Yoga Nidra: The Art of Yogic Sleep

This is a basic yoga nidra protocol that integrates the traditional induction with a few concepts from western psychology and autogenic training.

Transcript

This is a yoga nidra practice.

In preparation,

Lie on your back and make yourself comfortable.

If you're familiar with yoga asanas,

Shavasana is the ideal position.

However,

Your comfort is paramount.

You may wish to place a bolster or pillow under your knees to reduce arching in your back.

Have your feet hip-width or further apart and allow your legs to turn out naturally.

Rest your arms at your side,

Either palms up or palms down.

It is best if you don't move during yoga nidra,

So make certain now that you're likely to be warm enough during the practice.

If at any time you do experience discomfort,

Adjust yourself to return to a state of ease.

Now close your eyes and take in a deep breath through your nose,

Then breathe out through your mouth.

Repeat this a few times as I continue to speak and then let your breathing return to its most natural,

Uncontrolled rhythm.

Yoga nidra stems from the ancient wellness practices of India and is sometimes referred to as yogic sleep.

Unlike the sleep we're accustomed to,

However,

Yoga nidra involves inducing a state between normal sleep and wakefulness.

In the West,

We sometimes refer to this as a hypnagogic state,

A point of transition between wakeful consciousness and the unconsciousness of sleep.

Listening to my voice and following my instructions will help you remain anchored in wakefulness and allow you to stay in this special transition state.

If you do fall asleep during the practice,

That's fine.

It's probably the case that you needed to do that.

On the other hand,

If you remain in a fully wakeful state,

Rest assured you're still benefiting from the session.

As with most art forms,

Yoga nidra sometimes requires patient practice.

During the practice,

I'll be directing you to focus your attention on various sensory and visualization experiences.

When directed,

It's important for you to shift your attention immediately and not linger where you are.

If you have trouble with any item,

Don't struggle with it,

But simply remain relaxed and shift your focus when the next direction is given.

Although the pace may seem quick,

It's meant to be.

If you find yourself confused,

Lost,

Or to have dozed off for a moment,

Take a breath and refocus on my voice.

During yoga nidra,

You may become deeply relaxed and only vaguely aware of your surroundings.

At the same time,

You may become aware of some of the subtle workings of the mind,

Workings that usually elude us because of the busyness of our day-to-day thinking.

It's in this conscious sleep that the benefits of yoga nidra manifest.

Because yoga nidra gives us access to the deeper aspects of our minds in a conscious state,

Part of the practice is to identify a deep desire that we have for ourselves.

Perhaps a change in how we feel or behave,

Perhaps a general alteration,

And how we go about our life.

But it's a heartfelt desire for ourselves,

Something like the best gift you could give yourself.

By affirming this desire during the process,

When instructed,

We are essentially implanting it as a directive for the mind to follow in the coming days.

Over time and repeated practice,

This can be a valuable aid to personal transformation and healing.

This practice is called Sankalpa.

Take a moment now to decide what intention you would like to implant during this practice and create a short positive phrase for it.

You will later be instructed when to use it.

The phrase may be as short as two or three words and should be stated as though that desired change is a statement of present fact.

For example,

A desire to be more fit may be stated as,

I exercise every day and I love it.

Now release any thoughts about your sankalpa and redirect your attention to the breath.

Take in a deep breath now,

Filling the lower belly,

Upper belly,

And chest.

Then release the breath in the same order,

Lower belly,

Upper belly,

Chest.

Repeat this and begin a silent count to five as you breathe in.

Pause and breathe out to the count of five.

Continue this silent five count breathing as I speak,

Making certain that you breathe at a pace that is comfortable,

Neither too quick nor too slow.

As you continue this five count breath,

Imagine what it would feel like if your arms became like warm,

Soft clay.

Imagine feelings of warmth and heaviness as though your arms were melting into the ground.

Imagine how your legs might feel as warm,

Soft clay.

Feel your legs as warm and heavy.

Now imagine what it would feel like if your whole body turned into soft,

Warm clay.

Imagine the feeling of heaviness and warmth as your whole body eases slowly into the earth beneath you.

