Yoga Nidra For Sleep - Resting In Enoughness

This is a yoga nidra intended to support rest and if desired, sleep. It was a custom co-creation with a client who wanted others to be able to benefit from our work together. The nidra contains two body rotations and guided breath visualisations involving a safe place and the chakra system.

Transcript

So welcome to this practice of yoga nidra.

As you get started,

Go ahead and prepare by doing anything that you need to.

To be comfortable,

To settle in,

Doing whatever is useful to create as much ease as might be possible in this moment.

You might think on your posture,

The surface that you're on.

Blankets,

Cushions,

Eye pillows.

Whatever you need to create a sense of ease,

A sense of comfort.

So you're here,

You're preparing to practice yoga nidra.

You hear the sound of my voice.

And you can release any and all expectations of what this practice of yoga nidra will be like.

You can be aware of the shape of the body.

Giving the body permission to take up space,

The space that it's in.

Inviting the body to feel the support of the surface that it's on.

And trusting that this experience of yoga nidra,

However it manifests this time,

Will be exactly what the body,

What you need in this moment.

Trusting that the body will respond deeply.

As you settle in,

It's perhaps interesting to consider that the body is made up of many systems working together.

Systems which are made up of cells.

Cells which are ultimately made up of energy particles.

And energy moves and it flows.

Taking shape,

Changing shape.

Yet it always remains energy.

It's always just what it is.

And it's good enough as it is.

And so too,

You and your body made up of energy.

It's good enough,

Just as you are.

More than enough.

So resting in knowing that you are this interwoven part of the fabric of the universe.

And you're more than enough,

Just as you are.

You can be aware of your breathing.

And any thoughts that might be present can be acknowledged.

Perhaps greeted with a friendly hello.

And then imagined that they can be set to the side.

Perhaps they don't have to go away.

But you can tune into the breath.

Knowing that the world of thoughts will always be there to return to.

But for now,

Just tuning into breathing.

How the breath flows in and how it flows out.

And then aware of the environment around you.

Maybe noticing sounds.

Allowing sounds,

Whatever sounds are present,

To be heard.

And being heard,

Perhaps to be welcomed.

Welcoming in the energy of sound.

Maybe sounds farther away.

And also perhaps sounds a bit closer by.

Maybe even the sound of your own breath.

And then aware of surface sensations.

So sensations at the level of skin,

Maybe contact with the surface that you're on.

Maybe the air,

As it flows across skin.

Or any other sensations that might be present.

The surface of the body.

Welcoming sensations at the surface of the body.

And then moving inward a little bit deeper to notice sensations inside the body.

Whatever sensations may or may not be present at this moment in the body.

You'll notice the back of the head.

The neck.

Shoulders.

Length of back.

Buttocks.

Upper legs.

Lower legs.

Feet.

The wholeness of the legs.

The pelvis.

The torso.

Arms,

Neck and head.

Perhaps noticing sensations of breathing.

The way the body gently flows and moves with the breath.

Or any of the other little movements,

Sensations that might be present in the body right now.

Resolving that every noticing,

Every sensation,

Every sensory experience can carry you deeper into the experience of yoga nidra.

Moving attention inwards towards the heart space,

The physical heart space or the metaphorical heart space.

Making space here for any intention,

Any sankopa that you might like to use,

To have.

It might be words,

Picture,

Maybe even color or sound.

Allowing your intention to reside in the heart space.

And allowing each breath,

Each beat of the heart to carry your intention throughout the body to every system,

Every cell,

Every thought.

And in just a little bit we'll take a journey around the body.

Throughout this you'll be breathing and we'll return to the breath in a little bit.

For now it can be useful to notice the breath.

And to perhaps allow a gentle,

Deeper,

Fuller inhalation through the nose if that's possible.

And then when the breath has peaked,

Releasing it out.

No pushing,

No straining,

Just releasing it out.

All the way out.

Until the next in breath comes and it flows in.

Perhaps a bit deeper,

A bit fuller,

Filling the whole torso.

And as you exhale allowing the breath to release out,

You might even release it through gently pursed lips.

Allowing the lips to slow the breath down.

The cheeks might bubble softly outward.

And breathing like this,

This gentle releasing breath.

For just a little while longer yourself if that feels useful.

Knowing that each slow down exhale can send messages of calm to the nervous system.

To prepare it for rest.

And as the nervous system settles,

The mind often settles.

Until you can be in a place of deep rest now.

As we journey around the body.

If you'd like to you could imagine that every place the attention visits that it's like there is a golden,

Just right,

Soothing beam of sunshine.

That's gently falling across the body in the most pleasant of ways.

Beginning now at crown of head.

Golden ray expanding through the space between the eyebrows,

Third eye.

Across the face to base of throat.

Spreading across shoulders,

Down right arm.

All the way to fingertips.

Spreading across left arm,

From shoulder all the way to fingertips.

From shoulders across chest,

The right side,

The center,

The left side.

Down the torso.

Towards pelvis.

Down right leg.

With the knee and the shin.

Foot.

All five toes.

And down left leg.

From pelvis,

Down upper leg.

Knee.

Shin.

Foot.

All five toes.

Until the whole body is bathed in the most pleasant soothing golden light.

Knowing you can adjust temperature and color however you want.

And feeling this pleasant soothing sensations.

Move from the outside all the way deep inside to your core.

Until the whole body feels held and at ease.

Until the body rests,

The breath continues to flow.

Gentle waves through the body.

Gentle waves through this landscape of the body.

It's useful to imagine the breath traveling across this landscape of the body.

