What Are Yoga Nidra Scripts
Yoga Nidra scripts are the outlines for how most Yoga Nidra sessions are performed.
Unlike other forms of meditation, Yoga Nidra sessions must be performed with the verbal direction of a live or recorded instructor. The instructor will provide a guided meditation or spoken instructions that must be followed. These instructions come in the form of Yoga Nidra scripts, of which there is an endless number.
There is no predetermined way in which Yoga Nidra scripts must be delivered to practitioners. Instructors often write them according to how they individually wish to perform their Yoga Nidra meditation sessions. Some scripts are long others are short. Some have a unique focus, such as helping practitioners improve their stress levels others are more general.
Most all Yoga Nidra scripts begin in a similar way. This first phase is formulated to help practitioners descend into the deep state of relaxation between sleep and wakefulness. The goal of the instructor is to keep practitioners awake but only barely through their voice and instruction.
To achieve this state, progressive relaxation is often employed. The instructor will instruct practitioners to mentally imagine and focus on each part of their body in succession . Bringing awareness to the body in this methodical manner helps practitioners feel the full weight of their bodies and sync their mental and emotional state with their physical presence. The result is intensely deep relaxation.
What Happens During Yoga Nidra
Before you begin this Yoga Nidra for healing guided meditation, you may be wondering what happens during Yoga Nidra?
Well, simply put, your body relaxes as if its asleep. But not just any old sleep, and especially not the kind that most of us likely get these days: very restless, anxious sleep. Rather, were aiming for a deep sleep that allows our nervous system to finally turn off and get out of Fight or Flight, and allows our brain to sink into Alpha brain wave states.
Get thisyoure still fully aware of whats happening, which is what makes Yoga Nidra absolutely unique.
When most humans enter into Alpha or Theta brain waves, they are completely unaware of their surroundings and whats happening to them. However, Yoga Nidra allows the participant to step into this deep relaxation freely and with complete control over their body and mind. For this reason, its not hypnosis, but is a similar brain wave state as the hypnogogic mind.
While I could write a whole essay about the physical, mental and spiritual healing benefits of Yoga Nidra, for now, Id recommend you check out some research here.
In the mean time, give it a try and at the very least, enjoy some much needed deep relaxation for free.
Why Do Yoga Nidra Techniques Work To Fall Asleep
In our modern world, were constantly bombarded with overwhelming amounts of stimuli. It can be hard for even the most well-versed yogis or frequent meditation pupils to actually fully relax and go to sleep. But the very specific techniques of Yoga Nidra help bring the perfect combination of relaxation to the mind and body that put our brains and bodies back to homeostasis to fall asleep.
Pro Tip
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I Had Physical Sensations What Does This Mean
Your experience of Yoga Nidra will be unique to you. Try not to question the validity of what happened but let it be and take it all as you wish. Yoga Nidra is a gift and as with all gifts you get to do with it what youd like.
At the end of the script youll notice I recommend taking time to journal afterwards. I personally love to record my experiences and find that it varies day by day.
Can I Fit Yoga Nidra Into My Life
Yoga nidra is a very straightforward practice, and can fit into even the busiest of schedules. Even if your work week is 60 hours, Yoga nidra is accessible to everyone. You do not need any specialized equipment or prior experience. Just grab your device, find a class that interests you, lie down and press play . Heck, on DoYogaWithMe you dont even need to give us your email address!
A great example to begin with is Jennifer Piercys Yoga Nidra for Sleep. Its one of our most popular guided meditations because of how effectively it relaxes your body and calms your mind, setting you up for good nights sleep. I will link to more of our yoga nidra guided meditations at the end of this article so you can try them out as well.
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The Second Goal Of The Preparation Is To Re
Allow yourself to recognise any major emotional or life eventsthat are occurring at the moment.
Theres bound to be something, right even if its justfeeling wound up at your boss after a long day at work.
Were often taught that meditation is about emptying yourmind.
Not so.
Dont feel guilty for having thoughts!
Mindfulness is more about how you react to yourthoughts.
We are not trying to drain our thoughts away, like water outof a bath tub. We are merely allowing ourselves to recognise ourthoughts and emotions without becoming attached to them. We areaccepting them, casually observing them – and allowing them to pass, withoutfocusing on them.
Imagine yourself sitting on a rock by the side of a flowing stream, looking down into the waters. You are the observer.
The water is your thoughts and emotions.
Allow it to flowpast you. Remain present and aware of but not attachedto thoughts that pass through your mind.
OK. So weve mindfully re-connected with our body, ourthoughts and emotions.
Now its time to bring ourselves fully into the present byre-focusing awareness on our breath.
Top Five Yoga Nidra Audios To Help You Fall Asleep With Ease
I fell in love with yoga nidra during a period of insomnia. I would wake up at 5am and not be able to get back to sleep. I had nightmares and felt very anxious lying in my bed, catastrophizing. I felt vulnerable, fearful and wide awake.
