If you’re interested in a Yoga Nidra teacher training, click the button for all the details of my next course…
Why we have busy minds in bed at night…
Many of us notice that as soon as we lie down, thoughts start swirling. Things we need to do, memories, little worries, random ideas… it can feel like your brain just won’t switch off. And that’s actually a really good sign.
Your brain has switched from a “task network” where we are doing our day to day things, to a quiet night-time system that’s sometimes called the Default Mode Network. This network can come alive when you’re not actively focused on a task. Its job is to do important housekeeping. It’s doing things like processing unresolved emotions, consolidating our memories, going over important events, making connections between new and old things, and integrating new information with what you already know. It’s helping you to make sense of your day.
Tonight, we’ll give your brain a structure to help it do that work more easily. Nothing needs to be solved. You don’t need to do anything or achieve anything, just notice your thoughts.
In the Nidra I’ll suggest that you see your thoughts as tiny pieces of glitter swirling in a snow globe. Some of the thoughts are things that are done, some are things can wait until tomorrow, and some things can float off into someday. We’ll give your mind those three simple folders:
Done : things already completed and taken care of
Tomorrow : things that are important but can wait until tomorrow
Someday : ideas or tasks that don’t need attention right now, they can rest
As you listen to the Nidra, just let your mind notice the thoughts that appear and place them into these categories. You don’t have to solve any problems or analyse anything. Just adding those labels helps the brain to see those thoughts as “processed” and so it’s easier to let them go. So simply watch any thoughts swirl and settle, like glitter falling slowly in a snow globe.
So go ahead and get ready for the Nidra, get yourself as comfortable as you can be.
The intro section of the Nidra is around 3 minutes long - you might want to listen to it the first time then after that you can skip to the start of the Nidra “proper”.
Yoga Nidra Script
“Begin by lying comfortably in any position that feels relaxed. Close your eyes softly. Feel your body resting on the surface underneath you. See if you can lean back and allow your body to be fully supported. Let yourself settle into stillness, you can move any time you need to but for now, maybe you can let the stillness cover you like a blanket.
Now let’s watching the breath flow in and out of your body. Nothing to do. Nothing to change. Just watch your breath coming and going. Maybe you can rest on your exhale.
Bring your attention now to your body. In a moment I’ll invite you to gently engage different areas of your body. This can help us to go to deeper levels of relaxation. So starting with your hands - gently squeeze your hands into balls - and release. Now your your arms, hands, fingers and shoulders - and release. Then squeeze your toes and release. Now your glutes, legs, feet, toes engage, and release. Then feel the entirety of your body resting, supported, maybe softened. See if there’s a way you can soften your face, your jaw and tongue.
Now bring to mind a snow globe. Let’s shake it up while we count down from ten - shaking your globe and counting down (do the count down)
Now, let your attention flow with your experience. If you like you can see your mind as a snow globe, softly lit, filled with tiny flecks of glitter. The glitter represents your thoughts. Your thoughts might swirl and shimmering in gentle motion. Some float higher, some drift lower. There is no need to chase them. There is no need to push them away. Simply observe them.
As you notice a thought appear, gently decide which folder it belongs to.
If it is something in the past, something that’s already done, place it in the Done folder. Let it rest there, completed, safe, finished.
If it is something you need to do tomorrow, put it in the Tomorrow folder. It’s not urgent right now, you can deal with it tomorrow.
If it’s something that can wait, put it in the Someday folder. Let it float there, you’ll get to it when the time is right.
Just keep watching your mind as a snow globe - maybe it stays busy - you can continue your filing - done, tomorrow or someday…
or maybe the glitter in your snow globe slows. Swirls become smaller. Movement softens. Each thought, noticed and categorized, loses its urgency. The mind begins to settle.
Notice your breath. Natural, steady, effortless. Watching the natural flow of your breath. Maybe your body can soften and your energy can spread and you can rest in the space.
Bring your attention now to your whole body — your arms, hands, fingers… chest and abdomen… hips, legs, feet, toes. Feel the entirety of your body resting, supported, softened
You might notice your snow globe mind is still busy… and that’s okay. You can continue your filing — done, tomorrow, or someday… Or perhaps the glitter slows, swirls become smaller… Either way, notice without rushing
Or maybe the thoughts are still swirling, you might want to count down from ten and shake up the globe and start the process again…
As you lie here, supported and safe, know that your mind is doing its quiet night work. All is being taken care of. Your thoughts have structure; your body has rest.
Everything is being taken care of… thoughts filed, body supported… and now, drift gently into sleep. Sleep well… sleep well… sleep well…”