Yoga Sleep
Yoga Sleep or Yoga Nidra in Sanskrit is a soothing guided practice designed to calm the emotions and take you into a deeply relaxed state. Yoga Nidra saved my life when I was in the depths of the time when I suffered from insomnia. It helped me get through the day and night. Use this practise if you are exhausted and don't know how you'll get through the day or when you can't sleep. A calming and relaxing environment is important for this practise. To do the practise, lay down on your yoga mat or your bed. It is important to remember to have something under your knees so your back is relaxed. Cover yourself up with a few blankets and snuggle down. Take a few long deep breaths and sign loudly on the exhale. When you are ready, press play, close your eyes and follow my voice. When you have finished, sit quietly with a cup of relaxing tea.
Transcript
Yoga Sleep in Sanskrit is Yoga Nidra.
Yoga Nidra is an ancient meditation technique where you learn how to completely relax the mind,
Body and spirit consciously.
Yoga Sleep is a deeply healing experience and will give you an extraordinary psychological and physiological relaxation.
Yoga Nidra induces a relaxed state called the hypnagogic state.
In this state as you journey down into the deepest level of your consciousness the mind is exceptionally receptive making yoga Nidra an exceptionally powerful tool for transformation.
If you imagine the mind as different layers of soil the conscious mind is like hard soil due to the consistent analytical nature of the mind yet the subconscious mind is like soft fertile soil in which things that are planted there can grow.
A very important part of the yoga Nidra practice is Sankalpa.
Sankalpa means resolve and is like planting a seed deep in the consciousness,
A place where there are no limitations of conditioning just pure infinite potential.
The Sankalpa will help you define what you want in life and shine the light and give energy to the life force that will help you manifest it.
There is scientific proof available now that how you feel inside affects the energy outside which means we have infinite organizing power within us.
The key to your Sankalpa is that it must be a crystal clear positive vision or crystal clear positive statement.
When you have your resolve you need to feel it in every cell of your body as though it's already happened.
This is your communication with the universe and provided you're clear the universe will handle the details.
In a few moments sit quietly and think about your Sankalpa and start to get ready for your practice.
We are now ready to start our yoga Nidra practice.
Lie on your back with your body stretched out,
The head in the straight line with the body,
Feet apart,
Arms beside the body and palms of the hands facing up.
Now close your eyes.
There should be no movement during yoga Nidra so make sure you're totally comfortable.
Try to follow my voice with full awareness and feeling.
If your mind is distracted during the practice don't worry just surrender and come back to the practice.
Take a deep breath and as you breathe in feel the calmness spreading throughout the body.
As you breathe out surrender the body to the earth.
Notice the meeting points between the body and the floor and then release these areas almost like they're dissolving into the ground.
Notice the sounds in the distance.
Let your sense of hearing be a radar beam searching for sounds outside this building.
As you hear the sounds perhaps the wind blowing through the trees,
The buzz of a fly outside the door or a car passing by.
Try not to focus on identifying these sounds.
Just listen with your awareness.
Gradually bring your attention closer to the sounds inside this building.
Again just listen with awareness and not concentration.
Now slowly bring your attention to any sounds inside this room.
Just being aware without opening your eyes visualize this room.
The walls,
The ceiling,
The floor where your body's lying.
Become aware of your stillness,
Your tranquility and notice the physical meeting points where your body touches the floor.
Now become aware of your breath.
Don't concentrate just be aware.
Become aware of the beat of your heart without focusing.
Just a very very loose awareness and start to let go of the awareness of your body and just listen to my voice.
Now it's time to make your resolve your sankalpa.
Imagine that your intentions have infinite organizing power.
Imagine that the whole universe is a vast ocean of consciousness and your intentions shoot out from within your heart and ripple across the vast universe of consciousness.
For a moment decide on what your resolve will be for this practice.
Once you have it feel it in every cell of your body as though it's already happened.
Inhale,
Exhale and let the universe handle the details.
We will now start a rotation of consciousness.
During this step focus your mind on the parts of your body and not your breath.
Relax each part of the body in turn as you move on to the next.
