Yoga Nidra is a mindfulness practice called yogic sleep.
That is the translation of Yoga Nidra.
It is a practice that you can use at bedtime when you want to help yourself fall asleep or anytime you feel that you need to take a break and rest.
Yoga Nidra can be really helpful for this.
So go ahead and get comfortable,
Preferably in a lying down position,
Snuggling in wherever that may be,
On your bed,
On the floor,
Even on the couch.
If you are using this practice to ease yourself into a night's rest,
I invite you to crawl into bed so that you don't have to move at the end.
So getting comfortable now,
Lying down,
Making any small or large adjustments that need to be made for you to feel more comfortable.
Fluffing your pillow,
Maybe placing a pillow behind the knees,
Whatever feels good for you right now.
Seeing if you can make yourself even 10% more comfortable.
And for the first few moments as we're settling in,
I just invite you to notice your breath,
Your inhales,
Your exhales.
You don't need to change them in any way.
Just notice that they are happening.
The breath can be a really great gateway into body sensations and noticing the body.
Just noticing what the inhale feels like,
What the exhale feels like,
Whatever that may be.
Maybe noticing the ambient temperature in the room,
Noticing any sounds in the room,
Feeling the softness of your comforter or mattress or floor or couch beneath your body.
And we begin the practice of yoga nidra.
First noticing the left eye.
And again,
Just noticing if there's a sensation present,
If not,
Or anything in between.
Noticing the right eye,
Noticing the left ear and the right ear,
Noticing the left nostril and the right nostril,
Noticing the forehead,
Noticing the temples,
The jaw,
The lips,
The tongue,
Noticing the back of the head,
The back of the neck,
The front of the neck,
Noticing the left side of the neck,
The left shoulder,
Left upper arm,
Left elbow,
Left forearm,
Left wrist,
The back of the left hand,
The palm of the left hand,
The left thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
Pinky finger,
Noticing the whole hand all at once,
Whole left hand all at once,
Noticing the whole left arm all at once,
The whole left arm all at once,
Noticing the right side of the neck,
The right shoulder,
The right upper arm,
The right elbow,
The right forearm,
The right wrist,
The back of the right hand,
The palm of the right hand,
Noticing the right thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
And the right pinky finger,
Noticing the right hand all at once,
The right hand all at once,
Noticing the right arm all at once,
The right arm all at once,
Noticing the chest,
Noticing the abdomen,
The upper abdomen,
The middle abdomen,
And the lower abdomen,
The left side of the body,
The right side of the torso and abdomen,
Noticing the whole abdomen all at once,
The whole abdomen all at once,
Noticing the upper back,
Noticing the middle back just below the shoulder blades to just above the low back,
Noticing the middle back,
Noticing the lower back,
The lower back,
Noticing the left glute,
Front of the left hip and the sides of the left hip,
Noticing the left thigh,
The front of the left thigh,
The back of the left thigh,
The inside of the left thigh,
The outside of the left thigh,
Noticing the left knee,
The front of the left knee,
And the back of the left knee,
Noticing the left shin and the left calf,
Left ankle,
Top of the left foot,
Bottom of the left foot,
The heel of the left foot,
The inner arch of the left foot,
The ball of the left foot,
The big toe,
The second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
And fifth toe,
Noticing the entire left leg from hip to toes all at once,
Noticing the entire left leg from hip to toes all at once,
Noticing the right glute,
The front of the right hip and the side of the right hip,
Noticing the front of the right thigh,
The back of the right thigh,
The inside of the right thigh,
And the outside of the right thigh,
Noticing the right knee,
The front of the right knee,
The back of the right knee,
The front of the right shin,
The back of the right calf,
Noticing the right ankle,
The right foot,
Top of the right foot,
Bottom of the right foot,
The heel of the right foot,
The inner arch of the right foot,
The ball of the right foot,
The right big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
And fifth toe,
Noticing the entire right leg from hip to toes all at once,
Noticing the entire right leg from hip to toes all at once,
Noticing the entire front side of the body all at once,
Noticing the entire front side of the body all at once,
Noticing the entire back side of the body all at once,
Noticing the entire back side of the body all at once,
Noticing the entire left side of the body all at once,
Noticing the entire left side of the body all at once,
Noticing the entire right side of the body all at once,
Noticing the entire right side of the body all at once,
Noticing the whole body,
Noticing the whole body all at once.
