Daily Unwind Yoga Nidra For Mental Wellbeing

This Satyananda-style Yoga Nidra recording was designed to be of general benefit to those struggling with anxiety, depression, or other common mental health issues. Yoga Nidra is deeply relaxing and this builds on that relaxation using specific imagery, breath awareness practices, and ideas to help listeners connect to deeper levels of ease and stability.

Please keep in mind that this recording is not a substitute for mental health or medical care.

Transcript

Welcome to the daily Unwind Yoga Nidra practice designed and recorded by Nick Boutros.

This is a general yoga nidra practice that's useful for most people who are dealing with issues that bring them to psychotherapy.

Keep in mind this guided meditation complements but is not a substitute for medical or mental health care.

If you'd like a practice that's more specifically tailored to your issues,

Feel free to contact me.

To do this guided meditation,

Start by finding a comfortable position in which you can remain still for the next 30 minutes.

Traditionally,

This practice is done in the yoga posture of Shavasana,

Like at the end of a yoga class.

In other words,

Lying on your back on a blanket or a mat on the floor with your arms a little away from the body,

Your palms upward,

And your legs a little open or else with your legs with a pillow or bolster under your knees.

You can also do this practice lying on your right side or else sitting on a couch or in an easy chair or sitting upright in a traditional meditation position.

Generally,

It's not recommended to do this practice lying in bed or on another soft surface unless your purpose is actually to fall asleep during the practice.

In any case,

Make sure you have a pillow or a blanket or anything else you'll need in the next half hour and that your cell phone is off and there are no other distractions to disturb you.

You're always free to move during this practice or do whatever you need to do to remain comfortable,

But it's best to eliminate any distractions that you can and have anything you might need nearby so you can move as little as possible.

So when you're in a position that works for you,

I invite you to take a deep breath in and out.

And we're going to take a little journey,

An inward journey,

In order to relax different aspects of your body and mind.

You don't need to make any efforts for this to work.

All you have to do is follow my instructions as best you can.

As we go along,

Try not to analyze or figure out what's happening with your rational mind.

Instead,

Concentrate on the sound of my voice and what I'm asking you to do.

At this moment,

Allow your body to settle into the earth beneath you.

See if you can feel the groundedness of your body,

However you're sitting or lying.

Take another deep breath in and imagine the breath going to any places of physical tension in the body.

And as you breathe out a long smooth breath,

Imagine the breath carrying out these tensions with it.

So do this twice more,

Breathing in a nice full breath and letting the long out breath carry any physical tensions out of your body.

Now breathe in again,

Letting the breath travel to locations of any emotional tensions,

Places where you feel sadness,

Anger,

Disappointment,

Or any other emotions you're experiencing right now.

Let the long out breath carry these emotional tensions or preoccupations out of your body.

Repeat this twice more,

Breathing deep,

Letting yourself release any emotional tensions.

Finally,

Breathe in fully again,

Letting the breath travel to any mental tensions,

Anxieties,

Preoccupations,

Obsessions,

Or worries,

And letting the breath absorb these and carry them out with a long exhalation.

Repeat this twice more,

Letting these mental tensions move out of you with each long out breath.

Now adjust your body one last time,

Making yourself a little bit more comfortable.

From this point,

Doing your best not to move unless you need to.

And then letting yourself be aware of a soothing or centering image inside.

This could be an image of a place you've seen or imagined before,

Or of an object that brings you comfort,

Or perhaps a person,

Or word,

Or even a physical feeling that soothes or calms you.

This image is your inner refuge.

Continue to stay with it for a few moments now,

Exploring it,

Its colors,

Sense of texture.

Importantly,

Feel the feelings of calmness and comfort.

If you want,

Notice where you feel the comfort and calmness of this refuge in your body.

If at any point in the upcoming practice,

You feel uncomfortable or don't want to follow my instructions,

Come back to this image or feeling of inner refuge.

This refuge is here for you anytime you need it.

And when you're ready,

Give some thought to your intention for doing this practice or of doing other things in your life.

Notice if there's a theme or an overall intention,

Something you deeply want for yourself,

Maybe a sense of wholeness,

Relaxation,

Freedom,

Or some other desire.

If you'd like,

You can turn this intention into a sankalpa or a resolve.

A sankalpa is a general present tense statement that encapsulates your positive wish for yourself.

