Yoga Nidra For Strength & Security
by Gary Leake
This yoga nidra practice is designed to bring you strength and security. The sankalpa offered is one that everyone needs in their life right now. Enjoy the benefits of deeper sleep and relaxation through this ancient tantric practice. The Nidra Nerd
Transcript
Preparing now to practice yoga nidra.
Lying on your back with your feet about hip width apart.
Gently allow them to fall to the sides as they will.
If you want some support under your knees again to support the lower back.
Allow your arms to fall gently by the sides of the body.
Not necessarily touching the palms of your hands pointing upward or in towards the body.
If that doesn't feel safe to you,
You can also put them over your heart or maybe at your waist.
Whatever feels best to you.
Your head should be supported by a small pillow or blanket.
Your chin should be slightly tucked in towards your chest.
And just soften your gaze and close your eyes.
And relax.
Begin to feel the breath.
We're going to take three cleansing breaths.
In through the nose,
Holding and releasing through the mouth.
All together.
Again like that.
In through the nose.
Hold at the top.
And sigh it out the mouth.
Once more on your own.
Inhaling all the days frustrations and stresses.
All the worries.
Filling up the lungs.
Full to the top.
And sigh it out the mouth.
Now begin to breathe in and out through the nose.
Feeling the breath.
Touching the small spot at the back of the throat.
And traveling down into the lungs.
Filling them full.
Nourishing the body.
And as it exits the body,
Feel it return through that path.
Flowing up.
Feeling the back spot in the throat.
And flowing through the nostrils out.
And become aware of how far the breath is going when it leaves.
How far is your breath extending out?
Imagine a cloud.
A cloud is being formed by your breath.
As you inhale,
Feel the touch in the spot of the back of your throat.
A little whisper.
When it exhale.
When it leaves the body.
And begin to think about the day.
Beginning right now.
Just before you lie down.
And then work backwards through the day.
15 minutes ago.
Half an hour.
One hour back.
Continue like this until you woke up this morning.
Walking backwards through the day.
Not placing any judgment.
Things you said.
Things you didn't say.
Things that were said to you.
The space between.
Now let that go.
And continue with the natural breath in through the nose and out through the nose.
And at this point,
I offer a short statement.
It's called a sankalpa.
This short statement is a present statement.
It's affirming.
It's something you desire from life.
And I offer this one,
If you don't have one.
I am strong and secure.
I am strong and secure.
And as you inhale,
Breathe that statement into the universe.
To yourself.
I am strong and secure.
With power.
Strength.
And vigor.
I am strong and secure.
Now let this go.
At this point in the practice,
Full awareness will be brought to the body.
Beginning on the right side of the body.
Bring full awareness into the right arm.
The right hand.
And now bring full awareness into the right hand thumb.
And mentally repeat the name,
Right hand thumb.
And continue like this.
Index finger.
Middle finger.
Ring finger.
Little finger.
Palm of the hand.
Back of the hand.
Wrist.
Lower arm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
Armpit.
Side of chest.
Side of waist.
Hip.
Thigh.
Knee.
Shin.
Ankle.
Soul of the right foot.
Top of the right foot.
Right big toe.
Second toe.
Bring full awareness to the third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
The whole right side of the body.
Full awareness of the whole right side of the body.
Moving to the left side of the body.
The left hand thumb.
Index finger.
Ring finger.
Little finger.
Palm of the hand.
Back of the hand.
Wrist.
Lower arm.
Elbow.
Upper arm.
Shoulder.
Armpit.
Side of chest.
Side of waist.
Hip.
Thigh.
Shin.
Ankle.
Soul of the left foot.
Top of the left foot.
The left big toe.
Second toe.
Full awareness in the third toe.
Fourth toe.
Fifth toe.
The whole left side of the body.
Full awareness resting in the whole left side of the body.
Now let the naming of the body parts go.
And bring full awareness in the right heel.
Left heel.
Right calf.
Left calf.
Right back of knee.
Left back of knee.
Right back of thigh.
Left back of thigh.
Right buttock.
Left buttock.
Spinal column from pelvis to midbrain.
From midbrain to pelvis.
From pelvis to midbrain.
From midbrain to pelvis.
Lower back.
Middle back.
Upper back.
Right shoulder blade.
Left shoulder blade.
The space between the shoulder blades.
Back of neck.
Back of head.
Crown of head.
Forehead.
Right temple.
Left temple.
Right eyebrow.
Left eyebrow.
The eyebrow center.
Right eye.
Left eye.
Right ear.
Left ear.
Right cheek.
Left cheek.
Right nostril.
Left nostril.
Bridge of nose.
Tip of nose.
Both nostrils together.
The whole nose.
Upper lip.
Lower lip.
Line where the lips meet.
Both lips together.
Teeth.
Tongue.
Gums.
The whole inside of mouth.
Right jaw.
Left jaw.
Chin.
Throat.
Throat pit.
Right collarbone.
Left collarbone.
Right side of chest.
Left side of chest.
The heart center.
Upper abdomen.
Lower abdomen.
The navel center.
Right side of pelvis.
Left side of pelvis.
The pelvic floor.
The whole pelvis.
Right leg and foot.
Left leg and foot.
Both legs and feet together.
Right arm and hand.
