Free 25 Minute Yoga Nidra Script for Mental Health [PDF]

Preparation and Settling In

This is a time to investigate, identify, and unload tension and pressure.

Doing so will help unleash pent up energy, charge up your body, and strengthen your mind and spirit.

Kick back for a while. Lie down on your back or sit in a comfortable chair. Choose a place that feels stable and supportive. Cover up to maintain body warmth. 

Depending on your position and preference, you can use a thin pillow under your head to protect the curve at the back of the neck. Too much of an angle between your head and neck might hinder blood flow so only tuck your chin slightly. Perhaps put a large, sturdy pillow or rolled up blanket beneath your thighs for leg and back support. 

Align the center of your chin with the center of your chest. Uncross your arms and legs. Check it all out … Now, feel free to move around until you’re most comfortable …

Follow along with as much or as little attention as you want, giving your innermost needs some room for expression. Either close your eyes or let them be partially open … You’re in charge of this experience.

Intention

You’re invited to have an intention (sankalpa). This powerful tool enriches your Yoga Nidra experience and transfers its benefits into daily life. It’s a positive trait to build your skills at home or work, in sports, or in the arts.

It’s a foundation for living a meaningful life. Examples are, “I have courage,” or “I have insight.” 

There’s no need to rush into this. Perhaps the one that’s right for you isn’t ready to show itself yet. If so, be open to having it come when the time is right. When it does, you will know it and feel that it’s genuine and true for you. If yours isn’t apparent, rest assured that a deep part of your real self always has your best interest at heart and is already working on your behalf.

Either use the intention you already have or let something occur to you … Keep it straightforward, positive, and to the point. Say it in the present tense as if it’s already happening … It may have a symbol or emblem to represent it … Say it silently to yourself a few times. 

(Pause.) 

Take a big breath in … and let it go.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Let’s resolve some physical tension first by systematically tensing and releasing muscle groups. If you prefer or need to, lift and drop instead of tensing as we go along.

Bring your attention to your entire right leg. Begin tensing or lifting it as strongly as you want … feeling all that effort … Now release it … and let the muscles become effortless, just for now … Next, bring your attention to your entire left leg. Begin tensing or lifting it as strongly as you want … feeling all that effort … Now release it … and let the muscles become effortless, just for now … Take a big breath in and sigh it out.

This time target your attention on both of your shoulders, arms, and hands. Lifting them up or making strong fists, curling your fingers into a tight ball … compress the muscles in your arms and shoulders and hold it … spread your fingers out … and release … dissolving all that tension, like ice melts from the heat of the sun … Take a big breath in and sigh it out.

(Pause.)

Bring your attention to your torso … Begin by lifting your back up from what it’s on to tense from your glutes to your upper back. Hold it … release it all … notice if your back automatically presses firmly onto the surface that’s supporting you from behind … Feel free to let that sink in … 

Now, tense your stomach and chest or imagine doing so, noticing all that effort,

all that pressure … hold on … and let go, perhaps feeling the relief of discharging all that pressure and tension … welcoming in a sense of ease and effortlessness, just for now. Take a big breath in and sigh it out.

(Pause.) 

Simply breathing naturally and effortlessly for now. 

(Pause.)

Now it’s time to tense and release your face and head, or imagine it. First, press your tongue against the back of your teeth or the roof of your mouth … release … Press your lips together … release … Lift the corners of your lips up …release … Press the corners of your lips down … release … Let the corners of your lips become neutral, more and more … moisten your lips if you want, and let your entire mouth rest. There’s no need to speak, answer to anyone, or say anything, out loud or silently. It’s okay to be quiet … If distractions happen, let them move on out, shoveling them all away.

(Pause.)

With your eyes closed, lift and lower your eyebrows … and let them rest, allowing the area around your eyes to smooth out, like when lake water smooths completely out and becomes reflective … still and reflective.

And a clear liquid stream washes through you, rinsing away any remnants of tension, relieving pressure, and cleaning out what’s no longer needed … naturally repairing and rebuilding from the inside out … It’s refreshing.

And scanning your body from the top, down through the middle, and all the way out to your fingers and toes, noticing what’s happening, whatever it is. 

(Pause.)

