iRest Yoga Nidra for Healing Trauma

Rest Yoga Nidra is a guided form of deep relaxation and meditation that provides a supportive path through the healing process.

Transcript

Welcome to the practice of I-Rest Yoga Nidra for healing.

Take a moment now to adjust your body,

Making sure you have all the supports and comforts you need to relax completely into the experience.

Once you have adjusted your body,

Take a moment to feel the whole plane of contact between the body and the surface beneath you,

Feeling yourself being completely held by the floor,

The chair,

How in this moment there is absolutely nothing you need to be doing.

Let yourself be completely supported as you emerge into deeper states of peace and relaxation.

Begin now to imagine yourself in a place where you feel completely calm,

Nourished and safe,

Your inner resource.

This can be a real place,

Perhaps a place in nature that you enjoy very much,

Perhaps sitting on a mountain or by a river,

Perhaps relaxing at the beach.

This can also be a completely imaginary place,

Some place that brings you the most restorative sense of safety and wellness.

Once you select a place,

Use all of your senses to experience this place,

Noticing what it looks like,

Any colors,

Shapes,

Textures.

Notice any sounds or smells or tastes that are present.

Observe how your body starts to feel warm,

Relaxed,

Comfortable.

Your breathing becomes easy and rhythmic.

Your belly and hands become warm and relaxed.

Know that you can return to this inner resource any time during the practice of yoga nidra or any time during life when you need to feel a sense of safety and protection.

Now bring to mind an intention for your practice.

How would you like to feel when the practice of yoga nidra is finished today?

Now go even deeper into the heart.

Ask yourself,

What is it that I want more than anything else in life?

What is my deepest heartfelt desire?

Whatever it is,

Let it arise naturally and then place it in a present tense sentence as if it is already a fact and true.

For instance,

I am happy,

Healthy and complete,

Just as I am.

Feel this heartfelt desire melting down through every cell of your being.

Truly feel as if it is already becoming a reality.

Now let the sound of my voice become the sound of your own voice as we move our attention through the physical body.

As I name each area of the body,

Bring your attention there and experience the sensation.

You may feel something or nothing at all,

But whatever you experience is absolutely perfect.

By becoming aware of the mouth,

Feel the lips,

Soft tongue floating in the mouth,

Observing any sense of taste present.

Feel the density of the teeth and then feeling up into the jaw,

Observing if there's any tension in the jaw,

Going straight into it,

Seeing if you can find the origin of the tension.

Can you find the place where tension ends and spaciousness begins?

Drawing sensation now up to the ears,

Feeling the outside architecture of the ears,

Sound arriving at the ears,

Sound making its way from the outer ears into the inner ears,

Feeling sound as pure vibration.

Bringing your awareness up to the nose,

Feel the air flowing in and out of the nose,

Noticing the difference in sensation of inhalation compared to exhalation.

One may feel a little stronger,

The other a little softer.

One may feel a little warmer,

The other a little cooler.

Be open to any sense of smell present.

Bringing your attention up to the eyes,

Feel the eyelids gently touching,

The eyes resting back in the head,

The space behind the eyes,

Notice any light or color filtering through the eyelids,

Notice if the mind is projecting an image of the space around you or something else even though the eyes are closed.

Bring your awareness up to the forehead,

Forehead is cool and alive with sensation,

Feel that sensation melting back into the brain,

Feel the brain becoming calm and clear like a still pool of water and you can easily see the bottom.

Feel the scalp,

Can you feel the place where the air touches the scalp?

Now feel all the sensations in the head at once,

The whole head,

The whole head,

Moving down now into the neck and throat,

Feeling sensation shift down into the shoulders and upper back,

Observing if there's any tension or contraction here in the shoulders or upper back,

Going straight into it,

Seeing if you can find the place where tension unfolds into expansion,

Spaciousness.

