Yoga Nidra For Restoring Focus By Going Inward

Yoga Nidra translates into English as “yogic sleep,” yet this does not tell us all that much. Yoga Nidra 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, meditation, and mindfulness techniques that help the body, mind, and emotions 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 restoration of focus as we shift our attention and awareness inward. It may be hard at times to say goodbye to the routines, humdrum, and challenges of waking life, even for a moment, but by welcoming our awareness to return to our own internal landscape, we give ourselves the opportunity to rejuvenate every fiber of our being.

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 brainwaves.

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's 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,

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 are able to come back to my voice and listen 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 is 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 a 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 and 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 of 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 assume a comfortable position to follow along without interruptions.

Take a mental note of how you are feeling now in body and mind when you are done with the practice.

Notice any changes,

However subtle,

That you may experience so that you can begin to assess the impact of yoga nidra in both body and mind.

Now we'll begin the practice.

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

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.

Now follow my guidance as we take three deep breaths.

Ready?

Let's inhale together.

Hold the breath in,

Closing off the throat and 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 it no longer needs.

Deep seated tensions,

Leaving your body with the breath.

Breathe normally.

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 are 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,

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 but white,

Undistorted by what you like or don't like.

Let go of what is going,

Let come that which is coming.

This becomes your connection to Source.

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,

And 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.

Let's see what appears in your field of awareness.

Repeat your intention silently three times.

Imagine a stone resting in your hand.

Notice how heavy the stone is,

What it feels like.

Feel and sense the stone.

If you were to describe the stone,

What would you say?

What does it feel like?

Notice if the stone naturally remains in your hand or instinctively rests in another part of your body.

Where is the stone now?

Notice what it feels like there.

Just be aware.

Breathe into that place of sensation.

Use the breath to be with what is there,

Not trying to make it go away.

Just use the breath to hang out with it.

Breathe into it.

Just let it be as it is.

Simply observe what you are now aware of.

Simply observe what you are aware of now.

Truly feel the sensation.

If it has changed or moved,

Stay with it.

Without trying to avoid any part of the experience,

Let it be fully felt.

Let it be felt fully.

As if to say to it,

I'm willing to feel you.

Give it full permission to be.

Give it full permission to be just as it is,

Experiencing without trying to change anything.

It just is.

Breathe with it.

Stay with it.

Simply observe what you are now aware of.

Simply observe what you are aware of now.

Simply observe what you are aware of now.

Create space for what's there.

Don't resist what you're feeling.

Cultivate a sense of relaxation in the midst of it all.

Cultivate a sense of relaxation in the midst of all of it.

Make no effort to control or manipulate.

Be soft,

Spacious,

And at ease.

Continue to breathe with what is present.

Make space for it all to be.

As if to say,

It's okay that you're here.

Simply observe what you are aware of now.

Simply observe what you are aware of now.

If the sensation moves or changes,

Follow it patiently and with ease.

Stay with the process.

If the sensation moves or changes,

Follow it patiently and with ease.

If the sensation moves or changes,

Follow it patiently and with ease.

Stay with the process.

Stay present and be interested and curious about what you're feeling.

If you feel yourself moving into avoidance,

Breathe and come back to an openness to what you're feeling.

Notice what happens in your body as you remain present,

Relaxed,

And connected.

Continue to use your breath and attention to be with it all,

Just as it is.

Simply observe what you are aware of now.

Simply observe what you are aware of now.

Make space for it all to be.

It just needs to be acknowledged.

Remove yourself from any tendency to control or resist.

Just let it be as it is,

Without needing it to be different.

Bring your attention to the point between the eyebrows.

Drop below whatever is happening to a space of silence.

Whether the sensation has shifted or not,

Allow integration to happen with where you are now.

As we enter further into yoga nidra and it releases,

Shifts,

And changes,

The need to take place will happen spontaneously and effortlessly.

Now,

It is time for your body to rest deeply and go of any need to make anything happen.

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.

Allow yourself 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.

Now shift from thinking and doing to feeling and being.

Do absolutely nothing from now on.

Slowly 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 eyebrow center.

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

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.

Breathing 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 into that silent space where all doing stops.

Let go,

Let go even more.

Allow yourself to respond directly and non-mentally as we move our attention through different parts of the body.

Allow your attention to move without effort or strain,

Optimizing the flow and release of energy blockages.

Brow center,

Pit of the throat,

Right shoulder,

Elbow,

Wrist,

Thumb,

Index finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger,

And little finger,

Wrist,

Elbow,

Shoulder,

Pit of the throat,

Left shoulder,

Elbow,

Wrist,

Thumb,

Index finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger,

And little finger,

Wrist,

Elbow,

Shoulder,

Pit of the throat,

Middle of the chest,

Right side of the chest,

Middle of the chest,

Left side of the chest,

Middle of the chest,

Navel point,

Middle of the pubic bone,

Navel point,

Middle of the chest,

Pit of the throat.

Now gather all of your attention at the brow center.

With the vast stillness and silence resting in this vastness,

Allow whatever comes into your field of awareness to be present without comment or judgment.

Witness it as it floats by like clouds in the sky.

Bring the sensation of cold to each body part as I name it.

Maintain detached awareness,

Both feet icy wet,

Both knees biting cold,

Piercing the skin,

Thighs and hips ice cold,

Penetrating,

Wet,

Abdomen,

Chest,

Back,

Chilled to the very bone,

Shoulders,

Arms,

And palms,

Frigid,

Shaking,

Whole body,

Cold,

Chilled to the bone,

Wind howling,

Swirling snow,

Shivering,

Chattering.

Now shift your attention and bring a sense of warmth to the whole body as if you were sitting in front of a fire,

Both feet warm,

Dry,

Both knees glowing with heat from the closeness of the fire,

Thighs and hips warm,

Toasty,

Abdomen,

Chest,

And back radiating heat,

Shoulders,

Arms,

And palms filled with heat,

The whole body radiating heat,

Sun beating down,

Skin prickling with perspiration,

Whole body warm,

Lying in the sun.

Now rest back in neutral awareness,

Witness the whole body held in absolute stillness.

Now bring your attention to the center between your eyebrows and drop into the deepest level of relaxation.

Here,

There remains nothing to do or achieve.

You have entered the domain of grace.

In this domain of integration,

You are witness of all that is happening,

Doing nothing to make it happen.

All that can never be done by your doing can happen only in the non-doing presence of your being.

Feel completely safe and comfortable as you hand yourself over to the power and protection of the presence.

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,

And 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.

At this time,

Feel the presence of any guides,

Mentors,

Teachers,

Or family members.

You may sense this as a universal force or energy surrounding you,

Guiding you.

Know that this presence surrounds you always.

You can draw on this presence at any time if there is any guidance to be received at this time,

Either as a felt sense,

Words,

Or images.

Allow yourself to receive it now,

Otherwise.

Simply rest back in the grace and protection of presence.

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.

Begin 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.

You are 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 have 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.

Nidra Bhagwan,

May the spirit be victorious,

Or victory to the spirit.