Yoga Nidra: Space To Rest

Sometimes all we need is space to rest. Set up for this practice in the most supportive and comfortable place you can be (in bed, on your couch, etc.) Your body temperature may drop, so be sure to have a blanket or warm clothing. There is no physical movement necessary during the practice. You will be guided through a relaxation practice where you can explore the feeling of momentarily leaving obligations behind, so that you can give yourself the space to rest. Doing this practice regularly helps create the conditions for restful sleep.

Transcript

Welcome.

My name is Ramzi and I'm here to share a yoga nidra practice designed to support you to cultivate the conditions for deep rest and sleep.

During this practice you will be invited to disidentify with sensations in the body and the content of the mind to rest in a steady presence within yourself.

Try this practice in bed,

On the plane,

Or on your couch.

It can be great for jet lag,

Stress reduction,

Insomnia,

Or an afternoon slump when you need a refresh.

Know that during the practice it's common and perfectly okay as you start to relax very deeply to fall asleep.

It's also okay not to hear or understand everything that I say.

This is a practice of being with what's true without trying to change it.

Trust that you will receive what you need and no effort is required on your part.

Allow yourself to experience this as an invitation to your body,

Mind,

And heart.

That no matter what else is going on around you and within you,

You always have space to rest.

Take a moment now to find a way to be as comfortable as you can.

Whether you are seated or lying down,

Make any final adjustments that support your comfort and ease in this moment.

As you're ready,

Gently begin rubbing your palms back and forth together.

Take a few moments to feel the temperature between the hands,

Rubbing them a little faster.

Now place your fingertips on your eyelids,

The entire surface of the palms touching your face.

Start now by gently massaging the face.

Fingers working from the eyebrows up to the top of the forehead.

Moving out to the temples,

Gently circle your fingers at the temples.

Moving down to the jaw,

Cheeks,

Up to the bridge of the nose and around the orbits of the eyes.

Moving to the ears,

Massaging in front of and behind the ears.

Maybe even a gentle pull on the earlobes.

Feel tension and holding begin to melt away.

Gently squeeze the back of the neck,

Maybe the shoulders.

Now once again,

Place the entire surface of the palms on the face,

Fingertips over the eyelids.

Drop all expression from the face.

Take a deep breath in and let go.

Take another deep breath in and let go even more.

Release your arms to your sides.

Know that there remains absolutely nothing for you to do.

Bring your whole body into your awareness.

Noticing where you feel sensation,

The absence of sensation.

There's nothing to change.

From a compassionate and observing place,

Recognize that your body is doing the best that it can for you now and in every moment.

Now bring to mind the most peaceful place you have ever been to,

Seen,

Or can imagine.

A place where you feel at ease.

Maybe somewhere outside in nature or a cozy place in your home.

Take a few moments to imagine and surround yourself in this place.

Noticing what colors you see,

What sounds you hear.

Are there animals or plants around or people with you?

Perhaps your favorite song is playing in the background.

Maybe that's the sound of birds chirping or the wind blowing or the sound of water.

For the next few moments,

Immerse yourself fully in this place.

Taking in everything about it that makes you feel at ease.

Now imagine that you find a spot in this place where you can sit or lie down for a while.

Make yourself comfortable.

Use your imagination in this place to summon the perfect chair or bed of moss or blankets and pillows.

Tuck yourself into a comfortable position,

Imagining that you gently soften your gaze or close your eyes so that you may rest here,

Undisturbed,

Surrounded by whatever brings you ease.

Right now it's time for your body to rest deeply.

Trust that this is something your body already knows how to do.

Your only job is to allow it.

From this restful place,

Allow yourself to receive the following words as an intention for this practice.

I have space to rest.

Allow yourself to feel this intention and receive it fully.

Repeat this intention silently to yourself three times.

I have space to rest.

As we enter into this next phase of yoga nidra,

If you need to move or make an adjustment,

No problem.

Do so slowly and mindfully.

Return to stillness when you are able.

There remains nothing for you to do as you shift from thinking and doing to sensing and feeling.

Be sensing,

Feeling,

And being exactly as you are.

Welcome all parts of yourself.

Welcome the world around you exactly as it is.

Become aware of any sounds that you hear.

Notice sounds far away from you in the distance,

Allowing your attention to move from one sound to the next.

Become aware of sounds closer to you.

Sense the quality of sound rather than searching for its meaning or a story the sound is telling.

Just feel the vibration of sound in your ears moving through your whole body.

Listen and feel the vibration of sound.

Now bring your attention to the quality of air as it touches your skin.

The temperature of the room around you.

Notice any more subtle sensation.

Tingling in the fingertips or toes.

The weight of your clothing.

Your body resting on the surface beneath you.

As you rest here,

Become aware of your breath as it naturally moves through your body.

Aware of the breath flowing in and the breath flowing out.

There is nothing to force or strain as you breathe.

As you breathe in through your nose,

Fill your lungs fully and completely without strain.

Now begin exhaling through softly pursed lips as if you are blowing through a straw.

Let it be a prolonged steady stream of breath as you empty your lungs completely.

As you inhale,

Fill your lungs fully without strain.

As you exhale,

Softly purse your lips as if you are blowing through a straw.

Continue to breathe like this for a few rounds at your own pace.

As you inhale,

Fill your heart with joy and ease.

Each time you exhale,

Empty your mind of all anticipations.