So that the inhale travels up the length of the body and the exhale flows gently back down the length of the body.

Following each in breath up the length of the body and back down.

And as it does there's some landmarks that are interesting to pay attention to.

You can visualize them as spheres,

Circles,

Points of light.

They correspond with what in yoga philosophy is called the chakra system.

Often represented as colorful wheels of energy light.

So in this system there's one at groin,

Pelvic floor,

Your root chakra.

Red is the color of the root chakra.

You have one a bit higher up at navel,

Orange,

The color of this chakra.

A little bit higher up at solar plexus,

Yellow.

And a bit further in the heart space,

Green.

Base of throat,

Blue.

Space between eyebrows,

Indigo.

Dark kind of purple blue.

And crown of head,

Violet.

And you don't need to remember all of this,

But it's useful to know that the breath as it travels along the length of the body can travel from groin to crown of head and it gently passes through and around each of these energy centers.

And there's no right way to visualize all of this.

You can allow the visualization to occupy the mind or you can let it go.

Allowing mind and body to rest.

And as they rest,

Imagining a place that is beautiful and safe.

A space of beauty and safety,

Perhaps outdoors.

It can be anywhere you like.

It could be a beach or an island.

Mountains,

Lakes.

Anywhere you like.

That feels safe,

Beautiful.

A place you might like to be.

Noticing any colors.

Maybe sounds.

Smells.

Or anything else.

And it doesn't matter how this appears in the mind.

It could be a word,

A picture,

An idea.

And if you choose,

You could imagine yourself being in this safe,

Beautiful space.

A safe,

Beautiful place.

Imagining walking into this place,

This space.

And with every cell in your being that you are welcomed just as you are in this safe space.

Maybe the space even gives you a sign that it's happy you're here.

That it welcomes you here,

Just as you are.

Feeling welcomed in this place.

And perhaps also welcoming this place into you.

So being welcomed by the space and consciously welcoming the space.

Perhaps taking a moment in this place to find rest,

To lie down or sit.

Noticing that even here the breath is still traveling.

In and out.

Up and down along the length of the body,

The chakra system.

Those beautiful points of light.

Red,

Orange,

Yellow,

Green,

Blue,

Indigo,

Violet.

You might even imagine how these colors expand with lightness and ease.

Enveloping you in a beautiful,

Safe sense of freedom.

Ease.

Resting in this sensation for just a little while longer.

Finding yourself welcomed again into your own heart space.

With your intention.

And as you're welcomed into your heart space,

Welcoming your own heart space.

And with ease and joy and lightness and rest.

Feeling the body held on the surface upon which you are.

Knowing at any point you can drop off and rest,

Sleep.

Or if you wanted,

You could continue to follow the gentle waves of the breath.

Knowing that whenever you awake,

You can do so with ease and lightness and joy.

Feeling rested,

Accepted as you are.

A beautiful integral part of the fabric of this universe of energy as it comes and goes and shifts and renews.

And you can rest like this.

You can sleep like this.

Or if you'd like,

You could take another little journey around the body.

And if the mind is still feeling awake,

You can repeat gently to yourself phrases.

I'll give you an example before we start.

And otherwise,

You can just enjoy the journey around the body as you drift off and rest.

Beginning with the right hand thumb.

If you repeat phrases,

It could be,

My right thumb is at ease.

I'm completely calm and ready for rest.

Index finger.

My index finger is at ease.

I am completely calm and ready for rest.

Continuing like that if you wish.

To the middle finger.

Ring finger.

Pinkie.

Palm of hand.

Back of hand.

Wrist.

Forearm.

Elbow.

Upper arm.

Shoulder.

Right side of torso.

Waist.

Right upper leg.

Right lower leg.

Right ankle.

Right foot.

First toe.

Second.

Third.

Fourth.

Fifth.

Left hand thumb.

Index finger.

Middle finger.

Ring finger.

Pinkie.

Palm of hand.

Back of hand.

Wrist.

Forearm.

Elbow.

Upper arm.

Forearm.

Left side of torso.

Waist.

Hip.

Upper leg.

Knee.

Knee.

Ankle.

Foot.

First toe.

Second.

Third.

Fourth.

Fifth.

Whole right leg.

Whole left leg.

Right arm.

Left arm.

Torso.

Right hand.

Whole body.

Resting at ease.

Resting.

And as the sound drops off,

You can continue to breathe.

You can continue to breathe along length of spine.

Or you could pass in this feeling.

Enjoying this space.

Knowing you're more than enough.

Good night.

Good night.

Reviews

Reassuring and helpful to soothe the nervous system. Skylar’s presence is deeply grounding. Thank you so much.

Your voice and cadence is so soothing. Thank you!

I love Skylar’s recordings! I wish they would create more - these are my go-to, and my children love them too!

Lovely

Fantastic! So soothing

I really love Skylar's sessions. They are so perfectly spoken and focused on the listener. Grateful for their generosity.

Thanks cenuch for this restorative practice! Your voice is very soothing and supportive!

Interesting structure, with the rotation of consciousness at the end. Very soothing and relaxing.

Really enjoy your yoga nidra style! Great practice.

Amazing soft voice and words chosen carefully to deliver a very soothing experience. Thank you!

Wonderful, so sensitive, so tender. Very wholesome. Thank you for you compassion Skylar.
🙏🏻🌸

So, so good! Soothing, reassuring, and deeply relaxing. You have the perfect pace and tone, Skylar - I enjoy all of your recordings and am glad to have a new one to listen to. Many thanks!

Excellent!