Sleep Well 2

Yoga Nidra is a fantastic tool to help calm the nervous system, and it helps the brain with digesting and organizing impressions and information - which can make it easier to fall asleep - as well as enhancing the sleep quality. What's even more beautiful is that you can't fail when you do a Nidra: even if you wouldn't fall asleep, you have given your body - and nervous system - a moment of nurturing and calming and important rest.

I hope you will find it useful.
Love.

Transcript

Welcome to this Yoganidra for sleep.

We live in a society where many of us are addicted to and conditioned to doing things.

And I'd like to remind you that you don't have to perform in order to be loved.

You don't have to perform to be loved.

Existing is enough to be loved.

Being you is enough.

And this is important because in our everyday life we direct a lot of energy out,

Away from ourselves and trying to perform,

Trying to achieve,

Trying to be sometimes someone who we are not.

Because we spend so much running instead of checking into what we really need,

What we really want to our values.

And this is where Yoganidra comes into the picture.

The body knows what you need but you have to listen to it.

And when you do a Yoganidra you get a chance to tune in to your needs in many layers on many levels,

Both on a physical level so that you can see what's happening before it becomes a big issue.

And also when it comes to your consciousness and and your mind and your mental health.

So the body gets a chance to do repair work,

Maintenance work,

And the brain gets a chance to digest and structure impressions from your day.

Being able to store important memories as long-term memories and getting rid of things that you don't need.

Because a very common reason for not being able to fall asleep in the night is of course stress hormones but also that we tend to lie there and think.

There is just so much in our brain that keeps us busy.

So that's one of the beautiful effects of the Yoganidra that the brain might get a little bit calmer.

And even if you wouldn't fall asleep it's not a waste of time.

Because the Yoganidra is calming down the nervous system which means you have given yourself a beautiful and nurturing moment of rest which is good for you in many many ways.

So I'd also like to remind you that you cannot fail when you do a Yoganidra.

You can not fail.

Because Yoganidra is not something that you do.

It's something that you receive.

So the only thing you have to do is lie there in your bed cozy comfortable listen to my voice.

And nothing can hurt you in a Yoganidra.

You might experience feelings or sensations that feel a bit uncomfortable but that is just memories or your imagination.

Nothing is happening here and now because you are safe in your bed.

But if you would feel any emotional discomfort anyhow you can just open your eyes and move your fingers and then you will immediately snap out of the Yoganidra.

So you will never get stuck.

So don't worry.

So let's get started and make sure you are lying in a comfortable position with pillows and blankets.

And then fine tune your comfort as much as you can.

Throughout the practice you can move if you like but do it slowly and with awareness and feel the freedom in knowing that you are the one who decides what to do.

You can move if you want to but you don't have to.

You don't have to do anything.

Bring your awareness to your body allowing it to soften supported by the bed.

And notice which parts of your body is touching the bed.

And bring your awareness to your ears.

To the sounds you hear.

The vibrations of the sounds as they enter your ears.

Sounds from the distance,

From the world outside.

And here you are safe in your bed.

Taking a moment of gratitude for having a warm bed to sleep in.

Protected from rain and wind and cold weather.

And notice the sounds from the house you're in.

And then the sound of your own breath.

Maybe very subtle but familiar.

Soothing.

And you might want to sigh a couple of times.

Release tension from the day.

And soften your face,

Your forehead,

Eyes,

Temples,

Your jaw,

Tongue,

Lips.

Breathe down into your belly.

Allow it to expand when you inhale and soften when you exhale.

And notice how the body gently moves when you breathe.

Bring your awareness back to which parts of the body is touching the bed.

And notice how the connection is changing a little bit as you breathe.

Take your awareness to your upper back and how the back is touching the bed and how it feels when you breathe.

If you like you can shift your breath into the ribs just for a moment,

Exaggerating it.

So when you inhale expand the ribs both forwards backwards and to the sides.

And when you exhale soften on your own four or five times.

And then the sound of your own breath.

And notice how the body gently moves when you breathe.

And in a moment we will let the awareness travel through the body.

When I mention a body part,

Send your awareness there and be aware of the sensation.

Starting with the top of the head,

The left ear,

The right ear,

The left eye,

The right eye,

The nose,

Lips,

Jaw,

And temples.

The back of the head and the neck.

The left shoulder,

The left elbow,

The wrist and the hand.

