Yoga Nidra For Sleep & Insomnia Relief (Level 4)

Welcome.

It's great to have you here.

My name is Stefano and I'll be guiding you through Yoga Nidra for sleep.

In this guided practice,

We'll go over different relaxation techniques to help the body,

The breath,

Mind,

And spirit become more restful and at ease.

For this practice,

We'll be using techniques from the AMRIT style of Yoga Nidra,

The I AM integrative AMRIT method of Yoga Nidra.

I have adapted some of the techniques for sleep by introducing longer pauses and more imagery to help soothe the nervous system.

Unlike a usual Yoga Nidra practice,

You may fall into deep unconscious sleep.

Allow that to be okay.

You can use this meditation right before bed and as you get ready for bed,

Make sure that your room is cool or slightly cold,

Dark,

And as quiet as possible.

Take a moment to find a comfortable position for yourself,

Whether it be resting on your back,

Lying on your side,

Or even your stomach.

You may want support beneath the knees,

A comfortable pillow,

Or a warm blanket.

Simply taking the time now to be as comfortable as possible.

Now,

As I guide you through Yoga Nidra,

You may enter deep states of rest with trace awareness.

Your mind may wander or you might fall asleep.

If your mind wanders,

Gently guide your attention back to my voice and if you fall asleep,

Enjoy the rest your body needs.

If you wake up during the recording,

Gently follow along where you left off,

Let go of the need to have anything happen,

Release your expectation of any particular outcome.

Simply allow yourself to feel the sensations on your skin,

Noticing how soft the sheets are on your bed,

The touch of air on your skin,

Noticing the sensations as you breathe in and out through your nose.

Gently moving your awareness from touch to sound with curiosity and openness,

Allowing your detached awareness to simply jump from sound to sound,

Sensation to sensation.

If you can make an adjustment to make yourself 1-5% more comfortable,

Take a moment now to move and find a comfortable position for a deep night's sleep.

While you're still awake and alert,

Make a resolve to remain as still and motionless as possible,

Allowing any involuntary movements to occur,

Noticing any itching or tingling and allowing them to just be,

Breathing in and out,

Moving only if you feel discomfort to the point that it prevents you from fully relaxing and letting go of all tension in the body and mind.

If at any point you feel overcome with drowsiness and want to pause the recording,

That too is okay.

If you notice any distractions,

External or internal,

Bring your attention deeper within,

Resting your awareness at the brow center,

The heart center,

Or the movement of breath moving in a wave-like motion as you breathe in and out,

Noticing equal breaths in and out as you continue to relax.

While I guide the meditation,

The volume of the background sounds will be reduced,

And as I give the final instructions,

The volume will gradually increase and you can meditate with the sound if you're still awake,

Allowing yourself to drift off to sleep if and when it arises,

Allowing it all to be okay,

Remembering that right now there is nothing for you to do or achieve,

Right now it is okay and safe to rest.

Let us begin.

We will move our attention into the body to release trapped energy and move deeper into total relaxation.

Those with cardiac disease,

Hypertension,

Or glaucoma should use caution.

If you cannot have undue pressure in the head for any reason,

It is important that you breathe normally as you tense the body.

If you cannot have undue pressure in the head for any reason,

It is important that you breathe normally as you tense the body.

As you inhale,

Make fists and deliberately induce stiffness and tension throughout your shoulders,

Arms,

And fists.

Tighten,

Tighten,

Even more,

Now let go completely,

And relax.

On your next exhalation,

Relax even more,

Let go,

Observe and feel the flood of energy in your arms.

This time,

As you inhale,

Deliberately induce stiffness and tension in hips,

Legs,

And feet.

Tighten,

Tighten,

Hold,

Hold,

Let go,

Let go completely,

Relax,

Observe the flood of energy in your legs.

This time,

Tighten and tense the entire body as you inhale,

Arms,

Hands,

Shoulders,

Feet,

Legs,

Face,

Buttocks,

Tighten,

Tighten,

Hold,

Hold,

Now let go completely,

Relax.

On your next exhalation,

Let go even more,

Observe and feel the flood of energy extending to all muscles,

Nerves,

And cells of your entire body.

Let your whole body melt into the flood of energy you feel in your body.

Let your whole body melt into the flood of energy you feel in your body.

Let your body go limp like a ragdoll,

Relax,

Even more.

Let your body go limp like a ragdoll,

Relax,

Even more.

Let your body go limp like a ragdoll,

Relax,

Even more.

