Welcome to this yoga nidra for restlessness.
My name is Elka.
Allow me to be your guide throughout this practice.
We all can experience restlessness.
Restlessness happens when we haven't processed the experiences of our day,
Often resulting in repetitive thoughts,
Lack of concentration and focus,
Fatigue,
Physical pain,
And so much more,
All causing disruptions in your sleep.
Your brain and body are complex systems and they are always working for you with positive intentions for your safety and well-being.
You do not need to think or control any of this,
And your restlessness is a sign that you need rest.
Yoga nidra is a systematic meditation.
It is designed to help you deeply rest and also to reconnect to the wellspring of healing knowledge that happens when we're fully relaxed.
So offer yourself now the gift of quiet listening,
Following along as best as you can with the guidance of my voice.
If you drift off,
Notice when this happens and gently guide yourself back,
Guiding yourself back to sensing,
Feeling,
And listening.
If you are having trouble falling asleep,
You may want to try listening to this meditation again.
Simply hit replay and give yourself more time to let go,
Giving yourself more time to rebalance and reorganize your thoughts and allow your whole body to rest into sleep.
This meditation allows your mind and body to rest while providing receptivity and gentle stimulation to your brain.
Think of this as a little massage for your mind.
You already know how to do this,
So let it naturally unfold.
You do not need to try.
Simply be.
Be present.
And this simple practice of gentle awareness is what enlivens the neurons of your brain and also connects you with the healing world of peace and deep sleep.
So allow this time for yourself.
Allow yourself to simply be,
To simply listen with open ears and an open heart and know that you can return to this yoga nidra anytime you need a little support or a subtle shift into sleep.
Fine tune your comfort now,
Making any adjustments with your pillow,
Blankets.
Set yourself as comfortable as you can,
Adjusting head,
Shoulders,
Arms and legs,
And then resting into stillness within your body as best as you can,
Only making movements mindfully if you need to and only if they help you to get even more comfortable.
Open your awareness,
Sensing into all points of the body that are making contact with the surface beneath you.
Notice your self-breathing,
Perhaps now even noticing the air at the tip of your nose.
In each breath in,
Can you follow this breath in from the tip of your nose to the back of your throat and deep inside your lungs and your belly,
Noticing as the body releases your breath,
Breath and body releasing into the air and space around you.
Do this a few more times now,
Each time making a little more space for air inside the belly,
The chest.
Each breath out,
Allow your whole body to let go into the air and space around you.
Out breath slightly longer than your in breath,
Breathing at your own pace,
Breathing easily,
Not straining or controlling,
Simply allowing breath to flow in and to flow out.
And when you're ready,
Could you let all of these sensations go,
Awareness floating back inside your body,
Noticing and feeling your shoulders,
Your arms,
Fingertips,
Perhaps now noticing and feeling your back,
Your legs,
Your knees and the space just below your knees.
Accept your body just as it is.
Throughout this yoga nidra,
Could you welcome in the presence or possibility of ease and peace?
Perhaps even welcoming ease to flood behind the eyes,
Feeling ease spread across your forehead,
Your temples and even now welcoming the presence of listening inside your ears.
Listening to the quiet whisper of your breath.
And within this quiet breath,
Could you welcome the mind to quietly invite the sound of so hum with the movement of breath?
As you breathe in,
Breath making the sound so,
Breathing out,
Breath making the sound hum.
Simply guide your breath in this awareness,
Noticing the sound of your breath,
Being present with the quiet whisper of your breath,
Following along with your breath,
Breathing in,
So,
Breathing out,
Hum.
Each breath inviting this quiet whisper of a mantra inside the mind and inside the whole body,
Mantra of peace,
So hum.
Take time to notice all that is present here.
Throughout this practice,
Greet everything that arises with the loving presence and attention that you would give to a trusted friend or a loved one.
If something comes up that stirs your mind,
Notice it and then you can return yourself back to the feeling of the breath moving in and out of your body,
Or maybe perhaps even back into the feeling of your eyes or the sound of so hum in your breath,
Creating every experience with loving presence and genuine kindness.
And now could you flood all of your awareness to the sensations inside your mouth,
Feeling the inside of your mouth,
Feeling your tongue,
Your teeth,
Gums,
Noticing all the sensations inside your mouth.
Feel inside the throat,
The right shoulder,
The left shoulder.
Now place awareness of all ten of your fingertips,
Feeling all ten of your fingertips alive with sensations.
And now could you feel just the thumbs,
Feeling both thumbs.
And notice if one thumb calls your attention more than the other,
Folding awareness from the tip of your thumb to the tip of your index finger,
Middle finger,
Tip of your ring finger,
And tip of your little finger,
And now feel all four fingers and your thumb on the side,
As though you're putting your whole hand to sleep.
Now watch and feel as your awareness moves over to your other hand and the tip of your thumb on the other hand.
Feel all the sensations in the tip of your thumb and now the tip of your index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
And little finger.
And feel the whole hand on the side as it floats to sleep.
Now travel down to your feet,
Feeling all the sensations in your toes,
All ten toes alive with sensations.
And now feel only the big toes,
Feeling both big toes at once.
Now could you notice one toe draws your attention more than the other and floats your awareness over to this side and the tip of the big toe on this side.
And feel over to the second toe,
The third toe,
The fourth toe,
And the little toe.
And feel all five toes at once,
As though you're putting your whole foot to sleep,
Sleep nest dripping from toes down to heels,
Your whole foot asleep.
And now feel your awareness move over to the big toe on the other side,
Feeling the tip of your big toe,
Your second toe,
Your third toe,
Your fourth toe,
Your little toe.
Feel all the toes on the side going to sleep and sleep gently floating down the whole foot,
Feeling your whole foot go to sleep.
Now begin to sense and feel inside your torso,
Feeling your chest,
Your back,
Feeling right side of chest,
Left side of chest,
Feeling the right side of your back,
Feeling the left side of your back,
And feel your whole torso falling asleep.
Notice your whole body resting,
Feeling all the sensations inside your whole body from head to fingertips and down inside toe depths.
Notice your whole body resting,
Whole body sleeping,
Awareness of your whole body resting and sleeping.
There are layers of sleep and you can trust in them.
Notice your whole body resting,
Physical body falling asleep.
Feeling your whole body expanding,
Expanding your feeling outward.
Notice and sense and feel your whole body be in a bright,
Healing light all around you,
360 degrees of healing light all around you.
Notice the peaceful presence of this light.
Feel it gently supporting you,
Flooding you with healing,
Vibrational energy.
Notice your whole body resting in this beautiful light,
Being present with the colors,
The healing tones,
Any sensations that are here.
Feel yourself expanding into the spaces all around you.
Notice yourself peaceful,
At ease,
Noticing your body still,
Noticing your mind quiet,
Feeling everything that arises with loving presence,
Taking comfort in the healing energy all around you.
Notice your body breathing,
Notice yourself safe and calm,
Feeling the body free of its form,
Expanding all around you.
Be in a bright,
Healing light.
Be in a bright,
Healing light.
Be in a bright,
Healing light.
Be in a bright,
Healing light.
Be in a bright,
Healing light.
Be in a bright,
Healing light.
Be in a bright,
Healing light.
Be in a bright,
Healing light.
