Hello dear ones and welcome to this yoga nidra for sleep.
This is your time to rest.
Begin by finding a comfortable position lying down.
Allow your body to settle into the floor or the bed beneath you.
Making any adjustments that you need.
Your pillow,
Your clothes,
Getting as comfortable as you possibly can.
So that you can fully relax with nothing that you need to do.
When you are ready,
If it feels comfortable for you,
Gently closing your eyes.
Take a deep breath in and let it go slowly.
And again,
Inhaling in and exhaling.
Feeling the natural rhythm of your breathing.
Just observing how you are breathing in and out.
Like tides at the ocean.
In and out.
And now reminding yourself,
You are safe.
You are safe.
You are supported.
And you are allowed to rest.
Now bringing your awareness to the points of contact between your body and the surface beneath you.
Notice where your heels rest.
Your calves.
Your thighs.
Your hips.
Your back.
Your shoulders.
And your head.
Feel the heaviness of your body sinking downward.
As though gravity is gently pulling every muscle into softness.
Let your jaw relax.
Let your tongue rest softly inside the mouth.
Let your forehead smooth out.
Allowing your entire body to become still.
And now,
If you would like you can set a sankalpa,
An intention for your session.
It could be I rest deeply.
Or I am safe.
Or sleep comes easily to me.
And once you have one,
Just repeat it silently to yourself three times.
And now letting that go.
So that it's like a seed planted in the earth.
Now we will begin the rotation of awareness throughout your body.
Simply bringing your attention to each part as I name it.
If your mind wanders,
That is okay.
That's what our minds do.
When you recognize it,
Just gently returning to the body.
Bringing your awareness to the right hand thumb.
The second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
And the little finger.
Palm of the right hand.
Back of the right hand.
Right wrist.
Right forearm.
Right elbow.
Right upper arm.
Right armpit.
Right shoulder.
Right side of the ribs.
Right waist.
Right hip.
Right thigh.
Right knee.
Right calf.
Right ankle.
Right heel.
Sore of the right foot.
Top of the right foot.
Right big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
Now bring awareness to the left hand thumb.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
Little finger.
Palm of the left hand.
Back of the left hand.
Left wrist.
Left forearm.
Left elbow.
Left upper arm.
Left armpit.
Left shoulder.
Left side of the ribs.
Left waist.
Left hip.
Left thigh.
Left knee.
Left calf.
Left ankle.
Left heel.
Sore of the left foot.
Top of the left foot.
Left big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
Now bring awareness to the back of the body.
Back of the head.
Right shoulder blade.
Left shoulder blade.
Middle spine.
Lower spine.
Back of the right thigh.
Back of the left thigh.
Back of the right knee.
Back of the left knee.
Right calf.
Left calf.
Right heel.
Left heel.
Now the front of the body.
Forehead.
Eyebrows.
Space between the eyebrows.
Right eye.
Left eye.
Both eyes together.
Right cheek.
Left cheek.
Nose.
Upper lip.
Lower lip.
Chin.
Jaw.
Throat.
The chest.
The abdomen.
Pelvis.
Right hip.
Left hip.
Front of the right thigh.
Front of the left eye.
Right kneecap.
Left kneecap.
Right shin.
Left shin.
Top of the right foot.
Top of the left foot.
All ten toes.
Now feel the whole body at once.
The entire body.
Breathing.
Resting.
Now we will explore opposite sensations.
First bring to mind the feeling of heaviness.
Imagine your body becoming heavy as though it is made of stone.
Very heavy.
Sinking downward.
And heavier.
And now release that sensation.
And invite the feeling of lightness.
Your body feels weightless.
As though you are floating.
Light.
Effortless.
Now allow an image to form in the mind.
Imagine you are walking through a peaceful field at night.
The sky above you is dark velvet.
Scattered with stars.
With each step you feel more relaxed.
You come to a small path leading into a quiet forest.
The trees sway slightly as if breathing with you.
You arrive at a small clearing.
In the centre of the clearing is a calm,
Still lake.
The water reflects the stars perfectly.
You sit beside the lake.
There is no sound except the whisper of the wind.
And the slow rhythm of your breath.
You look into the lake and see your reflection.
Your reflection looks peaceful.
Rested.
You realise this is the version of you that exists beneath all stress.
Beneath all worry.
The lake is holding your tiredness for you.
The forest is holding your thoughts for you.
The earth is holding your body for you.
Now imagine you place any worries you still carry into a lake.
Like dropping stones into water.
Watch them sink.
No longer yours to hold tonight.
You are safe.
You are warm.
You are supported.
Now bring your sankalpa back to mind.
And repeat it silently to yourself three times.
And now you do not need to do anything.
Allow your awareness to become soft and open.
If sleep comes,
Let it come.
And if you remain awake,
That is okay too.
Rest is still happening.
Feel the breath moving gently in the body.
Like waves.
The body sinking deeper and deeper.
The muscles relax.
The mind becomes quiet.
Only rest.
Only stillness.
Only sleep.
Let the breath carry you down into a deep,
Peaceful sleep.
Sleep now.
Sleep deeply.
Sweet dreams.
