37-Minute Yoga Nidra To Calm The Restless Mind | NSDR

Yoga Nidra translates into English as “yogic sleep,” and it refers to both a state of consciousness - one that is different from the waking, dreaming, and deep sleep states - as well as different styles of guided meditations that allow us to begin to consciously gain access to this state.

These meditations themselves are a specific sequence of relaxation and mindfulness techniques that help the entire being to slowly and gently become more still and silent. As such, Yoga Nidra itself is considered a form of NSDR, non-sleep deep rest, a term coined by neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman.

This particular yoga nidra is based on the Amrit style of yoga nidra, and its goal is to help listeners calm the overactivity of the mind. By connecting with the breath and observing sensations in the body with nonjudgmental awareness, the mind becomes habituated to repetitive gentle stimuli and disengages from worries and anticipations.

Transcript

Welcome it's great to have you here.

My name is Stefano and I'll be guiding you through Yoga Nidra,

A meditation that mirrors the physiological process of sleep.

I'll be guiding you through a sequence of meditation,

Mindfulness and relaxation techniques that will help you relax at the level of the physical body,

The breath,

The mind and through deeper aspects of your being.

Yoga Nidra is a form of NSDR,

Non-sleep deep rest.

It is a practice that will provide many of the same benefits of natural sleep.

The ultimate goal of Yoga Nidra is to reach a state where you can remain conscious even in the deepest levels of non-dreaming sleep where you reach delta brain waves.

However,

That naturally arises on its own.

You may catch glimpses of it in this practice but there's no need to set an expectation.

It will happen by itself and the more you practice the better you'll be able to maintain awareness during deeper and deeper levels of relaxation and you'll be able to carry these benefits throughout your waking life.

Just allow this time to be an opportunity for rest,

Relaxation and restoration and surrender your body to the surfaces that provide support.

There is nothing to do or achieve now.

Just follow along and allow all tensions and worries to melt away.

All you need to do is find a comfortable position either lying down in Shavasana,

The corpse pose,

Using either a yoga mat or your bed or any comfortable surface with support under your knees and maybe a pillow for the back of your head.

For the corpse pose,

Simply lie down on your back,

Allow your legs to separate and let go of all holding in your legs.

You don't need to keep them straight.

Just allow your feet to fall open to either side.

Bring your arms alongside your body and slightly separate them from your torso at a 30 or 60 degree angle,

Whatever feels most comfortable and turn your palms to face the sky without trying to keep them open.

Maintain a position that allows your fingers to curl inward.

Tuck your shoulder blades onto your back for support without strain.

Once you have set up your limbs,

Release any effort from holding them in position.

Allow your whole body to relax,

Dropping any expression from the face and allow your whole body to feel heavy as you surrender your weight to the field of gravity.

It's recommended that you have a blanket,

Maybe an eye pillow if it feels more comfortable.

And again,

Don't worry if you fall asleep or if your mind wanders.

The moment that you're able to come back to my voice and listen to me,

To the instructions,

Gently guide your attention back and follow the instructions to the best of your abilities.

If you can,

Remain as still as possible.

But if there's any discomfort or pain,

Notice it for a few moments.

And if it goes away,

Continue with the guidance.

And if it doesn't,

Gently readjust yourself so that you can be 10,

5 or even 1% more comfortable.

Allow yourself to completely relax during the practice.

And if you need to,

You can always assume a comfortable meditative posture in the seated position,

Making sure that you have a straight spine,

Allowing your neck to be tall,

Keeping your chin tucked in,

Chest forward,

And making sure that your hands are going to be on your lap with palms facing upward.

Also,

While maintaining a seated posture,

Make sure that your shoulders are dropped and relaxed,

Allowing yourself to maintain this posture with ease and without strain.

You can even practice yoga nidra while standing up if you have any pain in your spine.

Again,

Choose the position posture that is most comfortable to you and allow yourself to make any adjustments at the beginning so that you can become deeply focused on your inner experience as the practice continues.

Typically,

We practice yoga nidra with the eyes closed.

