Yoga Nidra : With Nidra Devi, Goddess Of Sleep

This Yoga Nidra is slow and spacious. It contains gentle progressive relaxation to first tire the mind naturally, a rotation of consciousness, breath awareness, and visualisation which invites Nidra Devi Shakti, the Goddess of Sleep, whose loving presence bestows spiritual strength to those who suffer from sleeplessness, fatigue, and mental challenges.

It has gentle music and no end bell.

Transcript

Welcome to this yoga nidra in which you will be guided into deep restfulness.

Let my voice sweep through your awareness as if it is your own,

Part of the unified field of oneness we all share.

Prepare your bed and body,

Plump up your pillows,

Make sure your room is on the cool side.

Align your body a little to help you with any restlessness.

Lie on your back with your arms a little away from your sides,

Your palms facing upwards and fingers slightly curled.

Have your chin tucked under a little to lengthen the back of your neck,

Your legs hip width apart or a little wider and feet naturally falling away to the sides.

If you have any conditions,

Injuries or disabilities,

You might choose to lie on your side with supportive pillows,

Whatever takes best care of your body.

In yoga nidra,

Stillness is the aim because it creates the deep inner silence that will help you to sleep,

But let yourself move if you need to,

Comfort is always the key.

Close your eyes if you haven't already,

Notice the meeting place between your eyelids.

Allow any tightness around your eyes to dissolve away to the outer edges of your eyelids.

Now sense your eyes,

Rest them under the weight of your eyelids.

Turn the gaze of your eyes from outwards to inwards as if you are looking into the space of your inner being.

Take a slightly deeper breath and on your out breath,

Let your body sink and be fully received by your bed.

Feel the whole plane of your back body in contact with your bed.

The back of your head,

Shoulders,

Base of back,

Buttocks,

Backs of thighs,

Calves,

And backs of your ankles.

Make space in your heart to feel appreciation for this moment of surrender and acceptance of how you are feeling.

Know that even if sleep doesn't come,

You are allowing yourself to receive deep rest.

We will begin with some very subtle progressive relaxation to help you to feel tired naturally.

The movements are very small,

But only do the ones you can manage without discomfort.

Relax the base of your back by lifting your pelvis very slightly with control and sink it back down slowly.

Slowly.

Feel your pelvis resting a little more deeply in contact with your bed.

Feel the base of your back anchoring your body.

Now relax your buttocks by squeezing them together a little with control.

And release them all the way out to both hips.

Lift your right hip with control.

Clench it slightly if you can and place it down on your bed.

Lift your left hip with control.

Clench it a little and place it back down on your bed.

Release through the whole pelvic area until it feels spacious and at ease.

If there are any final ways you can move your body for greater comfort,

Do that now.

Feel a lightness and gentle pulsation in your shoulders inviting them to let go.

Allow them to drop away from your ears and sink into your bed.

Perhaps snake your spine a little.

Lift your neck very slightly if you can.

And lower it back down so that your pillow takes its full weight.

Feel your surroundings quietly embrace you.

Meet the silence of your inner body.

Become fully immersed in this inner silence.

Feel stillness move into every cell of your body.

Let this stillness join with your inner silence like two vast night clouds meeting each other.

And dissolving into one.

Now take your sensing awareness to the crown of your head to ignite the universal energy of Shakti here.

Feel any sensations at the crown of your head.

Perhaps a gentle tingling or warmth connecting you to the energy of the universe.

Flow your attention down into your forehead.

Feel a calm wave of relaxation wash over your forehead and into your face.

Let all the small muscles in your face release tension.

Move to the point between your two eyebrows and sink into this point.

Feel the energy of Shakti here.

And land on the bridge of your nose.

The tip of your nose.

Expand into the area of the inside of your nose.

Sense your cheeks.

Sense the subtle energy of Shakti radiating in your cheeks.

Sense your right cheekbone.

Melt the whole right side of your cheek down towards your right jawbone.

Sense your left cheekbone.

Melt the whole left side of your cheek down towards your left jawbone.

Let the front of your jaw release into softness.

Now glide your awareness inside your mouth.

The moisture inside your mouth.

Your tongue lying on the bottom of your mouth.

Tip of tongue.

Back of tongue.

Back of throat.

Bring awareness to the front of your throat.

Notice any sensations at the front of your throat.

Feel a slight energetic release as you relax your throat into quietude.

