Thunderstorm Yoga Nidra For Deep Relaxation

Sink into deep rest with this 20-minute Yoga Nidra designed to guide you gently into a state of conscious relaxation with a background thunderstorm. You'll move through a rotation of awareness across the body, explore opposites of sensation, and visualize a sanctuary of stillness. This practice will help calm the nervous system, cultivate inner peace, and support deep healing. Ideal for unwinding at the end of the day or resetting during times of stress.

Transcript

Welcome to this 20-minute yoga nidra practice.

Lie down on your back and set yourself up to be as comfortable as possible.

This may mean covering yourself with a blanket or putting a pillow beneath the knees.

Using an eye mask or pillow can be a nice touch,

Too.

Continue to make any small adjustments so that your body can rest in stillness for the duration of the practice.

As you begin to settle,

Breathe quietly in and out through the nose.

Yoga nidra is a practice of deep relaxation and open awareness that allows us to release tension and form new pathways in the brain.

This practice is rooted in the teachings of Swami Satyananda Sarasvati,

Who is credited with adapting the technique from traditional tantric practices.

For the next half hour,

Do your best to be free from outside disturbances and distraction so you can be as present as possible.

I'll be guiding you through a series of cues to help you reach a state somewhere in between awake and asleep.

To do this,

We must be both fully relaxed and aware.

For the full effects of the practice,

It's important that you do not fall asleep.

However,

If you do,

You will still get some benefits,

So don't let it worry you.

Make a resolution now that,

I will not sleep.

I will remain awake throughout the practice.

The only important thing to remember throughout the rest of the practice is to follow my voice.

There's no need to analyze the instructions or try to do anything.

If thoughts or sensations come to you,

Acknowledge them and return to the sound of my voice.

Continue to breathe quietly and easily through the nose.

Allow the floor to meet your body and take any small movements to help you settle into your posture,

As if you were nestling yourself into warm sand.

On your next inhalation,

Allow a full breath to fill your body and as you let the breath go,

Imagine your whole body relaxing.

After the next exhalation,

Pause your breath for a count of five or so seconds before allowing the breath to return to a natural pace.

Once again,

At the end of the exhalation,

Pause for five or so seconds and then allow the breath to recover nice and easily.

Bring your awareness to the right side of your body and release any obvious tension you notice.

Relax the right side of your face,

Your shoulder and right arm,

Right side of the torso and the right leg and foot.

As you breathe quietly,

Imagine every exhalation releasing more tension from the right side of the body.

Bring your awareness now to the left side of the body and let go of any tightness you might feel.

Invite relaxation into your left face,

Neck,

Shoulder and arm,

Your left torso and hip,

Leg and foot.

Relax the left side of your body.

Return your awareness to the right side of the body and relax it just a little bit more than the left side.

Even just five percent more,

Every breath,

Every exhalation,

A chance to release a little more deeply.

Now release the left side to be more relaxed than the right,

As if the cells themselves could be spacious and at ease.

Become aware of the fact that you are going to practice yoga nidra.

Say to yourself,

I am going to practice yoga nidra.

Continue to breathe naturally through the nose.

The practice of yoga nidra begins now.

It is time to set your resolve,

Or sankalpa.

This should be a short,

Positive and simple statement.

By repeating it three times in the mind with feeling and gratitude,

You plant a seed in our subconscious that is bound to grow and bear fruit.

While you are welcome to use your own,

For this practice I invite you to repeat the following.

I rest deeply and easily.

I rest deeply and easily.

I rest deeply and easily.

We now begin rotation of consciousness,

Moving awareness through the different parts of the body as quickly as possible.

In your mind,

Repeat the part after me,

And simultaneously become aware of that part of the body.

Let your focus be easy and fluid.

Become aware of the right hand.

Right hand thumb,

Second finger,

Third finger,

Fourth finger,

Pinky finger,

Palm of the hand,

Back of the hand,

The right wrist,

The lower arm,

The elbow,

The upper arm,

The shoulder,

The armpit,

The right waist,

The right hip,

The right thigh,

The kneecap,

The right calf muscle and shin,

The ankle,

The right heel,

The sole of the right foot,

The top of the foot,

The big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

Fifth toe.

Become aware of the left hand thumb,

Second finger,

Third finger,

Fourth finger,

Pinky finger,

Palm of the left hand,

The back of the hand,

The wrist,

The lower arm,

The elbow,

The upper arm,

The shoulder,

The left armpit,

The left waist,

The left hip,

The left thigh,

The kneecap,

The calf and the shin,

The ankle,

The left heel,

The sole of the left foot,

The top of the foot,

The big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

Fifth toe.

Now to the back.

Become aware of the right shoulder blade,

The left shoulder blade,

The right buttock,

The left buttock,

Spine,

The whole back together.

