Yoga Nidra: the 61-point relaxation practice

The 61-point relaxation technique is one of the practices I return to when my body feels busy and my mind won’t quite land.

Rooted in the Himalayan tradition of Yoga Nidra, this practice works through directed attention—not movement, not effort. Just awareness, placed gently, one point at a time.

The journey begins at the center of the forehead, often called the seat of perception.

From there, awareness moves slowly through the body.

By the time you reach the neck, shoulders, arms, and hands—around the first 10–15 points—the breath usually starts to soften. Muscles release without being asked. The body begins to trust that it can rest.

As attention continues through the chest, belly, hips, legs, and feet—around points 20–45—something deeper often happens. The nervous system shifts from doing to being. Thoughts become quieter. Sensations feel less urgent.

The final points guide awareness back upward, ending again at the space between the eyebrows. By this point—around all 61 points—the body is deeply relaxed, but the mind remains gently awake. This is where Yoga Nidra lives: between sleep and consciousness.

What makes this practice powerful is not concentration, but allowing.If the mind wanders, that’s part of the practice.If you fall asleep, that’s information too.

Over time, people notice:

• deeper physical rest

• improved sleep quality

• a calmer response to stress

• a more regulated nervous system

• an easier relationship with the body

You don’t need to memorize all 61 points at once. Listening to a guided practice allows your body to learn the pathway naturally, repetition by repetition.

If you’d like to experience this technique with guidance, I’ve shared Yoga Nidra recordings—including the 61-point relaxation—on my Insight Timer library. They’re there for evenings when rest feels far away, or mornings when you want to begin slowly.

Begin where you are.

Let attention do the work.

Rest is not something you earn—it’s something you remember.