Try to stay with my voice without concentration and just simple awareness.
Take your consciousness to the right hand thumb,
The second finger,
Third,
Fourth,
Fifth,
The palm of the hand,
The back of the hand,
The wrist,
Lower arm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Armpit,
Side of the body,
The waist,
The hip,
Kneecap,
Calf muscle,
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole,
Top of the right foot,
Right toes,
The first,
Second,
Third,
Fourth,
Fifth.
Take your consciousness to the left side,
The left hand thumb,
Second finger,
Third,
Fourth,
Fifth,
Palm of the hand,
Back of the hand,
The wrist,
Lower arm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Armpit,
Side of the body,
The waist,
The hip,
Left thigh,
Kneecap,
Calf muscle,
Heel,
Ankle,
Sole,
Top of the left foot,
Left toes,
The first,
Second,
Third,
Fourth.
Go to the top of the head,
The forehead,
The right eyebrow,
Left eyebrow,
The eyebrow centre,
The right eyelid,
The left eyelid,
The right eye,
The left eye,
The right ear,
The left ear,
The right nostril,
The left nostril,
Right cheek,
Left cheek,
Upper lip,
Lower lip,
Chin,
Jaw,
The throat,
The right collarbone,
The left collarbone,
Right chest,
Left chest,
Middle of the chest,
The navel,
The upper abdomen,
Lower abdomen,
Right groin,
Left groin,
The right thigh,
Left thigh,
Right knee,
Left knee,
Right calf muscle,
The left calf muscle,
Right ankle,
Left ankle,
Right toes,
Left toes,
Now the back of the body,
The right sole,
The left sole,
The right heel,
The left heel,
The right calf muscle,
Left calf muscle,
Back of the right knee,
Back of the left knee,
Back of the right thigh,
Back of the left thigh,
Right buttock,
Left buttock,
Right hip,
Left hip,
Whole of the spine,
The right shoulder blade,
Left shoulder blade,
Back of the neck,
Back of the head,
Top of the head,
Now take your attention to the whole of the right leg,
The whole of the left leg,
And now both legs together,
Take your attention to the whole of the right arm,
The whole of the left arm,
Now both arms together,
The whole of the head,
The whole of the back of the body,
The whole of the front of the body,
Now bring your awareness to the whole of the body,
Become aware of the meeting parts between the body and the floor and focus on them,
Feeling the meeting points intensely and evenly,
Bring your attention to the soles of the feet,
Feel the skin on the soles of the feet,
From the heels to the tips of the toes,
Go to the palms of your hands and feel the skin on the palms of your hands and the fingers,
Feel the skin and also become aware of the lines on the palms and the lines on the fingers on the skin,
Just notice intensely with full awareness,
Now bring your awareness to the face,
Become aware of the skin on your face and develop your awareness of the skin on your forehead and the cheeks and the chin,
Becoming aware of any lines on the face,
Bring your attention to the eyelids,
Feeling the meeting points between the eyelids and now the lips,
The other meeting points between the lips intensely,
Just notice,
Now return your awareness to the whole of your body and become aware of the space occupied by the body,
Become aware of the body on the floor and the whole of the body in relation to the floor,
At the same time start becoming aware of the meeting points of the body on the floor,
These are very subtle physical points but just feeling the meeting points between the back of your head and the floor,
The shoulder blades and the floor,
The elbows as they touch the floor,
The back of the hands,
The buttocks,
The calves,
Noticing the meeting points of the heels on the floor,
Now bring your awareness to all of the meeting points between the body and the floor and just notice the sensations simultaneously and evenly,
Just continue feeling these points clearly and distinctly,
Now bring your attention to the eyelids,
Feel the narrow line of meeting between the upper and the lower eyelids and just feel the points where they meet,
Intensify your awareness between the eyelids and now the lips,
Just notice the line between the lips and the space between the lips,
