Yoga Nidra For Rest And Recovery

A 30-minute guided conscious sleep practice for rest and recovery from life's stress. It can be used at any time of the day, including before bed, to help with insomnia. Make sure you are fully comfortable before you start, supported by pillows and covered with a blanket. Ensure your room has limited light, or your eyes are covered, and that you are not disturbed for this practice.

Transcript

Lie on your back with your arms out to your side,

A short distance from your body,

Palms facing up or down,

Feet hip distance apart.

Make any adjustments needed to be comfortable,

So your body can remain completely still throughout this practice.

Now close your eyes and begin to quiet your mind.

Let go of all thoughts,

Worry and tension.

During Yoga Nidra,

Stay awake and alert.

Follow the guidance of my voice.

If thoughts arise,

Bring your focus back to my voice.

However you experience your body is okay.

You cannot do this wrong.

Relax,

Trust and let go.

There is nothing to do and nowhere to be.

Be aware of any distant sounds,

Just notice.

Now begin to pull back to any sounds within the room.

Now notice sounds within your body.

Be still.

Be aware of the contact between your body and the floor.

Feel the whole body head to toe and toe to head.

Take a deep breath in and exhale with a sigh.

And again take another deep breath in and let go even more,

Releasing stress and worry.

Feel a sense of peace and letting go.

It's time to rest and go within.

Now repeat to yourself three times,

I am awake,

I am aware,

I am practicing Yoga Nidra.

Now follow the guidance as we begin by bringing your awareness to each of the following points in the body.

Let your attention rest on each part as I name it,

Forehead,

Throat,

Right shoulder,

Right elbow,

Right wrist,

Tip of the right thumb,

Tip of the right index finger,

Tip of the right middle finger,

Tip of the right ring finger,

Tip of the right little finger,

Right wrist,

Right elbow,

Right shoulder,

Throat,

Left shoulder,

Left elbow,

Left wrist,

Tip of the left thumb,

Tip of the left index finger,

Tip of the left middle finger,

Tip of the left ring finger,

Tip of the left little finger,

Left wrist,

Left elbow,

Left shoulder,

Space in the middle of the chest,

Left side of the chest,

Right side of the chest,

Navel,

Lower abdomen,

Right hip,

Right knee,

Right ankle,

Tip of the right big toe,

Tip of the right second toe,

Tip of the right middle toe,

Tip of the right fourth toe,

Tip of the right little toe,

Right ankle,

Right knee,

Right hip,

Lower abdomen,

Left hip,

Left knee,

Left ankle,

Tip of the left big toe,

Tip of the left second toe,

Tip of the left middle toe,

Tip of the left fourth toe,

Tip of the left little toe,

Left ankle,

Left knee,

Left hip,

Lower abdomen,

Lower back,

Middle back,

The whole spine,

Right shoulder blade,

Left shoulder blade,

Back of the neck,

Back of the head,

Top of the head,

Forehead,

Right temple,

Left temple,

Right ear,

Left ear,

Right eyebrow,

Left eyebrow,

Space between the eyebrows,

Right eye,

Right nostril,

Left nostril,

Right cheek,

Left cheek,

Upper lip,

Lower lip,

The space where both lips meet,

Chin,

Jaw,

Whole face,

Whole head,

Whole torso,

Whole right arm,

Whole left arm,

Whole right leg,

Whole left leg,

And the whole body,

Become aware of your whole body,

Feel the whole body,

Rest in this space and observe the stillness,

Feel the difference between the inhalation and the exhalation,

The difference in temperature,

The difference in quality,

Feel the coolness of the air coming into the nostrils and the warmth of the air leaving the nostrils,

Feel the sharpness of the air on inhalation and feel the softness of the air on exhalation.

Now begin to notice the breath moving through your body,

In from the top of your head,

Down to the base of the spine,

And as you exhale,

Guide your breath from the base of the spine up to the top of your head,

And as you breathe in from the top of your head,

The belly rises,

And as you breathe out,

The belly falls and the breath exits your body through the top of the head,

Allowing any stagnation to leave the body.

Breathe in and out of this spot at your own pace,

Follow the breath,

Stay focused,

And feel the energy,

Follow your attention along the spine.

