So welcome to this Yoga Nidra for sleep.
Please take some time to find your position for this Yoga Nidra.
Usually Yoga Nidra is practiced lying down in a comfortable pose.
So just find a pose where you can stay for a long time.
It can be however you like.
It can be in Shavasana on your back,
Maybe with a pillow under your knees or under your head.
Maybe a blanket over you or maybe an eye pillow over your eyes.
Nothing should feel uncomfortable.
You should find the position that really is soothing you right now.
And also if you need to during the Yoga Nidra you're totally welcome to change the pose.
And even though this Yoga Nidra is for sleep,
There is no rush to fall asleep.
The beauty of Yoga Nidra is that even though you don't fall asleep,
We still get the nourishing healing rest.
So while you are settling in and softening into your pose,
I will start to tell you a bit more about the practice Yoga Nidra.
Yoga Nidra is a form of guided meditation.
It's also known as yogic sleep or effortless relaxation.
It takes you to a state between awake and asleep that is called a hypnagogic state.
This is the space where our body is healing.
And sometimes we get the feeling that we are in a bubble,
That we can hear the sounds around us and we are not yet asleep,
But we are not yet fully awakened.
So it's a systematic practice of moving the awareness from the external world to the inner world.
So we are moving through our different layers in our bodies.
We are investigating,
Exploring,
Relaxing and observing.
And also by becoming the observer,
We just allow everything that comes up to just be.
We don't need to fix or change anything.
Just observe.
And this Yoga Nidra that we will do today is specific for sleep,
For preparing you for a good sleep.
So you will just follow my instructions and follow the voice.
The voice will be here for you to come back to.
And if I say something that doesn't resonate with you,
You just ignore it and let yourself drift.
It's also okay to fall asleep,
Of course,
And maybe come back,
Moving back and forth,
Floating.
My voice will always be here as a safe background for you and also a reminder that you are cared for.
And if anything during this Yoga Nidra feels uncomfortable for you,
You can always come back to your body by moving your fingers against each other and open your eyes again.
So we're now starting the Yoga Nidra by arriving and welcoming our body to this Yoga Nidra.
So take some time and rub your hands against each other.
Connect with your body.
Feel the warmth from your hands.
Just make the movement stop and let the hands rest where they want to rest.
And take in the room that you are in,
The sounds around you,
The smells around you,
The sensation of the air against the skin.
Are there any tensions in the body that you can let go of?
Maybe you already now want to move a bit,
Just to make sure that your body is as relaxed as possible.
Now take a moment to just feel your breath,
Your normal breath,
How it moves like waves in and out of your body.
Let the body be totally heavy and sink down into the bed or the mat that you're laying on.
If you want to sigh out some breath through the mouth,
Each exhalation makes you a bit softer.
The next part of this Yoga Nidra is the Sankalpa.
Sankalpa is also the intention.
If you have any intention with this Yoga Nidra or something you wish or want to feel,
It can for example be starting with I am.
I am safe.
I am calm.
I am tired.
I am soft.
It can be something that you wish for during this practice.
Take some time and feel if there is any Sankalpa for you today.
If you don't find any Sankalpa,
You can just stay and focus on your breath.
Repeat the Sankalpa for yourself,
For your inner self,
Three times.
Here we will now continue with a rotation of consciousness,
A form of body scan.
We will move our awareness to different parts of the body.
You don't need to search or look for feelings or sensation.
Just let the body be relaxed and soft and only move the awareness.
We're going to start at the top of the head.
The forehead.
Right eye.
Left eye.
Both eyes.
The nose.
The mouth.
Right cheek.
Left cheek.
The jaw.
The whole face.
Soften the whole face.
Moving to right ear.
Left ear.
Both ears.
The neck.
Down to right shoulder.
Right upper arm.
Right forearm.
Right hand.
And all the fingers on right hand.
The whole right arm.
Moving over to left shoulder.
Left upper arm.
Right forearm.
Left hand.
And all the fingers on left hand.
And the whole left arm.
Moving to the throat.
The collarbones.
The heart.
The belly.
Down to the pelvic area.
Right hip.
Right thigh.
Right lower leg.
Right foot.
And all the toes on the right foot.
And the whole right leg.
Moving over to left hip.
Left thigh.
Left lower leg.
Left foot.
And all the toes on the left foot.
The whole left leg.
Moving back up to the tailbone.
Lower back.
Middle back.
All the way up to the shoulder blades.
And the whole back.
To the neck.
And again to the top of the head where we started.
Let the whole body be heavy.
Relaxed.
And invite softness.
You are being carried by your bed.
By Mother Earth.
From the physical body we will now move over to our energy body.
Shifting focus to the breath.
We don't need to change anything.
Just notice the breath.
The movement of the breath.
Inhale softness.
Exhale let go.
Inhale expand.
Feel the lightness.
Exhale dissolve.
You are being held.
You are being supported.
Just observe the breath.
And allow yourself to drift.
Breathe out what no longer serves you.
Inhale receiving.
Exhaling letting go.
So while observing the breath we will now go with our awareness to our nostrils.
Just observe the texture and temperature of the air that you inhale and exhale.
Maybe it's a bit cooler when you inhale.
Maybe a bit warmer when you exhale.
Explore the texture and temperature of the air when you inhale and exhale.
Now imagine your body being really really heavy.
Heavy into the surface that you are lying on.
Maybe it's the bed or maybe it's a yoga mat.
Imagine that you are sinking down.
Really really heavy like a stone.
Feel the heaviness of your whole body.
And now imagine your body being really really light.
Light like a floating feather.
Or lifting a bit from the surface.
And now again imagine your body heavy.
Heavy as a rock.
Sinking down into the surface.
Melting down.
Totally relaxed.
Maybe you are floating away into sleep and that is totally okay.
We will now move into some visualization.
So with your eyes closed visualize a place that makes you feel safe and held for.
It can be a picture in front of you of your favorite place.
Maybe a space in nature.
At a lake or a sea.
In the forest.
Or maybe it's in a garden or in your own bed.
Picture a safe place in front of you.
In front of your closed eyes.
Explore this space a bit.
What can you see here?
How does it feel being here?
Maybe you even can feel the air against your skin here.
Maybe there is a breeze.
Maybe it's warm air.
What are the sounds around you?
Are there any smells around you?
How does it feel being here?
Just allow everything to come.
Everything that comes to come.
Maybe you can see different images,
Different sensations,
Different feelings.
Just open up for anything that will come.
And also welcome it.
Drifting into an open awareness.
It can be memories,
It can be feelings,
Sensations.
It can be pictures in front of us.
And it's now time to return to our sankalpa.
Or our intention or wish with this practice.
If you had a sankalpa,
Just repeat it for yourself three times again.
And just notice also how you feel while repeating your sankalpa.
Maybe you are drifting to sleep.
Maybe the mind is still active.
That's okay.
There is no failure in yoga nidra.
We are still giving our bodies and minds a nurturing rest.
Maybe there is something that you need to hear right now.
Maybe there is something that you need to tell yourself.
Just a word or maybe a sentence.
We are coming back to focus a bit on our breath again.
Each exhalation is an invitation to leave what no longer serves you.
Each exhalation is an invitation to leave what no longer serves you.
Exhale fully.
And if you wish,
Sigh out a few breaths again through the mouth.
Each exhalation is an invitation to soften and to let go.
You are being held.
You are being cared for.
Just let yourself float.
So this yoga nidra is now coming to an end.
I want to wish you a really,
Really nice sleep.
Sleep well.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