Release any holding,

Anywhere,

Release any holding,

Anywhere,

Release any holding,

Anywhere.

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 eyes,

Moving to the ears,

Massaging in front of and behind the ears,

And maybe even a gentle pull 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,

Bathed in the sensations.

Now follow my guidance as we take three deep breaths.

Ready?

Let's inhale together.

Hold the breath in,

Closing off the throat,

And when prompted by the inner urging of the body,

Release the breath slow and steady.

Breathe normally.

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 is nothing left,

Until you are completely empty,

Open.

Breathe normally.

Simply allow the breath to rise and fall in its own rhythm,

The breath becoming progressively quieter and more still until it is almost impossible to detect.

Now bring your attention to the face.

With your next 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,

Tongue resting in the mouth,

Lower jaw gently opening,

Softening,

Allowing the cheeks to soften towards the floor,

Scalp resting on the skull,

Softening,

Easing.

Simply be available to the entire range of sensations in the face and head.

Now drop into a sense of your whole bodily presence.

Face this present moment's experience,

Undistorted but white,

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 Source.

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.

We will chant a continuous OM together.

As you chant,

Let the sound come from deep in your belly.

When you run out of breath,

Take another full breath in and begin again.

We will repeat three times.

Let's begin.

Take a full breath in.

Come to silence.

Sense sound dissolving into silence.

Merge into that silent space.

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,

And let go even more.

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

Now bring your intention into your awareness in the form of words,

Images,

Or as a felt sense.

If you are unclear about your intention,

Just see what appears in your field of awareness.

Repeat your intention silently three times.

During this time,

I will participate wholeheartedly in this process and trust that whatever issues are in the way of my peace and tranquility will be released spontaneously and effortlessly.

I let go of any struggle or effort to make anything happen.

Bring your body into awareness.

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.

Imagine a stone resting in your hand.

Notice how heavy the stone is,

What it feels like.

Feel and sense the stone.

If you were to describe the stone,

What would you say?

What does it feel like?

Notice if the stone naturally remains in your hand or instinctively rests in another part of your body.

Where is the stone now?

Notice what it feels like there.

Just be aware.

Breathe into that place of sensation.

Use the breath to be with what is there,

Not trying to make it go away.

Just use the breath to hang out with it.

Breathe into it.

Just let it be as it is.

Simply observe what you are now aware of.

Simply observe what you are aware of now.

Truly feel the sensation.

If it has changed or moved,

Stay with it.

Without trying to avoid any part of the experience.

Let it be fully felt.

Let it be felt fully.

As if to say to it,

I'm willing to feel you.

Give it full permission to be.

Give it full permission to be just as it is.

Experiencing without trying to change anything.

It just is.

Breathe with it.

Stay with it.

Simply observe what you are now aware of.

Simply observe what you are aware of.

Simply observe what you are aware of now.

Create space for what's there.

Don't resist what you're feeling.

Cultivate a sense of relaxation in the midst of it all.

Create a sense of relaxation in the midst of all of it.

Make no effort to control or manipulate.

Be soft,

Spacious,

And at ease.

Continue to breathe with what is present.

Make space for it all to be.

As if to say,

It's okay that you're here.

Simply observe what you are aware of now.

Simply observe what you are aware of now.

If the sensation moves or changes,

Follow it patiently and with ease.

Stay with the process.

If the sensation moves or changes,

Follow it patiently and easefully.

If the sensation moves or changes,

Follow it patiently and easefully.

Stay with the process.

Stay present and be interested and curious about what you're feeling.

If you feel yourself moving into avoidance,

Breathe and come back to an openness to what you're feeling.

Notice what happens in your body as you remain present,

Relaxed,

And connected.

Continue to use your breath and attention to be with it all,

Just as it is.

Simply observe what you are aware of now.

Simply observe what you are aware of now.

Make space for it all to be.

It just needs to be acknowledged.

Remove yourself from any tendency to control or resist.

Just let it be as it is,

Without needing it to be different.

Bring your attention to the point between the eyebrows.

Drop below whatever is happening to a space of silence.

Whether the sensation has shifted or not,

Allow integration to happen with where you are now.

As we enter further into yoga nidra,

Any releases,

Shifts,

And changes that need to take place will happen spontaneously and effortlessly.

Now it is time for your body to rest deeply and go off any need to make anything happen.

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 are able.

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.

Do absolutely nothing from now on.

Simply relax,

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 direct 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 your breath flow in a steady,

Uniform,

Unbroken stream.

Continue until asked to stop.

