Yoga Nidra For Rejuvenation & Self-Love

If you are having trouble getting to sleep, or find yourself waking throughout the night, this beautiful Yoga Nidra practice will bring you back to deep rest and relaxation. It can be used in the evening before bed or during the day for a burst of deep rest and healing - perfect for new mothers/fathers/ parents of newborn babies, when sleep is elusive.

This deep yogic sleep will bring you deeply into the present moment and ground you into your body. It will quiet your mind.

Transcript

This is the practice of yoga nidra.

Yoga nidra is a divine practice to bring you into deep relaxation,

Nourishment and rest in your body.

I invite you to lie down on your back,

Either on the floor or bed and place a cushion or pillow under your knees and just get as comfortable as possible as you can in this moment.

This time is for you and only you.

It is your opportunity to rest deeply and to invite rejuvenation and replenishing energy into your body,

Soul and mind.

Ensure you have a warm blanket covering you and lie in a position that you will be comfortable in for the duration of the practice.

I invite you now to close down your eyes and keep them closed until the practice has ended.

The practice of yoga nidra is a practice of yogic sleep,

A state of consciousness between wakefulness and sleeping.

Try to remain awake by listening to the sound of my voice and over the course of the practice you will be asked to move your awareness to various bodily sensations,

Emotions and images.

These prompts are offered to keep your awareness focused and in tune with the present moment.

Allow your awareness to float.

There is no need to try or to get it right.

Just allow the process to unfold as it's meant to.

Sometimes as our bodies relax our minds can become active and busy.

Just allow and accept this as part of the process and gently with compassion come back to the sound of my voice.

As we begin to float through the layers of consciousness,

Bring your awareness to any sounds you can hear.

Being mindful not to strain or control,

Just allow what's there to come in.

I now invite you to focus on the sounds that are beyond this room,

Taking your awareness further out to the sounds that are in the distance.

Just allow these sounds to come and go in your awareness.

You might label the sound as it floats in and out of your awareness.

Gradually bring your attention closer now,

Inwards to sounds that are just outside your home or the room you are in.

Bring your awareness even closer now to the sounds inside this building.

And now inside this room.

And now inside your body.

Without opening your eyes,

I invite you to visualize the four walls of this room.

Now visualize the ceiling,

The floor,

And now your whole body lying on the floor or bed.

Visualize your body lying on the bed or floor.

Notice the position of your body,

Your clothes,

Your hair,

Your face.

Become acutely aware of the existence of your physical body lying here on the floor or bed.

And now smile at your body as it holds this sacred space for you.

As you watch your body here on the floor or bed,

I invite you to become aware of your breath.

Become aware of your beautiful and spontaneous breath as it moves in and out of your body without any effort at all.

It is the breath that connects us to the here and now and to all the places beyond.

Notice the feeling of your breath as it comes in and out of your nostrils.

Notice the feeling of coolness as you inhale the breath.

Follow this feeling into your nose,

Your sinuses,

The back of your throat and into your lungs.

Retrace your breath as it exhales through the same passage in your body.

And notice the feeling of warmth as you exhale the breath again.

I invite you to allow your breath to become longer and more slow now.

Extend the inhalation,

Following it with a longer exhalation.

I invite you to exhale even more slowly now,

Noticing the slight pause just after the inhale.

I invite you on the next inhale to gently hold your breath.

Notice the urge to breathe bubble up inside of you.

Continue to pause here and now gently exhale a long,

Slow breath.

Pause again before your next inhale and notice the moments when you are neither breathing in or out.

Continue breathing in this way for two more breaths.

Now let go and return to the natural easy breath,

Releasing any control over the inhale or exhale.

The practice of Yoga Nidra begins now.

At this moment I invite you to set your Sankalpa or intention for the practice.

The Sankalpa is a short positive statement in simple language.

Just notice what arises into your awareness,

Knowing that I Am statements are powerful catalysts for growth and healing.

State your Sankalpa clearly and with awareness three times in your mind's eye.

The Sankalpa you make during Yoga Nidra plants a seed in the soil of your mind to bring about transformation and healing.

Before we commence the body rotation,

Repeat the following statement silently to yourself.

I am practicing Yoga Nidra.

I am awake and relaxed.

We will now begin a systematic journey of sensory awareness throughout your body.

Upon my instruction you will move your awareness to different parts of your body.

Repeat the name of the body part to yourself and bring your awareness to any sensations,

Feelings or emotions that may be present in this body part.

Keep your body still as you practice this rotation as it is the mind that is moving rather than your physical vessel.

We will begin with the right side of the body with your right hand thumb.

Second finger.

Third finger.

Fourth finger.

Fifth finger.

Palm of the hand.

Back of the hand.

Wrist.

Forearm.

Elbow.

Upper arm.

Shoulder.

Arm pit.

Waist.

Hip.

Thigh.

Knee.

Calf.

Ankle.

Heel.

Soul of the foot.

Top of the foot.

Your right big toe.

Your second toe.

Your third toe.

Your fourth toe.

Fifth toe.

Now move your awareness to the left side of your body.

And move your awareness to your left hand thumb.

Second finger.

Third finger.

Fourth finger.

And fifth finger.

Palm of your hand.

Back of your hand.

Your wrist.

Your forearm.

Elbow.

Upper arm.

Shoulder.

Arm pit.

Wrist.

Hip.

Thigh.

Knee.

Calf.

Elbow.

Heel.

Soul of the foot.

Top of the foot.

Left big toe.

Second toe.

Third toe.

Fourth toe.

And fifth toe.

Now move your awareness to the back of your body.

Bringing your awareness to your right heel.

Left heel.

