40-Minute Yoga Nidra To Melt Away Stress | NSDR

Welcome!

It's great to have you here.

My name is Stefano and I'll be guiding you through yoga nidra,

A meditation that mirrors the physiological process of sleep.

I'll be guiding you through a sequence of meditation,

Mindfulness,

And relaxation techniques that will help you relax at the level of the physical body,

The breath,

The mind,

And through deeper aspects of your being.

Yoga nidra is a form of NSDR,

Non-sleep deep rest.

It is a practice that will provide many of the same benefits of natural sleep.

The ultimate goal of yoga nidra is to reach a state where you can remain conscious even in the deepest levels of non-dreaming sleep,

Where you reach delta brainwaves.

However,

That naturally arises on its own.

You may catch glimpses of it in this practice,

But there's no need to set an expectation.

It will happen by itself.

And the more you practice,

The better you'll be able to maintain awareness during deeper and deeper levels of relaxation,

And you'll be able to carry these benefits throughout your waking life.

Just allow this time to be an opportunity for rest,

Relaxation,

And restoration,

And surrender your body to the surfaces that provide support.

There is nothing to do or achieve now.

Just follow along and allow all tensions and worries to melt away.

All you need to do is find a comfortable position,

Either lying down in shavasana,

The corpse pose,

Using either a yoga mat or your bed,

Or any comfortable surface.

Support under your knees and maybe a pillow for the back of your head.

For the corpse pose,

Simply lie down on your back.

Allow your legs to separate and let go of all holding your legs.

You don't need to keep them straight.

Just allow your feet to fall open to either side.

Bring your arms alongside your body and slightly separate them from your torso at a 30 or 60 degree angle,

Whatever feels most comfortable,

And turn your palms to face the sky.

Without trying to keep them open,

Maintain a position that allows your fingers to curl inward.

Tuck your shoulder blades onto your back for support without strain.

Once you have set up your limbs,

Release any effort from holding them in position.

Allow your whole body to relax,

Dropping any expression from the face,

And allow your whole body to feel heavy as you surrender your weight to the field of gravity.

It's recommended that you have a blanket,

Maybe an eye pillow,

If it feels more comfortable.

And again,

Don't worry if you fall asleep or if your mind wanders.

The moment that you're able to come back to my voice and listen to the instructions,

Gently guide your attention back and follow the instructions to the best of your abilities.

If you can,

Remain as still as possible,

But if there's any discomfort or pain,

Notice it for a few moments,

And if it goes away,

Continue with the guidance.

And if it doesn't,

Gently readjust yourself so that you can be 10,

5,

Or even 1% more comfortable.

Allow yourself to completely relax during the practice.

And if you need to,

You can always assume a comfortable meditative posture in the seated position,

Making sure that you have a straight spine,

Allowing your neck to be tall,

Keeping your chin tucked in,

Chest forward,

And making sure that your hands are going to be on your lap with palms facing upward.

Also,

While maintaining a seated posture,

Make sure that your shoulders are dropped and relaxed,

Allowing yourself to maintain this posture with ease and without strain.

You can even practice yoga nidra while standing up if you have any pain in your spine.

Again,

Choose the position,

Posture that is most comfortable to you,

And allow yourself to make any adjustments at the beginning so that you can become deeply focused on your inner experience as the practice continues.

Typically,

We practice yoga nidra with the eyes closed,

But if for any reason this is not accessible to you or it produces discomfort,

Know that you can practice with your eyes open while maintaining a very soft gaze to the distance.

No matter what position or posture you assume,

Just make sure that your limbs and extremities are not making contact with other objects in the room.

As you continue to practice yoga nidra,

You'll become more and more sensitive to touch,

Especially in your fingers and toes,

So make sure to keep your extremities away from a wall or bedpost.

Just make sure you have enough space to practice comfortably.

Also,

Know that as you practice yoga nidra,

It is common for your body temperature to drop as it mirrors natural sleep.

Have a blanket on the ready in case you need it.

Make sure that you take a few moments to pick a setting where you won't be distracted or disturbed.

Yoga nidra is typically practiced in an environment that mimics sleep,

So a cool,

Dark,

Quiet room would be optimal.

But again,

See what is available to you in the moment and go with that.

We'll be practicing different styles of yoga nidra.

The practice we'll do today will be of the amrit style of yoga nidra.

This is I am yoga nidra,

The integrated amrit method of yoga nidra.

I will give you a reminder of these things,

But make sure that you take a few moments now to get ready and you can assume a comfortable position to follow along without interruptions.

And take a mental note of how you're feeling now in body and mind.

When you're done with the practice,

Notice any changes,

However subtle,

That you may experience so that you can begin to assess the impact of yoga nidra in both body and mind.

Now we'll begin the practice.

Any sounds or music in the recording will gently fall away as we begin the practice.

Maintaining this inner awareness,

Gently begin rubbing the palms together.

To the degree that you feel comfortable,

Place your fingertips on your eyelids,

The entire surface of the palms touching your face.

Start now by massaging the face,

The fingers working from the eyebrows up to the hairline.

Moving out to the temples,

Circling the fingers at the temples.