But if for any reason this is not accessible to you or it produces discomfort,

Know that you can practice with your eyes open while maintaining a very soft gaze to the distance.

No matter what position or posture you assume,

Just make sure that your limbs and extremities are not making contact with other objects in the room.

As you continue to practice yoga nidra,

You will become more and more sensitive to touch,

Especially in your fingers and toes.

So make sure to keep your extremities away from a wall or bedpost.

Just make sure you have enough space to practice comfortably.

Also,

Know that as you practice yoga nidra,

It is common for your body temperature to drop as it mirrors natural sleep.

Have a blanket on the ready in case you need it.

Make sure that you take a few moments to pick a setting where you won't be distracted or disturbed.

Yoga nidra is typically practiced in an environment that mimics sleep.

So a cool,

Dark,

Quiet room would be optimal.

But again,

See what is available to you in the moment and go with that.

We'll be practicing different styles of yoga nidra.

The practice we'll do today will be of the amrit style of yoga nidra.

This is I Am Yoga Nidra,

The integrated amrit method.

Yoga nidra.

I will give you a reminder of all of these things,

But make sure that you take a few moments now to get ready and you can assume a comfortable position to follow along without interruptions.

And take a mental note of how you're feeling now in body and mind.

When you're done with the practice,

Notice any changes,

However subtle you may experience,

So that you can begin to assess the impact of yoga nidra above body.

And now we'll begin the practice.

Any sounds or music in the recording will gently fall away as we begin the practice.

Place the arms on the floor above your head.

Inhale.

Stretch the arms and legs in opposite directions.

Stretch,

Stretch,

And release.

Keeping the arms above the head.

Again.

Inhale.

Stretch,

Stretch,

Stretch,

And release.

Last time.

Stretch,

Stretch,

Stretch.

Now let go completely.

Allow the arms to come to the sides.

Take one last breath in and release the tension in your belly with the outgoing breath.

Feel a blanket of heaviness washing over the face,

The arms,

The weight of the spine,

The legs,

Whole body.

Now lift the right leg a few inches off the floor as you continue to breathe.

Hold.

Hold.

Exhale and release the leg to the floor.

Let go completely.

Feel heaviness flooding the leg.

Lift the left leg a few inches off the floor.

Continue to breathe as you hold.

Hold.

Exhale.

Release the leg.

Let go completely.

Feel heaviness flooding the leg.

Tense and lift the buttocks,

Hips,

And pelvis off the floor.

Hold.

Hold.

Let go.

Drop.

Feel the whole body letting go.

Surrender to gravity.

Now make fists and contract the arms until they lift off the floor.

Continue to breathe as you hold.

Hold and let go.

Let go completely.

Surrender to the field of gravity pulling you down deeper,

Sinking deeper and deeper,

Melting into the floor,

Sinking deeper and deeper,

Melting into the floor.

Be still.

Let go of all thoughts,

Worry,

And tension.

Give yourself fully to a higher power.

Relax,

Trust,

And let go.

Breathe in fully and exhale with a deep sigh.

And again.

Breathe in fully and exhale with a deep sigh.

Let go even more.

Feel a deep sense of contentment and peace in your heart.

Now bring your intention into your awareness in the form of words,

Images,

Or as a felt sense.

If you're unclear about your intention,

Just see what appears in your field of awareness.

Repeat your intention silently three times.

Maintaining this inner stillness,

Gently cover yourself,

And if you wish,

Place an eye pillow over your eyes.

As we enter the next phase of yoga nidra,

Remain as motionless as possible.

If you need to move or make an adjustment,

Do so mindfully and return to stillness as soon as you're able.

Resolve to remain awake,

Staying in touch with the sound of my voice.

Allow your entire body to respond to my words directly and non-mentally.

Allow any disturbances,

External or internal,

To draw you more deeply within.

In yoga nidra,

You enter the subconscious pranic field.

Let your mind merge and melt into the energy body and go beyond the boundaries of body and mind.

Now shift from thinking and doing to feeling and being.

Now shift from thinking and doing to feeling and being.

