Full iRest Yoga Nidra Practice

iRest Yoga Nidra is a deep relaxation, a self-inquiry and a meditation. Through the process of iRest Yoga Nidra the senses and thinking mind are calmed and you experience the part of you that is unchanging, ever present and always at peace. Benefits of iRest practice include better sleep, less stress and anxiety, improved pain management, a feeling of inner peace, resiliency, and well-being. iRest is a powerful tool to examine, undo and eventually eliminate negative thought patterns and habits that are no longer useful. With this practice of deep relaxation, you naturally develop a calm attitude towards life. iRest empowers you to respond to life’s varying circumstances with more knowledge, inner strength and sensitivity and it brings more joy and fulfillment into your being.

Transcript

Begin your practice by adjusting your body so that you feel completely supported by the surface you're resting on.

Release any unnecessary tension in your jaw,

Shoulders,

Arms and hands,

Torso and legs.

Your entire body and mind settling into feeling at rest and at ease.

During I-Rest,

Welcome every experience you have as a messenger that's here to help you experience health,

Healing and well-being at all levels of your body,

Mind and spirit.

Welcome every messenger as it arrives in the guest house of your awareness with curiosity and openness.

Allow your senses now to be open to your environment and the sounds around you.

Welcome the touch of air on your skin.

Sensations where your body touches the surface that's supporting it.

The feeling of letting go and being at ease throughout your entire body and mind.

Welcome in your heartfelt mission.

The feeling of life living you with purpose,

Meaning and value.

As you silently affirm to yourself,

I am a unique and valued expression of life.

Life is living me with purpose and meaning.

I'm a unique and valued expression of life.

Life is living me with purpose and meaning.

And bring to mind your intention for this practice of I-Rest.

This is the intention that supports you to live your heartfelt mission.

Perhaps to remain awake and attentive as you practice.

Or to explore a particular emotion or belief.

Or the feeling of wholeness.

Feel and affirm your intention right now with your entire body and mind as true in this moment.

Bring attention to your inner resource.

The place within your body where you experience a felt sense of well-being.

Of being secure and at ease.

If it's helpful,

Imagine a place,

Person or experience that supports you to feel secure and at ease in this moment.

Use all of your senses to enhance your experience.

Imagining sounds.

Sights.

Smells and tastes.

Invite ease and well-being into your entire body and mind.

And affirm that you can return to this inner resource of well-being at any time,

Day or night or during your practice of I-Rest.

Whenever you feel the need to take a momentary time out to rest,

To restore,

To feel totally secure and at ease.

And begin rotating your attention through your body while experiencing and welcoming the sensations that are present.

You may feel something or little at all.

Whatever you experience is perfect,

Just as it is.

Sense your jaw,

Mouth,

Lips and gums,

Teeth,

Tongue.

The entire inside of your mouth.

Your entire jaw and mouth as sensation.

Give up thinking and simply welcome sensation in your jaw and mouth.

Sensation of your left ear.

Right ear.

Both ears at the same time.

Just sensation.

Left nostril.

Right nostril.

The flow of air and sensation inside both nostrils.

Cheeks.

Temples.

Eyes.

Left eye.

Eyebrow.

Temple.

Cheekbone.

The entire left eye.

Right eye.

Eyebrow.

Temple.

Cheekbone.

The entire right eye.

Both eyes at the same time.

Just sensation.

Feeling your way without thinking.

Sensation of the forehead.

Scalp.

Back of the head.

Neck.

The entire face,

Head and neck as sensation.

The entire head as sensation.

Left shoulder.

Left upper arm.

Forearm.

Wrist.

Palm and fingers.

Sensation of the entire left hand and arm.

Shoulder.

Right shoulder.

Right upper arm.

Forearm.

Wrist.

Palm and fingers.

Sensation of the entire right hand and arm.

Shoulder.

Welcoming both shoulders and arms and hands.

At the same time as radiant sensation,

Both arms.

Sensation.

Sensation of the upper chest.

Mid chest.

Belly.

Upper back.

Mid back.

Lower back.

Sensation of the entire front of the torso.

Back of the torso.

The entire torso front and back.

Inside and outside.

Sensation.

Sensation of the pelvis.

Buttocks.

Left hip.

Left upper leg.

Knee.

Lower leg.

Ankle.

Foot.

And toes.

Sensation of the entire left foot,

Leg,

And hip.

Awake.

Attentive,

Yet relaxed and at ease.

Sensation of the entire left hip and leg.

Right hip.

Right upper leg.

Knee.

Lower leg.

Ankle.

Foot.

And toes.

Sensation of the entire right foot,

Leg,

Hip,

Entire right leg.

Welcome both hips,

Legs,

And feet at the same time.

Both legs.

Just sensation.

Welcome the entire front of the body as a field of sensation.

Back of the body.

Left side of the body.

Right side of the body.

Sensation inside the body.

On the surface of the body.

Entire body as a field of shimmering or radiant sensation.

Welcoming all these different sensations that are in your awareness.