Right calf.

Left calf.

Right thigh.

Left thigh.

Right buttock.

Left buttock.

Lower back.

Middle back.

The entire spine.

Right shoulder blade.

Left shoulder blade.

Back of the neck.

Back of the head.

Top of the head.

The forehead.

Right temple.

Left temple.

Right ear.

Left ear.

Right eyebrow.

Left eyebrow.

Middle of the eyebrows.

Right eye.

Right eye.

Left eye.

Right nostril.

Left nostril.

Right cheek.

Left cheek.

Upper lip.

Lower lip.

Both lips together.

Chin.

Fore.

Throat.

Right collarbone.

Left collarbone.

Right side of the chest.

Upper abdomen.

Navel.

Lower abdomen.

Right groin.

Left groin.

The pelvic floor.

The whole right leg.

The whole left leg.

The whole right arm.

The whole left arm.

The whole face.

The whole head.

The whole torso.

The whole body.

The whole body.

The whole body.

The whole body in your awareness.

Now imagine the body becoming light.

Now imagine the body becoming light.

As though your body could float away from the floor up towards the ceiling.

Your head is light and weightless.

Your limbs are light and weightless.

Your torso is light and weightless.

Your whole body is light and weightless.

You are rising higher and higher away from the floor.

You are rising higher and higher away from the floor.

You are rising higher and higher away from the floor.

Now imagine your body becoming heavy.

Feel the heaviness in all parts of your body.

Each part is becoming heavier and heavier and heavier.

Your head is heavy now.

Your limbs are heavy.

Your torso is heavy.

The whole body is heavy.

So heavy that it is sinking down into the floor now.

So heavy that it is sinking down into the floor now.

I invite you to awaken to the experience of cold in the body.

I invite you to awaken to the experience of cold in the body.

Your whole body is chilly cold.

Like a cold wind whipping around you.

You feel this chill permeating your entire body.

You feel this chill permeating your entire body.

Now allow the sensation of warmth to spread throughout your body.

Now allow the sensation of warmth to spread throughout your body.

Feel your body relax as you feel the surge of summer heat penetrating your skin.

Like the summer sun beating down on a hot pavement.

Like the summer sun beating down on a hot pavement.

You feel heat radiating all over your body.

You feel heat radiating all over your body.

Recollect the experience of anxiety or worry in the body.

Recollect the experience of anxiety or worry in the body.

Feel your mind and body without concentrating on its source.

Feel your mind and body without concentrating on its source.

Create the experience of anxiety as clearly as possible.

Create the experience of anxiety as clearly as possible.

Manifest the experience of calm in your entire mind,

Body and emotions.

You are relaxed and aware.

You are completely calm and relaxed.

Now begin to concentrate on the space in front of your closed eyelids.

Now begin to concentrate on the space in front of your closed eyelids.

Imagine before you a transparent screen as though you were at a movie theatre.

Imagine before you a transparent screen as though you were at a movie theatre.

The screen is high and wide as far as your eyes can see.

The screen is high and wide as far as your eyes can see.

Concentrate on this mind screen and become aware of any phenomena that manifest within it.

Concentrate on this mind screen and become aware of any phenomena that manifest within it.

You may see colours,

Patterns of light.

You may see colours,

Patterns of light.

Continue your awareness in this space but do not become involved.

Continue your awareness in this space but do not become involved.

Practice detached awareness.

If any subtle images make themselves known,

Simply notice them without directing the image.

If any subtle images make themselves known,

Simply notice them without directing the image.

I will now move you through a process of visualisation.

As I state the visual cue,

I invite you to envision them on a level of emotion,

Memory and imagination.

Move your awareness from image to image as I state them.

Red desert,

Wild horses running,

Peacock feather,

Ocean crashing,

A peaceful sigh,

Full glowing moon,

Your reflection in a mirror,

Foggy morning,

Your shadow on a wall,

Ripe mango,

River flowing,

Cool clear water,

Trampoline jumping,

Laughing with friends,

A warm embrace,

Burning candle,

Temple on a mountain,

Vibrant sunset,

A deep breath,

Cat stretching,

A beautiful garden path,

A warm cup of tea,

The sound of my voice,

Your body lying on the floor or bed.

I now invite you to repeat your sankalpa.

Repeat the same intention you made at the beginning of the practice three times in your mind's eye now.

As we return through the layers of consciousness,

Come back to the feeling of your breath flowing in and out of your nostrils.

Maintain your awareness of breath and at the same time develop your awareness of your physical body.

Your body is relaxed and flying on the floor or bed.

Feel into the container of your skin,

The clothes you're wearing,

The props that are touching you.

Notice the heaviness of your body as it rests on the floor and take your awareness into all the points of your body that are touching the floor.

Without opening your eyes,

Visualize the surrounding room.

Imagine where you are in the room and any objects that are around you.

Lie quietly until you feel ready to move.

Start slowly by slowly moving your hands and feet.

There's no hurry.

Take your time.

And when you are sure that you are fully awake,

I invite you to gently open your eyes.

Please roll over to your right side.

Just stay on your right side for a few more moments.

Use your hands to press yourself up from the floor and let your head come up last.

With the deepest gratitude to you,

The practice of Yoga Nidra is now complete.

Reviews

Beautiful! 🙏

This is wonderful 🙏🏼💜🌸 thank you!

Excellent, gentle and soothing.

Thank you🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

A lovely, well-paced, simple & straightforward (in the best way) nidra. I especially liked the longer thorough body scan, as well as that ‘the opposite sensations’ weren’t held for too long as I often find that jarring and not relaxing. I will definitely return to this one. Thank you. ❤️