Yoga Nidra offers tools to induce sleep,
Have deep relaxation and rest.
Taking a moment to get comfortable in your bed.
Your sheets are pulled up.
Slow,
Gently cradling your head.
Just adjusting any parts of your body here.
Before we begin this practice,
See if you can get yourself another 5% more comfortable.
Bringing your awareness now to your breath,
Without any need to control it.
Allowing it just to flow naturally.
The ebb and flow of the breath.
The breath title.
Deepening this simple process of the quietness of your breath.
Now begin to count backwards from 10 to 0.
On each exhalation,
Noticing your body sinking deeper into the mattress.
On the next inhale,
Mentally you start counting backwards.
10.
Inhale.
9.
Exhale.
8.
Inhale.
7.
Exhale.
6.
Inhale.
5.
Exhale.
4.
Inhale.
5.
Exhale.
6.
Inhale.
7.
Exhale.
8.
Inhale.
9.
Exhale.
10.
Inhale.
11.
Inhale.
12.
Inhale.
13.
Inhale.
14.
Inhale.
15.
Inhale.
16.
Inhale.
Now bring your awareness to the softness of your head.
Scalp relax.
Forehead soften.
Jaw unclench.
Lips smooth.
Cheeks ease.
Earlobes relax.
Space between your eyebrows soften.
Temples relax.
The whole head as one sphere of sensation,
Resting heavy on the pillow,
Sinking deeper into relaxation.
Now feel the back of the neck.
Both shoulders.
Tension release.
Both upper arms.
Both forearms.
Wrists.
Palms of the hands.
Back of the hands.
Thumbs.
Index finger.
Middle finger.
Ring finger.
And pinky finger.
Noticing the space between the fingers.
The tips of the fingers.
Each finger splayed on the mattress,
Sinking deeper.
The chest.
The softening of the heart.
The upper back.
The lower back.
The belly.
Soft.
The hips.
The glutes.
Sensation in the legs.
Thighs.
Hamstrings.
The knees.
The calves.
Ankles.
Heels.
The soles of the feet.
Tops of the feet.
Big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
Noticing the space between the toes.
The tips of the toes.
Each toe sinking deeper into the mattress.
Feeling your body as one harmonious system.
Melting and guiding you into deep relaxation.
Let awareness sink deeper.
Feeling the skin.
Going deeper.
Feeling the warm sensations of your body.
Deeper still to feel the muscles.
Letting the muscles,
This overworked engine,
Ease into rest.
Your body letting out one audible sigh.
Feeling the body rest on the currents of your breath.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Your heart beat slowing down.
The heart soften.
The soles of the heart humming into rest.
Committing to rest easy.
Falling into a deep,
Deep sleep.