Now feel sensation flowing down both arms like two giant waterfalls,

Upper arms,

The density of the elbows,

The forearms,

The density of the wrists,

Notice the difference in sensation of the wrists compared to the palms of the hands,

Feel the palms warm and alive with sensation,

Bringing your awareness up to the upper back and chest,

Can you feel the sensation of the heart beating in the chest?

Tune into this subtle,

Tremendously powerful rhythm of life,

This rhythm you've known since before you were born.

Feel the abdomen and lower back,

Noticing any sensation in the abdomen,

Perhaps a feeling of fullness or a tinge of hunger,

Feeling down into the hips and pelvis,

Sensation flowing down the thighs,

The density of the knees,

The calves and shins,

Actually feel down into the ankles and feet,

Feel the bones in the feet,

The soles of the feet and all of the toes.

Now all parts of the body become one,

Sense sensation in the whole body,

The whole body,

The whole body,

And although the body is very relaxed,

Experience a sense of life in the body,

Observe all the symphony of sensations in the physical body,

Feeling all the life,

Billions of cells performing their functions,

Silently bringing the body into deeper states of health,

Wellness,

And true peace.

Amidst all of these billions of cells and billions of things happening in the body,

Feel also the stillness that is present,

The body is completely still,

Fall completely back into that state of awareness,

The part of you that's been observing the body,

Fall back to that expansive stillness that lives at the core of your being,

Joining the breath before it enters the nostrils and following it on its pathway as it moves through the body,

Feeling the breath in the nose as it flows in and out of the nostrils,

Notice the difference between inhalation and exhalation,

One may feel a little warmer,

The other a little cooler,

One may feel a little stronger,

The other a little softer,

Feel the breath as it passes across the throat,

Observing the difference between inhalation and exhalation,

Feel your chest rise and fall with each breath,

The body is breathing itself naturally,

Feel the abdomen rise and fall as you breathe in and out,

Now feel the subtle expansion that happens in the body with each inhalation,

Feel the subtle release that occurs with each exhalation,

Feel the breath in places you don't normally associate with the breath,

Perhaps in the feet or the hands,

Perhaps in the face,

Can you find a single cell in the whole body that is not being breathed by absolutely every breath,

Each inhalation a chance to bring into the body whatever it is you need,

Each exhale a chance to release whatever is no longer serving you,

And now fall back into the deep stillness within you,

The perfect state of awareness,

The part of you that was witnessing the breath,

Fall back to that absolute state of peace,

Untouched by the body,

Untouched by the breath,

Abiding at this moment and every moment of life in a state of absolute peace and perfection,

Take a moment now to tune in to the expansive part of you,

The part of you that is not limited by a body,

The part of you that can soar to absolute heights,

Feel into this experience of not being bound by the physical body,

Notice how you feel when you let yourself open to this truly intuitive,

Expansive place,

Not limited by time,

Space,

Any event,

Any occurrence,

Any body truly open to the full universe of experience,

How would you feel if there were no limits,

If you were capable of expanding beyond the farthest reaches of imagination,

Let yourself feel truly free,

Move beyond your concepts,

Go past them,

Go past any limiting factor,

Fully open up to your highest self,

Now take a moment and shift to the opposite of this experience,

Feel down back into the body,

Feel yourself going into the deepest parts of yourself,

The deepest basin of the ocean within,

What is present when you sit and abide here in the deepest parts of yourself,

Is there any sense of contraction,

If so go into that,

Let yourself feel any emotions or experiences that are here as you sit with the depth of your humaneness,

Take a moment now to shift back up into that expansive,

Infinite intuitive state unbound by a body,

Unbound by any physical experience,

And then shift back into the physical body,

Be totally open to this experience as you allow yourself to shift back into the physical form,

Going deep into the depths of your experience and welcoming the full experience of this physical existence,

Go into the deepest parts of self,

What is here,

If there is an experience of an emotion or contraction in the physical body go to that place in the body and let yourself be there,