For example,

You might use a statement like,

I manifest wholeness and well-being,

Or I benefit the world with my existence.

A statement when used properly and repeatedly in yoga nidra can take deep root in the mind and have a profound effect on your life.

Of course,

If you don't want to do this,

You don't have to.

But if you want to,

Formulating a sankalpa now and saying it silently to yourself three times,

See if you can feel the conviction and the truth of this present tense statement as you do.

And also affirming to yourself,

I am conscious and aware.

I am listening closely to the voice.

I am conscious and aware.

Saying this to yourself a couple times,

I am conscious and aware.

I am listening closely to the voice.

I am conscious and aware.

Unless you're using this practice as a way to work with insomnia,

Doing your best to stay awake during this practice,

Remaining conscious and aware.

Now we're going to bring awareness to the parts of the body.

As you lie still,

Just let your consciousness move through your body and become aware of each part as I name it.

Simply do the best you can,

Trying not to think about the part or use your mind,

But just bring your attention to where I direct you.

If you miss something or have trouble following,

That's all right.

Again,

Just do your best.

Starting with the right hand,

Bring awareness to your right hand.

Now the right hand thumb,

Then the index finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger,

Pinky finger,

The palm of the right hand.

I'm bringing awareness to the back of the hand,

The wrist,

Lower arm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

Shoulder,

Right armpit,

Right side of the ribs,

The right waist,

The right side of the groin,

The right thigh,

Knee,

Calf muscle,

Ankle,

The heel of the right foot,

Sole of the right foot,

Top of the foot,

The right big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

Fifth toe.

Now we'll repeat on the left side.

Become aware of the left hand thumb,

Index finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger,

Pinky finger,

The palm of the left hand,

The back of the hand,

The wrist,

Lower arm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

Shoulder,

Left armpit,

Left side of the ribs,

Left waist,

Left side of the groin,

Left thigh,

Knee,

Calf muscle,

Ankle,

Heel,

Sole of the left foot,

Top of the foot,

The big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

Fifth toe.

Now to the back,

Become aware of the right shoulder blade,

Left shoulder blade,

The right butt cheek,

Left butt cheek,

The spine,

Becoming aware of the whole spine,

Now the whole back altogether,

Now aware of the top of the head,

Bringing your attention to the top of the head,

Now the forehead,

Both sides of the head,

The right eyebrow,

The left eyebrow,

The space between the eyebrows,

The right eyelid,

Left eyelid,

Right eye,

Left eye,

The right ear,

The left ear,

The right cheek,

Left cheek,

The nose,

The tip of the nose,

The upper lip,

Lower lip,

Inside the mouth,

The chin,

The throat,

The right side of the chest,

The left side of the chest,

The middle of the chest,

The navel,

The whole abdomen,

Now be aware of the whole right leg,

Now the whole left leg,

Being aware of both legs together,

Now the whole right arm,

The whole left arm,

Both arms together,

The whole back,

The buttocks,

Spine,

Shoulder blades,

The whole front,

The abdomen,

And chest,

The whole back and front together,

Now the whole head,

The face,

The back of the head,

Sides,

The crown of the head,

Altogether,

And the whole body,

The whole body altogether,

And again being aware of the whole right leg,

The whole left leg,

Both legs together,

The whole right arm,

The whole left arm,

Both arms together,

The whole back,

The whole front,

The whole back and front together,

The whole head,

The whole body together,

And being aware of the whole right leg again,

The whole left leg,

Both legs together,

The whole right arm,

The whole left arm,

Both arms together,

The whole back,

The whole front,

Back and front together,

The whole head,

The whole body together,

Being aware of the whole body together,

The whole body together,

Be aware of the stillness of the whole body,

Let any distraction,

Thought,

Or movement bring your attention back to the stillness of the body,

Resting here,

Feel this restfulness,

Affirm to yourself,

I am conscious and aware,

I am listening closely to the sound of the voice,

I am conscious and aware,

Now observe the natural breath,

Feeling the breath moving in and out of your resting body with no effort on your part,

Observe the breath with no effort,

Bring your attention to your breathing in your belly,

Feel the breath moving in your belly,

Moving deeper with each in breath,

Letting go with each out breath,

Continue to observe the breath in your belly,

Noticing the movements with each breath,

Staying with the breath,

Observing the breath is the only important thing right now,

Now bring your attention to the upper abdomen,

The bottom of your ribs,

Area of your solar plexus,

Feel the natural breath moving there,

Observe the rise and fall of the ribs and the expansion and contraction of the breath around your solar plexus,

