Sound Sleep With Yoga Nidra

So preparing for yoga nidra,

Getting into the bed,

Getting comfortable.

Your head can be on a pillow but not too thick or high of a pillow.

We're in a corpse type position on the back with the legs apart but the palms can be facing down for sleep.

Just make sure the arms are in a comfortable position for you.

And of course all the lights are off,

All distractions.

Make any final adjustments.

Be sure you'll be warm enough.

Take a deep breath in through the nose.

Exhale letting go of the day.

Coming to this present moment.

If things arise in the mind simply affirm that your intention is to have a sound sleep.

That's your only to do right now.

Concentrate on the body and become aware of the importance of complete stillness.

Follow my guidance throughout the practice.

Relax the whole body,

The face,

The tongue.

Become aware of total stillness and relaxation.

Visualize your entire body laying in the bed.

Observe the perfect stillness of the body.

For this yoga nidra we will use an intention or resolve or sankalpa,

A commitment.

So bring that into your awareness.

Mentally repeating three times.

I sleep deeply and soundly and wake feeling well rested.

I sleep deeply and soundly and wake feeling well rested.

I sleep deeply and soundly and wake feeling well rested.

Become aware of external sounds,

Perhaps far off in the distance.

Gradually begin bringing the attention closer,

Withdrawing it back to sounds perhaps even in the room.

Become aware of the right hand thumb,

Second finger,

Third finger,

Fourth finger and fifth finger.

Palm of the right hand,

Back of the hand,

Wrist,

Lower arm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

Shoulder,

Armpit,

Right waist,

Right hip,

Right thigh,

Kneecap,

Calf muscle,

Ankle,

Heel,

Sole of the right foot,

Top of the right foot,

Big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe and fifth toe.

Entire right side of the body.

Now bring your awareness to the left hand,

Thumb,

Second finger,

Third finger,

Fourth finger,

Fifth finger,

Palm of the hand,

Wrist,

Lower arm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

Shoulder,

Armpit,

Left waist,

Left hip,

Left thigh,

Kneecap,

Calf muscle,

Ankle,

Heel,

Sole of the left foot,

Top of the foot,

Big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe and fifth toe.

Entire left side of the body.

Now the back.

Become aware of the right shoulder blade,

Left shoulder blade,

Right buttock,

Left buttock,

Spine.

Become aware of the whole back together.

Now bring the awareness to the top of the head,

The forehead,

Both sides of the head,

Right eyebrow,

Left eyebrow,

Space between the eyebrows,

Right eyelid,

Left eyelid,

Right eye,

Left eye,

Right ear,

Left ear,

Right cheek,

Left cheek,

Nose,

Tip of the nose,

Upper lip,

Lower lip,

Chin,

Throat,

Right chest muscle,

Left chest muscle,

Middle of the chest,

Navel,

Abdomen.

Visualize the whole right leg,

The whole left leg.

Both legs together.

Whole right arm,

Left arm.

Both arms together.

Entire back.

Buttocks.

Spine.

Shoulder blades.

Entire front.

Abdomen and chest.

Entire front and back together.

Whole head.

Whole body together.

Feel the points of your body laying against your bed.

Feel all the points of contact between your body and the bed.

Again,

Bring your awareness to the right hand thumb.

Second finger.

Third finger.

Fourth finger.

And fifth finger.

Palm of the hand.

Back of the hand.

Wrist.

Lower arm.

Elbow.

Upper arm.

Shoulder.

Armpit.

Right waist.

Right hip.

Right thigh.

Kneecap.

Calf muscle.

Ankle.

Heel.

Soul of the right foot.

Top of the right foot.

Big toe.

Second toe.

Third toe.

Fourth toe.

And fifth toe.

Entire right side of the body.

Now bring your awareness to the left hand thumb.

Second finger.

Third finger.

Fourth finger.

Fifth finger.

Palm of the hand.

Back of the hand.

Wrist.

Lower arm.

Elbow.

Upper arm.

Shoulder.

The armpit.

Left waist.

Left hip.

Left thigh.

Kneecap.

Calf muscle.

Of the left foot.

Top of the foot.

Big toe.

Second toe.

Third toe.

Fourth toe.

And fifth toe.

Entire left side of the body.

Now the back.

Become aware of the right shoulder blade.

Left shoulder blade.

Right buttock.

Left buttock.

Spine.

Become aware of the whole back together.

Now bring the awareness to the top of the head.

The forehead.

Both sides of the head.

Right eyebrow.

Left eyebrow.

Space between the eyebrows.

Right eyelid.

Left eyelid.

Right eye.

Left eye.

Right ear.

Left ear.

Right cheek.

Left cheek.

Nose.

Tip of the nose.

Upper lip.

Lower lip.

Chin.

Throat.

Right chest muscle.

Left chest muscle.

Middle of the chest.

Navel.

Abdomen.

Visualize the whole right leg.

The whole left leg.

Both legs together.

Whole right arm.

Left arm.

Both arms together.

Entire back.

Buttocks.

Spine.

Shoulder blades.

Entire front.

Abdomen and chest.

Entire front and back together.

Whole head.

Whole body together.

Feel the points of your body laying against the bed.

Feel all the points of contact between your body and the bed.

Know that without exerting any effort,

The breath is spontaneous,

Rhythmical.

The breath flows.

You are not doing it.

There is no effort.

Witness the natural ebb and flow of the breath.

Rising and falling like waves on the sea.

Bring your awareness to the core of your chest,

Directly back from the sternum or breast bone.

Observe the silent and still space within the chest cavity.

Witness the inhaling breath dissipating at this point within your chest.

Feel the breath dissipating at this point within your chest cavity.

Feel the breath dissipating at this point within your chest cavity.

If you find it necessary to continue,

You may begin mental alternate nostril breathing,

Counting backwards from twenty-seven.

Mentally draw the breath in through the left nostril and out through the right.

In through the right and out through the left.

All movements of the breath should be done mentally.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

If you lose track,

Come back to twenty-seven and start over.

All movements of the breath should be done mentally.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

All movements of the breath should be done mentally.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.

Continue twenty-six more rounds at your own pace.