Welcoming whatever is present with openness and curiosity,

And now soar once more to the highest realms of self,

Like a genie set free from its bottle,

Let yourself go,

Let yourself expand beyond the physical form up to the highest states,

Self and intuition,

And then alternate back into the body,

Feeling the full depth and experience of the physical form and everything that comes with it,

Feeling the expansive self and then the depth,

The expansive self and then the depth,

Solid tangible body,

The infinite expansive self,

Feel both of these experiences at the same time,

Feel the infinite expansive wholeness of self at the same time as you welcome the full physicality and solidity of the body,

All its emotions,

All its beliefs and experiences,

Feel both of these experiences simultaneously,

The absolute expansive self at the same time as you experience the full physical existence,

Feel how it is possible to live here in the body with the full depth of your being at the same time as it is possible to live in the expansive infinite self,

Welcome both of these experiences simultaneously with such openness,

Complete presence,

Feel that you are all of these,

The expansive infinite aspects of self at the same time inhabiting this beautiful physical body,

All of its experiences,

All of its forms,

Feel that each is informing the other,

Each is reminding you that the opposite exists,

Realize that you are able to experience this vast expansive self because you are able to also embody and welcome the physical depth of human experience,

Welcome both of them knowing that one is dependent on the other,

We only know what light is because we also know what darkness is,

We only know pleasure because we also know pain,

Welcome the full spectrum of your being and its absolute perfection just as it is,

Bring your attention now to the heart,

Feel the heart soft,

Open,

Alive and filled with love,

Feel this love expanding out from the heart in all directions as if the heart is the sun radiating love throughout every cell of your being,

Feel yourself bathed in this all forgiving,

All healing love and light,

Feel that this love has the power to transform anything else into pure love,

Pure light,

Feel into the absolute forgiveness that is selfless,

Pure love,

Bathe every challenge or bit of suffering that has ever come into your life in this selfless love,

Feel the absolute perfection of the forgiveness that comes when you realize that it is through our challenges that we are able to experience pure peace,

Pure love,

Pure compassion,

Take a moment to sit with the full spectrum of your existence,

Bathing it all in this perfect love and light,

Realize that inside of your greatest challenges resides your greatest strengths,

Every challenge is sent to you as a messenger that will help unlock the wisdom and selfless love that exists within you,

With this knowing welcome all of who you are,

Your whole self,

Just as you are,

And now fall back into that witnessing state of awareness that's been observing the whole experience today and from this witnessing state of awareness,

Observe the physical body,

Noticing any feelings or sensations that are still present,

Welcome them with openness,

Welcome all of who you are,

And then observe the breath,

This precious connection with life,

Feeling the breath flowing with such grace,

And then observe the mind,

Noticing any thoughts or feelings,

Emotions,

Beliefs that are present,

Welcome them all,

Now fall back even past this witnessing state of awareness to pure being,

That untouched part of you that exists at this moment and every moment of life in a state of total peace,

Fall back into the stillness from which you came,

Fall back into the stillness that is here at every moment of life,

The blank movie screen onto which all of life is projected,

Fall back into your highest self fully and completely,

Let yourself abide in this stillness,

In the serenity that exists at this moment and every moment of life,

Untouched by anything that's ever happened before or anything that ever will,

Fall completely back into the stillness that is your true nature,

This is your true nature,

Changing experiences,

Revealing unchanging awareness,

Can you make an intention to live from this place so that all of your actions arise from this inner stillness,

Then there is no doing,

There's just being,

Realize that every moment is paired with its perfect response,

Realize that you will always have whatever it is you need to meet,

Greet,

Welcome and respond to every experience you face in life,

Realize that every experience has been sent as a messenger to guide you back to this untouched,

Whole,

Healthy and complete place,

Where everything is just as it should be,

Into this deep,

Deep peace,

Bring to mind your heartfelt desire,

That thing that you want more than anything else in life,

As if this heartfelt desire is the most sacred seed planted deep in this most fertile soil of awareness,

Truly feel as if your heartfelt desire is becoming a reality in this moment,

Feel all of life unfolding before you in harmony with this most resolute heartfelt desire,

