Winter Solstice Deep Rest Yoga Nidra

Winter Escape; A Winter Solstice Yoga Nidra, (25 minutes)
Connect to the rhythm of the season, rebalance your nervous system and reset the circadian rhythm, the body's natural clock. Top up much needed reserves, regain a slower, steadier rhythm with the gift of deep restorative rest and recovery.

Transcript

In the heart of winter,

The winter solstice offers us a place to rest deeply.

This Yoganidra invites you to escape from the busy world and dive into the stillness of winter.

At this time of the year,

As the shortest day and longest night arrives,

In the depth of winter,

A place of quiet solitude and promise,

That in the darkness,

Where all nature goes underground,

We can find recovery and rest.

It's a space to stop and be still,

Hibernate,

Even just for a while.

So carve yourself a cosy nest to rest within and attend to your inner calling for a deep luxurious rest in preparation for the new year and the gradual return of the light.

Start by getting yourself really comfortable.

Lay on your bed,

Covered with duvet or blankets,

Or laying on a yoga mat with a bolster beneath your knees or a pillow under the head.

You might like an eye covering.

And take your time to build this comfy,

Cosy nest.

And settle back,

Wriggle out any final movements to get your body perfectly supported.

First making sure that the lights are dimmed or off altogether.

And then closing the eyes softly as you begin to let go of the outer world.

Now as you settle here,

Know that there's nothing you need to do.

Nothing is required to benefit deeply from this practice.

Simply listen with a gentle awareness to my voice as I guide you inwards.

If you drift off,

Don't worry,

It's a sign that you needed to rest.

And if you do fall asleep,

Then just pick up my guidance when you next become aware of it and continue letting go,

Drifting,

Listening gently,

Letting go.

We'll begin by taking a deep inhale through the nose.

Filling up the stomach,

The lower abdomen.

When you're ready to exhale,

Open the mouth.

Breathe out with a sigh.

Breathe in again deeply.

And this time allow your breath to rise up into the ribs and the chest.

When you're ready,

Open the mouth.

Exhale fully with a sigh.

Ah.

Let the breath out slowly,

Fully letting it go.

Feeling heavier as you sink back into the support beneath you.

Once more,

Take a deep belly breath.

Let it rise throughout the chest.

Then fully release.

Let it go.

Rest back and let the body drift and surrender into the ground.

Allow your breath to become soft,

Gentle,

Natural.

Bring awareness to the weight of your body resting.

Feel the connection of the back of your head and neck.

The shoulders and spine.

Hips.

Legs.

Feet.

Arms.

Hands.

Feel the full volume of both your arms.

Resting.

Now feel the volume of both your legs.

Relax.

Resting.

Feel the volume of the whole back and spine.

Resting.

And feel the weight of your head.

Sensing the connection of the back of the head against the pillow beneath you.

Resting.

Now experience the full volume of the body.

Heavy.

Releasing.

Resting.

As though your body is spreading outwards like a puddle on the surface of the earth.

Relax.

Bring awareness now to your heart space at the centre of your chest.

Connect gently to your breath here in the heart.

You might sense the gentle rise and fall of the breath.

Filling up on the inhale.

Softening,

Dropping as you exhale.

Spreading,

Widening on each exhale.

Inhale.

Softening on each exhale.

Follow the breath in and out to the heart space.

And as you rest your awareness here,

Let's set a resolve or an intention for the winter solstice.

Listen to any inner callings and desires that you may have as you connect deeper inwards to your heart.

Be aware of any longings of the heart.

Wishes,

Blessings.

Arriving like messengers from the heart space.

Needs and desires.

Such as peace.

Excellence.

Harmony.

And I will offer you the affirmation,

As I surrender and let go,

I find deep rest and inner refuge.

As I surrender and let go,

I find deep rest.

And inner refuge.

Repeat this or your own three times.

Inhaling as you say your affirmation.

And as you exhale,

Plant this affirmation as though it were a seed into your heart.

Inhale again and repeat.

Exhale and set the seed of intention deep into your heart.

One more inhale as you repeat.

And lay this resolve into your heart.

Now bring your attention back to your natural breath.

Feel the cool air as it enters the nose and the warmer air exhaling through the nose.

Follow this natural breath for a few rounds as we begin to count the breath backwards from ten to zero.

On your next inhale,

Inhale the number ten.

Exhale ten.

Inhale nine.

Exhale nine.

Inhale eight.

Exhale eight.

And continue counting each breath backwards to zero.

In your own pace,

No hurry.

If you lose the count or drift,

Gently come back to begin again at ten and continue counting backwards.

Gentle breathing,

Counting backwards from ten to zero.

Now let the counting go wherever you are and rest inside the spaciousness of your breath and your body as we begin the journey of rotation throughout the points of the body.