The whole left arm and the space between your left arm and the side body.

Back to the neck,

Your right shoulder,

Right upper arm,

Elbow,

Wrist and the hand.

The whole right arm.

And the area between your right arm and your side body.

And back to the neck and over to the throat.

The collar bones,

The chest,

Upper abdomen,

Navel and the lower abdomen.

The left hip,

The left knee,

The ankle and the foot.

The whole left leg.

Back to the abdomen and over to the right hip.

The right knee,

The ankle and the foot.

The whole right leg.

And the area between your feet.

And between your knees.

And the tailbone,

The sacrum,

Lower back,

Mid back,

Upper back,

Back to the neck,

Back to the head.

The whole head.

The whole left side of the body.

The whole right side of the body.

The whole back side of the body.

The whole front side of the body.

The whole body.

The whole body resting.

And if you like you can imagine a nurturing and warm light.

And as you breathe the light travels through your body into every dark corner,

Brightening it up into every tension,

Softening and releasing.

And then bring your attention back to your feet.

If you like you can add a visualization of a wave,

Warm and soft.

When you inhale the wave goes from your feet up towards your shoulders.

And when you exhale it goes back down again out through your feet.

And do this a couple of times in your own time.

Maybe a feeling of releasing tension as the wave goes down.

And start counting down the breath.

Starting at 33.

Counting on the exhalation.

So 33 as you exhale.

32 as you exhale.

31 as you exhale.

And carry on counting down.

And if you lose count or reach zero just start again at 33.

And if you like you can combine this with the exercise with wave.

So every time the wave is softening and flowing over your body you count.

And then bring your attention back to your feet.

And then bring your attention back to your feet.

And then start counting down.

And then start counting down.

And then start counting down.

And if you've lost count just start again at 33.

Even here there is no failure.

And then start counting down.

And let go of that.

And if you didn't reach zero that's absolutely fine.

That is not a goal.

The counting is just to give the mind something to focus on.

Now to a phase of recalling images.

Recall or imagine a place or a person or an animal that makes you feel safe.

Somewhere or something that makes you feel peaceful and calm.

And if you can't think of anything just use the space you're in.

This room.

So first connect to the sounds.

If you were at that place or with a person or animal what sounds would you hear?

And then the smells.

How does it smell?

And then the feeling of the air on your skin.

And the textures or the surfaces around you.

How does it feel?

And what does it look like?

What are the colours around you?

What's the light like?

Let the images come and go.

And now to a phase of recalling.

And now to a phase of free flow.

Bring your awareness to the warm and safe space behind your eyelids.

Maybe you see darkness.

Maybe colours.

Lights.

Shapes.

And staying with what's there for a moment.

And letting any image come.

Dissolve.

And observing a new image coming.

Or just resting in that soft darkness.

Whatever you are experiencing try to observe it without judging it as good or bad.

Like or dislike.

And again what you see is just images created by the mind.

Based on memories or your own creativity.

Your imagination.

Nothing of what you see is happening right now.

You are safe in your bed.

Watching the sensations behind your eyelids.

And as you lie here resting your body is looking after you.

Without any effort from your side.

The heart is beating.

Cells are being renewed.

Even the breath happens on its own.

And you can choose to just observe the breath.

Or if you like guide the breath into a rhythm.

But not forcing it.

So inhaling to a count of four.

And exhaling to a count of six.

And if your mind is still busy don't be hard on yourself.

I invite you to give your body even more care and love.

Getting out of your head and more into your body.

By doing a rotation around the body again.

This time on your own.

In your own way.

Choosing a body part at a time and combining it with your breath if you like.

So just turn into your body to see which body part needs some extra attention.

Inhaling to a count of four.

And exhaling to a count of six and soften that part.

With each breath you can find a new part of the body that needs some nurturing care.

Or you can stay with one part.

Maybe your tummy.

Maybe your shoulders.

Allowing your body to soften.

To rest.

Reviews

Absolutely lovely. The pacing, the tone, the imagery. My new favourite. Thank you! ❤️

Very relaxing- thank you

Thank you🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻Used it several times during the night, the first couple of times, I never got to the actual nidra part. Later in the night, earlier in the morning, I would wake up, silence, then suddenly I'd hear you talk, then fall asleep again. Really curious about the nidra part...🙏🏻😴🙏🏻😴🙏🏻😴