Moving down to the joints of the jaw,

Along the jawline to the chin.

Massage around the parentheses of the mouth,

Up to the bridge of the nose,

Around the orbits of the nose.

Around the orbits of the eyes.

Moving to the ears,

Massaging in front of and behind the ears.

And maybe even a gentle pull on the earlobes,

On the earlobes.

Feeling tensions and holding melt away.

Squeeze the back of the neck,

And maybe even the shoulders.

Now place the entire surface of the palms on the face,

Fingertips on the eyelids.

Drop all expression from the face.

Take a deep breath in,

And let go.

Take another deep breath in,

And let go even more.

Release your arms to your sides.

You may cover your arms and place an eye pillow over your eyes if you like.

Feel the impact flooding the whole body,

And the entire being.

Bathe in the sensations.

Feel yourself held in absolute stillness.

Release any struggle to make anything happen.

Feel a deep sense of stillness,

Expanding everywhere.

Close your eyes,

And allow your attention to turn inward.

Bring your attention to the breath.

Feel the body beginning to relax with each progressive exhalation.

Now,

Let's take a deep breath in together,

And chant the sound of Aum.

Allow the vibrational impact of the sound to bring outwardly focused attention inward.

Close your eyes and quiet your mind.

Be still.

Let go of all thoughts,

Worry,

And tension.

Give yourself fully to a higher power.

Relax,

Trust,

And let go.

Breathe in fully,

And exhale with a deep sigh.

And again,

Breathe in fully,

And exhale with a deep sigh.

Let go even more.

Feel a deep sense of contentment and peace in your heart.

Now,

Bring your attention into your awareness in the form of words,

Images,

Or as a felt sense.

If you're unclear about your intention,

Just see what appears in your field of awareness.

Repeat your intention silently three times.

Bring your body into awareness.

Bring your body into awareness.

Recognize your body has been a trusted vehicle creating accomplishments and contributions to the best of its ability.

Now,

It is time for your body to rest deeply.

Maintaining this inner stillness,

Gently cover yourself,

And if you wish,

Place an eye pillow over your eyes.

As we enter the next phase of Yoga Nidra,

Remain as motionless as possible.

If you need to move or make an adjustment,

Do so mindfully,

And return to stillness as soon as you're able.

Resolve to remain awake,

Staying in touch with the sound of my voice.

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

Allow any disturbances,

External or internal,

To draw you more deeply within.

In Yoga Nidra,

You enter the subconscious pranic field.

Let your mind merge and melt into the energy body and go beyond the boundaries of body and mind.

Now,

Shift from thinking and doing to feeling and being.

Now,

Shift from thinking and doing to feeling and being.

Now,

Shift from thinking and doing to feeling and being.

Do absolutely nothing from now on.

Simply relax.

Drop into the deepest state of tranquility,

Stillness,

And peace in the third eye.

Drop into the deepest state of tranquility,

Stillness,

And peace in the third eye.

Drop into the deepest state of tranquility,

Stillness,

And peace at the eyebrow center.

Drop into the deepest state of tranquility,

Stillness,

And peace at the brow center.

Now,

Your consciousness is in direct communion with your energy body.

Now,

Your consciousness is in direct communion with your energy body.

As you breathe in through your nose,

Fill your lungs fully and completely without straining.

Now,

Start exhaling through softly pursed lips as if you are blowing through a straw.

Now,

Start exhaling through softly pursed lips as if you were blowing through a straw.

Let it be a prolonged,

Steady stream of breath and empty your lungs completely.

Let it be a prolonged,

Steady stream of breath and empty your lungs completely.

Breathe in completely and breathe out completely without straining.

Each time you exhale,

Empty your mind of all anticipations and empty your body of all tensions.

As you inhale,

Fill your heart with joy.

Continue to breathe with constant tension and attached awareness.

Each time you inhale,

Drop into a deeper level of silent awareness and experience the balancing and relaxing impact on the parasympathetic nervous system.

Breath is calm.

Mind is silent.

Body is relaxed.

Heart is unconditionally open.

Now,

Return to your normal breathing and turn your attention inward.

Experience the powerful impacts of vibratory energetic pulsations in the form of sensations in your body.

Let your detached awareness embrace all experiences unconditionally.

Let your mind melt and merge into it.

Now,

Bring your total undivided attention to the eyebrow center.

And drop into the deepest level of silent stillness,

Peace,

And harmony.

Let go.

Let go even more.

Enter an effortless state,

Being.

Follow my guidance as we move our attention through different parts of the body.

Let your detached attention release the dormant healing power trapped in the meridians.

And connected organs to carry out the healing from within.

As I guide you from point to point,

Remain in non-doing,

Silent awareness.

Resolve to yourself that you will stay alert and awake.

Now,

Bring your undivided attention to the brow center.

Hits of the throat.

Right shoulder.

Elbow.

Wrist.

Thumb.

Index finger.

Middle finger.

Ring finger.

And little finger.

Wrist.

Elbow.

Shoulder.

Hits of the throat.

Left shoulder.

Elbow.

Wrist.

Elbow.

Thumb.

Index finger.

Middle finger.

Ring finger.

