Yoga Nidra: Nourishing Earth Element
Ground yourself in the nourishing qualities of Earth, the source of stability and growth. Guided by sacred garden imagery, this practice invites you to connect with strength, balance, and inner contentment. Embrace the wisdom of caring for yourself as you would a garden, offering nurturing and gratitude that deepen your connection to your true Self. This session provides a profound experience of rootedness, self-nourishment, and the steady path of transformation.
Transcript
Welcome to your Yoga Nidra practice focused on the Earth element.
Earth represents stability and grounding.
It is the foundation from which we draw strength,
Nourishment,
And balance,
Allowing us to feel centered and connected to our true selves.
The wisdom of the Earth element reminds us to nourish ourselves on all levels,
From the physical to the spiritual.
This practice will guide you to connect deeply with the qualities of the Earth element,
Offering contentment,
Embracing the steady,
Nurturing process of growth and transformation.
We dedicate the fruits of this practice to the universe and all its beings and the collective wisdom.
May we rest in our inner knowing and feel peace within.
Begin by settling into a comfortable position,
Either lying on your back or any posture where you can completely relax.
Allow your body to become still and close your eyes softly.
Take a moment to feel your body supported by the Earth beneath you.
Allow yourself to arrive fully in this moment,
With nothing to do but simply be.
Turn your attention inward,
Focusing on your breath.
Take a full breath in,
Filling the lungs fully.
And with a sound,
Release out,
Whatever sound emerges,
Letting fully go.
Inhale,
And allow for an audible release,
Sinking deeply into the Earth.
And again,
Inhale,
And release with sound.
Return to your normal breath rhythm.
Feel yourself beginning to enter a deeper level of stillness.
Take a moment to welcome an intention,
A positive resolve for your practice.
Stated in present tense,
In affirmative words,
This is an agreement you make with the highest form of yourself.
It can be in your native language,
Or it may appear as a deep sense.
It may sound like I have all I need inside me,
Or I feed and nurture my core self.
Once it comes to you,
Repeat it silently three times.
Know that this intention is a seed to be planted deeply in your consciousness,
Being nourished,
Taking root,
And blossoming in its own perfect way.
And letting that go.
We continue this yoga nidra with a grounding practice.
Bring awareness to the points where your body touches the Earth beneath you.
Feel your weight drawing down.
Surrender.
Drawing down.
Surrendering to the Earth.
Notice any tension you may be carrying in your face.
Tension tends to accumulate during the course of our day from our facial expressions.
Take a moment and give attention to these acute points,
Allowing release in your jaw,
Your mouth,
And lips.
Release your tongue,
Perhaps if it's holding itself at the roof of your mouth.
Carry gentle,
Releasing energy to your cheeks,
Between and around your eyes,
To your forehead,
Extending across your scalp,
Your ears.
Let it all surrender to gravity.
Notice,
Perhaps,
How releasing facial tension affects your entire body.
Allow nourishing Earth energy to permeate as we begin a body scan,
A progressive connection to the parts of the body.
Where our attention goes,
Energy flows.
As you hear each part,
Invite a subtle sense of calm and serenity.
Healing energy to flow there.
Starting with your feet,
Feel ripples of soft,
Gentle Earth energy moving through your toes,
The soles of your feet,
And your heels.
Moving your attention up to your ankles,
Then your lower legs.
Up to your knees,
Your thighs,
Hips,
And abdomen.
Up your spine,
Throughout your chest,
Your shoulders,
And down your arms,
Into your hands and through your fingers,
To your neck and the crown of your head.
Ask yourself,
Is there anywhere else,
Anywhere that could use a bit of release?
Send your attention there.
Expand your attention to your entire body,
Now bathed in a subtle,
Healing energy.
One cohesive being,
Functioning in a unified and harmonious way.
Feel subtle energies balancing the whole body,
The body regulating itself.
Now sense the cyclical rhythms of breath,
Expanding and contracting at the heart space,
The body breathing itself.
Feel these rhythms traveling through your whole body,
Like currents of energy.
The cyclical rhythm,
Allowing for a reconnection with all that moves and nourishes life.
The in-breath,
Sending air to the lungs,
The chest rises.
The out-breath,
Releasing air from the lungs,
The chest falls.
No need to change anything.
No need to do anything.
The body breathing naturally and rhythmically.
In-breath,
Chest rising.
Out-breath,
Chest releasing.
No need to change anything.
Witness the body breathing itself.
In this deep state of awareness,
Shift your gaze to your third eye center,
The space between your eyebrows.
Imagine approaching a lush,
Secret garden,
Alive with vibrant colors.
Trees and flowers flourish,
From the familiar to the exotic.
Before you enter,
Your senses are overtaken by one flower in particular,
Calling for your attention from its bush.
Standing before this radiant flower,
Taking in its entire presence through your senses with every breath,
As if this experience could nourish you deeply and completely.