Left arm and hand.
Both arms and hands together.
Torso.
Neck.
Head.
Torso,
Neck,
And head together.
Front side of body.
Back side of body.
Right side of body.
Left side of body.
The whole body.
Full awareness in the whole body.
Now let that go.
Return awareness to the natural breath pattern.
And on the next inhale,
Begin to count.
Counting down from 27.
Inhaling 27.
Exhaling 27.
Inhaling 26.
Exhaling 26.
Continue like this until one is reached.
If the count is lost,
Begin again at 27.
Inhaling 27.
Exhaling 27.
Inhaling 26.
Exhaling 27.
If one is reached,
Begin again at 27.
Inhaling 27.
Exhaling 27.
Inhaling 26.
Exhaling 26.
Now let the count go.
With the next inhale,
Bring about the feeling of coldness.
The body growing cold.
As if lying on a frozen sheet of glass.
Coldness.
As if covered in snow.
Coldness.
Imagine the taste of coldness.
Imagine the smell of coldness.
Generate the feeling of coldness.
Imagine the sounds of coldness.
In the next exhale,
Bring about the feeling of heat.
The body heating up.
Generate heat.
Generate the feeling of heat.
The taste of heat.
The sound of heat.
Generate heat throughout the body.
Like lying on a beach that's been roasting in the sun all day.
Like lying on a beach that's been roasting in the sun all day.
Like lying on a beach that's been roasting in the sun all day.
And on the next inhale,
Let that go.
Returning to the natural breath pattern.
At this time,
Images will be named.
See the images on the inside of the closed eyelids.
Chidakash is the name of the inside of the closed eyelids,
The movie screen that's created.
As images are named,
See them in full color,
Vibrance.
No judgment.
No attachment.
And let them go.
A blue turtle walking across the land.
A strong breeze whipping the trees.
The sound of a distant stream.
A mouse carrying a pocket watch.
A blue bird.
A jaguar running across the street.
A distant snow-capped mountain.
Clouds forming in the sky.
Now let these images go.
At this point in the practice,
We return to the sankalpa,
The short,
Affirming statement.
The one offered was,
I am strong and secure.
And repeat this mentally to yourself three times,
I am strong and secure.
Breathe it in and breathe it out.
I am strong and secure.
Now let that go.
And at this time,
Begin to deepen your breath.
Feel yourself,
Take notice of the floor,
The weight of the bones on the floor,
The points of contact that they're making.
Become aware of the sounds of the room.
Become aware of the sounds outside the room.
At this time,
If it feels good to you,
Begin to introduce movement into the fingers and toes.
And maybe into the larger body parts,
The arms,
The legs.
If it feels good to you,
Roll over onto one side in the fetal position and absorb everything you just gave yourself.
Now that you've been practicing yoga nidra,
The practice is now complete.
Go on with your evening and thank you for joining me.
4.7 (300)
Recent Reviews
Joanne
September 9, 2025
Lovely yoga nidra, thank you x
Denise
March 8, 2025
Gary, thank you so very much for your divine nidra practice. It is a wonderful way to end the day.
Leon
December 24, 2024
Very calming. I felt like I was better able to sleep.
Andi
September 27, 2022
Loved it especially since I dropped off after the end for an extra bit of sleep during a fitful night. Quiet background. Easygoing voice. Engaging visualizations. This one will be an especially excellent fit for all those who are missing the middle finger on the left hand.
Joel
February 2, 2022
Clear instruction and a pleasant voice. It's gently paced and some of the visualizations were fun and unusual. The vocal restarting of the breath awareness a couple of times was a bit distracting, but overall a really straightforward and quality session. Thank you 😊
Clare
March 22, 2021
Just right for just now.
Marieke
September 27, 2020
Very nice yoga nidra. Namasté!
Talia
September 22, 2020
Loved this, very relaxing. 🙏🏻💕
Jenny
May 29, 2020
Thank you Gary, I do this one every day for releasing stress and tension. love it.. having studied hypnosis and many other holistic therapies i am really getting to adore yoga nidra. if you have any more for pain relief etc please let me know. Thank you Jenny. 🤗👍🙏
Daniela
May 20, 2020
Excellent practice for relaxation! Thank you Gary
Gabriel
April 11, 2020
Really helped me to sleep when I was feeling anxious
Heidi
April 8, 2020
Thank you for sharing this practice, so calming and relaxing and being aware of the whole body and breathing. Very pleasant.
Jewell
April 8, 2020
Listening to this was the 1st time I slept through the night in weeks. Thank you so much!!
Marian
April 7, 2020
One of the best yoga nidras I’ve done. Fantastic! Thank you.
Jennifer
April 7, 2020
Excellent and amazing! Thanks 🙏🏼
Regina
April 7, 2020
Effective. Thank you.
Christina
April 7, 2020
Thank you! 🙏🏻🕊
Brooke
April 7, 2020
This was excellent!
Yvonne
April 7, 2020
Thank you 🙏I enjoyed your meditation! Sending all that is good 🙏
Susie-Susan
April 3, 2020
I am a long-time meditator. That was one of the deepest meditations I have ever experienced. I love Yoga Nidra. You are awesome! Thank you so much for the Bliss! Perfect timing. I will be practicing this more. Love and light.