Do absolutely nothing from now on.

Simply relax,

Drop into the deepest state of tranquility,

Stillness,

And peace.

Now shift from thinking and doing to feeling and being.

Do absolutely nothing from now on.

Simply relax,

Drop into the deepest state of tranquility,

Stillness,

And peace.

In the third eye,

Drop into the deepest state of tranquility,

Stillness,

And peace at the eyebrow center.

Drop into the deepest state of tranquility,

Stillness,

And peace at the brow center.

Now your consciousness is in direct communion with your energy body.

Now your consciousness is in direct communion with your energy body.

Now become aware of the rising and falling of the breath.

Simply relax and observe the breath.

Notice if the breath is fast or slow,

Deep or shallow.

Whatever is happening,

Simply relax.

Witness the breath.

Now gently deepen your inhalations and exhalations.

Stay connected to every breath in and every breath out.

As you inhale,

Know that you are inhaling.

As you exhale,

Know that you are exhaling.

Now we will inhale and exhale to a count of four.

Inhale,

One,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Exhale,

One,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Continue on your own,

Counting silently.

Find your own rhythm,

Soft and easy.

Release any struggle to make anything happen.

If any thoughts come into your mind,

Simply bring your attention back to the count.

Belly rising as you inhale,

Belly falling as you exhale.

Feeling yourself becoming more relaxed and peaceful with each breath.

Breath becoming longer,

Slower,

And deeper.

Tranquility,

Stillness,

And peace washing over you with each outgoing breath.

Now breathe normally.

Observe the breath becoming very quiet and still,

Almost non-existent.

Let the breath breathe itself.

Sink down into the silence beneath the mind.

Let go of any effort to make anything happen.

Enter an effortless state,

Being.

As I name the body part,

Bring your total attention accompanied by a feeling of heaviness,

Sinking like a stone in water.

Both feet,

Heavy like stones.

Calves and knees,

Heavy,

Sinking deeper.

Thighs and hips,

Very heavy,

Like lead.

Abdomen,

Chest,

And back,

Gravity pulling you down,

Deeper.

Shoulders,

Arms,

And palms,

Very,

Very heavy.

Feel your entire head,

Heavy like a stone.

Give your body completely and totally to the omnipresent field of gravity.

Now experience your whole body,

Heavy like a rock.

Feel your whole body sinking deeper and deeper.

And deeper,

Totally let go into the pull of gravity,

Sinking,

Sinking,

Heavy like a stone,

Sinking deeper into stillness and silent awareness.

Now shift your attention,

And as I name the part of the body,

Let all the heaviness drain away.

Let your body be buoyant and light like a fluffy cloud.

Both feet,

Limp and light.

Calves and knees,

Empty and free.

Feel it.

Thighs and hips,

Hollow,

Weightless.

Abdomen,

Chest,

And back,

Light and empty.

Shoulders,

Shoulders,

And arms,

And palms,

Floating,

Head,

Hollow,

Empty.

Feel your whole body,

Empty,

Light,

And hollow.

Sense the emptiness of your body and silence of your mind.

Enter the power and protection of your energy body.

Embrace its feathery lightness.

Feel completely safe and secure.

Feel yourself getting lighter and lighter until you begin to float in the air.

Give yourself permission and freedom to float out of your physical body.

Release your energy body from your physical body.

Experience the freedom of this new dimension,

Released and freed from identification of your body and mind,

Free of all inhibitions and boundaries of your body and mind,

Past and future.

Observe your body completely at peace,

Resting in stillness.

Recognize you are the spirit,

Separate from the physical body.

Enjoy the spirit,

Freed from all limitations.

The innate healing wisdom of the body,

Liberated and functioning optimally.

Now settle back into the physical body as you remain deeply established in your connection with spirit and faith and trust.

Hand over all fear,

Apprehension,

And anxiety about all that you want to change,

Control,

And manage.

Let go of all doing.

Replace it with trust and faith in the higher power.

Let your mind merge and melt into the presence and enter the sanctuary of silence.