Measured Breathing

Please target your attention on your breath. This will steady your energy by smoothing out static. When you’re ready, begin noticing how your breath is

simply and naturally coming and going in and out … there’s no need to change or fix it … focusing attention on your breath as it comes and goes … exercising your concentration skills as you continue following your breath during the pause. 

(Pause.)

Let’s drill down even more by only paying attention to inhaling … noticing each breath as it goes in … again and again … When you’re ready, begin measuring the inhalation by counting the duration of each inhalation (it’s okay if it changes), simply counting the duration of every inhalation during the quiet pause. 

(Pause about 30 seconds.)

And now, what’s the average number for the time it takes to inhale? …

From here, continue breathing in for that amount of time and start to lengthen your exhalation. So, if you’re breathing in for four or five, begin breathing out for five to ten, making sure that the inhalation and exhalation match or that the exhalation is longer. Counting while breathing in and breathing out for that number or more … there’s no need to hurry … Start with a fresh breath each time you get distracted, targeting attention onto breathing and counting. Remember to return attention to the breath each time it wanders during the pause. 

(Pause about 1-2 minutes.)

Mindfulness Training with Guided Imagination

If you like, you may want to shed another layer by turning attention to your thoughts and mood. Allowing your thoughts and beliefs, your moods, feelings, or emotions to come and go … giving them some room … knowing there’s nothing you have to do about it … simply letting them appear, be, and eventually disappear. 

(Pause.)

Perhaps you’d like to come to a place that’s clear of thoughts and feelings. If so, imagine there’s a solvent, liquid, or gas that can easily and safely dissolve whatever’s not needed, dissolving distractions. It’s something that clears and cleans out the gunk … outdated thoughts and feelings evaporate … it vaporizes the to-do list … it releases the pressure valve … So, when distractions or annoyances occur, this solvent takes care of it … clearing out and letting anything that gets in the way disappear into the solvent during this silence. 

(Pause about 1–2 minutes.)

Checking in with yourself, from a place that’s curious and impartial … checking in with your body … your hands … your gut … your chest … head and face … Checking in with your thoughts and feelings … Checking in. 

(Pause.)

Now letting all this go for a little while. Clearing the space for being in the moment, being with whatever’s happening, watching from a place that’s from your core, your bona fide inner core. 

(Pause about 1–2 minutes.)

Experiencing Instinctual, Intuitive Understanding

Somehow, there’s a team of advisors here for you. It could be anything at all: a person, an animal, a force of nature, or something mystical. Old or new, real or imaginary. They’re your fans. It’s a team who has your best interest at heart, willing and able to provide some coaching and guidance.

(Pause.)

If you like, you may allow a message to appear on its own or, perhaps, ask a question … allowing something to surface … Perhaps there’s something that you could do or stop doing. 

(Pause.) 

Perhaps there’s something you could say or not say. 

(Pause.) 

Using this time to be with your team of advisors. 

(Pause about 1–2 minutes.)

This team is always available, always ready and willing to assist you with whatever is needed, as constant as the North Star. 

(Pause.)

Unconditional Joy and True Nature Awareness

Now the solvent starts dissolving whatever roles and responsibilities you have, just for now … It frees up who you really are at your core, your authentic Self … it’s the durable aspect that gets to the meat of who you really are; spacious, open, and free.

Take this time of quiet for your true Self. 

(Pause about 1–2 minutes.)

Intention

It’s time to recall your intention, your own pledge (sankalpa), if you have one. Say it briefly and sincerely. 

(Pause.) 

Let yourself imagine what it looks and feels like … Take a big breath in … and sigh it out. 

(Pause.)

Reawakening and Closing

It’s time to bring your awareness back to this time and place, bringing back with you the helpfulness of the practice to benefit yourself and others …

Becoming aware of the room … sensing the atmosphere … listening to the sounds … being aware of your Presence … awakening … here and now … Whenever you’re ready, start to stretch in ways that feel natural … Gradually roll to your side and rest … Gradually, use your arms for support to sit yourself upright … As your eyes open, notice whatever you’re experiencing.

Peace, peace, peace. (Om shanti, shanti, shanti.)

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This script has been crafted with love and formatted in a clear, organized layout, making it easy to read aloud for individuals or groups. It is suitable for personal and professional use, including YouTube videos and monetization, and for voiceover recordings.

Use this script to lead your own Yoga Nidra meditation, edit or alter the script to suit your needs, use it in courses you create and sell, or use it privately with your clients.

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