Note how you're the observer watching all of these sensations coming and going.

Everything just as it is.

Feel yourself being non-judging awareness in which all of these sensations are coming and going.

And silently affirm to yourself,

I'm practicing I-Rest.

My body is deeply at rest.

Perhaps even asleep.

But I'm aware,

At ease,

Attentive,

Awake.

And sense the body breathing itself.

The natural flow of sensation as breath enters and leaves the nostrils.

The gentle rise and fall of the chest and abdomen.

Now begin counting from 10 to 1.

While sensing your chest and abdomen gently rising and releasing with each inhalation and exhalation.

Like this.

10.

Exhaling.

Abdomen relaxing and the feeling of tension releasing throughout your body.

10.

Inhaling.

Tension releasing.

9.

Exhaling.

Abdomen and chest releasing and the feeling of tension releasing even more deeply throughout the body.

Now continue counting on your own.

During each inhalation simply remain with the feeling of deep release.

With each exhalation,

Sensing and releasing tension.

Awake.

Attentive.

Exhaling.

Counting.

Releasing tension.

If you should lose your count or come to one,

Begin again at 10.

Smooth exhalation.

Releasing tension throughout the entire body.

Jaw soft.

Ears and eyes soft.

Forehead soft.

Shoulders.

Belly releasing with each exhalation.

Releasing tension in the legs.

Throughout the entire body.

Now allow counting to fall away while you remain attentive to the flows of sensation throughout your body.

Sensing the body as a field of radiant,

Shimmering sensation.

And sense how you're the observer of all that's now present in your awareness.

Awake and aware of all that's present.

Feelings,

Sensations,

Thoughts,

Images.

Affirming to yourself,

I am at ease.

I am aware.

I am awake and practicing I-rest.

I am at ease.

And welcome feelings that are present.

Perhaps a feeling of warmth,

Heaviness,

Or the feeling of being at ease.

Not changing anything,

Simply welcoming feelings that are present just as they are.

If it's helpful,

Locate opposite feelings.

If you're sensing warmth,

Find coolness.

If heaviness,

Sense lightness.

If tension,

Feel the sense of ease.

Without going into thinking,

Just sensing.

Moving between opposites,

First feeling one,

Then the other.

If it's helpful,

Locate opposite feelings.

If you're sensing warmth,

Find coolness.

If heaviness,

Welcome lightness.

If ease,

Experience a sensation of tension.

Without going into thinking,

Just sensing.

Feeling one feeling,

Its opposite.

Moving back and forth between opposites at your own pace.

When it feels right,

Welcome both opposites at the same time.

Warmth and coolness,

Heaviness and lightness,

Tension and ease.

Experiencing how this impacts your entire body and mind.

Just experiencing.

And note how you're the observer of all these feelings that are present,

That are coming and going in your awareness.

Feel yourself as a non-judging awareness in which all of these movements are coming and going.

And welcome an emotion that's present in your body.

Or recall an emotion that you're working with in your life.

If no emotion is present,

Be with what's most calling your attention right now,

Whether an emotion or another sensation.

And remember,

You can always return to the safe haven of your inner resource whenever you feel the need to take a momentary time out to feel secure and at ease.

And if an emotion is present,

Where and how do you feel this emotion in your body?

Are there thoughts or images that accompany this emotion?

Welcoming your experience just as it is without judging or trying to change it.

If it's helpful,

Locate an opposite emotion and where and how you experience this opposite in your body.

If it's helpful,

Recall a memory that invites this opposite of emotion more fully into your body.

And when it feels right,

Move back and forth between these opposites,

Experiencing first one,

Then its opposite in your own time.

Sensing in turn how each emotion affects your body and your mind.

And when it feels right,

Welcome and sense both emotions at the same time,

Experiencing how this affects your body and mind.

And notice how you're the observer of all that's now present in your awareness.

Awake and aware of all that's present,

Emotions,

Sensations,

Thoughts,

Images.

Affirming to yourself,

I am aware,

I am awake,

I am practicing I rest,

Resting at ease.

Notice and welcome the various thoughts that are present.

Thoughts as objects that are coming and going.

Observing and noting them as they appear.

Stay for a while.

Disappear.

Just noting without getting involved.

If it feels right,

Welcome a particular group of thoughts that form a belief,

Perhaps a self judgment that you take to be true about yourself and fall into believing at times.

And if no belief or thought is present,

This too is your experience.

Welcoming whatever is most present in this moment.

And if a belief is present,

Where and how do you feel it in your body when you take it to be true?

Welcoming memories,

Emotions,

Sensations.

That naturally arise without judging or trying to change your experience.

And if this belief or thought had an opposite,

What might its opposite be?

Bring to mind the opposite of your belief or judgment or thought.

Where and how do you feel it in your body when you take this opposite to be true?

Your experience perfect,

Just as it is.

And return to the original belief or thought or judgment.

Welcoming your experience with curiosity and openness.

When it feels right,

Welcome both beliefs or thoughts at the same time.

Experiencing how welcoming both thoughts affects your entire body and mind.