Now imagine a feeling of coolness on your forehead as though touched by a cool winter breeze.

Without opening your eyes,

Imagine the room you're in,

Its shape and dimensions,

Any furnishings you can recall,

And what you look like resting safely and comfortably where you are.

Now bring your attention back to the breath.

Take a deep intentional breath and allow your breathing to return to its natural gentle rhythm.

Become aware of the sensations as air flows into your nostrils and out again.

Become aware of the difference in the sensations of the in-breath and those of the out-breath.

Become aware of the sensations as air flows across the back of your throat as you breathe in and then breathe out.

Notice the difference in the quality of the sensations between the in-breath and the out-breath.

Become aware of sensations in your chest and belly as they fill with air on the in-breath and fall as they release it.

Take several breaths,

Directing your attention to the flow of air through the nostrils,

And then letting go of the air.

Take several breaths,

Directing your attention to the flow of air through the nostrils,

Over the back of the throat,

And into the chest and belly.

Now breathe in to a slow count of four,

Then breathe out to a slow count of two.

Breathe in to a slow count of six,

Then breathe out to a count of three.

Let your breathing return to its natural rhythm.

Now it's time to introduce your sankalpa into the practice.

State your sankalpa now,

Silently to yourself.

State it three times,

Then let it go.

Now we will explore the physical sensations of your body by rotating from part to part.

Simply,

Effortlessly,

Direct your attention to the body part named.

Starting with your right palm,

Right thumb,

Second finger,

Third finger,

Fourth finger,

Little finger,

Back of the hand,

Right wrist,

Forearm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

Shoulder,

Armpit,

Right waist,

Right hip,

Thigh,

Knee,

Lower leg,

Ankle,

Heel,

Sole of the right foot,

Big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

Little toe,

Top of the foot,

Left hand palm,

Left thumb,

Second finger,

Third finger,

Fourth finger,

Little finger,

Back of the hand,

Left wrist,

Forearm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

Shoulder,

Armpit,

Left side of your waist,

Left hip,

Thigh,

Knee,

Lower leg,

Ankle,

Heel,

Sole of the left foot,

Left big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

Little toe,

Top of the foot,

Right heel,

Left heel,

Back of the right calf,

Back of the left calf,

Back of the right thigh,

Back of the left thigh,

Right buttock,

Your left buttock,

Lower back,

Middle back,

Upper back,

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,

Left cheek,

Upper lip,

Lower lip,

Where your lips come together,

Chin,

Jaw,

Throat,

Right collarbone,

Left collarbone,

Right side of the chest,

Left side of the chest,

Upper belly,

Navel,

Lower belly,

Right groin,

Left groin,

The pelvic floor,

The whole right leg,

The whole left leg,

The whole right arm,

The whole left arm,

Your whole face,

Your whole head,

All of your torso,

Your whole body.

Feel the shape of your body,

Feel the space around your body,

Feel the space within your body.

Now once again,

As you had earlier,

Imagine your body becoming heavy,

Like warm clay melting into the ground beneath you,

Heavier and softer with each exhalation of the breath.

Feel it in your legs,

In your arms,

Your torso.

Feel your whole body,

Warmer,

Softer,

Heavy.

Imagine your body becoming lighter,

Lighter with each inhalation of the breath,

Your legs,

Arms,

Torso,

Your whole body lighter with each inhalation.

Now imagine the feeling of your whole body becoming heavy as you breathe out and lighter as you breathe in,

Heavy as you breathe out and lighter as you breathe in.

Now imagine your body becoming hot,

As it might feel slipping into a hot bath.

Feel the heat enveloping and penetrating the depth of your body.

Now imagine your body becoming cold,

As though immersed in a cold lake.

Feel the cold enveloping you,

Chilling you to the bone.

Imagine how it would feel to place your hands in a sink of hot water.

Feel the warmth.

Imagine removing your hands from the hot water and plunging them into a sink of ice cold water.

Feel the reaction to the sudden change.

Remove your hands and immerse them into the hot water again.

And now the cold water again.

Now recall what it feels like to become joyously excited,

Perhaps recalling an experience such as skiing down a fast slope or meeting up with a dear friend you haven't seen in years.

