Yoga Nida: Deep Sleep While Actualizing Your Sankalpa

Welcome to your yoga nidra for sleep.

I invite you to get comfortable in your bed.

While you are making your final adjustments to get comfortable,

I would like to tell you a little bit more about this practice.

This practice has been shown to help people with chronic insomnia achieve better sleep.

If the practice is done consistently,

It can also increase alpha and theta brainwave activities.

This can help you achieve more creativity and improve your connection with self.

Studies have also shown that it increases dopamine release,

Which not only is a great mood booster,

But also plays a key role in facilitating sleep.

Now make your final adjustments to get comfortable in your bed.

If possible,

It is best that you remain still for the duration of the practice.

Now allow your eyes to gently close.

Allow my voice to guide you.

If you become distracted by thoughts or sensations,

Do not worry.

My voice will be your anchor.

This practice will allow your body to fall into a relaxed state where sleep will come naturally.

Trust in your body's ability to bring you to this restful state.

If you have not fallen asleep by the end of the practice,

Don't worry.

Know that your body is in a deep state of relaxation and receiving the benefit of rest.

You may simply repeat the practice as many times as you need to allow you to eventually fall into a deep state of sleep.

Let us begin the yoga nidra practice.

Notice your breath.

Do not alter your breath.

Simply notice it.

Allow your breath to move in its natural rhythm.

Inhale and exhale.

Notice the temperature of the air as it passes into your nostrils.

Inhaling and exhaling.

Now notice where you feel most connected with your breath.

For some it is the belly.

Others the heart space.

For some the nostrils.

It could be anywhere.

Connect with that place.

Feel the breath move in and out of that place.

You are safe,

You are guided.

Let go and follow my voice.

We will now bring awareness to different parts of the body.

I will call your attention to each individual body part.

As I do so,

Bring sensation to that part of the body.

We will begin on the right side.

Right hand thumb.

Second finger.

Third finger.

Fourth finger.

Fifth finger.

Palm of the hand.

Back of the hand.

Wrist.

Forearm.

Elbow.

Upper arm.

Shoulder.

Armpit.

Waist.

Right hip.

Thigh.

Knee.

Chin.

Ankle.

Top of the foot.

Right big toe.

Second toe.

Third toe.

Fourth toe.

Fifth toe.

The whole right foot.

Left side.

Left hand thumb.

Second finger.

Third finger.

Fourth finger.

Fifth finger.

Palm of the hand.

Back of the hand.

Wrist.

Forearm.

Elbow.

Upper arm.

Shoulder.

Armpit.

Waist.

Left hip.

Thigh.

Knee.

Chin.

Ankle.

Top of the foot.

Left big toe.

Second toe.

Third toe.

Fourth toe.

Fifth toe.

Moving to the back body.

Back of the head.

Neck.

Right shoulder.

Left shoulder.

Upper back.

Mid back.

Lower back.

The entire spine.

The right glutes.

The right hamstring.

The back of the right knee.

The calf.

The ankle.

The bottom of the right foot.

The whole right foot.

The whole right foot.

The whole right leg.

The whole right leg.

The left glute.

The left hamstring.

The back of the left knee.

The calf.

The bottom of the left foot.

The whole left foot.

The whole left leg.

The whole left leg.

The top of the head.

The forehead.

The right eyebrow.

The left eyebrow.

The right eye.

The left eye.

The cheekbones.

The nose.

The right nostril.

The left nostril.

The ears.

The top lip.

The bottom lip.

Both lips together.

The jaw.

The jaw.

The throat.

The whole face.

The whole face.

The upper chest.

The heart space.

The right lung field.

The left lung field.

The upper abdomen.

The lower abdomen.

The pelvic floor.

The whole right arm.

The whole right arm.

The whole right leg.

The whole right leg.

The whole left arm.

The whole left arm.

The whole left leg.

The whole left leg.

The whole front body.

The whole back body.

The whole body.

Whole body.

Whole body.

Whole body.

Now feel the body's weight supported gently by the bed.

Feel yourself drifting into deeper and deeper relaxation.

Your body feels light and effortless.

Now gently bring your attention to your heart space.

Visualize your heart space.

Notice what is held here.

Now bring your breath into your heart space.

Each inhale expands the heart space and each exhale allows you to release from your heart space.

Inhale and expand.

Exhale and release.

Your heart space becomes more open as you release what no longer serves you from the space.

Inhale expand.

