Yoga Nidra /Deeper Still
Yoga Nidra • Approximately 35 minutes
There are times in life when the greatest gift we can give ourselves is permission to pause.
This Yoga Nidra is an invitation to step away from the busyness of everyday life and enter a place of quiet reflection. Guided by the imagery of still water and the gentle unfolding of nature, you'll be encouraged to soften beneath the surface of constant thinking and reconnect with the quiet wisdom that already lives within you.
Whether you are feeling overwhelmed, navigating change, or simply longing for a few moments of deep rest, may this practice offer a space where you can breathe, let go, and remember the strength and peace that have always been present within.
Find a comfortable place where you won't be disturbed, make yourself warm and fully supported, and allow yourself to simply listen.
Best enjoyed when: life feels a little too busy, your thoughts won't quite settle, or you're simply longing for a few moments of quiet.
Introduction Transcript
Welcome to this deeply nourishing Yoga Nidra practice.
Today, we will embark on a gentle journey into stillness. In our everyday lives we are often moving from one thing to the next, responding to responsibilities, conversations, expectations, and the steady rhythm of daily life.
Rarely do we pause long enough to discover what lies beneath the surface of all that movement. Just as a quiet pond reflects the sky when its waters become still, our own inner landscape becomes clearer when we allow ourselves to settle.
Beneath the activity of the thinking mind exists a deeper place within us—a place of wisdom, resilience, peace, and quiet knowing. It has always been there, patiently waiting beneath the surface.
This practice is an invitation to rest in that stillness. There is nothing you need to fix, achieve, or become during this time. Simply allow yourself to soften, to listen, and to be present with whatever gently arises.
Like the lotus that grows from unseen depths before unfolding into the light, we too are continually growing, even through seasons that may seem uncertain or unseen.
As we journey together today, you may discover that stillness is not empty. It is alive. It is spacious. It is a place where insight can emerge naturally, where the heart can soften, and where we can remember the quiet strength that has always existed within us.
So let us begin, trusting that whatever is meant to unfold will do so in its own perfect time.
If you haven't already done so, find a comfortable position lying down. Make sure that you are warm and fully supported. Take your time to make as many adjustments as you need so that you can remain completely comfortable throughout this practice.
With eyes softly closed begin to tune in to yourself. Notice your breath, the gentle rise body as you inhale and exhale.
Invite your breath to move more deeply to the belly. With each breath, allow yourself to gently release the outside world. There is nowhere to go, nothing to accomplish, and nothing that is required of you.
Simply arrive, just as you are.
With each breath in, invite a sense of ease into the body. With each exhale, soften a little more deeply into the support beneath you.
In this place of calm and relaxation, let us now set our intention, our Sankalpa. This is a positive statement that we trust and know is already true. For this session, let us share the following Sankalpa, repeating it three times to deeply settle it within the heart space:
"I trust the wisdom that lives within me."
We will now begin to move awareness slowly through the body.
There is nothing you need to do...nothing you need to change. Simply follow the sound of my voice, allowing your awareness to rest wherever it is invited.
There is no need to imagine or visualize the body.
Simply feel from within.
All Yoga Nidra practices shared on Wandering Chickadee are original works written and recorded by Martha. Please enjoy them for your personal practice, and if you'd like to share them with others, kindly share a link to this page rather than copying the content. Thank you for respecting the time, care, and creativity that went into creating these practices.