And little finger.

Wrist.

Elbow.

Shoulder.

Hits of the throat.

Middle of the chest.

Right side of the chest.

Middle of the chest.

Left side of the chest.

Middle of the chest.

Navel point.

Navel point.

Middle of the pubic bone.

Right hip.

Knee.

Ankle.

Big toe.

Second toe.

Third toe.

Fourth toe.

And fifth toe.

Ankle.

Knee.

Hip.

Middle of the pubic bone.

Left hip.

Knee.

Ankle.

Big toe.

Second toe.

Third toe.

Fourth toe.

And fifth toe.

Ankle.

Knee.

Hip.

Middle of the pubic bone.

Navel point.

Middle of the chest.

Hits of the throat.

Middle of the brow center.

Gather your attention at the brow center.

Let the non-doing presence fully manifest in your brow center.

Observe the vast stillness and silence.

Resting in this vastness,

Allow whatever comes into your field of awareness to be present without comment or judgment.

Witness it as it floats by like clouds in the sky.

In this deep state of awareness,

Allow the following polar experiences and their associations to arise and dissolve.

Simply allowing all experiences to move through without preference,

Labels,

Or judgment.

By remaining as a witness,

By remaining as the witness,

You are releasing your identification with pre-programmed thoughts and feelings.

Pain and pleasure.

Anger and peace.

Sadness and joy.

Helpless and powerful.

Gradually allow visualization and accompanying sensations to fade as you bring your attention back to the brow center.

Now 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.

You have entered the domain of grace.

Hand over all fear,

Apprehension,

And anxiety about all that you want to change,

Control,

And manage.

Let go of all doing.

Replace it with trust and faith in the higher power.

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

Here,

Your intention and your affirmations are actualized and fulfilled with effortless ease.

If you have an intention,

Bring it into your awareness three times in the form of words,

Images,

Or as a felt sense.

If you do not have an intention,

Just remain silent and let spirit,

Who knows what is best,

Do it for you.

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

Know that your higher self recognizes,

Honors,

And accepts your intention.

Have faith and trust that it has been heard and is being acted upon by higher power of the source within you.

There is no need to do anything about it.

Bring your attention back to the center between the eyebrows and feel all the energies of your body from all meridians activated,

Purified,

And balanced.

All channels are open and the life force is flowing freely,

Healing the body and calming the mind.

Open your heart and feel content.

Just experience.

Establish yourself firmly in faith and trust to receive the grace,

Protection,

And guidance of the higher self within you.

Establish yourself firmly in faith and trust to receive the grace,

Protection,

And guidance of the higher self within you.

The more often you go to your source,

The easier it will be to return there and the longer you can stay there.

Feel the presence of your own spiritual guides surrounding you and blessing you.

Accept their blessing and grace.

Embody it and spread it wherever you go.

Now you have prepared the base from where you can carry out interactions with life and interpersonal relationships with the integrative power of love and the source within.

You are the emissary of light and love.

Carry it everywhere you go and to everyone you meet.

If you have an area that you feel needs healing,

Be it physical,

Mental,

Or emotional,

Allow this light and love to flow into that area now.

Begin to become aware of the rising and falling of the breath.

Slowly,

Feel yourself beginning to rise to the surface of awareness.

Sense the body resting on the surface beneath you,

The quality of the air as it touches the skin.

Gradually,

You can move as if you're waking from a restful sleep.

Bend your knees and pull them closer to your chest.

Rock sideways gently.

Take your time.

Do not hurry.

Then just turn onto your right side and curl into a fetal position.

Feel the safety,

Comfort,

And protection of the womb of existence.

Bring your intention into your awareness again.

Change nothing.

Every time you find yourself in reaction,

You are empowered to replace it with your intention.

Now,

You can gradually move and begin to sit up with your eyes closed.

Continue to stay deep in this deep inner experience.

Regardless of what you consciously recognize that has or has not changed,

Know that something deep within has shifted to connect you with your intention.

Become aware of your body and bring a deep sense of peace and contentment with you as you bring attention back to the body.

Notice how relaxed the body is.

How relaxed the body is.

How soft the breath is.

How silent the mind is.

How quiet the heartbeat is.

Notice how relaxed the body is.

How soft the breath is.

How silent the mind is.

How quiet the heartbeat is.

Be still.

And be grateful.

Know that you can easily enter here again and again.

Now,

You may gradually open your eyes.

Thank you for practicing with me today.

Again,

My name is Stefano and it's a pleasure to have you here.

If you found today's practice beneficial,

And if the meditation provided you with an experience that allowed you to go deeper within,

Please consider following me and I would greatly welcome your reflections,

Comments,

And feedback.

And let me know which practices have provided the greatest support.

Also,

It would be nice to know where and when you started your practice today.

You can check the description for additional information about this individual recording.

And you're invited to check out the other meditations here,

Depending on what you need most right now.

If you enjoyed this practice today,

Please consider sharing it with others who would benefit from moments of peace,

Calm,

And tranquility.

Thank you again for practicing with me today.

May you be peaceful.

May you be well.

May you be happy.

May you be prosperous.

And may you be free.

Namaste.