Welcome,
Beautiful souls.
My name is Danielle,
And today's practice is a soothing journey into the depths of relaxation designed especially for those struggling with insomnia and in need of deep rest.
Find a comfortable space where you can lie down undisturbed for the next 20 minutes.
Let's begin by making the conscious choice to prioritize your well-being and give yourself the gift of restorative rest.
Rest your body so that you are lying down comfortably on your back with your legs slightly apart and your arms resting by your sides,
Palms facing upward.
Take a moment to settle into this position,
Allowing your body to sink into the support beneath you.
Be sure you are comfortable.
You might place a pillow under your knees for added support for the back and a blanket or a pair of socks to stay warm.
Now it's time to make those final adjustments.
Once you're ready,
Close your eyes,
Let them rest softly,
And begin to shift your awareness inward,
Away from the outside world.
Start the practice now by taking a deep inhale through your nose,
Filling your lungs with air,
And exhale slowly through your mouth,
Releasing any tension you may be holding onto.
Once again,
In through your nose and sigh out through the mouth.
It's time to let the nervous system shift from fight or flight to rest and digest.
And the only way to do this is to let go.
Let go of all the doing.
Begin to follow the breath in from the bottoms of the feet all the way to the top of the head.
And on the exhale,
Follow the breath down the body like an hourglass as it begins to soften each area that the breath gently glides past.
Each breath deepening your sense of relaxation,
Letting go of any thoughts or worries as you sink deeper into a state of ease and tranquility.
Descending from your toes to your temples,
And the temples back down to your toes.
Feel all the muscles in the face,
Neck,
And shoulders.
Release and be held.
Be still.
Let yourself descend into the quietude.
Listen to this new rhythm.
Feel your arms get heavy and your legs let go.
Notice the softening beneath the surface of the rapid paced outside world.
This fast pace must end.
This exhaustion.
The hard work is over.
Rest my friend.
Give your whole body permission to be still.
Tell yourself this is your time to nourish and heal.
Your time to recharge.
This is the control,
Alt,
Delete setting.
A complete reset just for you.
Now feel your eyes with an inner drishti or gaze.
Feel your eyes gazing to your heart space.
Perhaps an unfamiliar space,
But be patient with yourself and let your eyes drift towards your inner light as you drift away from the complexity of life and reconnect with who you really are beneath the surface of your past experiences,
Conditioning,
And habitual patterns.
Now bring to mind a positive affirmation or intention for your practice today.
This could be a simple statement like I am calm and at peace or I sleep deeply and restfully.
Whatever resonates with you in this moment,
Let it be your sankalpa,
Your heartfelt resolve.
Repeat your intention to yourself three times as you are soothed by your light from within.
I am calm and at peace.
Visualize your light becoming brighter and feel it becoming warmer,
Beginning to burn away the heaviness like fog lifting away.
As we begin the rotation of consciousness,
I will guide your awareness to different parts of your body.
Simply listen to my voice and allow your attention to follow along without any effort or strain.
Visualize the light warming each space of the body that I mention,
Allowing each area to soften and relax as you bring your awareness to it.
Bring your awareness to the center of your chest,
Collarbone,
Right shoulder,
Armpit,
Right upper arm,
Right elbow,
Right lower arm,
Right wrist,
Right hand,
Thumb,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Fourth finger,
Fifth finger,
Palm of the hand,
Back of the hand,
Left hand,
Wrist,
Elbow,
Shoulder,
The whole right arm,
Right side of the chest,
Center of the chest,
Left side of the chest,
Left shoulder,
Left upper arm,
Left elbow,
Left forearm,
Left wrist,
Left hand,
Thumb,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Fourth finger,
Fifth finger,
Palm of the hand,
Back of the left hand,
Left wrist,
Left elbow,
Left shoulder,
The whole left arm,
Left armpit,
Left side of the chest,
Navel center,
Waist,
Right hip,
Thigh,
Knee,
Calf muscle,
Right ankle,
Right heel,
Right sole of the foot,
Top of the foot,
Left big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe,
The whole right leg,
Waist,
Left hip,
Left thigh,
Knee,
Calf muscle,
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole of the left foot,
Top of the foot,
Left big toe,
Second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe,
The whole left leg,
Tailbone,
Lower back,
Middle back,
Upper back,
Back of the neck,
Base of the skull,
Crown of the head,
Over the head to the face,
Forehead,
Right temple,
Left temple,
Right eyebrow,
Left eyebrow,
Middle of the eyebrows,
Right eye,
Left eye,
Right ear,
Left ear,
Nose,
Tip of the nose,
Right nostril,
Left nostril,
Right cheek,
Left cheek,
Upper lip,
Lower lip,
Chin,
Throat,
Tip of the tongue,
Root of the tongue,
Throat,
Heart center.
Now as you feel this unfamiliar space of stillness,
Be patient.
It's not the end of the journey.
There is no need to rush this moment of refuge.
Start to feel your breath.
Feel the natural rhythm of your breath as it flows in and out of your body.
Without trying to change or manipulate the breath,
Simply observe its gentle rise and fall.
As you inhale,
Feel the coolness of the breath entering your nostrils,
Filling your lungs,
And expanding your chest and belly,
Filling into your arms and legs,
Passing 30 trillion cells of the body.
And as you exhale,
Feel the warmth of the breath leaving your body,
Releasing any tension or tightness.
Continue to focus on the breath,
Simply watching it come and go.
Let each inhale bring a sense of calm and clarity,
And each exhale bring a deeper sense of relaxation and release.
If your mind starts to wander,
Gently bring your attention back to the sensation of the breath.
With each breath,
Feel yourself becoming more relaxed,
More at ease,
Sinking deeper into the state of peaceful relaxation,
Allowing it to soothe your body,
Quiet your mind,
And nourish your spirit.
Feel your eyes now and bring them back to the center of your being,
Your luminous light of your soul.
Now repeat your Sankalpa,
Repeating it silently to yourself once again.
I am calm and at peace,
Or I sleep deeply and restfully.
Feel the power of this intention resonating throughout your entire being,
Reaffirming your inner sense of peace and well-being.
The practice of Yoga Nidra is now complete.
Gently begin to deepen your breath in this new space you can call home,
This restful,
Peaceful space,
Gradually bringing awareness back to your physical body and the space around you.
Wiggle your fingers and toes,
Allowing movement to return gradually.
Take a moment to express gratitude for this time you've dedicated to yourself,
Acknowledging the importance of self-care and rest and nurturing your overall well-being.
When you feel ready,
Slowly open your eyes,
Bringing the practice to a close.
You might move into the rest of your day or drift off to sleep.
Thank you for participating in this Yoga Nidra session dedicated to easing insomnia and cultivating deep rest.
May the serenity and relaxation you've experienced stay with you,
Guiding you through the remainder of your day.
Until we meet again,
May you be happy,
May you be healthy,
May you live without suffering,
And may you live in peace.
Namaste.