Inhale,
The attractive fragrance,
Remarkable colors,
Glowing with life,
Soft texture against your fingertips.
Imagine the taste of its nectar,
Sweet,
Gentle,
Familiar.
Hear a quiet song it sends to the hummingbirds.
Exhale,
Each sensation quiets,
Drawing back into the core of your being,
Grounding your being and centering yourself.
The sensations fill your entire being on the inhale,
Creating an aura of sensory awareness.
Then on every exhale,
A recentering,
A drawing back to quiet.
Shift your awareness between these two experiences,
Participating in the full sensory attunement to this flower,
Expanding through your entire being,
Its scent,
Colors,
Textures,
Taste,
Song.
And then returning to center,
Senses grounding and drawing back inward.
Since the expansion,
Fully receiving all the flower's vibrations,
Smell,
Sight,
Feeling,
Taste,
And sound.
Then sense the return to center,
Grounding stillness within.
Expanding all senses open,
Receive the flower.
Then centering,
Grounding stillness.
Expanding,
Receptive.
Centering,
Still.
Expanding,
Centering.
Now allow yourself to welcome both aspects at the same time.
Expansive and centered without thinking or analyzing,
Simply experiencing how doing this affects your body and mind.
Bring your awareness back to your third eye center.
See or sense yourself now entering the secret garden.
As you walk through,
Notice how everything is in perfect harmony,
Growing and renewing in its own time,
Nourished by the earth,
A sanctuary where everything thrives,
Radiance and rejuvenation all around you.
Walking through the garden,
Soft grass and rich soils underfoot,
A tree draws your attention,
A tree with a presence that feels vibrant yet wise.
It glows,
Radiates strength and stability,
Nurturing warmth.
Tree speaks to you,
Not in words,
But in a deep,
Resonant language you can understand within your heart.
Tree's branch reveals a single,
Inviting,
Fully ripened piece of fruit.
Emanating energy infused with the essence of the garden itself.
You reach out,
Pick the fruit,
Feel its weight in your hand,
Its texture and warmth.
With both delight and curiosity,
You take a slow,
Deliberate bite.
As you do,
All of the flavors of the fruit dance on your tongue,
Leading with its natural sweetness,
Then a hint of sour,
Dash of salty,
Even bitter and savory,
A balanced experience.
It nourishes you deeply,
As if every cell in your body is receiving exactly what it needs at this moment.
A soft patch of grass at the base of the tree welcomes you to sit,
To lean back against the sturdy trunk.
Placing your hands on the earth,
You offer thanks to the tree in the garden.
Your gratitude flows through your hands and into the soil.
Feel the tree respond.
A gentle wave of appreciation,
A sacred exchange,
Whispers back and forth between you,
This tree,
The garden,
The earth.
This garden is a reflection of your inner world,
A living expression of your deepest self.
Take a moment to rest here,
Feeling the quiet exchange between you and the garden.
Within the safety of this sanctuary,
Recall your heartfelt intention,
A sacred agreement made with the highest form of yourself.
Receive your words,
Felt sense or image,
However it appears.
Allow what comes to you naturally,
Trusting your soul's deepest knowing.
Imagine yourself planting this intention as a seed in the safety of this fertile garden.
Imagine yourself standing from your seat,
Preparing to leave the garden.
Garden thanks you for continuing to be its steward.
You understand deeply that taking care of yourself is taking care of this garden,
That your inner world flourishes when you nourish and honor yourself,
A sacred reciprocity.
Taking slow steps,
Again connecting with the feeling of earth beneath your feet,
Sense the steady rhythm of life reflected in your walk,
The gentle rise and fall of your feet,
The rhythm of breath moving in sync with each step.
As you leave the garden,
Grounded,
Clear,
And renewed,
Know that this sacred space exists within you at all times,
Alive,
Abundant,
And nurturing.
Gently bring your awareness back to your breath,
Noticing its natural rhythm.
Feel your body resting comfortably on the surface beneath you.
Begin to sense the subtle energies within you,
Feel the connection to the earth,
Feel the connection to the earth,
The energy of the garden still resonating within you.
Allow yourself to feel the effects of this practice.
Take a few moments to let the wisdom of the earth element harmonize within you.
When you are ready,
Deepen your breath and bring small movements back into your body,
Gently wiggling your fingers and toes.
Stretch in any way that feels good to you.
As you slowly open your eyes and reorient to the space around you,
Reconnect with the sense of grounding and balance cultivated during this practice.
Perhaps notice a feeling of inner nourishment and rejuvenation.
Know that this energy is always available to you as a part of your true nature.
When you are ready,
Complete your practice by thanking yourself for taking this time to connect deeply with your inner being.
In these moments,
You practice a radical form of self-care,
And in turn,
This allows for a deeper expression of care for others and for Mother Earth.
Your yoga nidra is now complete.
We come in peace,
We go in peace.
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti
