Yoga Nidra or Yoga Sleep is a wonderful technique for when you're struggling with sleepless nights or insomnia.
This meditation comprises a full body scan and a deep relaxation.
For this meditation,
Please lay down on the floor.
You can lay on a yoga mat,
A carpeted floor or perhaps even a soft blanket spread out.
We'll be here for some time so I advise you cover yourself with another blanket to make sure you stay warm.
You might also appreciate a pillow,
Cushion or bolster beneath your head and another one beneath your knees.
Make sure the room you are in is quiet and dark and that you won't be disturbed.
If you have an eye pillow to place over your eyes,
That would be a wonderful addition to this experience.
Have your arms down by your sides but move them out slightly so your outer ribs and inner arms are free so that your ribs are free to move with breath.
Position your legs so that they're wider than hip distance and let your feet and your legs roll out.
Make sure your palms face the ceiling and let your eyes close.
Feel free to wiggle and wriggle around and get comfy here.
Once you're satisfied,
Try to stay as still as you can.
If you fall asleep during this practice,
That's fine but the goal really is to enter a state of waking sleep.
A state of relaxation,
A state where you're conscious but deeply,
Deeply relaxed.
Feel your body resting on the floor.
Feel the weight of your body and let it drop down into the support of the earth beneath you.
Feel the muscles of your body softening and melting.
Feel your joints loose and open.
Relax your feet and your legs.
Feel the earthy quality of your pelvis and let it settle.
Soften your belly and let it move gently with the breath.
Feel your back body melting and spreading out across the floor.
Relax your chest and feel your shoulders dropping back and down,
The arms and the hands flowing away from you.
Relax fingers curling softly as the palms soften and relax.
Relax your neck,
Your throat,
Your head,
Your face and slacken the hinges of the jaw.
Open the space between your eyebrows.
Begin to deepen and lengthen your breath and with every exhalation see if you can let go and release a little bit more.
Make your breath silky and smooth.
Every exhalation letting go any tightness,
Tension,
Stagnation,
Congestion.
Notice if any part of your body seems to be resisting this.
Notice if there's any gripping,
Working,
Holding,
Doing and again just use your breath out to invite those places to surrender.
Bring your attention to your heart center and send some breaths there.
Notice how your heart feels today,
Heavy or light.
As you breathe just take a moment to sense your emotional state.
Notice if it correlates with your state of mind and perhaps ask yourself silently,
Ask your heart silently what you need today.
What do you need to create more harmony,
Balance and tranquility within?
Perhaps there's something you are ready to let go of,
Something you want to draw into your life and perhaps concerns that you might have about loved ones you may wish to set a dedication,
A prayer or an offering here but set an intention and if nothing comes up to the surface of your awareness don't hunt for it.
If no messages are arising from your intuition just stay open and then take a big breath in through the nostrils,
Breathe out through an open mouth offering those thoughts,
Dedications up and out and trusting that everything will be taken care of.
As I guide you through this traditional 61 point meditation all you need to do is follow the sound of my voice.
You can imagine relaxing these places or sending light there or simply just letting your awareness rest in these different areas of the body.
Bring your attention to the center of your forehead,
Base of the throat,
Right shoulder,
Right elbow,
Right wrist,
Right thumb,
Right index finger,
Right middle finger,
Right ring finger,
Right pinky,
Right wrist,
Right elbow,
Right shoulder,
Base of the throat,
Left shoulder,
Left elbow,
Left wrist,
Left thumb,
Left index finger,
Left middle finger,
Left ring finger,
Left pinky,
Left wrist,
Left elbow,
Left shoulder,
Base of the throat,
Center of the chest,
Right chest,
Center of the chest,
Left chest,
Center of the chest,
Navel,
Pubic bone,
Right hip,
Right knee,
Right ankle,
Right big toe,
Right second toe,
Right third toe,
Right fourth toe,
Right pinky toe,
Right ankle,
Right knee,
Right hip,
Pubic bone,
Left hip,
Left knee,
Left ankle,
Left big toe,
Left second toe,
Left third toe,
Left fourth toe,
Left pinky toe,
Left ankle,
Left knee,
Left hip,
Pubic bone,
Navel,
Center of the chest,
Base of the throat,
Center of the forehead.
Feel your breath.
Feel it flowing through you.
Imagine your breath flowing up from your feet through the legs,
Torso,
Head to the crown of the head and then flowing all the way back down again.
Feel the breath up through the soles of the feet,
Shins,
Knees,
Thighs,
Hips,
Belly,
Chest,
Neck,
Head,
Crown of the head and then flowing back down,
Back of the skull,
Back of the shoulders,
Upper back,
Middle back,
Lower back,
Glutes,
Thighs,
Calves,
Out through the heels.
Keep lifting and lowering the breath with each cycle,
Perhaps even visualizing your breath as a white iridescent mist that warms you as it flows.
Sit with yourself on an energetic level,
Seeing yourself as a being of light,
Seeing yourself glow.
Now bring your awareness back and feel the floor beneath you.
Bring your awareness back into your body,
Your head,
Your shoulders,
Your chest,
Your arms,
Belly,
Hands,
Hips,
Legs,
Knees,
Shins,
Ankles,
Feet.
Feel the texture of whatever you're lying on and perhaps anything that is covering you,
Blanket,
Clothes.
Invite some movement into your body,
Perhaps flickering fingers and fluttering toes,
Letting this movement perhaps evolve into greater expression,
Stretching,
Shifting,
Moving.
Take a full body stretch,
Reaching your arms and legs long in opposite directions and then hugging your knees into your chest,
Gently rocking side to side,
Perhaps circling the legs around in each direction first.
Pull over onto your right hand side and pause here for a moment,
Noticing how you feel.
Staying down,
Gently blink your eyes open and just gaze at the floor,
Taking time to adjust the light and to wake up gently.
When you feel ready,
You can gently press yourself up gradually and tenderly to a seated position and stay seated for a few rounds of breath,
Drinking in a feeling of calm and peace and wellbeing.
