

And sense this paradox of being both a feeling of spacious and empty awareness,

And the feeling of being a personality with location and center.

And set your personality free to be just what it is,

Observing how in each moment there is an exact and perfect response to each situation that you encounter in your life.

And watch how the mind may come in with its analysis or judgment to this understanding.

And sense the body's native responsiveness in each moment,

And notice the body's inherent responsiveness and the mind's tendency to judge.

And let them both be free to be here,

Each as it is.

And feel yourself equally as the space in which all of this is unfolding,

So that you are both totally involved in,

As this personality,

In and as the body's inherent responsiveness,

Yet in the same moment free as spacious openness.

Take your time now as you transition now from practice to ordinary life,

And every once in a while as you go through the next couple of hours,

Internally come to a full stop,

And sense back into your spacious beingness,

Setting your body and mind free to talk,

To respond,

Even to react.

And feel back into your spacious,

Open presence in which each moment is arising.

Taking your time,

And when you're ready,

Reoriented to your surroundings,

Allow your body to gently start moving.

And when you're ready,

Slowly opening your eyes.