One night I tried listening to a CD of Yoga Nidra of Rod Stryker that a friend had given me. Following his voice not only distracted me but the practice had a strong effect on my mental and physical calm so that I was able to drop off to sleep without effort.
What I found reassuring about practicing yoga nidra when I had insomnia, was that I knew that even if I didnt fall asleep, the yoga nidra would help me get some rest and recovery. It was better than lying awake. This comforting thought probably contributed to me being able to sleep too: when the pressure is off, it is easier to let go.
I practiced during the day too and gradually I began to be able to switch into this state of nidra at night, without the need of the audio. It was almost as if I had re-wired my mind and body to be able to relax and fall asleep when I needed it.
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The Origin Of Yoga Nidra
Yoga Nidra has its roots in the philosophy of Sankhya which was written around 700 BC. It was popularized further by people who practiced and expanded on this technique. Some of the famous proponents of Yoga Nidra were Sage Patanjali and Lord Buddha.
Moreover, the teachings on yoga Nidra for Insomnia have been explored in the philosophy of Advaita Vedanta, and the teachings of Kashmir Shaivism. Let us now find out who can benefit from this yogic technique.
Who Can Most Benefit From Yoga Nidra For Insomnia
Although any individual regardless of whether they do yoga or not can do Yoga Nidra. However, practicing this yoga for Insomnia technique helps those who find it hard to let go. It is highly beneficial for those suffering from sleep deprivation, trauma, anxiety, or depression. If you want to enter into deeper states of meditation, Yoga Nidra can help you achieve it.
But, helping you sleep peacefully at night is not all Yoga Nidra does. There is a lot more this ancient yogic technique offers you. Read further to know more.
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Our 5 Favourite Free Yoga Nidra Sessions
Nearly everyone these days suffers from stress or anxiety at some point in their lives. Here in the UK in 2016/17, 12.5 million working days were lost due to work-related stress, depression or anxiety according to figures published by the HSE . Thats a heck of a lot of days.
So what can be done about it?
Yoga is often cited as a way to combat stress, but even yoga teachers get stressed . If only there was a way to circumnavigate our short-circuited fizzing brains and tap into the deep inner peace that is always there, but tantalisingly out of reach
And there is! The answer to our stress-related problems could well be Yoga Nidra.
What is it?
Yoga Nidra is a form of guided meditation. It can be practised by anyone, whether you have previous experience of yoga or meditation or not.
Yoga Nidra provides the tools to access the deep rest and relaxation of sleep, while staying in a conscious state, in fact nidra literally means sleep.
This guided meditation allows the body to access the deep rest-like state controlled by the parasympathetic nervous system. The breath rate slows, the heart rate slows and the nervous system is given a well-needed rest.
A Potted History
In ancient texts the term yoganidr was also used as a synonym for a profound state of meditation, known as samdhi the eighth and final limb of yoga. It is also thought of as a way to access the fourth state of consciousness, the other three being wakefulness, dreaming and deep sleep.
Script 1 For Sleep Or Insomnia
You are laid on your back on a water lily, floating on top ofa vast motionless ocean in a faraway land. The water is completelystill and you feel completely safe and at peace. The air is warm as youfeel the steady heat of an unknown sun beat down upon your face andbody cleansing you.
You are happy and comfortable, drifting on your back – withyour eyes closed, safe, cased all around by your strong, thick waterlily and miles from anything but calm open water.
The strength of the water lily makes you feel protected andsafe. It is thick and the water cannot even think about seeping in.
Rest here, drifting happily without a care in the world.
As you drift, content, warm, safe and protected yourawareness begins to fade away and you drift off to sleep.
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Script 4 Emotional Release And Healing
You are on a high cliff top, sparse vegetation and dry dirtaround you, surrounded by a vast expansive open sky.
You have a small iron cauldron in front of you.
As you stand, you are filling the cauldron with pieces of you.From inside your heart.
The pain, the fear, the hate, the tears, the anger, thesorrow. Whatever your troubles are.
All of it is taken from your body and you feel it leaving youas it enters the cauldron.
You pick up the cauldron by its handle, with both hands, andswing it around your body. You feel the muscles of your back arch andthe toes of your feet dig into the ground as you fling the cauldronover the side of the cliff with all of your might.
You let out an almighty yell as the liquid that was in thecauldron disperses and separates into ten million tiny droplets thatspread far far out into the sky slowly until they are completely gone.
You feel a sensation of weight lifted from your heart. Youfeel light and happy.
You smile as suddenly you are under a waterfall and the waterhammers down upon you, cleaning you inside and filling up your heartwith joy.
Make Your Sleep Sweeter With Yoga Nidra
Do you know anyone who constantly has to be doing something? They cant sit still? It takes real skill to step back, disengage and deeply relax. This is much easier said than done for many people, but we need to be able to withdraw and fully relax.
Recently someone sent me an article titled Restorative Yoga Is the New Power Yoga. While restorative yoga involves minimal movement, it does help you mindfully connect your breath to your body, slows your heart rate and is a lovely way to feel calm and help you relax. Achieving physical, mental and emotional relaxation is essential to your health.
