Yoga Nidra For Deep Rest

Yoga nidra, also known as yogic sleep, is a meditation and conscious relaxation practice that anyone can do. Yoga nidra promotes deep rest and relaxation. This guided, systematic meditation is designed to take you through the five layers of self to bring you to a profound sense of wholeness. The only props you need are a pillow, blanket, and (if you have it) an eye pillow (a folded hand towel will also work). Find a quiet space where you can lay down for 30 minutes, uninterrupted, and enjoy!
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Transcript

It is time for yoga nidra.

You should be lying on your back with your knees slightly bent and supported with pillows or a bolster.

Make sure that you're warm enough and that your position is one that will be comfortable for the duration of the practice.

Covering up with a cozy blanket,

Resting your head on a pillow and an eye pillow covering your eyes.

It is best that you remain still during yoga nidra so that both your body and brain have a chance to fully relax.

However,

If you become uncomfortable,

Please feel free to change position.

The practice of yoga nidra is a practice of yogic sleep.

I will be guiding you to a state between wakefulness and sleeping.

Try to remain awake by listening to the sound of my voice.

You will be asked to move your awareness to various bodily sensations,

Emotions and images.

Try not to concentrate too intensely as this may prevent you from relaxing.

During this meditation,

Please use and absorb what you need in the moment and leave the rest behind.

If the mind becomes overactive with thoughts and worries,

Just come back to the sound of my voice.

Now,

Becoming aware of any sounds you can hear in this moment.

Nothing else but what you can hear without strain.

Begin to focus on the most distant sounds that you can hear.

Let your sense of hearing radiate outward,

Searching out these distant sounds and following them for a few moments.

Move your attention from sound to sound without labeling the source.

Gradually moving your attention from far away sounds to closer sounds.

From sounds outside this building to sounds inside this building.

Finally,

To sounds inside the room.

Now,

Without opening your eyes,

Visualize the four walls of this room.

The ceiling,

The floor,

Your body lying on the floor.

Visualize your body lying on the floor,

The position of your body,

Your clothes,

Your hair,

Your face.

Becoming acutely aware of the existence of your physical body lying on the floor.

Becoming aware of your natural breath.

Simple,

Spontaneous breath that moves in and out of your body without any effort.

The natural breath flows in and out through both nostrils.

Notice the feeling of the breath as it comes in and out.

There is a sense of coolness as you inhale.

Follow this feeling into your nose,

Your sinuses,

The back of your throat,

Into your lung.

Feeling a sense of warmth as you exhale.

Feel this warmth on your upper lip as you breathe out.

The natural breath flows through both nostrils.

Allow your breath to become longer and slower.

Take a long,

Slow inhale,

Followed by a longer,

Slower exhale,

Pausing after the exhale.

Slow inhale,

Even slower exhale,

And pause.

Feel the urge to breathe in,

Bubble up inside of you.

And when you need to inhale,

Please do so.

Long,

Slow inhale.

Longer,

Slower exhale.

Pausing where the body is neither breathing in nor out.

Please continue breathing in this way for a few more moments.

Now go back to your natural,

Easy,

Simple breath,

Releasing any control over the inhale or exhale.

The practice of Yoga Nidra begins now with the setting of an intention,

Or sankalpa.

This sankalpa should be short,

Positive statement,

A simple language,

Something you would like to receive from this practice of Yoga Nidra.

And state your sankalpa clearly and with awareness three times.

Also say to yourself,

I am practicing Yoga Nidra.

I am awake and relaxed.

We will now begin a systematic journey of sensory awareness throughout the body.

You will move your awareness to different parts of your body as soon as you hear them named.

Please say the name of the part to yourself and feel that part of your body.

But do not move any part.

The practice begins on the right side.

Right hand thumb,

Second finger,

Third finger,

Fourth finger,

Fifth finger,

Palm of the hand,

Back of the hand,

Wrist,

Forearm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

Shoulder,

Armpit,

Waist,

Hip,

Thigh,

Knee,

Knee,

Calf,

Ankle,

Heel,

Sole of the foot,

Top of the foot,

Right big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

Fifth toe,

Left hand thumb,

Second finger,

Third finger,

Fourth finger,

Fifth finger,

Palm of the hand,

Back of the hand,

Wrist,

Forearm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

Shoulder,

Armpit,

Waist,

Hip,

Thigh,

Knee,

Calf,

Ankle,

Heel,

Sole of the foot,

Top of the foot,

Left big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

Fifth toe.

