Welcome back to this course,
Yoga Nidra for Sleep.
In our final Yoga Nidra for this course,
We will include a values-based sankalpa for ourselves to personalize our experience and begin to deepen the journey inward.
You will find the fourth lesson,
Yoga Nidra for Sleep 4,
On my Insight Timer course page.
Please make sure that you have listened to the third track for at least one week before progressing to this final installment.
This track is 50 minutes long and presents the full cycle Nidra that provides deep release and prepares us for a restful sleep.
Remember to stay alert and aware throughout the entire process,
Working your way up to the full flow.
Enjoy the process.
Lie on your back in Shivasana pose,
As flat as possible.
If you need to,
Place a thin pillow under your head and a bolster under your knees to take any strain off your lower back.
Cover your body with a light blanket to keep warm.
If you have an eye pillow,
Pop it gently on your eyes now.
Turn your attention to your body and adjust your position so that you are in the best alignment possible,
With head,
Neck and spine straight.
Place your arms lightly at your sides,
Away from your ribs,
Palms open to the ceiling.
Check that your hips are parallel to each other.
Stretch your legs through to your heels.
Push your heels out and feel the stretch along the back of your legs.
Relax and let your feet flop naturally out to the sides.
Use your attention to gently scan your body and note any areas of tension.
Begin to feel your entire body relaxing.
Determined to stay in this pose for the duration of our practice and determined to stay awake.
Consider your breath.
Take three deep belly breaths in and out,
Feeling your belly rise on the exhalation and deflating as you exhale.
Feel the coolness of the air as you inhale and the warmth of the breath when it leaves the body.
Be watchful as you let your breath return to its natural rhythm.
Do not force the breath.
Let it flow in and out without hindrance from the mind.
Note that breathing happens at its own pace.
Take a moment now to set your intention for this practice,
Your sankalpa,
Something that resonates with your heart and your journey,
Your truth applicable to yourself.
Mentally repeat your intention to yourself.
For example,
I am restoring my sleep and allowing myself to rest in awareness.
Or create your own phrase that reflects your desire for emotional freedom.
Repeat your sankalpa mentally to yourself three times,
Becoming softer and easing into silence.
Imagine the vibrations of the words entering the core of your being and being absorbed by you.
Notice your body now.
Bring your attention to your head.
Consciously let go of any tensions that you feel in your forehead.
Soften your temples.
Soften your eyes and draw them back further into their sockets.
Let gravity pull your cheeks as you relax them.
Relax your lips and dissolve any tension in your jaws.
Slightly open them and relax the jaw completely.
Feel your body becoming heavier as you become more and more relaxed.
Notice the thin sheath of sensation where your body is touching the floor,
From the back of your head to the shoulders,
The torso,
The back of the arms,
Hips and legs.
Slowly scan this entire interface where the body meets the floor.
Surrender yourself to the earth.
We will now begin our rotation of awareness around the body.
Focus your awareness at the point between your eyebrows at the third eye.
Then sink your awareness to the midbrain area.
If you can,
Imagine a ball of gently pulsating golden light that brings healing and peace to the area it touches upon.
Notice too that this ball of energy moves upon your direction,
Wherever your mind directs.
Gently pulsating,
Radiating,
Healing,
Peaceful energy.
As it moves from point to point,
Become aware of your consciousness outlining the body.
Be intently focused on one point.
Do not let your attention waver to any other task.
Move the ball of energy between the eyes,
Back of the right hand,
Tip of the thumb,
Tip of the forefinger,
Tip of the middle finger,
Tip of the ring finger,
Tip of the little finger,
Center of the right palm,
Middle of the wrist,
Right shoulder,
Throat,
Left shoulder,
Middle of the wrist,
Back of the left hand,
Tip of the left thumb,
Tip of the forefinger,
Tip of the middle finger,
Tip of the ring finger,
Tip of the little finger.
Palm of the left hand,
Middle of the wrist,
Left elbow,
Heart center,
Heart center,
Heart center.
Solar plexus,
Pubic area,
Right knee,
Right ankle,
Top of the right foot,
Tip of the big toe.
Tip of the first toe,
Tip of the second toe,
Tip of the third toe,
Tip of the fourth toe.
Sole of the right foot,
Right knee,
Right hip,
Left knee,
Top of the left foot,
Tip of the big toe.