Take a moment now to check in with your intention for your practice today,

How was it that you hoped to feel when the practice was over,

How does that intention feel now,

Give yourself now all the time you need to transition back into the waking state,

If it helps you can welcome a little bit of a deeper breath into the chest,

Observing how deep breathing brings life and vitality to the body and mind,

Observe the body,

Noticing any feelings or sensations that are present,

If a little movement is ready to happen you can wiggle a finger or toe or whatever else feels like moving,

At some point you may want to open the eyes a little and let a little bit of light in and then close them again,

Bringing this state of awareness back with you as you reemerge into waking life,

Still connected to this unending peace that is your true nature,

Now waking life continues but this state of awareness is your constant companion,

Carry it with you and live from this space of pure being,

Thank you.

Reviews

Absolutely incredible. Im on leave from a high stress job, after years of living in fight or flight. An extremely dysregulared nervous system, and a list of chronic illnesses from just "pushing through " hoping everything will resolve it self as long as I keep giving to everyone else except myself. For the first time is what feels like years, I felt at home in my body. At ease. At peace. Refuge from the storm for any length of time, is freedom. Thank you 🙏

I was harassed by a stranger yesterday and still feel very distressed by it. But after this practice, I already feel more peace than I felt beforehand.

That was awesome. I really liked feeling expansive and then grounded in my body. Excellent!

That is such a favorite of mine. I have practiced this one very intensely in the past. I just listened again and see how profoundly this has improved my life. Committ to this one if you have any trauma… and who doesn’t?

Update: I just noticed some comments below about the titling this as for trauma. I am a clinician too and one client who had horrific childhood abuse could not practice this. That said, non-dual perspectives, or spiritual orientations like ACIM do treat all experiences as “messengers.” I found this nidra helped me get really anchored in my safe place and helped me manage my dissociative derealization.

Also I think this was made a LONG time ago and we know a lot more about trauma now.

If you have experienced Traumatic violence and or abuse, you might want to listen to this with your clinician or while your are up doing chores etc to see if it is right for you, before you practice it on your own.

Shared with love and gratitude for Molly and this track…. And for clinicians who help on healing paths and all those touched by Trauma/trauma. May we all heal…

This is a unique kind of yoga nidra that I’ll be repeating 🙏

That was wonderful, profoundly relaxing. Thank you! 🙏🏼🩵

That was one of the most beautiful experiences I’ve had with yoga nidra! Thank you so much for this soul expansive practice!

Going through a painful seperation and this was just what I needed - thank you 🙏🏻

The past 12mths my life has been exposed to ill health, personal issues , an enormous amount of stress anxiety, relationship problems, feeling I have been taken for granted, listening today to this meditation has bought me some hope that my life will get better and each day I smile and take care of myself. Thank you so much for this fulfilling and truly beautiful meditation.Namaste 🦋🙏🌸

Really transported me to another place. I felt extremely serene when I ‘returned’ to myself and the world. Definitely one to be experienced. Thank you ❤️

Exactly what I needed.

Lovely

I love this meditation. I usually fall asleep during it but not always. It’s intricate and beautiful, and always what I need.

Wow, that was a powerful and needed experience. Thank you for your guidance.

Absolutely the best meditation I've had to date and I was beyond stressed! Thankyou so much!!!

What a beautiful practice. So much release and realisation here. Thank you 🙏 🌸💗

I can’t put into words how deeply moving this is for me

I've recently listened to an Audible book by Molly on inestimable Yoga Nindra as well as her lecture series on Wondrium regarding developing resilience. This meditation was/is useful for me and serves as a "teaser" making me want for more guided meditations by her which I sinkhole are forthcoming on Insight Timer. Thank you Molly!

Thank you. Helped me to become calm and get some good sleep 🙏✨

Extremely powerful practice. I released and gained insight into trauma that previously I did not understand. Thank you so much for this wonderful practice and tool.