Simply Yoga Nidra For Rest

A simple live recording of our Monday Yoga Nidra session, for rest and relaxation. References to Sankalpa, Rotation of Consciousness and breath. A short, nourishing and soothing practice for all who want or need some rest.

Transcript

This practice can be done lying on your back or on your side.

If you're lying on your side,

Just make sure you're nicely propped up with loads of pillows,

Maybe between the knees,

Under the head.

And the same if you're lying on your back.

And if you're lying on your back or your side,

You can do this practice either on the floor or in your bed.

This is a practice you can't even do seated.

I've often done it when I haven't been able to take a break from the desk.

And I've done it at the desk as well.

Whatever works at the end of the day,

Whatever works.

So let's begin to settle down.

Our practice today is going to bring us with a little bit of awareness to our Sankalpa.

Our Sankalpa being that positive statement,

That intention,

That affirmation that we might use from time to time,

Or it might be one that we want for the practice.

And then we're going to do our little bit of rotation of consciousness,

Which is where we bring the awareness around different parts of the body.

You let your awareness land on each part of the body.

And you can do this by sense,

Imagine,

Or feel.

And you could even if you like imagine a light or a flower if you have a favourite flower,

Or just let the awareness come and rest.

I'm looking at my thumb when I say that because I usually sometimes start off with my thumb.

Like if I say a body part,

Let all your focus and your awareness if you want come to that body part.

Now,

For those people who are starting off,

If you get into a position,

If you're lying down and you're propped up nicely,

And you feel like maybe you need to move,

That's okay,

You move and then take a nice deep breath in and out and you come back into your readiness for awareness of yoga nidra.

Basically,

Yoga nidra is a form of awareness where we're taking the mind through different and the energies through different parts of the,

I suppose the brain waves,

But then also we work with the koshas,

Which are the different energetic fields around the body as well.

So let's settle down,

Get comfortable.

Towards the end,

I'm going to leave a little bit of silence.

I always like to invite a little bit of silence into the practice.

So if you do hear the silence,

Know that I am here.

I've got everything hooked up the whole lot,

And I'm minding the time and I welcome ourselves,

I welcome us back with the koshi chimes.

So begin to settle down into your nest,

If you've been building a little nest for yourself,

Settle down into the floor,

Onto the bed,

Perhaps even ask yourself,

Is there anything I could do now to make myself perhaps 5% more comfortable?

You might like to dim the lights,

Giving yourself permission to be here now.

Allow yourself to be here now and acknowledge that you're taking this time out for yourself.

Towards the end of the practice,

If you are using the towards the end of the practice,

If you are using this to help you sleep,

I will invite you to turn over and continue with your rest.

There will be space for that if you want to do that.

So settling down,

Welcome yourself to this practice of yoga nidra.

Welcome yourself onto the earth and remember that all of you is welcome.

However that is,

Whatever that is,

All of you is welcome here now.

So getting comfortable,

Settling down.

The next time you breathe out maybe inviting the body,

Let the body sink a little bit more into that support of the earth that's underneath you.

Almost as if the earth was coming up to give you a little hug.

Settle a little bit deeper into the earth and be comforted that at this time all is welcome and right now everything is okay.

Nowhere to go,

Nothing to do.

Simply be here to feel the body and listen.

Don't worry too much or become agitated if you don't hear everything I say.

It is natural to maybe come in and out of this practice.

The deepest part of you,

Your subconscious is always listening.

There's no right or wrong way to do this practice of yoga nidra.

Simply listen without trying too hard and remind yourself again that you are welcome.

All of you is welcome just as you are.

You are now in a safe,

Protected space,

A held space.

Come into the stillness and remain as still as possible for deep rest and acknowledge that with this deep rest you are receiving deep nourishment.

Can you become aware now of your breath?

Notice the breath,

That ebb and flow of the inhale and the exhale.

Perhaps noticing what parts of the body are moving on that breath in and out.

Or maybe it's the whisper of air in and out through the nostrils.

Notice the form that the body takes now on the earth,

Completely supported whether it's on the ground or on the bed,

Completely supported.

Notice the form the body takes.

Allow your bones to become heavy.

