Yoga Nidra: Rest, Reset & Reconnect
This full Yoga Nidra journey invites deep rest and reconnection. Includes sankalpa (intention), body scan, breath awareness, opposite sensations, and guided visualization. Designed to calm the nervous system, clear the mind, and awaken inner peace.
Transcript
Hello.
For this yoga nidra,
Please find a comfortable,
Reclined position.
The legs extended,
Maybe a pillow behind the knees.
Arms at a low V,
Slightly away from the body.
Take any last adjustments that you need to be as comfortable as possible.
Allow the eyes to close down.
During yoga nidra,
We aim to have no physical movement,
So the body has a chance to fully rest.
Yoga nidra translates to yogic sleep.
It's a guided practice that moves you through different phases,
Like setting an intention called your sankalpa,
A body scan,
Breath awareness,
And a visualization.
As you are gently guided through these phases,
You begin to enter a state of consciousness between wakefulness and sleeping.
In this in-between state,
Your brainwaves,
Heart rate,
And breath all begin to slow down,
And your body enters a deeply restful place.
It's also a doorway into the subconscious mind.
You might notice old patterns,
Memories,
Or habits,
What we call samskaras,
Start to rise up.
One of the reasons we practice yoga nidra is to become aware of the thoughts and patterns that no longer serve us and bring in more positive seeds to plant in the mind.
If you feel activated or unsettled at any time,
You can sit up in a comfortable seat,
Drink some water,
And focus on your breathing.
In yoga nidra,
You are functioning on the levels of hearing and awareness.
The only thing you need to do is follow the sound of my voice.
No need to think or analyze.
Simply listen and allow.
If the mind becomes busy,
That's okay.
Just gently return to the sound of my voice and let that be your anchor.
Absorb what you need and leave behind what you don't.
The body sleeps,
But the mind remains awake and alert.
It's important to try to remain awake during the practice.
Say to yourself mentally,
I will not sleep.
I will remain awake.
Take a deep breath in the nose.
Open the mouth and let it go.
Begin to develop awareness of the entire body.
Invite a feeling of inner relaxation to spread into every cell.
Now become aware of your natural breath.
The flow of air effortless as it flows in the nostrils,
Down the throat,
Into the belly,
Ribs,
And chest.
And the release of air out the nostrils as the body melts deeper into the air.
Now allow the breath to become longer and slower.
Inhale deep into the belly.
Feel expanded from the inside out.
Exhale slow,
Unrushed.
Feel the body melt.
Deep inhale for 4,
3,
2,
1.
Slow exhale 8,
7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Inhale 4.
Exhale 8.
Continue breathing this way on your own.
Now return back to the natural breath,
Releasing control of the inhale and exhale.
Allowing the body to breathe itself.
It's now time to bring in your sankalpa,
Your intention.
Gently bring your awareness to the center of your chest,
Right behind the sternum.
Notice that shift of attention from the thinking mind into the heart space.
Let your intention arise from this deeper place within.
Your sankalpa is a simple,
Positive statement in the present tense.
Something you want to embody or invite into your life.
Examples might be,
I am at peace.
I trust myself.
Or,
I am open to receive.
Let one come to you naturally.
There is no right or wrong.
And once it's clear,
Repeat your sankalpa to yourself three times.
Silently,
With full awareness,
Emotion,
And belief.
Feel it as if it is already true.
Let it sink in deeply,
Planting a seed in the fertile soil of your mind,
Ready to grow in its own perfect time.
We'll now begin a journey of awareness through the body.
There's nothing you need to do,
No physical movement.
Just let your awareness gently shift from one area to the next.
Try not to linger too long in any one spot.
As I state each body part,
Name it in your mind and feel it from the inside out.
If your mind starts to wander,
No worries.
Just come back to the sound of my voice.
Become aware of the right hand.
The right hand thumb.
The second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
Fifth finger.
Palm of the hand.
Back of the hand.
The wrist.
The lower arm.
The elbow.
The upper arm.
The shoulder.
The armpit.
The right waist.
The right hip.
The right thigh.
The kneecap.
The calf muscle.
The ankle.
The heel.
The sole of the right foot.
The top of the foot.
The big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
Become aware of the left hand thumb.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
Fifth finger.
Palm of the hand.
Back of the hand.
The wrist.
The lower arm.
The elbow.
Upper arm.
The shoulder.
Armpit.
The left waist.
The left hip.
The left thigh.
The kneecap.
The calf muscle.
The ankle.
The heel.
Sole of the left foot.
Top of the foot.
The big toe.
The second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
Now to the back of the body.
Become aware of the back of the head touching the earth.
The right shoulder blade.
The left shoulder blade.
The whole spine.
The right glute.
The left glute.
Now the front of the body.
Go to the top of the head.
The forehead.
Left side of the head.
Right side of the head.
The right eyebrow.
The left eyebrow.
The space between the eyebrows.
The right eyelid.
The left eyelid.
The right eye.
The left eye.
The right ear.
The left ear.
The right ear.
The right cheek.
The left cheek.
The nose.
The upper lip.
The lower lip.
The chin.
The throat.
The right chest.
The left chest.
The middle of the chest.
The navel.
The abdomen.
The abdomen.
Now,
Bring the awareness to the whole of the right leg.
The whole of the left leg.
Both legs together.
The whole of the right arm.
The whole of the left arm.
Both arms together.
The whole of the back together.
The whole of the left arm.
The whole of the front together.
The whole of the back and front together.
The whole of the head.
The whole body together.
The whole body together.
Now,
Begin to bring your awareness to your breath.
Just notice it.
The natural flow of breath in and out of your lungs.
There is no need to change anything.
Let the breath move on its own.