Let your attention be totally connected to your breath as it flows in and out.

Bring all of your attention to the expansion and contraction of your abdomen as you breathe deeply in and out with each exhalation.

Release all tension held in your body.

Let go.

Without any holdings in the body,

Use your breath to progressively enter a deeper level of stillness and silence.

We will continue with 10 more slow,

Deep breaths.

Count them like this.

10.

I am breathing in.

10.

I am breathing out.

9.

I am breathing in.

9.

I am breathing out.

And continue until asked to stop.

Be absorbed in the sound of your own breath.

Let yourself be more relaxed and peaceful with each breath.

Now allow your breath to return to normal.

Feel the energetic impact of the breath in the form of pulsations in the body.

Your attention allows the energy field in the body to grow and expand.

Experience it.

Energy follows attention.

Let your mind melt and merge in the river of energy flowing throughout your whole body.

Notice silence extending everywhere.

Enter an effortless state,

Being.

Now let your attention move to each body part,

As I name it.

Feel the subtle energy following attention as the body begins to heal,

Integrate,

And balance.

Bring your undivided attention to the right foot,

Left foot,

Right leg,

Left leg,

Right buttock,

Left buttock,

Right lower back,

Left lower back,

Right middle back,

Left middle back,

Right shoulder blade,

Left shoulder blade,

Right arm,

Left arm,

Right palm,

Left palm,

Whole spinal cord,

Whole spinal cord,

Back of the neck,

Back of the head,

Top of the head,

Forehead,

Right temple,

Left temple,

Right eyebrow,

Left eyebrow,

Point between the eyebrows,

Right ear,

Left ear,

Right cheek,

Left cheek,

Right jaw,

Left jaw,

Right side of the throat,

Left side of the throat,

Right collarbone,

Left collarbone,

Right side of the ribcage,

Left side of the ribcage,

Right side of the abdomen,

Left side of the abdomen.

Now bring your attention to the middle of the chest.

Become aware of the heart center,

Direct experience of the heart center.

Feel it open.

Now expand your attention to each and every part of the body,

One cohesive being functioning in a unified and harmonious way.

Feel the whole body in awareness.

Feel subtle energies healing and balancing the whole body.

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,

Totally let go into the pull 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 silence of your mind.

Capture the power and protection of your energy body.

Embrace its feathery lightness,

Feel completely safe and secure.

Feel yourself getting lighter and lighter until you begin to float in the air.

Give yourself permission and freedom to float out of your physical body.

Release your energy body from your physical body.

Experience the freedom of this new dimension,

Released and freed from identification of your body and mind,

Free of all inhibitions and boundaries of your body and mind,

Past and future.

Observe your body completely at peace,

Resting in stillness,

Recognize you are the spirit separate from the physical body.

Enjoy the spirit,

Freed from all limitations,

The innate healing wisdom of the body,

Liberated and functioning optimally.

Now settle back into the physical body as you remain deeply established in your connection with spirit and faith and trust.

Resting in witness consciousness,

Allow yourself to receive the following images and experiences.

Judge nothing,

Remaining unconditionally open and present to all that passes in the field of awareness.