Sense both of your arms together.

Feel any sensations in them.

Like the subtle tingling of Shakti energy flowing down your arms,

From your shoulders,

Through your upper arms and elbows,

Down your forearms and into your fingertips.

Now move your sensing attention back to your throat centre and over to your right collarbone,

Right shoulder joint,

Right elbow,

Back of right wrist and hand,

Right hand thumb,

Thumb and fingers of your right hand.

Feel the aliveness in the centre of the palm of your right hand.

Notice sensations radiating outwards.

Let your awareness touch the delicate skin on the inside of your right wrist.

Sense the veins in the crease of your inside right elbow.

Move your awareness smoothly over your right bicep.

Into your right armpit.

Sink your awareness into the depth of your right armpit.

Deep inside your right shoulder joint,

From front through to back.

Back over to your right collarbone.

Centre of throat.

Left collarbone.

Left shoulder joint.

Left elbow.

Back of left wrist and hand.

Thumb and fingers of left hand.

Feel the aliveness in the centre of your right armpit.

In the palm of your left hand.

From centre radiating outwards.

Touch the delicate skin on the inside of your left wrist with your awareness.

Sense the veins on the inside of your left elbow.

In the crease.

Smoothly move over your left bicep.

Into the depth of your left armpit.

Release in your left armpit.

Left shoulder joint,

From front through to back.

Back to your left collarbone.

And your throat.

Anoint your throat with deep calm.

Flow down into your upper chest.

The whole of your breastbone.

Your right ribs.

Left ribs.

Navel centre,

Relaxed and peaceful.

Be aware of any natural sensations in your upper abdomen.

Gently rising and falling with your breath.

Imagine waves peacefully lapping onto the shore of your pelvis,

Like waves lapping the shore.

Feel the base of your back,

Strong and stable.

The whole of your body,

Heavy and inwards.

The back of your body,

Heavy and rested.

The front of your body,

Light and inwards.

The back and front of your body,

Together.

Right arm and right leg,

Heavy and released.

Left arm and left leg,

Heavy and released.

Right side of your body,

Heavy and warm.

Left side of your body,

Heavy and warm.

Right and left sides of your body,

Meeting at your midline.

Deep and inwards.

The whole of your body,

Heavy and inwards.

The whole of your body,

Heavy and inwards.

The whole of your body,

Heavy and inwards.

Become aware of the presence of your breath.

Feel small movements in your body as it gently rises and falls with your breath.

Let the gentle cadence of your breath take you even more deeply inwards.

Find yourself deep inside your inner body.

Feel the subtle vibration of your inner body.

Perhaps there is a tingling at your lips.

At your hands and fingers.

Perhaps there is a tingling in your feet and toes.

Perhaps you can feel a tingling or sensation just above the surface of the skin of your whole body.

Experience your whole body from deep inside.

As you drift further into peace,

Take your attention up to your third eye centre.

Relax at the back of your forehead and closed eyes.

Picture the ancient lands of India.

Become aware of vibrant colours of marigold,

Reds,

Azure blues and emerald greens drifting in and out of your awareness.

Find yourself in a tranquil night garden illuminated by a crescent moon.

Let jasmine fill your senses.

Hear the faint sounds of soft chanting float through the air.

With a sigh in the cosmos,

Feel time quietly bend.

See a radiant figure emerge before you draped in silks of deep indigo.

She is Nidra Devi,

The goddess of sleep,

Radiating tranquility.

A luminous figure your heart recognises.

Her eyes are shining with kindness and wisdom.

She invites you to sink beneath the sea of stillness and engage in the ancient ritual of sleep.

Visualise her surrounding light creating a feeling of safety around you.

Allow her to embody your deepest longing for renewal.

With every inhale,

Draw in her energy and light.

With every exhale,

Sink deeper into her loving presence.

Feel her grace wrap around you,

Assuring you that you are never alone.

Feel a soft hazy veil guiding you into the depths of deepest slumber.

Feel Nidra Devi place her hands on your heart centre.

Feel warmth radiate from her touch and send waves of deep comfort throughout your being.

Allow this feeling of being beloved to seep into your muscles,

Softening them and opening the chambers of your heart even further.

On gentle waves of bliss,

Let Nidra Devi lead you onwards into deep sleep.

Into limitless depth.

Reviews

It’s a nice meditation but I haven’t yet fallen asleep while listening. 10/27/25