Now imagine yourself calm and relaxed,

No care in the world,

As you might feel laying back on a warm day at the beach in the sun.

Now bring your attention to the visual world within your closed eyes.

With eyes closed,

Most people continue to have some sort of visual experience.

Sometimes these images are vague,

Mirror shadows,

Or patterns of light.

Whatever visual experiences you're having,

Simply be aware of them with a mindset of detached curiosity.

Now visualize the following as I mention them.

Sunrise,

Full moon,

Ocean surf,

A tree,

The desert,

A tall building,

A glass of milk,

A burning candle,

A forest trail,

A dog,

A swing set,

A crowded mall,

A calm lake,

A cat,

A large truck,

A ballet dancer,

A mountain,

An airplane,

A garden,

A subway train,

An empty bed,

A mailbox,

A crowded highway,

A TV set,

A tricycle,

A boat.

Now it is time to repeat your sin culpa.

Silently repeat your sin culpa three times,

Then let it go.

Now return your awareness to your body.

Beginning with the breath,

Focus on the sensations that your regular breathing creates.

In your nostrils,

At the back of your throat,

In your chest and belly.

Be aware of your body as a whole.

The pressure points where your body makes contact with the ground.

The contact between your skin and any clothing or surfaces touching it.

The air caressing your exposed skin.

Be aware of the space that your body occupies.

The space just outside of your skin.

The space within your skin.

Keeping your eyes closed,

Sense the space around you.

The place you are lying.

The room you are in.

And now become aware of any sounds other than my voice.

Now begin to awaken your body with small movements.

Starting with your hands,

Your feet,

Your arms and legs,

And your head.

When you are ready,

Flatter your eyes open and take a long slow stretch.

Take a moment to move your body in whatever way feels good.

Your yoga nidra practice is now complete.

Reviews

Amazingly good!
For me you nailed it.
Having aphantasia (no mental images)
The instructions were very good.
I have been practicing Yoga Nidra for a good while, this is a standout.

I'm even putting it on a playlist.

Thank you, George. Great meditation with clear and precise directions. Grateful.

Excellent! Thank you. I really enjoyed your voice and flow. Perfect for me 😃

I really enjoy this. I listen to it every night. It does seem to very helpful with sleep. My REM/deep sleep increased to normal levels based on my smart watch since the very first night I starting doing this. Also I find myself quite a bit calmer and less reactive throughout the day.

I really don't mind the intro. Your voice is soothing and I just start playing it a bit before I'm ready to get started. It sort of gives me time to settle in and get my head in the right space.

I still hear new things each time I listen too. Work in progress.

I look forward to anymore still.

Thank you 🙏🏽 I liked this. Nice voice and good pace. One I’ll come back to.

Very nice thank you 🙏🏽 I thought I was awake mostly then got to the rapid imaging and don’t remember what happened but I was very visual in dream state, on a speed boat with some friends it was great!

This is one of my favorite yoga nidras on Insight Timer. Simple, clear, and has all the essential components. Thank you!

I like his calm voice and clear easy to follow instructions. I supose is normal if one is tired, mantaining the hypnagogic state without falling asleep is more challenging.
Thank you

Very clearly structured and instructed, feels very effective! Like this one very much.

Thank you for this yoga nidra. I especially appreciate the explanation in the beginning.

Second time through and enjoyed this very much. Heartfelt thanks 💖🙏

I fell asleep part way through and slept well all night.

This is lovely. I've had wild and vivid dreams after both times I've done it. Fell asleep the second time before the end. Appreciated the intro the first time, and wish I could skip to the practice the next time. But it does allow one to really settle before starting the actual practice. Nice voice, too.

I’ve been doing this one a lot and find it really calming, sometimes I fall asleep. Thank you for your lovely soothing voice.

Very comprehensively explained. Good clear voice. I enjoyed this very much. Also excellent that he explained what a sankalpa is. I have done other meditations where I’ve been told to repeat my sankalpa without knowing what it means! I shall listen again.

I enjoyed the description and fast pace. Namaste 💜🙏

I enjoyed the information and fell asleep prettyquickly. Bookmarking this one!