Soft,
Effortless,
Automatic.
Now,
Gently shift your awareness to your belly.
Feel the subtle rise and fall with each inhale and each exhale.
With every breath,
Your belly expands and contracts.
Simply stay with this feeling.
Breath and belly moving together.
Now,
Begin to count your breaths,
Starting from 27 and moving backwards to 1.
Like this.
27,
Belly rising.
27,
Belly falling.
26,
Belly rising.
26,
Belly falling,
And so on.
Count each breath silently in your mind.
Stay fully aware of the breath and the number.
If you lose the count,
It's okay.
Just gently begin again at 27.
Let your full awareness rest on breath,
Body,
And counting.
Nothing else.
Now,
Gently release the breath counting.
We'll begin exploring opposite sensations in the body.
Heaviness.
Start to feel the weight of your body.
Let yourself fully drop into the support beneath you.
Notice the heaviness in your feet,
Your legs,
Hips,
Back,
Arms,
Head.
Each part sinking.
The whole body is heavy.
Let yourself feel completely grounded,
Like the earth is holding you.
Lightness.
Now,
Begin to sense a feeling of lightness through the entire body,
Almost as if the air is lifting you up.
Feel the points where your body meets the earth and feel lighter,
As if your whole body is floating gently above the ground.
Now,
Begin to invite the sensation of heat into the body.
Heat.
Imagine the warmth of the sun resting on your skin.
Feel that warmth begin to glow from within,
Radiating gently outward,
Filling your whole body with heat.
Cold.
Now,
Awaken to the feeling of cold.
Imagine you've stepped outside on a crisp winter morning.
The air is cool on your skin,
A gentle shiver in your body.
Feel the chill on your cheeks,
Your hands,
Your whole being.
Darkness.
Become aware of darkness.
A vast,
Empty darkness.
Endless,
Expansive,
Without edges.
Complete absence of light.
Rest in the sensation of deep,
Uninterrupted darkness.
Light.
Now,
Shift to the sensation of light.
Sudden brightness,
Intense,
Clear blinding.
So bright,
It fills the entire field of awareness.
Nothing but light.
Stay with the experience of pure,
Brilliant light.
Now,
Bring your awareness to the space just behind your closed eyelids.
This inner screen,
The Chittikasha,
Is like a vast,
Open sky.
Watch whatever appears here with gentle curiosity,
Without getting involved.
Thoughts,
Images,
Colors may come and go.
Simply watch.
Rest in awareness.
Now,
We'll move into a gentle journey.
Well,
Let yourself imagine,
Without trying too hard,
Just receiving as if dreaming while still awake.
Imagine yourself standing at the edge of a beautiful forest path.
The air is soft and cool.
The sun filters through the trees,
Casting golden light.
With each step forward,
You feel more and more at ease.
Birds singing in the distance.
The quiet crunch of leaves under your feet.
As you walk,
You come to a small wooden gate.
You open it and step into a secret garden.
This is your inner sanctuary.
A sacred space just for you.
Take it in with all your senses.
Colors,
Textures,
Scents.
Maybe there are flowers blooming.
Vines climbing.
Perhaps water trickling nearby.
Or a gentle breeze that brushes across your skin.
You notice a soft patch of grass and lie down in the center of this garden.
Above you,
The sky is wide and open.
The sun radiates warmth,
Wrapping around you like a blanket.
And now a gentle light begins to pour down from above.
Pure white light,
Soft and shimmering.
It surrounds your entire body,
Forming a glowing bubble of light and love.
Feel it soaking into your skin,
Your muscles,
Your heart.
This light fills every cell of your body.
Peaceful,
Loving,
Healing.
You are one with this light.
You are this light.
You rest here,
Bathed in this light.
Deeply connected and safe.
Now imagine this light expanding beyond the garden.
Flowing past the trees,
Beyond the forest,
Rising into the open sky.
You are held in this glowing cocoon.
Floating peacefully.
Weightless and free.
Drifting through clouds.
Carried gently above the earth.
There is nothing to do,
Nowhere to be.
Just this feeling of peace,
Love,
Spaciousness.
Now gently imagine the light beginning to lower you back down.
Back into your body,
Back into the center of your sanctuary.
Feel the warmth of the sun,
The ground beneath you.
The softness of your breath.
And now gently let go of the imagery,
Release the Chidikasha.
And bring your awareness to the steady beat of your heart.
Feel the rhythm of your life force pulsing through your body.
And within your heart,
Begin to sense a quiet joy.
Like sunlight pouring in,
Filling you from the inside out.
Feel that joy expanding,
Spreading through your chest,
Your limbs,
Your whole being.
And from this heart-centered place,
Return to your Sankalpa.
Repeat the same intention you made at the beginning of practice three times in your mind.
Repeat it with full awareness,
With belief and feeling.
Know that this intention has been planted in fertile ground.
Now bring your awareness back to your breath.
Soft,
Natural breath moving in and out.
Stay with the breath,
And at the same time,
Begin to feel the body again.
The body resting on the floor,
Calm and still,
At ease.
Keep the eyes closed,
And gently sense the space that you are in.
Become aware of the room around you.
The temperature,
The light,
The energy.
And say silently to yourself,
The practice of Yoga Nidra is now complete.
When you feel ready,
Begin to awaken the body.
Wiggle the fingers and toes.
Roll the wrists,
The ankles.
And gently rock the head side to side.
If it's calling to you,
Reach the arms overhead,
Take a full body stretch.
Take your time to hug the knees into the chest.
Roll onto your right side,
And pause there for a few breaths.
When you feel ready,
Use your hands to press yourself up to a seated position.
Take your time to slowly blink open the eyes.