Slowly totally relax your awareness,
Now start becoming aware of your breath again,
Feel the natural rhythm of your breath,
The spontaneity of your breath,
The rise and fall of the belly,
Just watch the breath as it comes in through the nostrils and as it comes out through the nostrils,
Notice the rise and fall of the chest and the rise and fall of the belly,
Now just keep your attention as it comes in and out through the nose and we're going to count back from 27,
Breathe in 27,
Breathe out 27,
Breathe in 26,
Breathe out 26,
Breathe in 25,
Breathe out 25,
Breathe in 24,
Breathe out 24,
Breathe in 23,
Breathe out 23,
Breathe in 22,
Breathe out 22,
Breathe in 21,
Breathe out 21,
Breathe in 20,
Breathe out 20,
Breathe in 19,
Breathe out 19,
Breathe in 18,
Breathe out 18,
Breathe in 17,
Breathe out 17,
Breathe in 16,
Breathe out 16,
Breathe in 15,
Breathe out 15,
Breathe in 14,
Breathe out 14,
Breathe in 13,
Breathe out 13,
Breathe in 12,
Breathe out 12,
Breathe in 11,
Breathe out 11,
Breathe in 10,
Breathe out 10,
Breathe in 9,
Breathe out 9,
Breathe in 8,
Breathe out 8,
Breathe in 7,
Breathe out 7,
Breathe in 6,
Breathe out 6,
Breathe in 5,
Breathe out 5,
Breathe in 4,
Breathe out 4,
Breathe in 3,
Breathe out 3,
Breathe in 2,
Breathe out 2,
Breathe in 1,
Breathe out 1.
Just surrender to the natural rhythm of your breath and just keep your awareness on your breath.
I will now be naming different objects that I'd like you to visualize with as much depth and emotion as possible.
Waterfall.
Laughter.
A dove.
Lilies in a pond.
Waves crashing on the shore.
A burning candle.
White,
Beautiful sand.
A tropical rainstorm.
Vitality.
A storm.
Tropical rainstorm.
Vitality.
A green valley.
A golden Buddha.
A snow-capped mountain.
The Colosseum at sunrise.
An eagle soaring in a bright blue sky.
A Greek temple.
A sunset in the Caribbean.
A full moon.
A desert.
An oasis.
Now intensify your awareness and imagine that you're outside a beautiful Buddhist temple surrounded by fragrant flowers.
There's an intense sensation of peace and tranquility.
As you move closer you smell the incense burning.
You sit down and close your eyes and listen to the chanting in the temple.
You feel the vibration in every cell of your body renewing.
As you sit there you feel a very gentle tap on your shoulder.
It's a monk from the temple dressed in orange holding a beaded necklace.
He looks at you and makes eye contact.
You notice a light and purity that you've never seen before.
He puts his left hand on his heart,
Bows his head and goes back into the temple.
You have an amazing feeling of being blessed,
Grateful and fully resourced.
As you prepare to come back to your life gently bring your awareness to the breath.
Feeling the blessing,
Healing,
Peace and tranquility from the temple.
Just release and surrender once more to the earth.
It's time to revisit your resolve,
Your sankalpa.
So find your resolve and feel it in every single cell of your body and know that the universe is handling the details on your behalf.
Take a deep breath in and breathe out and just let it go.
Coming back to the normal,
Natural,
Spontaneous breath and bring your awareness back to your physical existence.
This floor,
The walls,
The ceiling and any noises you can hear in the room.
Let your mind become completely external.
Just lie quietly until your mind is awakened and externalised.
Start moving yourself slowly.
Start stretching and when you're sure you're ready,
You can open your eyes.
I wish you a blissful day,
Evening or night.
Namaste.
4.7 (149)
Recent Reviews
Margaret
April 30, 2023
Thank you for this practice which took me into deep all night long sleep. Namaste
Patti
July 6, 2020
Very nice, I like the visualization at the end. Namaste
Lil
July 3, 2019
Thank you for the calming and peaceful and patient voice you offer in the yoga 🧘🏻♀️ Namasté🙏🏽
Catherine
July 2, 2019
Thank you🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻I noticed I experienced the music as distracting...
David
July 1, 2019
Thank you Nandi for that wonderful practice . I loved the way you explained in the beginning Namaste 🙏