Feel that movement like a bellows or an accordion expanding and contracting,

Being aware of the breath expanding and contracting in the upper abdomen,

Continue to observe the breath in the upper abdomen,

Be aware of the movement of each breath,

Now bringing your attention to the center of your chest,

The chest rises and falls naturally,

With each breath,

Observe the center of your chest,

Feel the breath moving there,

A natural rise and fall of the chest,

Continue to observe the breath in the chest,

Be aware of the movement of each breath,

Gently,

Naturally moving in the center of the chest,

And observe how the breath fills and moves in the whole body,

With each in-breath how the breath fills the chest and belly,

With each out-breath how the nourishment of the breath spreads throughout the body,

In-breath filling,

Concentrating the core of the body,

With each out-breath spreading,

Radiating out,

Observe this flow,

This alternation,

The inward movement with each in-breath,

The radiating outward movement with each out-breath,

Inward to the core,

Outward to every part of the body,

And now perceive that the whole body is bathed in light,

Imagine you're in a bright room or that you're resting in the afternoon sun,

Keep still,

Feel this light bathing and permeating your whole body,

The whole body surrounded and imbued with light,

Now imagine the opposite,

A body is resting in a dark room,

A room at night or with all the shades drawn,

So there is no light whatsoever,

Rest exactly as you are,

Feeling the quality of this peaceful darkness as it surrounds and imbues your whole body,

Darkness all around and inside the body,

Now return to the experience of light,

Feeling the light surrounding your body,

Bright enough that it shines through the body,

The body surrounded and imbued with light,

And return again to the experience of darkness,

Darkness all around and within,

Darkness,

Darkness,

And once again light,

Experiencing the light around and in the body,

Imbued with light,

Surrounded and imbued with light,

Now experience both at the same time,

Feeling both the darkness and the light around you and within you,

At once completely dark and radiantly light,

See if you can feel both at the same time,

I am conscious and aware,

I am listening closely to the voice,

I am conscious and aware,

Now I'm going to name a number of objects and things to experience in the mind,

Let the experience of each object come to you through all your senses,

Mental images,

Sounds,

Smells,

Feelings,

And even the tastes,

Be open and relaxed,

Letting the experiences arise in whatever way they naturally do without any effort,

A bowl of water,

A bowl of water,

A full moon,

A full moon,

Church bells in the morning,

Church bells in the morning,

A smiling friend,

A smiling friend,

Now let the mind be empty,

Free from any experience,

Just observe this empty space in the mind,

And now these objects,

A cool winter night,

A cool winter night,

Voices singing in the distance,

Voices singing in the distance,

Fresh baked pie,

Fresh baked pie,

Burning candles,

Burning candles,

The sun in the blue sky,

The bright sun in the blue sky,

And let the mind be empty again,

Free from any particular experience,

Observe the emptiness of the mind like you are looking at a movie screen with no movie showing,

If any experiences arise,

Just let them come and go,

Observe the space that the experiences arise within,

Now remember your sankalpa,

The positive statement you made earlier in the practice,

If you made a sankalpa say it again three times now to set it deeply in the mind,

And let yourself observe the open space of the mind,

Noticing the way experiences arise and pass away like images on a movie screen,

Then let the experience of your inner refuge arise in your mind,

Notice if it's the same or if it seems somehow different now,

Find a way to extend the sense of appreciation to this refuge for being there when you need it,

And find a way to extend the sense of appreciation to all the parts of your mind that do their best to help you in your journey through life,

Whether or not they're always successful,

Appreciate them for trying,

And now bring your attention back to your body,

Resting in the room you're in,

Be aware of the light in the room around you,

Become aware of the breath moving in the body,

A natural breath moving in the body,

And feel the physical body resting on the earth,

Be aware of the arms and legs,

The fingers and toes,

Breathe in fully now into this body with kindness,

Begin to move slightly,

Maybe wiggling fingers or toes,

Feeling each sensation,

Slowly begin to move your body a little more,

Maybe moving your head,

Or your arms or your legs a little,

Continuing to be aware of the movements and the new sensations as they come.

When you're sure you're awake,

Breathe in fully,

Bring yourself out of the position you've been in for the last half an hour.

This practice of yoga nidra is complete.