Intention Setting For The Day: Non-Sleep Deep Rest

Mornings are the best time to set an intention to set you up for the day, through this non-sleep deep rest (aka yoga nidra) guided meditation. You can do this one as you're lying in bed. We start with some gentle stretches to wake the body up, then we'll feel into your intention for the day before moving into a body scan to further relax you and seed this intention a little deeper in your subconscious, helping to nourish and support you through the day.

Transcript

Mornings are the best time to set an intention for the rest of your day.

So as you're lying here in bed,

Starting to wake yourself up,

We'll first start with a few easy gentle stretches,

Moving some energy through the body and then we'll move into a short yoga nidra practice,

Feeling into an intention you have for today.

So wherever you are,

Lying down,

And let's begin with a few short stretches.

On the next inhale,

Raise the arms overhead,

Interlace fingers,

Press palms away from you,

And then as you exhale,

Releasing,

Draw the knees into your chest,

Give yourself a nice big squeeze,

Going gently.

Inhale one more time,

Raising arms up overhead,

Interlace fingers,

Press palms away from you,

This time flex the feet,

Press your heels away from you,

As you press the toes towards your face,

Deepening into this stretch all the way through every cell of the body.

And exhale,

Release,

Draw knees into the chest,

You might like to this time tuck your chin into your chest and give yourself a nice big squeeze.

One last time,

Inhale,

Arms overhead,

Interlace fingers,

Press palms away from you,

And let's try pointing the feet this time,

So point toes away from you in the opposite direction.

Stretch,

Stretch,

Stretch,

Stretch,

Stretch,

And then releasing,

Exhale,

Draw knees into your chest,

One last squeeze,

And squeeze,

Squeeze,

Squeeze,

Squeeze,

Squeeze,

Everything tight,

And then releasing,

And just take a few short moments here,

Feeling into all of the sensations,

Slowly waking you up.

On the next exhale,

Draw the right knee into your chest,

Inhaling here,

On the next exhale,

Dropping that right knee over to the left side,

Moving into a very gentle side twist,

Moving gently,

Allowing the body to very slowly release with every exhale,

Looking over the right shoulder if that's available.

But if that becomes too intense,

You can look up to the ceiling,

Or look over the left shoulder as well.

One last breath here,

Inhale,

Drawing knee back up to center,

And exhale,

Release,

And take a few moments to feel into the differences between both sides,

Which side feels a little bit more alive right now,

And which side might feel perhaps a little bit more tense right now.

Everything just as it is.

Now deep belly breath,

Inhale,

On the next exhale,

Draw the left knee into your chest,

And this time dropping the left knee over to the right side,

Moving into a gentle side twist on the other side.

Left arm opens out to shoulder height,

And then taking whatever position,

Either facing towards your left shoulder,

Up to the ceiling,

Or over to the right shoulder.

Once again,

Allowing the body to show you what you need today.

Deep belly breath in,

Deep belly breath out,

Inhaling knee back to center,

And exhale,

Release.

Coming back to Savasana,

Palms facing up to the sky,

Feet are slightly wider than hip-width apart,

Allowing the feet to flop out on either side of you,

And take a few moments to sense and feel into all of the sensations moving through the body.

Those few stretches have awakened within you,

Feeling this aliveness moving through you,

And even through this aliveness,

Noticing this deeper sense of quiet and ease.

Now let's take the next few moments to feel into your intention for today,

Taking as much time as you need.

If nothing arises,

This too is your experience.

Perhaps you might like to feel into this question with a sense of curiosity.

If I had an intention for today,

What might it be?

Now with a sense of curiosity,

I'd love to invite you to feel into what would it feel like in the body if this intention were true?

If this intention you have for today were realized,

If it was true,

How would that make you feel?

And stepping into all of those feelings and sensations,

Perhaps you're feeling a little taller,

A little bit more open,

Perhaps even a gentle smile from this joy that's arising within you.

Continue to feel into this intention you have for today,

Opening into the sensations that this intention is arising within you.

Now bringing awareness to the crown of the head,

Sensing and feeling into sensations all the way in the crown of the head,

Sensations flowing down all sides of the head,

Front,

Back,

Left,

And right,

All the way down the face and the back of the head,

Down both ears,

And all the way down into the throat,

Bringing attention into the throat and opening yourself into all of the sensations and the liveness in the throat.

