Deep Relaxation: A Guided Yoga Nidra Practice

Yoga Nidra is an ancient practice that guides you into the deeply restorative state between wakefulness and sleep — often called “yogic sleep.” In this profound state of relaxation, the body softens, the breath slows, and the nervous system resets. Many people report that just one session of Yoga Nidra can feel as restful as an hour of deep sleep.

This practice supports emotional balance, stress relief, improved sleep, and a greater sense of grounding and inner peace. Join me in sacred stillness as you are gently guided into a place of complete rest, renewal, and calm.

Music by Alex Wit.

Transcript

Welcome to this practice of Yoga Nidra.

You should be lying on your back with the knees slightly bent and supported.

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

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.

Allow your eyes to close and keep them closed until the practice has ended.

The practice of Yoga Nidra is a practice of yogic sleep that will guide you into a state of consciousness 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.

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

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 bring your attention to closer sounds,

To sounds outside this building,

To sounds inside this building,

To sounds inside this room.

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.

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

Become aware of your natural breath.

Become aware of your natural and spontaneous breath that moves in and out of your body without any effort.

The natural breath flows in through the both nostrils.

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

There is a sense of coolness as you inhale the breath.

Follow this feeling into your nose,

Your sinuses,

The back of your throat,

Into your lungs.

There is a sense of warmth as you exhale the breath.

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

The natural breath flows through both nostrils during the inhale and the exhale.

Allow your breath to become longer and slower.

Take a long,

Slow inhalation followed by a longer,

Slower exhalation.

Make your exhale even slower.

Notice the slight pause after the exhale.

Slow inhale,

Even slower exhale,

And pause.

Feel the urge to breathe in bubble up inside of you.

When you need to inhale,

Please do so.

Long,

Slow inhale.

Longer,

Slower exhale.

And then pause where the body is neither breathing in,

Nor breathing out.

Please continue breathing in this way.

Now go back to the natural,

Easy breath,

Releasing any control over the inhale or exhale.

Now say to yourself,

I am practicing Yoga Nidra.

I am awake and relaxed.

The practice of Yoga Nidra begins now.

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.

Waist.

Knee.

Ankle.

Heel.

Sole of the foot.

Top of the foot.

Right big toe.

Second toe.

Third toe.

Fourth toe.

Fifth toe.

The whole right side of the body.

The whole right side of the body.

The whole right side of the body.

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.

Shoulder.

Armpit.

Waist.

Calf.

Ankle.

Heel.

Sole of the foot.

Top of the foot.

Left big toe.

Second toe.

Third toe.

Fourth toe.

Fifth toe.

The whole left side of the body.

The whole left side of the body.

The whole left side of the body.

Now go to the back of the body.

Right knee.

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 eyebrows.

Right eye.

Left eye.

Right nostril.

Left nostril.

Right cheek.

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 chest.

Upper abdomen.

Navel.

Lower abdomen.

Right groin.

Left groin.

The pelvic floor.

The pelvic floor.

The whole right leg.

Whole left leg.

Whole right arm.

Whole left arm.

The whole face.

The whole face.

The whole head.

The whole torso.

The whole body.

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.

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.

Now imagine your body becoming heavy.

Feel the heaviness in all parts of the body.

Each part is becoming heavier and heavier and heavier.

The head is heavy.

The limbs are heavy.

The torso is heavy.

The whole body is heavy.

So heavy that it is sinking down into the floor.

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 allow the sensation of warmth to spread throughout the entire body.

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

You feel heat radiating onto your skin.

Heat all around the body.

Recollect the experience of anxiety and worry.

Feel this stress in your mind and body but do not concentrate on its source.

Create the experience of anxiety as clearly as possible.

Now allow the feeling of complete calm to envelop you.

Manifest the experience of calm in your entire mind,

Body and emotions.

You are relaxed and aware and you are completely calm.

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 and light.

Whatever you see is the manifesting state of your mind.

Continue your awareness of this space but do not become involved.

Practice detached awareness only.

If any subtle images make themselves known,

Simply notice them without directing the images.

If thoughts occur let them come and go but continue watching the dark space.

Continue this with detached awareness.

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

Memory and imagination as best you can.

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

Red desert.

Peacock feather.

Buddha meditating.

Doctor's office.

A good night's rest.

Full moon.

Your reflection in a mirror.

Foggy morning.

Sun shining overhead.

Bouquet of flowers.

Tall tree.

Receiving help from others.

Cool,

Clear water.

Making appointments.

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.

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

Maintain your awareness of the 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 and the clothes and the props that are touching you.

Notice the heaviness of your body as it rests on the floor and take your awareness into all the points that are touching the floor.

The back of your heels.

The back of your legs.

The back of your shoulder blades.

Arms.

Hands.

And head.

Do not open your eyes yet but 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.

Start by slowly moving your hands and feet.

Taking your time.

There is no hurry.

When you are sure that you are fully awake gently open your eyes and roll over to your right side.

Stay on your right side for a few more moments.

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.