Now go to the back of the body.

Right heel,

Left heel,

Right calf,

Left calf,

Right thigh,

Left thigh,

Right buttock,

Left buttock,

Lower back,

Middle back,

Upper back,

The entire spine,

Right shoulder blade,

Left shoulder blade,

Back of the neck,

Back of the head,

Top of the head,

Forehead,

Right temple,

Left temple,

Right ear,

Left ear,

Right eyebrow,

Left eyebrow,

Middle of the eyebrow,

Right eye,

Left eye,

Right nostril,

Left nostril,

Right cheek,

Left cheek,

Upper lip,

Lower lip,

Both lips together,

Chin,

Jaw,

Throat,

Right collarbone,

Left collarbone,

Right side of the chest,

Left side of the chest,

Upper abdomen,

Navel,

Lower abdomen,

Right groin,

Left groin,

Pelvic floor,

The whole right leg,

Whole left leg,

Whole right arm,

Whole left arm,

The whole face,

The whole head,

The whole torso,

The whole body,

The whole body,

The whole body.

Now imagine the whole body becoming light as though your body could float away from the floor and toward 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 are rising higher and higher away from the floor.

Imagine your body becoming heavy.

Feel the heaviness in all parts of the body,

Each part becoming heavier and heavier and heavier.

The head is heavy.

The limbs are heavy.

Torso is heavy.

The whole body is heavy,

So heavy that it's sinking down into the floor.

Now awaken the experience of cold in the body,

The experience of chilly cold.

Imagine being outside in winter without enough clothing.

You feel this chill permeating your entire body.

Now let's take a deep breath in and out.

Let the sensation of warmth spread throughout the entire body,

Feeling the heat of summer when you are out in the sun with no shade.

You feel heat radiating onto your skin,

Heat all around the body.

Now reflecting the experience of anxiety or worry,

Feel the sensation in the body,

Feel the stress,

But do not concentrate on the source.

Simply creating the physical feeling of anxiety or worry in the body as clearly as possible.

Now allowing the feeling of complete calm to envelope you,

Manifest this experience of calm in your entire mind,

Body,

And emotions.

You are like a clear,

Still pool of water,

Calm,

Clear,

Relaxed,

And aware.

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

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

The 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 within it,

Colors,

Patterns,

Or light.

Whatever you see is the manifesting state of your mind.

Creating this space with detached awareness without becoming involved in what you see.

Simply notice the images or patterns or colors.

If thoughts occur,

Let them come and go,

But continue to watch the space.

Calm,

Detached,

Aware.

Now a number of different things will be named and you should envision them on the level of emotion,

Memory,

Or imagination as best you can.

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

Red desert.

Peacock feather.

Buddha meditating.

A good night's rest.

Full moon.

Your reflection in a mirror.

Foggy morning.

Sun shining overhead.

Bouquet of flowers.

Tall tree.

Cool clear water.

Receiving help from others.

A relaxing afternoon.

Laughing with friends.

A warm embrace.

Burning candle.

Temple on a mountain.

Path in the woods.

Vibrant sunset.

Taking a deep breath.

Cat stretching.

A beautiful garden path.

Your favorite song.

The sound of my voice.

Your body lying on the floor.

It is time to repeat your sankalpa,

Your intention.

Please repeat the same statement made at the beginning of the practice three times,

Mentally now.

Come back to the feeling of your breath flowing in and out of your nostrils.

Maintain your awareness of breath and at the same time develop your awareness of your physical body.

Your body is relaxed and lying on the floor.

Feel the container of your skin on the clothes and props that are touching you.

Notice the heaviness of your body as it rests on the floor.

Take your awareness into all the points that are touching the floor.

The back of your heels,

Thighs,

Buttocks,

Shoulder blades,

Arms,

Hands,

And head.

Now visualize the surrounding room.

Imagine where you are in the room and the other objects that are around you.

Lie quietly until you feel ready to move.

And when you are ready to move,

Start by slowly moving your hands and feet.

Take your time.

There is no hurry.

And when you are sure that you are fully awake,

Please roll to your right side and stay on your right side for a few more moments.

When you are ready to sit up,

Use your hands to press yourself up from the floor and let your head come up last.

The practice of yoga nidra is now complete.

Reviews

Lovely restful yoga nidra, thank you 🙏