Now sensations flowing from here across the top of the left shoulder,

All the way down the left arm,

Moving slowly,

Flowing into the left wrist,

Thumb,

Index finger,

Middle finger,

Fourth finger,

Pinky finger,

Palm of the left hand,

Lighting up a sensation,

Back of the left hand as pure sensation,

The entire left hand lighting up as vibrant,

Alive sensation,

And perhaps even feeling through the skin boundary into the space around the left hand,

Left hand and the space around the left hand as pure sensation,

Aliveness in the left hand,

Bringing attention back to the throat once again,

Aliveness and sensations in the throat.

Now flowing across the top of the right shoulder,

Flowing slowly with this aliveness through the right arm,

All the way into the right wrist,

Sensing and feeling all the way into the right thumb,

Index finger,

Middle finger,

Fourth finger,

Pinky finger,

Palm of the right hand,

Lighting up as vibrant sensation,

Back of the right hand,

Now the entire right hand lighting up as alive sensation,

Perhaps even feeling this energy moving through the skin boundary into the space beyond the right hand,

The right hand and the space around your right hand as one,

As alive sensation,

Now sensing and feeling the left hand once again as vibrant sensation,

Right hand as vibrant,

Alive sensation,

Both hands at the same time,

Alive with sensation,

Infused with your intention for today,

Bringing awareness back to the throat once again,

Now traveling and flowing this aliveness and sensations through the torso,

All the way into the belly,

All the way down into the pelvis and hips,

Pelvis,

Hips,

Abdomen,

Lighting up as vibrant sensation,

Now flowing these sensations down the left thigh,

All the way down the left leg,

Into the ankle,

Sole of the left foot,

Big toe,

Second toe,

Middle toe,

Fourth toe,

Baby toe,

Baby toe,

The entire left foot buzzing with an aliveness,

The space around your left foot,

Left foot and the space around your left foot as one,

Alive,

Bringing attention back to the abdomen,

This aliveness of sensations in the abdomen,

Now flowing these sensations down the right thigh,

All the way through,

Moving and flowing down the right leg,

Flowing all the way into the right ankle,

Sole of the right foot,

Big toe,

Second toe,

Middle toe,

Fourth toe,

Baby toe,

The entire right foot as alive sensation,

Moving through the skin boundary into the space around the right foot,

Right foot and the space around the right foot together as one,

Radiant,

Alive sensation,

Sensations in the left foot,

Once again,

Lighting up the sensation,

Moving attention back to the right foot,

Lighting up as alive sensation,

Right foot and left foot at the same time,

Alive with sensation,

Both hands,

Alive with sensation,

Now both feet,

Alive with sensation,

Now both hands and both feet at the same time,

Lighting up as radiant,

Vibrant sensation,

Now moving this aliveness and sensing that through the entire body,

From both feet,

All the way through the body,

Through both hands,

All the way into the crown of the head,

Vibrating with this aliveness,

Through these breaths,

Even through all of these changing thoughts and emotions that might be appearing and arising out of all of these changing sensations,

This spacious,

Limitless you,

From this open,

Timeless,

Spaceless you,

Feeling back into your intention for the day again,

Expanding into sensations in the body of what it would feel like if this intention were already true,

Opening into all of these sensations,

Noticing if there is an ease and a deeper presence that is also here,

This presence that is always here,

Within you,

Now taking a moment of gratitude for taking this time for you,

Know that this intention you set for today will continue to nourish and support you through the day and even through the rest of the days,

This yoga nidra is now complete,

Whenever you are ready in your own time,

Slowly opening the eyes,

You might like to wriggle the fingers and wriggle the toes,

Give yourself a nice big stretch once again and notice how the stretch feels this time compared to just a few minutes ago when we started this practice,

Rolling over onto whichever side you choose and in your own time bringing yourself back up to a seated position,

If you have a journaling practice you might like to write down some reflections or any thoughts or emotions that might have arisen in today's practice,

If you'd like to share any reflections in the comments I'd love to hear it,

Wishing you a beautiful rest of your day and see you in the next one.

Reviews

My intention for today: to remember that I am safe and trust that *everything* will be allright. Thank you for this wonderful and calming start of the day 🙏!

A really beautiful practice & a perfect way to start the day…Thank you 🙏🏼✨💫

Very different than expected but I enjoyed the movement along with intention setting 🙏🏻

Wonderful way to start the day!
My intention is to bring joy into my life and others.
Thank you.
💖

This was wonderful. Thank you.
The pace, voice, stretching, nidra...all perfect for a gentle yet inspiring start to the day. 🙏💜🌞

I loved the awakening stretches and setting an intention for the day. Your voice is gentle and warm. A lovely way to calm any morning anxiety and prepare myself for the day ahead. Thank you

Soothing, restful, and also energizing. I will come back to this one again.