Hello and welcome to today's practice.
My name is Fiona and today I'm guiding you through this Yoga Nidra practice for deep sleep.
Make yourself as comfortable as possible.
Lie down on your back or settle into any position that allows your body to fully release.
Support yourself with cushions,
A blanket,
A pillow beneath your knees,
Whatever helps you feel safe,
Warm and held.
And let your feet fall to the sides.
Arms resting gently beside your body,
Palms turned up or inwards.
Close down your eyes,
Soften your gaze inward and give yourself full permission to let go.
There is nothing you need to do right now,
Nowhere to go,
Nothing to get right.
You are already here.
Sense the shape of your body lying on the ground,
The outline of your form,
The places where you are in contact with the surface beneath you.
Feel the pull of gravity welcoming you into the earth.
This is a place where you are safe.
Invite your awareness to gently turn inward now,
From the outer world to your inner landscape.
Feel your breath moving quietly through you,
No need to change it,
Simply notice.
Let the inhale arrive softly,
Let the exhale fall away like a sigh.
Allow your body to be breathed.
And take a fuller breath in now and exhale slowly out.
Let this breath carry you inwards even more.
Let your whole body begin to soften.
Let the day melt away,
Let all striving dissolve.
And now bring your awareness to your heart space.
Feel into the center of your chest.
And from this place gently allow a heartfelt intention to arise,
A whisper of care and maybe something like,
I allow myself to rest,
I am safe to sleep,
I welcome deep nourishing sleep.
Find an intention that feels the most embodied to you and repeat that softly to yourself now,
Three times.
Let it settle in your heart like a seat.
Now we'll begin a slow and gentle journey through the body,
A rotation of awareness.
Allow your mind to follow along,
Lightly touching each place.
There's no need to concentrate or visualize.
Simply listen and feel.
Bring your attention to the crown of your head,
The crown of your head,
The forehead,
The forehead,
Your eyebrows,
The space between your eyebrows,
Your eyelids,
Eyes resting in their sockets,
Cheeks,
Jaw,
Mouth,
The inside of your mouth,
Tongue resting,
Throat,
Back of the neck,
Right shoulder,
Right upper arm,
Elbow,
Forearm,
Wrist,
Palm of your right hand,
Thumb,
Fingers,
The whole right hand,
The whole right arm,
Left shoulder,
Left upper arm,
Elbow,
Forearm,
Wrist,
Palm of your left hand,
Thumb,
Fingers,
The whole left arm,
The whole left arm,
Chest,
Heart space,
Upper belly,
Navel,
Lower belly,
Right hip,
Top of the right foot,
Sole of the right foot,
Toes,
The whole right foot,
The whole right leg,
Left hip,
Left thigh,
Knee,
Shin,
Ankle,
Top of the left foot,
Sole of the left foot,
Toes,
The whole left foot,
The whole left leg,
The whole left leg.
Now sense your whole front body,
Your whole back body,
Your entire body held,
Safe and still.
Let the whole body be soft,
Let the whole body be heavy,
Let your body dissolve into the ground beneath you.
The whole body resting,
The whole body resting.
And now sense your breath once more.
Feel the gentle movement of your belly rising and falling.
Inhale,
Exhale.
With each breath out,
Let go a little more.
Let yourself float in the space between wakefulness and sleep.
And now bring your attention back to your heart.
Sense the quiet rhythm of your heart beating.
Feel this rhythm ripple through your body,
Through your chest,
Into your shoulders,
Your arms,
Your hands,
Through your pelvis,
Into your legs,
And down into your feet.
Imagine this rhythm as a wave,
A wave of rest moving through your whole being,
Through the whole of you.
Let it carry away the tension of the day.
Let it wash you in stillness.
Let yourself become lighter and heavier at the same time.
Feel the bones of your body growing heavy.
Feel the muscles melting off the bones.
Feel the earth holding you.
And now let go of the practice.
Let go of the words.
Let go of the guide.
Rest in silence.
Trust your body.
Trust the deep intelligence within you that knows how to restore and renew.
You are safe.
You are home.
You are already on your way to deep,
Restful sleep.
Stay here as long as you like.
There is nothing else you need to do.
When you are ready,
Let yourself drift into sleep.
Held,
Calm,
At peace.
Yoga Nidra is complete.