I do enjoy restorative yoga, and the bound ankle pose is one of my favorite poses. Restorative yoga utilizes props to gently hold your body in a particular pose. I enjoy using lots of props such as a belt, blankets to support my back, and another blanket wrapped around my feet to support my knees. If you practice restorative yoga before you go to bed, you will most likely fall asleep sooner and sleep better.
A yoga nidra literally means yoga sleep. Do you know that sweet spot as you are drifting off to sleep or dreamland? Its the state of consciousness between waking and sleeping. A yoga nidra is a powerful tool to put in your toolbox.
Research has found that yoga nidras improve quality of life and well-being.
Next time you want to relax joyfully, unwind, and fall asleep, try listening to a yoga nidra.
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The Third Goal Of The Preparation Is To Be Mindful Of Thepresent Moment
Breathe naturally. Calmly.
Allow each breath to slowly take its course.
Focus your awareness on these breaths, feel every detail ofthem. One by one.
Where is it in your body? How does it feel? Is it a longbreath or a short breath? You may never have considered any of thesequestions before. But every single breath is as intricately and subtlydifferent as the grains of sand on a beach.
Each grain of sand comes from a different rock or perhaps ashell that was once a living creature swimming in the ocean. Thesedetails are often overlooked. Just as every breath is different!
Our breath changes according to our emotional state, heartrate, excitement and stress levels. Feel it flowing over every singlemillimetre of your wind pipe.
Truly appreciateeach one.
Count the breaths. From 1 to 10.
Focus only on the breath. Allow any thoughts that intrude toflow away like water in the flowing stream.
You may be surprised how hard it is to simply count from 1 to10 without an external thought intruding! Do not feel bad, this isquite normal.
Do this 3 times, for a total of 30 breaths.
You should now be in a calm, relaxed and half-asleep state.Your mindis alert, but your bodyis deeply relaxed and preparing for sleep.
You are now ready to commence your yoga nidra visualizations.
Just be careful not to actually fall asleep
How Yoga Nidra Works To Improve Sleep And How To Practice It At Home While In Isolation
Tired people are getting desperate. An epidemic of sleeplessness is now spreading nightly through the bedrooms of London. Were three months into COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, and anxiety levels have risen so high that its becoming hard to sleep at night. What can we do to help us settle down and drop off?
HAVE YOU TRIED YOGA NIDRA?
This is yoga where you dont move and are skillfully talked into the fringes of sleep. Hovering there, you often drop off. Yes. Its a real thing. Horizontal yoga under your blanket or duvet. Restful yoga on the sofa or in bed. All you do is rest for around twenty minutes, listening to a Yoga Nidra recording as body and mind restore themselves. You dont even need to pay any attention, just be there and hear the voice. And rest. Very deeply. Its the fastest-growing form of yoga in the world, and it can help you sleep.
HOW TO PRACTICE AT HOME
It couldnt be easier. You simply need a space large enough to lie down, and the capacity to hear a recording.
There are three steps to Yoga Nidra at home:
First Build your Nidra Nest
Second Choose your recording
Third Lie down, listen and rest
Thats it. All there is to it. And then, because youve chosen your recording or live Yoga Nidra event wisely, you can drift into a good nights sleep and rise up rested in the morning.
Sweet Dreams, rest well, and give thanks to Total Yoga Nidra, the remedy of choice in an era of sleeplessness.
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When’s The Best Time Of Day To Practice Yoga Nidra
Yoga Nidra can be practiced really any time of day. But its most powerful time is the time in-between. Since Yoga Nidra is an phase between awake and sleep, at twilight or dawn is the best time to practice. Dawn tends to be most ideal for many people.
However, I frequently will practice Yoga Nidra to fall asleep. I even have a Yoga Nidra for sleep guide if you want to give it a try next time youre struggling to fall asleep!
How Do You Practice Yoga Nidra
Want to get a feel for how a yoga nidra session goes? In a nutshell, youll want to lie down in a comfortable position. You may desire a blanket to keep you warm or a block under your knees for support. The goal is to make yourself as comfortable as possible because youll be in this position for at least 30 minutes.
First, you will set your Sankalpa for the practice. Think about a goal you want to achieve during the time youve set aside for yourself. Youll then be asked to scan your body and notice sensations. Youll become aware of your breath and the meditation will provide guided instruction as to how to breathe to drop deeper into your resting state.
Youll also embark upon guided visualizations of light. Its at this point that the magic starts to happen as you calmly sink into the four states of brain wave activity.
At the end of the practice, youll reflect on the journey youve taken with your yoga nidra guide. Bringing awareness back to present reality, youll restate your Sankalpa. Youll come into a seated position again to honor the space youve created, feeling deeply at peace.
Dont hesitate to give this relaxation technique a try. Enter your email below to download your yoga nidra audio file now.
Looking for another way to improve your mental and physical health? Learn how you can sleep better and manage stress with exercise.
This guided meditation will put you into a state of deep relaxation equal .
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