Now go to the top of the head,

The crown of the head,

The forehead,

Both sides of the head,

The right eyebrow,

The left eyebrow,

The space between the eyebrows,

The right eyelid,

The left eyelid,

The right eye,

The left eye,

The right cheek,

The left cheek,

The nose,

The tip of the nose,

The upper lip,

The lower lip,

The chin,

The throat,

The right chest,

The left chest,

The middle of the chest,

The navel,

The abdomen,

The whole of the right leg,

The whole of the left leg,

Both legs together,

The whole of the right arm,

The whole of the left arm,

Both arms together,

The whole of the back,

Buttocks,

Spine,

Shoulder blades,

The whole of the front,

Abdomen,

Chest,

The whole of the back and front together,

The whole of the head,

The whole body together,

The whole body together,

The whole body together.

Return to total awareness without sleep.

Become aware of your body lying on the floor.

Your whole body is lying on the floor.

Notice the points of contact between your body and the floor.

The whole body lying on the floor.

We move now to exploring opposites of sensation.

Imagine the whole body becoming heavy.

Watch as the body becomes heavier and heavier,

Sinking into the floor of the room.

The head becomes heavy.

The shoulders and arms are heavy.

The buttocks and legs become dense and heavy.

As if the whole body is made of metal.

Allow the feeling of heaviness to increase with every breath.

With the next breath,

Imagine the heavy metal of your body becoming light and dissolving to cotton.

Let your body become light as a feather,

Like a cloud floating over the floor,

As if the gentlest breeze could blow your body away.

The torso is light.

The arms and legs become weightless.

The head floats off the floor.

Every breath makes your body lighter and lighter and lighter.

Now imagine the sensation of heat as if your body has been placed in a sauna.

Let the sensation of heat move through your body.

Experience the heat of a tropical sun or being next to a furnace.

The sensation of sweat forming and dripping off your body.

Awaken the experience of heat as vividly as possible.

The breath like an effortless bellows,

Stoking the fire to a roar.

The body now moves in to the feeling of cold.

Imagine your fingers and toes becoming numb.

The feeling of a chill running through the core of the body,

As if the body itself was made of ice or stored in a freezer.

Remember the coldest you have ever been.

Think of cold winds blowing from the snowy mountains.

The coldness of water just above freezing,

Surrounded by ice.

Awaken the experience of cold within you.

Bring to mind now the experience of pain,

Any kind of pain you have experienced in your life.

Head pain,

Stomach pain,

Physical pain,

Mental pain.

Everyone has experienced pain.

Remember that pain and allow the experience to feel as clear as possible.

Deepen your awareness and feel the pain intensely,

Acutely.

Continue to concentrate both intensely and effortlessly on the sensation of pain.

We move to pleasure.

Try to experience the feeling of pleasure,

Any kind of pleasure.

Remember pleasure,

Whether a pleasant smell,

Or taste,

Pleasurable sounds,

Or sights.

Any kind of mental pleasure.

Recall that experience of pleasure and allow it to grow into joy and even ecstasy.

Allow the sensation of pleasure to move through every cell of your body,

Building with each breath.

Release any sensations and check that you are awake.

Make sure you are not sleeping.

Think to yourself,

I am awake.

Imagine yourself in a park just before dawn.

The sun has not risen and the park is deserted except for yourself.

It's beautiful here,

Calm and peaceful.

You walk across fresh grass and hear the birds whistle and call as a new day arrives.

There are gardens of flowers,

Roses and tulips,

Yellow,

Purple,

Red,

Pink.

Their fragrance fills the air.

Near the garden is a fish pond,

Goldfish swimming amongst the water lilies,

Elegant and smooth.

You walk past the pond,

Through the trees of all shapes and kind.

Trees with leaves and needles.

Trees wide and lush.

Tall and stately trees.

You see a clearing between the trees and the clearing is a small temple with an aura of light around it.

You go to the door and find it cool and dim inside.

Dawning the walls are pictures of great saints and sages.

You sit down on the floor,

Close your eyes and become still.

A sense of deep peace and harmony envelops you as the sounds outside fade into the distance.

Now remember your resolve,

Your sankalpa.

Repeat the same resolve you made at the beginning of the practice with feeling and energy.

I rest deeply and easily.

I rest deeply and easily.

I rest deeply and easily.

Become aware of your breathing.

Effortless and smooth.

In and out.

Notice your body resting on the floor.

Notice the meeting points between your legs and the floor.

Your arms and the floor.

Your head and the floor.

Develop your awareness of the room around you,

The walls and the ceiling.

Notice any sounds around you and let your senses reach out from your body to become completely external.

Lie quietly for a few moments and keep your eyes closed.

Start to move your fingers and toes.

Slowly and deliberately make any movements that might feel good,

Stretching the arms and the legs away from each other.

Take your time.

No need to hurry.

When you are sure that you are wide awake,

Sit up slowly and open your eyes.

The practice of Yoga Nidra is now complete.

Reviews

I really enjoyed this yoga nidra practice, it was wonderful, thank you!