Tip of the first toe,
Tip of the second toe,
Tip of the third toe,
Tip of the fourth toe.
Sole of the left foot,
Left knee,
Pubic area,
Navel,
Solar plexus,
Heart center.
Left chest,
Heart center,
Right chest,
Heart center.
Return your point of awareness to the center midbrain area and consciously dwell there,
Floating in awareness.
Bring your awareness to the feelings in your body.
Direct your body to feel as heavy as possible.
Imagine your body to be a heavy sack of potatoes sinking into the ground.
Feel the pull of all Earth's gravity pulling you deeper into the Earth,
Releasing and letting go.
In contrast,
Direct your body now to feel as light as air.
The only thing stopping it from floating away is your blanket covering you.
Feel as light as a helium-filled balloon.
Feel the top layer of your body pressing against your clothes,
Being lifted up.
Now bring up the feeling of heat in your body.
Think your body as hot as possible.
Imagine sweat arising on your forehead as your body temperature is ramped up.
Be aware of the heat of your body radiating from the solar plexus.
In contrast,
Bring up the feeling of cold.
Imagine yourself plunging into an ice bath,
Shivering with cold as the ice-cold water wraps around your entire body,
Cooling you off to your core.
Bring to mind a period of time in your life when you felt emotionally low or sad.
Recall the feeling.
Note where these feelings arise in your body.
There could be a sudden tightening in the chest.
Your breathing may suddenly change rate,
Becoming shallow.
Simply be aware of this as these emotions come up.
Observe and do not react.
Let the sadness arise.
Let the feeling expand.
Watch it arise and fall away.
In contrast to the sadness,
Recall feeling happy and content.
How does this express itself in your awareness?
Imagine the scenes before you.
Note where the feeling arises.
Recall these feelings with intense clarity.
Watch where it arises and let it fall away.
Now imagine yourself in a beautiful,
Quiet forest,
Walking along a peaceful,
Meandering path.
The sunlight filters gently through the trees above,
Casting soft beams of light that dance on the forest floor.
The air is fresh and cool,
Filled with the scent of pine and earth.
You hear the distant sound of birds singing and the soft rustling of leaves as a light breeze moves through the trees.
With each step you take,
You feel more relaxed and at ease,
Your body sinking into the earth beneath you.
Each breath you take draws in the pure,
Healing energy of the forest,
Filling your being with calm and peace.
As you walk,
You notice a feeling of tranquility wash over you,
And the gentle sounds of nature begin to quiet your mind.
There is a sense of space here,
Space for you to be fully present with your emotions,
A space for healing.
The path curves ahead of you,
Leading deeper into the forest.
As you continue walking,
You come to a small clearing,
Where a gentle stream winds its way through the woods.
The sunlight glistens on the surface of the water,
And you hear the soothing sound of water flowing over smooth stones.
In this clearing,
There is a place for you to rest.
A soft blanket of moss covers the ground,
And you are invited to sit or lie down beside the stream.
As you do,
You feel the earth supporting you,
Holding you safely and gently.
You are held in the sacred space of peace and comfort.
Now take a moment to close your eyes in this forest clearing,
And feel the golden light from the sun on the top of your head continue to flow into your being,
Softening and relaxing every part of you.
The light from the sun,
The warmth of the sun,
And the calming energy of the earth all blend together,
Helping you release any remaining tension you may be holding.
Bring your attention now to your heart center.
Imagine your entire being sinking deeply into the chamber of your heart.
Feel a strong connection here.
Rest here for a time.
Do not let your attention waver from this point.
Be here now.
Take some time now to recall the sankalpa,
The intention that you set at the beginning of this yoga nidra.
Bring it to your mind.
Let it sink into your heart,
Where you can repeat it again for three times,
And then gently let it go.
Now bring your awareness gently back to your environment.
Notice the sounds in your environment,
The smells.
Become aware of the physical space that you are in.
Gently wiggle your toes and your fingers,
Feeling the warmth in the palms of your hands and the soles of your feet.
Slowly stretch out your legs through your heels.
Take a deep breath and raise your arms for a long stretch above your head.
Open your eyes slowly and take some time to readjust the environment of your room.
To finish this practice,
Bring to mind three things that you are grateful for in your life.
Offer a blessing of love.
Be well.