Empty your body of all tensions.

Continue to breathe with steady attention and detached awareness.

Return to your normal breathing and turn your attention inward.

Experience the powerful impact of the breath.

Noticing energetic vibration in the form of sensations in your body.

If the mind has wandered or become distracted,

It's not a problem.

Bring your attention back to rest in this silent space where all doing stops.

Follow my guidance as we move attention through different parts of the body.

You can remain still.

There is nothing to change or force.

Just moving attention,

Sensing and noticing different parts of the body as I name them.

Aware of sensation or the absence of sensation.

Bring your awareness to your third eye,

The space between your eyebrows.

Pit of the throat.

Right shoulder.

Right elbow.

Right wrist.

Right hand thumb.

Pointer finger.

Middle finger.

Third finger.

Pinky finger.

Wrist.

Elbow.

Shoulder.

Pit of the throat.

Left shoulder.

Left elbow.

Left wrist.

Left thumb.

Pointer finger.

Middle finger.

Third finger.

Pinky finger.

Third finger.

Wrist.

Elbow.

Shoulder.

Pit of the throat.

Middle of the chest.

Right side of the chest.

Middle of the chest.

Left side of the chest.

Middle of the chest.

Navel center.

Middle of the pubic bone.

Right hip.

Right knee.

Right ankle.

Right big toe.

Second toe.

Third toe.

Fourth toe.

Fifth toe.

Ankle.

Knee.

Hip.

Middle of the pubic bone.

Left hip.

Left knee.

Left ankle.

Left big toe.

Second toe.

Third toe.

Fourth toe.

Fifth toe.

Ankle.

Knee.

Hip.

Middle of the pubic bone.

Navel center.

Middle of the chest.

Pit of the throat.

Eyebrow center.

Bring your whole body into awareness.

Resting in stillness and ease.

In this deep state of awareness,

Allow the following polar experiences and their associations to arise and dissolve.

Simply allowing all experiences to move through without preference,

Labels,

Or judgment.

By remaining a witness,

You are releasing your identification with existing patterns of thoughts and feelings.

Allow the following pairs of opposites to arise and dissolve.

Pain and pleasure.

Anger and peace.

Sadness and joy.

Prying and laughter.

Continue to maintain a detached awareness as you witness.

Fear and safety.

Agitation and calmness.

Sad and happy.

Helpless and powerful.

Gradually allow any visualizations and accomplishments to dissolve.

Allow any accompanying sensations to fade.

As you bring your attention back to the third eye,

The space in between the eyebrows,

Drop into the deepest level of relaxation.

Witness and feel your body relax.

Recognize and feel your capacity to be with the ever-changing experiences of life without resistance,

Without the need to be in control.

As you rest in this place of awareness,

You are simply a witness to all that is happening.

Doing nothing to force it or make it happen.

Resting in awareness.

Welcome the world around you exactly as it is.

Allow anything that moves through your awareness to simply be there.

Thoughts.

Images.

Sensations.

Sounds.

You are witnessing and resting in awareness.

Notice the pockets of stillness in between thoughts.

The gaps of silence in between sounds.

The empty space and air that surrounds your body and any sensations you feel.

Allow yourself to rest back into this backdrop of infinite silence,

Steadiness,

And stillness.

From this place of just being exactly as you are,

Allow yourself to receive once again the following intention.

I have space to rest.

Feeling this intention with deep faith and trust.

I have space to rest.

With compassion and conviction,

Hearing these words,

I have space to rest.

Establish this belief and intention at the altar of your heart.

There is no need for you to do anything about it.

Release the intention now.

Become aware of the rising and falling of your breath.

Slowly,

Feel yourself beginning to rise to the surface of awareness.

Sense your body resting.

The quality of air as it touches your skin.

Begin to sense the world around you.

Become aware of the space that you're in.

Imagining and sensing any walls around you,

Ceiling above you.

Sense and feel the support beneath your body holding you here.

Feel for a moment how unwavering and steady the support beneath you is.

As we start to invite movement back into the body and mind,

Know and trust that there's always this backdrop of steadiness and stillness that's holding you,

That's behind the sound,

Behind the feelings,

Thoughts,

And emotions.

You're welcome to stay here and rest for as long as you'd like.

Whenever you're ready,

Gradually begin to move perhaps just the edges of your body,

Wiggling your fingers and toes,

Gently sliding your jaw from side to side.

You can begin to stretch your whole body like you're just waking up from a deep and restful sleep,

Reaching your arms overhead,

Stretching out through your toes,

Stretching and moving in any way that feels good to you.

If you're lying down,

If it's comfortable for you to roll over,

You can lie on one side for a few moments,

Pausing wherever you are for just a moment with your awareness a little more clear and on the surface of consciousness.

From this place,

Bring the intention into your awareness once again.

I have space to rest.

Regardless of what you consciously recognize that has or has not changed,

Know that something deep within has shifted to connect you with this intention.

With this knowing and trust,

If you're still laying down,

Perhaps make your way up into a seat.

Whatever position that you're in as you arrive,

Place one or both hands on top of each other over your heart.

Notice ease in the body.

Notice softness in the breath.

Be still and be grateful.

Know that you can return to this place again and again.

When you are ready,

You may gradually open your eyes.

Thank you for your practice.

Reviews

Lovely yoga nidra, thank you x