Church bells ringing,

Church bells ringing,

Snow-capped mountains,

Snow-capped mountains,

The flame of a candle,

The flame of a candle,

Torrential rain,

Torrential rain,

Swimming pool,

Swimming pool,

Swan gliding on a placid lake,

Swan gliding on a placid lake,

Phoenix rising out of its own ashes,

Phoenix rising out of its own ashes,

Dark night,

Dark night,

Your breath,

Your breath,

Rolling hills,

Rolling hills,

A pink rose,

Pink rose,

Sunrise on a desert,

Sunrise on a desert,

Crescent moon,

Crescent moon,

A tiger,

A tiger,

Ocean waves,

Ocean waves,

Sunset on the ocean,

Sunset on the ocean,

Endless desert,

Endless desert,

Dawn of day,

Dawn of day,

A star in the sky,

A star in the sky,

Morning dew,

Morning dew,

Laughing Buddha,

Laughing Buddha,

Lions and lambs resting together,

Lions and lambs resting together,

Soaring flock of birds,

Soaring flock of birds,

Butterflies,

Butterflies,

Bonfire at night,

Bonfire at night,

Waves crashing on shore,

Waves crashing on shore,

A crocodile,

A crocodile,

A deer,

A deer,

The symbol for Aum,

The symbol for Aum,

A cave,

A cave,

Inverted red triangle,

Inverted red triangle,

Six-pointed star,

Six-pointed star,

And now,

Be still,

Witnessing,

Unattached to all that passes,

If nothing appears,

Just be aware of that,

Be totally present,

Completely absorbed,

Completely absorbed,

Surrender the entire weight of the body to gravity,

Feel the whole body weighted,

Sinking down,

With each breath in,

Sense a cushion of vital energy surrounding and permeating the body,

Until the entire body is felt as a pulsing,

Tingling energy field,

Energy surrounding every cell of the body equally,

Whole body breathing in,

Whole body breathing out,

Life force growing with each breath in and each breath out,

Sensing the shift now into the mental body,

Notice the emptiness of the body,

The silence of the mind,

The mental field held in absolute stillness and inner tranquility,

The mind has given up its internal dialogue,

Thoughts,

And images,

Moving through without comment or judgment,

Entering the subtler dimension of the wisdom body,

Remain the neutral observer,

Receiving what is exactly as it is,

Unconditioned by the past,

Feel yourself freed from limiting tendencies and the unconscious forces of the past,

You are now free to create your experience of life,

You are the creator of your experience of life,

Moving from conditioned knowledge to the knowing of the self within,

Dissolving into the bliss body,

Sense the light of the source illuminating the entire being,

You have become one,

You are an emanation of the whole,

The whole being luminous,

Radiant,

Shining the light of illuminated consciousness,

Freed from restrictions of mind,

Divine energy awakens,

From this moment on,

Allow yourself to shift from effort to grace,

This is the nourishment of divine energy,

Let the spirit force work for you,

Providing you with complete divine protection and guidance,

All powers beginning to manifest in your life,

Giving you a whole new level of vitality,

Strength,

And courage,

A new sense of freedom,

Fulfillment,

And joy,

Fill in your heart,

Bathe in a complete sense of relief,

Now that you have arrived,

You are unburdened and free,

Feeling completely at ease with yourself and the world that surrounds you,

Feeling very safe in this protection,

Your body is luminous,

Luminous,

Radiant,

Emanating light from every pore of your skin,

Manifesting through your eyes,

Know that you can return here again and again,

The channel is now open,

Feel that your whole body and every cell is vibrating at a whole new frequency,

Different from anything you have ever known before,

The energy field begins to extend beyond your body and spreads everywhere,

This is a new dimension,

The dimension of being,

Not doing,

Because when you arrive,

There is nothing to be done,

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,

In this domain of integration,

You are a witness of all that is happening,

Doing nothing to make it happen,

Feel yourself as time transcendent presence right now,

Feel completely safe and comfortable as you hand yourself over to the power and protection of the presence,

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,

Balanced,

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

Healing the body and calming the mind,

Open your hearts and feel content,

Just experience,

Allow your entire self to respond spontaneously and effortlessly to what I say,

I allow myself to change from where I am rather than where I am not,

I feel the love,

Light and grace that has always surrounded me,

I remain completely relaxed and receptive regardless of the outcome or end result,

I love and accept myself totally as I am,

My source is silent stillness,

I rest in peace,

I am the non-participative observer,

Separate from my thoughts and emotions that come and go,

I am the seer,

The witness of all that is seen,

Unaffected by all that is in perpetual change,

I am the seer,

The witness of all that is seen,

Unaffected by all that is in perpetual change,

At this time feel the presence of any guides,

Mentors,

Teachers or family members you feel connected to,

You may sense this as a universal force or energy surrounding you,

Guiding you,

Know that this presence surrounds you always,

You can draw on this presence at any time,

If there is any guidance to be received at this time either as a felt sense,

Words or images,

Allow yourself to receive it now,

Otherwise simply rest back in the grace and protection of presence,

Remember that it is safe to rest,

Allow your body and mind to continue to rest deeply now,

Allow your whole body and being to receive the following words spontaneously and effortlessly,

I allow my body and mind to have a deep and restful night's sleep,

I let go of all thoughts and worries and enjoy a restful night's slumber,

I am at peace peace and I am safe,

I allow myself to rest in calm gentle awareness as I slowly drift off to sleep,

As the guided instructions end gently rest your awareness at the brow center,

The heart center or the wave-like motions of the breath as you breathe in and out with equal breaths,

The sounds in the recording can help you further deepen your relaxation and allow sleep to come on its own time,

Knowing that you have given your body and mind the deep rest that they deserve and need,

Allowing everything to be just as it is and returning to the calm stillness within,

Have a peaceful night and a wonderful day ahead.