Yoga Nidra: Restful Sleep

And then make yourself as comfortable as possible.

So you can take this in bed or wherever you are sleeping and make adjustments with the pillows,

Blankets,

Clothing,

So that you can fully relax.

Then when you're ready,

Close your eyes and quiet your mind.

Be still.

Let go of all thoughts,

Worry,

And tension.

Give yourself fully to the experience of rest and relaxation.

Breathe in fully and exhale with a deep sigh.

And again,

Breathe in fully and exhale with a deep sigh.

Let go even more.

Now allow yourself to receive this statement.

Let your whole body listen to what I say.

I allow my body and mind to sleep deeply and awake refreshed.

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.

And 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's nothing left,

Until you are completely empty.

Breathe normally.

And simply allow the breath to rise and fall in its own rhythm.

And feel the breath becoming progressively quieter and more still.

Now bring your attention to the face.

With your next natural 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,

The 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.

And 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 come that which is coming.

This becomes your connection to restoration.

Enter the deepest state of letting go,

Right now.

Allow the commentary of the mind to dissolve into sensation.

All excess tension and holding carried out with each exhaling breath.

As we enter this next phase,

Remain as motionless as possible.

If you need to move or make an adjustment,

Do so mindfully and return to stillness.

Allow your entire body to respond to my words directly and non-mentally.

There is nothing for you to do.

Just rest.

Allow any disturbances,

External or internal,

To draw you more deeply within.

Now shift from thinking and doing to feeling and being.

Do absolutely nothing from now on.

Simply relax and drop into the deepest state of tranquility,

Stillness and peace.

Now follow my guidance as we begin the relaxation breath.

Breathing in deeply,

Fill your lungs from the bottom to the top as if you're filling a water bottle.

As you breathe out,

Empty your lungs from the top to the bottom.

Let your breath be slow and steady.

Observe the movement of your abdomen and chest.

Stay connected to the wonderful feeling of the release of tension and the deep feeling of relaxation.

Let this feeling extend to every part of your body.

Let this entire process of breathing be the vehicle for deepening your relaxation.

Now redirect your full attention to your breath.

Create no struggle around breathing.

Use the breath to release any tensions.

Slowly deepen your inhalations and exhalations.

Let the exhalation be longer than the inhalation.

Let the flow of your breath be steady and uniform as much as possible.

Bring your undivided attention to the movement of your abdomen and chest as you breathe in and out.

With each breath out,

Release any tension held in your body and anticipations in your mind.

Let go.

With each breath in,

Fill every nerve and cell with pulsating,

Healing energy.

Relax.

Breathing out,

Let go of holding anywhere in your body.

Let go even more.

With the next breath in,

Visualize your body renewed and revitalized with new life.

Empty your body and mind and enter deeper levels of stillness and silence.

Now breathe normally and be still.

Bring your total attention to the pulsating energy field felt in the form of sensations in your body.

Feel all the tension in your mind and tightness in your muscles melt away.

Drop into that silent space where all doing stops.

Enter an effortless state of being.

As I name the body part,

Bring your total attention accompanied by a feeling of heaviness,

Sinking like a stone in water.

Both feet heavy like stones,

Calves and knees heavy,

Sinking deeper.

Thighs and hips very heavy like lead.

Abdomen,

Chest and back,

Gravity pulling you down deeper.

Shoulders,

Arms and palms very,

Very heavy.

Feel your entire head heavy like a stone.

Give your body completely and totally to the omnipresent field of gravity.

Now experience your whole body heavy like a rock.

Feel your whole body sinking deeper and deeper.

And totally let go into the pole of gravity,

Sinking,

Sinking heavy like a stone,

Sinking deeper into stillness and silent awareness.

Now shift your attention and as I name the part of the body,

Let all the heaviness drain away.

Let your body be buoyant and light like a fluffy cloud.

Both feet limp and light,

Calves and knees empty and free.

Feel it.

Thighs and hips hollow,

Weightless.

Abdomen,

Chest and back,

Light and empty.

Shoulders and arms and palms floating.

Head,

Hollow,

Empty.

Feel your whole body empty,

Light and hollow.

Sense the emptiness of your body and the silence of your mind.

Observe your body completely at peace,

Resting in stillness.

The innate healing wisdom of the body liberated and functioning optimally.

Allow your inner wisdom to send you deeper into rest,

Restoring the body.

Bring your attention to a constricted or dense part of the body.

Though you may not consciously recognize the cause of this feeling,

The innate intelligence of your body knows how to resolve it.

Breathe into this area.

Make space for it.

Give it room to move,

Loosen,

Disperse,

Dissolving,

Lightening.

The body releasing whatever it no longer needs.

Any emotions,

Thoughts and fears that may have contributed to the imbalance can now be released and resolved.

See and feel the whole body healed and whole,

Resting deeply.

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.

Hand over all fear,

Apprehension,

Anxiety about all that you want to change,

Control and manage.

Let go of all doing.

Let your mind merge and melt into presence and enter the sanctuary of silence.

Remain empty and free from all doing.

Simply rest.

And here your intention is actualized and fulfilled.

With effortless ease.

Now allow yourself to receive the following intention as I repeat it.

Feel it in every cell of your body.

I allow my body and mind to sleep deeply and awake refreshed.

I allow my body and mind to sleep deeply and awake refreshed.

I allow my body and mind to sleep deeply and awake refreshed.

Allow this statement to go to the deepest levels of recognition with no hesitation.

There is no need for you to do anything about it.

Just experience it.

Give yourself to this deep sleep.

And allow yourself to rest deeply now.

Anything that arises in the mind,

Simply let it float by.

Any tensions that arise,

Allowing them to melt away.

And give yourself fully to sleep right now.