And be aware of all that's now present in your awareness.

Sensing how you're the witness of all that's arising,

Awake and aware of thoughts,

Emotions,

Sensations.

Affirm to yourself,

I am aware and awake,

Practicing I-rest,

Resting at ease.

Bring your attention to sensations of well-being or joy in your body.

Perhaps a feeling of pleasure or comfort or a simple feeling of ease.

If it's helpful,

Recall a particular person,

Animal,

Place or circumstance that invites joy and well-being into your body.

And experience this feeling of well-being or joy expanding throughout your entire body.

Every cell in your body welcoming this natural feeling of joy and well-being.

Perhaps even experiencing a feeling of warmth or an inner smile coming from your heart,

Radiating through your entire body.

Joy and well-being flowing throughout your body.

Your torso,

Arms,

Legs,

Face.

Your entire body alive with the feeling of well-being,

The feeling of joy or ease.

And be aware of all that's now in your awareness while dissolving into being spacious,

Openness,

Awareness.

In which all these changing activities are coming and going.

Aware of all that's in your awareness.

Sensing how you're the observer of all that's arising.

Feeling yourself as the expanse and openness of awareness.

Joy,

Thoughts,

Emotions,

Sensations coming and going in you.

Affirming to yourself,

I am aware and awake,

Practicing I rest and resting at ease.

And set aside thinking,

Set aside memory,

Settle into simply being.

Nothing to do,

Nowhere to be,

Just the delightful feeling of being.

Aware of everything you're experiencing,

Feeling yourself simply being and being awareness.

Let the boundaries of separation dissolve,

All senses separation dissolving.

Being an openness of awareness in which everything's arising,

Thoughts and emotions,

Sensations,

Sounds.

All simply movements in awareness.

Feeling yourself as the spacious openness of awareness.

Feel as awareness how you're everywhere,

Nowhere specific,

Yet undeniably present as awareness.

And rest here,

Simply being.

Feeling your non-separate wholeness with all of life.

Connected to yourself.

Connected to the world around you.

Connected to all of life.

Taking all the time now just resting here as being,

Until you feel naturally called to end this practice of I rest.

Are you ready to return to your eyes open state of consciousness?

Take a few moments and welcome the feeling of gratitude for taking this time to experience your wholeness,

Health,

Well being and healing.

For taking this time for practicing I rest.

Know that as you return to your daily life and activities,

You are the underlying non-separate wholeness of life itself.

Expressing itself through you with meaning and value.

As you're ready,

Open and close your eyes several times.

While welcoming your inner resource of well being.

While welcoming and affirming again your heartfelt mission with your entire body,

The sense of life living you with meaning,

Purpose and value.

Affirming your intentions that support your living,

Your heartfelt mission.

Affirming the truth that in every moment you always have within you the perfect response to each situation and circumstance in your life.

Sense and feel again your body.

Notice the sounds around you.

Sense of the environment around you.

Imagine going about and moving through your everyday waking life all the while awake and aware as your undivided wholeness of well being in which your life is unfolding.

Taking your time now transitioning back into your everyday waking life at your own pace.

Your body and mind fully awakening to its natural state of eyes open,

Wakeful consciousness.

Attentive,

Awake,

Aware of your surroundings.

Grateful for taking this time for yourself,

For health,

Healing and experiencing your wholeness with yourself and all of life.

Reviews

I have been enjoying Richard Miller's yoga nidra sessions for many years, but not as much lately. It's wonderful to hear his voice again!

This was an amazing experience. I felt a huge weight lift off my body during this practice. Thank you

Having a tough day, this practice brought deep relaxation 🙏

Wonderful! Simple, yet profound! Effective! Thank you 🙏

Healing and helpful, will return to this many times. Thank you! 💛

Very relaxing and helped me fall back asleep. Also like the shorter versions

Mentioning irest repeatedly was pathetic and irritating. Like an indoctrination. I won’t be back

What a deep and profound experience. Thank you for sharing your gift.

Thank you so much! Your voice and the rhythm of your spoken words help me to relax in a deep way and sink into the felt sensation of the body.
Much appreciated,
Amana 🙏🏻💕

Wonderful!
I relaxed instantly And fell soundly asleep

This has been a wonderful addition to my postpartum recovery. Thank you.

I love all his meditations!!!!! Does a fantastic job of relaxing me, and that is a feat!🙃😜

One of the best yoga nidras realxed deeply from the first 10 min

Very relaxing but I was anxious and it was difficult to feel joy as instructed

Had a lovely afternoon nap with this. Thank you 😊

That was simply amazing. I haven't slept like that in weeks nor have I awoken to such vivid dreams. Thank you 🙏.

Thank you for the opportunity to fully experience homeostasis 🙏 💕🙏

Always helps me when I am back in traumatic reexperiencing. Thank you x

So helpful for coming back to a sense of deep safety and wholeness. Thank you Richard.

Extraordinary! Love this practice and have noticed a big change in myself. Inner peace and calm is the best!