52-minute Yoga Nidra For Unwinding With Sounds And Images

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 gain access to this state. These meditations help the entire being to slowly and gently become more still and silent. This particular yoga nidra is based on the Amrit style of yoga nidra, and its goal is to promote the unwinding of the mind through the use of inner sound and images. Rest back onto the surfaces that provide support and follow the instructions to the best of your abilities. There is nothing further to do now. Relax, trust, and let go.

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.

It 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.

There is nothing to do or achieve now,

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

Find a comfortable position lying down in Shavasana,

The corpse pose,

Using 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.

It's recommended that you have a blanket,

Maybe an eye pillow if it feels more comfortable.

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

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 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,

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

Typically,

We practice Yoga Nidra with the eyes closed,

But if for any reason this is not accessible to you,

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

Just make sure you have enough space to practice comfortably.

Pick a setting where you won't be distracted or disturbed,

So a cool,

Dark,

Quiet room would be optimal.

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

The practice we'll do today is I AM Yoga Nidra,

The Integrated Amrit Method of Yoga Nidra 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,

That you may experience.

Now,

We'll begin the practice.

Any sounds or music in the recording will gently fall away.

I will guide you in the next phase to enter deeper and subtler levels of relaxation through the bumblebee sound and breath.

Use your thumbs to gently close your ears,

Just tight enough so that you can still hear me.

Rest the remaining fingers on either side of the forehead.

In a moment,

We will take a deep breath in and with closed lips we will begin to hum the sound of the bumblebee.

Keep the teeth lightly touching or slightly apart,

Or slightly apart,

Whichever is most comfortable.

Tongue towards the front and roof of the mouth.

Raise and lower the pitch of the buzzing sound as we hum to maximize the vibratory sensation felt in your skull and create a felt sense of complete absorption.

Now,

Take a breath in and follow me.

Now,

Stop.

Bring your arms by your sides.

Cover your arms and be still.

Cover your arms.

Place your eye pillow and be still.

Bring your total and undivided attention to your whole body.

Feel the simulating impact of the vibrations extending throughout your whole body.

Notice how your attention feeds your energy.

Observe your energy field expand and grow,

Extending everywhere and filling every nerve and cell of your body.

Now,

Bring your attention to the eyebrow center and empty your mind into the flood of energy.

Let it melt and merge into the experience of the energy body,

Expanding beyond all boundaries.

Drop into complete silence and deep stillness.

Let it melt and merge into the experience of the energy body,

Expanding beyond all boundaries.

Now,

Drop to complete silence and deep stillness.

Let it melt and merge into the experience of the energy body,

Expanding beyond all boundaries.

Drop to complete silence and deep stillness.

Now,

Follow my guidance as we take three deep breaths.

Ready?

Let's inhale together.

Hold the breath in,

Closing off the throat.

When prompted by the inner urging of the body,

Release the breath slow and steady.

Breathe normally.

Second breath now.

Inhale together.

Hold the breath in,

Closing off the throat,

Allowing tension to build,

Holding a bit longer without struggle.

When prompted,

Release fully,

Expelling from the body whatever no longer needs.

Deep seated tensions,

Leaving your body with the breath.

Breathe normally.

And third breath.

And third breath.

Inhale together.

Hold the breath in,

Closing off the throat,

Holding even longer now,

But without strain.

When prompted,

Release the breath,

Breathing it all out,

Letting it all go until there is nothing left,

Until you're completely empty,

Open.

Breathe normally.

Simply allow the breath to rise and fall in its own rhythm,

The breath becoming progressively quieter and more still until it is almost impossible to detect.

Now bring your attention to the face.

With your next exhalation,

Allow all expression to drop from the face,

Releasing the tiny muscles around the eyes,

Allowing the eyeballs to rest back in their sockets,

Releasing the tiny muscles around the mouth,

Tongue resting in the mouth,

Lower jaw gently opening,

Softening,

Allowing the cheeks to soften towards the floor,

Scalp resting on the skull,

Neck softening,

Easing.

Simply be available to the entire range of sensations in the face and head.

Now drop into a sense of your whole bodily presence.

Embrace this present moment's experience,

Undistorted by what you like or don't like.

Let go of what is going.

Let go of what is going.

Let come that which is coming.

This becomes your connection to source.

Close your eyes and allow your attention to turn inward.