Invite the bones to sink heavy into the earth,

Releasing the bones heavy and sinking.

Invite the bones to sink heavy into the earth,

Releasing the bones heavy and sinking.

And we go a little bit deeper inside now.

Deep inside to notice your heart's deepest longing.

What does your heart desire?

If you don't have a sankalpa or an intention,

An affirmation based on your heart's longing,

And if you're not sure even what your heart's longing is,

That's okay.

Maybe plant a seed there that something may come to you.

Or you may choose a positive statement that you say in the present tense and it could be I am practicing yoga nidra.

I am relaxed and practicing yoga nidra.

It could be I flow through life with ease and peace.

Or maybe you have your own intention or sankalpa.

Repeat this mentally three times as though it is already happening.

We are practicing yoga nidra.

I am practicing yoga nidra and yoga nidra is the form of awareness and with this awareness now we can begin to practice yoga nidra.

So we are going to start with the mind.

I am practicing yoga nidra and yoga nidra is the form of awareness and with this awareness now we allow to travel through the body on a journey of sensation.

Simply feel each part as it's mentioned without moving,

Remaining as still as possible.

And as I said at the beginning if you do feel that you need to move a little bit if you get uncomfortable that's okay.

But come back.

Simply sense,

Feel or imagine each part of the body as it is mentioned.

Welcome all sensation just as it is however it is.

We begin with the mouth.

Feel your mouth.

Feel sensation in your mouth.

Sense,

Feel or imagine your jaw,

Lips,

Upper lip,

Lower lip.

Notice where the lips touch or if there's a parting.

Feel the inside of the mouth,

Roof of the mouth,

Under the tongue,

The upper teeth and gums,

The lower teeth and gums.

Tongue,

Root of the tongue,

Centre of the tongue,

Tip of the tongue.

Notice a sense of taste in the mouth.

Feel the inner left cheek,

Inner right cheek.

Now feel all the parts of the mouth together as a whole.

Feel your mouth as sensation,

As energy.

Vibrating radiantly.

Whole of the mouth,

All of the mouth.

And then let the awareness come to the nose.

Feel your nose.

Notice the nostrils,

The left nostril,

The right nostril,

Both nostrils.

Notice the breath,

The movement of this breath in and out through the nostrils.

Is there more flow of breath in one nostril compared to the other?

If there is,

That's okay.

Notice the breath,

The nasal passages.

Notice the breath,

The nasal passages.

Notice the breath,

The nasal passages.

And follow the nasal passages all the way back into your head.

Become aware of your ears.

Right ear,

Left ear,

Both ears at the same time.

Sense,

Feel or imagine the wrinkles and the folds of the ears,

Backs of the ears,

Earlobes,

Ear canals.

Follow ear canals into the inner ear.

Notice your ears receiving sound,

Listening.

Can you feel your ears hearing?

Bring the awareness then to the eyes,

The left eye,

The right eye,

Both eyes together.

Notice the eyelids.

Feel each eyelash.

Notice where the eyelids touch.

Become aware of the surface of the eyes,

Centers of the eyes,

Backs of the eyes.

Feel your eyes now as energy,

As radiant vibration,

Glowing,

The eyes glowing.

Bring awareness now to the crown of the head,

The forehead and the face.

Feel your whole head,

Feel your neck,

Back of the neck,

Sides of the neck,

The throat.

Notice your right palm,

Your thumb,

Index finger,

Middle finger,

Fourth finger and the little finger.

Feel your whole hand alive with energy.

Awareness to the wrist,

The forearm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

The right shoulder.

Notice the notch at the base of the throat,

That space at the base of the throat in between the collarbones.

And then let the awareness come over to the left hand.

Be aware of the palm,

The thumb,

Index finger,

Middle finger,

Fourth finger,

Little finger.

Feel your whole hand alive with sensation.

Awareness then to the left wrist,

Forearm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

The whole left shoulder.

And then back to that space at the base of the throat in between the collarbones.

Become aware of the upper chest,

The upper back,

Right shoulder blade,

Left shoulder blade,

Your heart center.

Notice your belly or abdomen,

The ribs on the left side,

Ribs on the right side.

Your solar plexus,

The area above the belly button,

Your solar plexus.