Bringing awareness to each body part as I mention it.

Imagining this journey possibly as a massage or an acupressure treatment to rebalance and bring harmony within each body part as we travel.

You also might like to imagine a star in the night winter sky or the warm glow of a candle radiating inside of each point.

Or you can simply let the awareness just move from place to place.

Now bring your whole awareness to the space between your eyes.

Sensing this gap widening and softening.

Be aware of the corners of both eyes.

The inner corner and the outer corners.

The bridge of the nose,

Forehead,

Right temple,

Right cheek,

Right nostril,

Right jaw.

Back to the bridge of the nose and the forehead.

Now to the left temple,

Left cheek,

Left nostril,

Left jaw.

Move your awareness inside of your mouth.

Feel the tongue loosening as your jaw unlocks and sense the tip of the tongue and the back of the tongue.

You have the whole interior space of the mouth.

Now feel the whole face softening and relaxing as tensions dissolve under the gaze of your awareness.

Bring awareness to the base of your throat.

Now drift your awareness to your left hand thumb,

Second finger,

Third finger,

Fourth finger,

Fifth finger,

Palm,

Back of the hand,

Wrist,

Elbow,

Shoulder,

Armpit.

Left side waist,

Left hip,

Knee,

Ankle,

Sole of the left foot,

Big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

Fifth toe.

Feel the whole volume of the left side of your body.

Pulsing with awareness,

Sensations,

Energy.

Whole left side of your body.

Now bring awareness over to the right hand.

Right hand thumb,

Second finger,

Third finger,

Fourth finger,

Fifth finger,

Palm,

Back of the hand,

Wrist,

Elbow,

Shoulder,

Armpit.

The right side waist and the right hip.

Your knee,

Ankle,

Sole of the right foot,

Big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe and fifth toe.

Feel the whole volume now of the right side of your body.

Pulsing with awareness,

Sensations,

Energy.

The whole right side of your body.

Now with your full awareness feel both sides of the body,

The right and the left together simultaneously.

Sense the body melting into the earth.

Feel its fullness and volume,

Heavy with sensations,

Buzzing with awareness.

Bring your awareness now to your heels,

Both heels of the feet.

The calves,

Backs of both knees,

Both thighs,

Glutes,

Back of the pelvis,

Lower back,

Sacrum.

Feel the spine from the tailbone to your neck,

The whole length of the spinal column and your whole back.

Both shoulder blades,

The back of the neck,

Back of your head,

Crown of the head.

Feel your whole back melting into the earth,

Sensing the fullness,

The weight and volume.

The whole back heavy with sensation,

Radiating with awareness.

Now bring your awareness to the soft base of your throat,

Your heart space,

Left chest and collarbone,

Right chest and collarbone,

Front of your hips,

Solar plexus,

The ribs,

Navel center,

Lower abdomen,

Pubic bone and groin,

Front of both thighs,

Kneecaps,

Shins,

Tops of feet and sense the volume of the front body.

Softening,

Spreading into its fullness and volume,

Heavy with sensations,

Keeping awareness on the whole front body.

Now sense the whole body alive with sensation.

The right side and the left side,

The front and the back,

All four limbs and torso.

Resting deeply,

Calm and at ease,

Bathing in this experience of awareness and deep rest.

And as you lie in this state of peace and calm,

Imagine that you're somewhere in nature.

Maybe you find yourself within a wilderness scene on a winter's night.

The long shadows of trees and hills or mountainscapes around you.

Imagine that you're cocooned in a velvety,

Soft,

Cozy space,

Curled up by glowing fire.

Watching dreamily as light fades from the sky and the landscape turns into a deep indigo.

Feeling safe and secure,

Peaceful and calm.

Watching above you the night sky lit up with stars,

Letting yourself receive the peacefulness,

Peacefulness,

The connection to this rhythm of ease,

Hibernation,

Rest,

Recovery.

As you rest deeply in this space,

Repeating your intention,

Your heart's resolve.

Again,

As I surrender and let go,

I find deep rest and inner refuge.

Or repeat your own as you stated it before.

Offering up thanks for your well-being and your life.

Sensing how you feel in this space of deep rest and restoration.

And so when you're ready,

You can gently begin to make a very slow return.

Back to this time and space.

Perhaps deepening your breath.

Finding small movements in hands and feet.

Feet,

Toes and fingers.

And if you'd rather continue resting to drift off,

You can do that also.

If you are ready to come back,

Then you can roll to one side and rest in a sideline position for a little while until your energy is ready to move more.

Wishing you a very happy winter solstice celebration.

Continue listening to these recordings to help you through the season into the new year.

Thank you so much for listening and for being here.

Namaste.

Namaste.