Now breathe in from the top of the head,

Down to the navel and back,

Four times.

Now breathe in from the top of the head,

To the heart centre and back,

Four times.

Now breathe in from the top of the head,

To the throat and back,

Four times.

Now breathe in from the top of the head,

To the space between the eyebrows and back,

Four times.

Now breathe normally,

Bringing your attention to rest in the heart space,

At the centre of the chest.

Experience a deep stillness in your body,

Feeling heavy,

Sinking into the ground beneath you,

Letting go even further,

Letting the plane between the body and the floor merge into oneness.

Now you begin to feel a lightness,

As light as a feather,

Weightless,

As if you are made of air,

Head feeling light,

Arms light,

Chest,

Abdomen,

Your whole body feeling light,

As if it is floating.

Now begin to visualise you are walking barefoot in a forest,

Your feet in contact with the mossy carpet below.

You are breathing in and out slowly as you walk,

Inhaling the air around you,

The scent of pine,

Mushrooms,

And the earth beneath you.

You come to a stream,

Where the sun is glittering through the leaf canopy,

Illuminating a warm area on the soft floor.

You decide to lay down and rest for a while.

You are deeply relaxed,

Total connection to the earth.

The ground beneath your back.

Now visualise energy from the ground entering your body through your feet.

Imagine this energy as a soft green light,

Travelling up through the legs and resting at the base of the spine.

Feel this area begin to pulse and glow,

Sensing the earthy,

Dense quality,

Letting the grounding be a foundation for awakening.

Feel this first chakra open and relax.

Now guide this green light up to the pelvis,

The pelvic area,

Nourishing sensuality and connecting to your wisdom,

Feeling the energy pulse and glow.

Now send the light up to the navel,

Your abdomen,

Breathing in and out.

Using the light to release any tension,

Feeling the belly rise and fall and the area pulse and glow.

Now send this light up to the heart space,

The area in the middle of the chest.

Feel yourself releasing anything you may be holding on to.

Feeling the space with green light.

See the heart centre drawing the energies from the ground up through the toes and up the legs,

Along the spine.

Now let the light travel up to the throat.

Let it change to a green,

Sparkling glow.

Here you can reclaim your voice.

You feel freedom to speak without inhibitions and limitations.

You feel the connection between the throat and the heart.

In your next inhalation,

Move the light up to the space between the eyebrows.

Releasing any tension in the eyes,

Breathing slowly.

Notice any sensation of the flow in and out,

Feeling the energy and filling with light.

Remain deeply relaxed.

You are safe.

Let go of any fear or anxiety.

On your next inhalation,

Send the light up to the top of the head,

Moving energy from the earth up through the body and out at the top of the head where it is transformed into a bright white light.

Let go.

You are free.

The light is now filling your entire body,

A healing white light moving to all body parts and illuminating all cells.

Your whole being releasing any final thoughts or worries.

Feeling stillness and silence.

A place of happiness and contentment.

Go deep into the silence.

Empty.

Empty.

Empty.

My voice will speak again in five minutes.

Now bring your attention back to the space in the middle of the chest where remaining deeply relaxed.

Be aware of the stillness within this space.

Be aware of the quietness of the mind.

Be aware of the breath,

Soft and at ease.

From this peaceful place,

Notice if you feel drawn to an intention.

Feel this intention deep in your entire being.

Let it arrive naturally and if nothing comes to you,

Know this is also okay.

Now take a deep breath in through your heart and exhale.

Notice how you feel.

Become aware of how relaxed the body feels.

Have trust and faith in yourself.

Know you can return to this place of silence and stillness and that the more you practice,

The easier it will become.

Now slowly deepen the breath and slowly,

Slowly begin to come back to the physical body.

Gradually begin to move the fingers and toes and slowly open your eyes when you are ready and stay laying.

Begin to notice the room around you.

Sounds,

Smells,

Your breathing,

Your body.

Stretch your arms and legs and when you are ready,

Roll onto your right side.

Notice how relaxed the body is,

How soft the breath is,

How silent the mind is and know you can enter here again and again.

Yoga Nidra is complete.

As you are ready,

In your own time,

Make your way up to a seated position.