And then feel your belly,

The navel center,

The pelvis,

The hips.

Bring awareness to your right hip,

Thigh,

Front and back and sides,

The knee,

The lower leg,

Calf,

Ankle.

The top of the right foot,

The sole of the right foot,

The instep of the right foot,

The big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe and fifth toe.

All the toes on the right foot and then the sole of the foot,

The whole foot.

And then bring the awareness back again to the pelvis and then over to the left hip,

The thigh,

Front,

Back and sides.

The knee,

The lower leg,

The calf,

The ankle,

Top of the left foot,

Sole of the left foot,

Instep of the left foot,

Big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

Fifth toe.

All the toes on the left foot.

Awareness to all the toes on the left foot and then to the sole of the foot and the whole of the foot.

Let the awareness come to the right foot and then the left foot and then both feet together.

Can you become aware of your root between your sitting bones,

The navel center around the belly,

The solar plexus above the belly button,

The heart center in the center of the chest,

The throat center,

The mouth,

The third eye between the eyebrows,

The crown of the head,

The crown of the head and then awareness into the right arm and then the left arm and both arms together.

And then the right leg and the left leg,

Both legs together.

The front body,

The back body,

The whole body together.

Feel now the whole body,

Bringing awareness of your whole body,

The whole body filled with sensation alive with radiant vibration.

Can you pour your awareness like liquid into the right side of your body?

Feel the right side of your body.

And then pour your awareness like flowing liquid into the left side of the body.

Feel your left side of the body.

Sense,

Feel or imagine the midline.

And then the whole of your body,

The body as a whole,

A complete entity,

Sensation,

Vibrantly radiating throughout your entire body.

Begin to notice your breath again,

Your natural breath as it flows through you.

Feel the inhale.

Notice the exhale.

As you breathe out,

Imagine a wave passing downward through your body,

Carrying away all tension.

And as you inhale,

A fresh wave flows upward through your whole body,

Bringing a sensation of peace and calm to every cell.

Exhale,

A wave flowing downward through your body,

Carrying away all tension.

Inhale,

A fresh wave moving upwards,

Bringing peace and calm to every cell.

And then we allow the fullness of silence.

We welcome it.

I'll mind the time.

So as you begin to welcome yourself back,

If you made a sound callp at the start of the practice,

Repeat this again mentally three times.

As if it is already happening.

If you're using this practice of yoga nidra to help you sleep,

I invite you now to roll over onto your other side and continue with your sleep and wishing you a good sleep and rest.

If you know that you need to get on with the rest of the day or have other commitments that you need to see to before you go to bed,

Welcome in a little bit of movement into the hands and the feet.

If you feel like moving the head gently side to side,

You can.

Let's begin to bring this practice of yoga nidra to its completion.

Welcome in sounds.

Seeing your mind's eye where you are in your space.

And in your own time,

When you feel ready,

Come to roll over onto whatever side is comfortable for you.

This practice of yoga nidra is now complete.

And when you feel ready,

Bringing yourself back up to a seated position.

This practice of yoga nidra is now complete.

Reviews

Very nice. I drifted off and didn’t hear the end. 2/2/25

Absolute perfection. Beautiful, long and detailed body rotation makes this so calming and relaxing- as does your voice Brenda. With all my thanks.

I do a lot of yoga nidra meditations and this has one of the best rotations of consciousness. I’m grateful I read another review stating the yoga nidra didn’t start until about 10 mins in. Having done so many, I like to just get right to it.

I really loved that you started the rotation of consciousness with the mouth and head. Yoga nidra’s have become very predicable and I find myself anticipating the next body part before it’s said. This really ruins the experience. I couldn’t anticipate this one so I liked that.

There is something amazing about starting with the head though, not just that it was detailed - I could really feel my body thrumming with energy.

Sound quality is harder to hear in parts for me because of the live recording but I really enjoyed this.

Thanks!

I cannot tell if it was good or bad. I fell asleep after 5 mins and woke up with the Bell. Then I fell asleep again 😄 I guess it was relaxing 😊

Incredibly relaxing and replenishing, really blissfull,thank you 🙏😊

Thank you!!! I needed more rest and this meditation saved my day!