Exhale release.

We will now locate your sankalpa or your heart's deepest desire.

A sankalpa is a positive statement in the present tense.

For example,

I flow through life with ease or I am relaxed.

Now peer back into your heart space and see if a sankalpa appears.

You may see it,

Hear it,

Or it may just come to you as a deep sense of knowing.

If one does not come to you,

Do not worry,

You will use,

I am relaxed.

Now repeat your sankalpa three times.

The seed of your sankalpa has now been planted.

With each breath,

It becomes more and more a part of you.

Gently shift your awareness back to your breath.

Focus again in your body where you feel most connected with breath.

Inhale.

Exhale.

I am going to guide you through a very simple breath technique which will calm the nervous system and bring you into an even deeper state of relaxation.

We will breathe in for four,

Hold for four,

And breathe out for six.

If possible,

Breathe in and out of the nose only.

While inhaling through the nose,

You are bringing nitric oxide produced in the sinuses into the lungs and therefore into the rest of the body.

This has many beneficial effects.

Let us begin.

Breathe in for four,

Hold for six.

1,

2,

3,

4,

Hold 1,

2,

3,

4,

Breathe out 1,

2,

3,

4,

5,

6,

Breathe in 1,

2,

3,

4,

Hold 1,

2,

3,

4,

Breathe out 1,

2,

3,

4,

5,

6,

Breathe in 1,

2,

3,

4,

Hold 1,

2,

3,

4,

Breathe out 1,

2,

3,

4,

5,

6,

Continue this pattern counting on your own.

Now allow your breath to return to its natural state.

Inhale,

Exhale,

Notice the deep relaxation that has been delivered to your entire being.

We will now shift our attention to experience different sensations.

We will begin by applying the sensation of heaviness.

You notice your right foot feels very heavy as if a sandbag has been gently applied.

Now you notice that your right shin feels heavy.

Right thigh,

Right hip,

Left foot,

Left shin.

Left thigh,

Left hip,

Right hand,

Right lower arm,

Right upper arm,

Right shoulder,

The left hand,

Left lower arm,

Upper arm,

Shoulder,

Pelvis,

Abdomen,

Chest,

Face,

The whole body,

The whole body,

The whole body,

The whole body.

You will now apply the sensation of lightness to different areas of the body.

Your right foot now feels very light,

Weightless like a feather.

Now your right shin,

Thigh,

Hip,

Left foot,

Shin,

Thigh,

Hip,

Right hand,

Lower arm,

Right upper arm,

Shoulder,

Left hand,

Lower arm,

Upper arm,

Shoulder,

Pelvis,

Abdomen,

Chest,

Face,

Whole body,

Whole body,

Whole body.

Now allow your body to settle back into its neutral state.

We will now move into a visualization.

A soft purple light appears in front of you.

The purple light slowly expands.

Now it is engulfing you completely.

You look around and realize that you are now in a beautiful lavender field.

You take a deep breath.

You are delighted to smell the most fragrant and beautiful lavender.

Feet are grounded in the soft warm soil below you.

You feel a gentle breeze graze your arms and face.

You hear the buzzing of the honeybees as they move from flower to flower.

You now notice a path running through the lavender field.

You decide to walk down it.

Ahead of you is a beautiful crystal lake surrounded by a lush green meadow.

You emerge from the field and come to stand at the edge of the lake.

Take a moment now to allow the scenery to become your own,

Shaping it however you wish.

You take a seat at the edge of the lake.

You gaze into the water and you now realize that this isn't just any body of water.

This is a sacred lake that is meant to help you realize,

Embody,

To become your Sankalpa.

Repeat your Sankalpa now three times.

Take the next several minutes to allow your Sankalpa to integrate.

You may choose to plunge in the water.

You may choose to explore the meadow and the scenery beyond.

Or you may choose to continue to sit by the lake in peace.

Return now to the comfort of the constant companion of the breath.

Starting from the number 54,

We will count down the breath.

Inhale 54,

Exhale 54.

Inhale 53,

Exhale 53.

With each exhale,

Allow yourself to release anything that no longer serves.

Exhale 54,

Exhale 54.

Exhale 54,

Exhale 54.

Exhale 54,

Exhale 54.

Exhale 54,

Exhale 54.

Exhale 54,

Exhale 54.

Exhale 54,

Exhale 54.

Exhale 54,

Exhale 54.

Return now to the sensation of your body being supported by your bed.