Bring your attention to the breath.

Feel the body beginning to relax.

With each progressive exhalation,

We will chant a continuous OM together.

As you chant,

Let the sound come from deep in your belly.

When you run out of breath,

Take another full breath in and begin again.

We will repeat three times.

Let's begin.

Take a full breath in.

OM Come to silence.

Sense sound dissolving into silence.

Merge into that silent space.

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 are 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.

Do absolutely nothing from now on.

Simply relax.

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 bring your breath into awareness.

Follow and feel the entire passage of breath as it moves in and out.

This time,

Inhale through the nose and fill the lungs naturally.

And as you exhale,

Gently contract the back of the throat,

Creating an ocean sound.

Inhaling normally.

Exhaling with ocean sound.

Slowing the passage of breath.

No strain or struggle.

Absorbed in the sound and sensation of the exhaling breath.

Now on the next breath,

Allow the breath to naturally pause at the top of the inhalation and at the bottom of the exhalation.

Inhaling fully.

Pause at the top.

Exhale and allow the breath to gradually terminate at the bottom.

As you become more relaxed,

The breath naturally becomes soft,

Shallow.

Now breathe normally.

Let go into the third eye.

Let go into the brow center and the variant.

Melt and merge into the field of silence.

Dissolve like a drop into the ocean of oneness.

Let go.

Let go even more.

Enter an effortless state being.

On your next inhalation,

Draw the breath from the tips of the toes up to the top of the head.

As you exhale,

Draw the breath down from the top of the head to the tip of the toes.

Repeat for the next few breaths.

This time,

As you inhale,

Draw the breath in from the ankles up to the top of the head and exhale the breath down from the top of the head to the ankles.

Now,

Draw the breath in from the knees up to the top of the head and exhale the breath down from the top of the head to the knees.

Inhale from the perineum at the base of the spine up to the top of the head and exhale the breath down from the top of the head to the perineum at the base of the spine.

Inhale from below the navel up to the top of the head and exhale the breath down from the top of the head to below the navel.

Inhale from the solar plexus up to the top of the head and exhale the breath down from the top of the head to the solar plexus.

Inhale through the heart center.

Exhale out through the crown of the head.

Inhale through the throat.

Exhale out through the crown of the head.

Inhale through the third eye.

Exhale out through the crown of the head.

Merge into the subtle upward flow of energy.

Become one with the boundless field of energy extending everywhere.

All separation dissolving in a background of evenly hovering awareness.

Imagine you're walking through a beautiful garden.

You are completely alone.

There is only you to enjoy the beauty around.

Sense the earth beneath your feet as you walk,

Cool and very pleasant,

Flowers blooming,

Plants and trees flourishing from the earth.

You hear a loud clap of thunder.

As you look up,

The sky has become very dark.

It is starting to rain.

You are standing on very green grass.

You are watching the raindrops bounce off the blades of grass.

Look around and witness the storm.

Raindrops streaming down your face,

Drenching your clothes.

Just relax and enjoy the feeling of being completely wet.

No concern about getting wet.

Doesn't matter.

It is very pleasant to get wet.

Now the storm has finished.

You can smell the wet earth.

You can smell the wet earth.

The sun beginning to shine through the clouds.

Feel the warmth of the sun on your skin,

Drying your clothes.

Look up at the sun and feel its warmth and energy penetrating deeply into your skin,

Entering your body until you feel warm everywhere.

Now you are running in the garden.

You are very happy and cannot help but laugh with joy.

All around you are birds singing their beautiful melodies.

A cool,

Gentle breeze is blowing in the trees.

Hear the wind rustling in the trees and feel it blowing against your face and through your hair.

Breathe in this fresh,

Life-giving air.

Give yourself the permission to enter into the deepest level of relaxation right now.

Let go.

Nothing to do or achieve.

Dissolve and disappear into stillness,

Open,

Empty of all doing,

All past,

All future.

Merge into this space and be empty.

Sensations,

Thoughts,

Images,

Floating by like clouds on a clear blue sky,

Letting it all gather and dissipate.

Come and go.

Be the space in which it is all happening.

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 a 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,

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 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 that 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.

If you feel compelled,

Your donations and contributions would greatly help me continue to produce yoga nidras to share the benefits of these guided meditations with others.

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 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.

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.