Silence.

Remain empty and free from all doing.

Remain empty and free from all doing.

Feel yourself as time transcendent presence right now.

Here,

Your intention and your affirmations are actualized and fulfilled with effortless ease.

If you have an intention,

Bring it into your awareness three times in the form of words,

Images,

Or as a felt sense.

If you do not have an intention,

Just remain silent and let spirit,

Who knows what is best,

Do it for you.

Allow this intention to go to the deepest levels of recognition with no hesitation.

Know that your higher self recognizes,

Honors,

And accepts your intention.

Have faith and trust that it has been heard and is being acted upon by higher power of the source within you.

There is no need to do anything about it.

Bring your attention back to the center between the eyebrows and feel all the energies of your body from all meridians activated,

Purified,

Balanced.

All channels are open and the life force is flowing freely,

Healing the body and calming the mind.

Open your heart and feel content,

Just experience.

Establish yourself firmly in faith and trust to receive the grace,

Protection,

Protection,

And guidance of the higher self within you.

Establish yourself firmly in faith and trust to receive the grace,

Protection,

And guidance of the higher self within you.

The more often you go to your source,

The easier it will be to return there and the longer you can stay there.

Feel the presence of your own spiritual guides surrounding you and blessing you.

Accept their blessing and grace,

Embody it,

And spread it wherever you go.

Now you have prepared the base from where you can carry out interactions with life and interpersonal relationships with the integrative power of love and the source within.

You are the emissary of light and love.

Carry it everywhere you go and to everyone you meet.

If you have an area that you feel needs healing,

Be it physical,

Mental,

Or emotional,

Allow this light and love to flow into that area now.

Begin to become aware of the rising and falling of the breath.

Slowly,

Feel yourself beginning to rise to the surface of awareness.

Sense the body resting on the surface beneath you,

The quality of the air as it touches the skin.

Gradually,

You can move as if you're waking from a restful sleep.

Bend your knees and pull them closer to your chest.

Rock sideways gently.

Take your time.

Do not hurry.

Then just turn onto your right side and curl into a fetal position.

Feel the safety,

Comfort,

And protection of the womb of existence.

Bring your intention into your awareness again.

Change nothing.

Every time you find yourself in reaction,

You are empowered to replace it with your intention.

Now,

You can gradually move and begin to sit up with your eyes closed.

Continue to stay deep in this deep inner experience,

Regardless of what you consciously recognize but has or has not changed.

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

Become aware of your body and bring a deep sense of peace and contentment with you as you bring attention back to the body.

Notice how relaxed the body is,

How relaxed the body is.

How soft the breath is,

How silent the mind is,

How quiet the heartbeat is.

Notice how relaxed the body is,

How soft the breath is,

How silent the mind is,

How quiet the heartbeat is.

Be still and be grateful.

Know that you can easily enter here again and again.

Now,

You may gradually open your eyes.

Thank you for practicing yoga nidra with me today.

I would like to get your feedback either in the comment sections or if you wanted to send me an email about your experiences with today's practice.

If you have any questions or if you would like to share your intention for your practice,

Please share below.

Also,

It would be nice to know where and when you started your practice today.

You can check the description of the video for additional information about the practice of yoga nidra as well as this individual recording.

And you're invited to also check out the other videos on the channel with other yoga nidras depending on what you need most right now.

If you've enjoyed this practice today,

Please consider sharing the video with others who would benefit from it and to receive further notifications,

You can always subscribe to the channel and sign up to receive the notifications.

As the community grows,

I'll include more and more styles of yoga nidra for people to explore the different benefits that can be obtained from this practice.

Not just for sleep,

Not just to reduce stress and anxiety,

But also for developing equanimity and self-realization as well as many practical applications to increase focus and energy and vitality.

Thank you again for practicing with me today.

Jai Bhagwan.

May the spirit be victorious or victory to the spirit.

Reviews

My intention is I am love, and this nidra was incredibly supportive and relaxing - thank you for helping me remember who I am and experience deep rest after not sleeping well 💛🙏✨️