Yoga Nidra For Deep Rest Embracing Hibernation Seasons

This yoga nidra practice includes body and breath awareness, positive affirmations and calming visualisations in the theme of nature and winter. Yoga nidra is sometimes translated as ''yogic sleep'' because it induces deep rest for your body and mind which has many physical and psychological health benefits. This practice can help to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, and also embrace the idea of allowing ourselves periods of restful and much needed hibernation.

Transcript

Welcome to this Yoga Nidra everyone.

Thank you for joining me.

It is a pleasure and a privilege to share with you this relaxing practice that I have created.

During the session remain in a lying down position that is comfortable for you.

If you need to make any small adjustments during the session to remain comfortable please go ahead and do that.

If you do need to use the bathroom or take a drink feel free to do so as quietly as you can.

All you need to do here is relax and listen to my voice.

Try to stay awake.

The practice is very calming so it may feel natural to drop off to sleep now and then.

That's okay but you will get the most benefit from the practice if you aim to remain awake.

You may keep your eyes closed for the entire session.

I'll now take you on a journey that includes relaxing your body,

Calming your breathing,

Positive affirmations for your mind and then some restful winter themed visualisations that I have created for you.

All of these practices help to soothe your nervous system,

Heal and restore your body and quieten your thoughts.

Begin by continuing to get as comfortable as possible in your lying down position.

Let your body take its natural posture allowing for the natural curves and small spaces that your body creates.

If possible lie with your palms facing upwards so that you can fully receive the calming energy from the practice and those around you.

Notice the flow of breathing in and out of your body.

No need to change the quality or style of your breath at this stage.

Just notice the flow of the inhale and your exhale.

Now choose a sankalpa.

A sankalpa in yoga nidra is a positive statement or affirmation that you say to yourself in your mind.

A sankalpa starts with the words I am.

The statement is an intention that you desire to be at this time.

So for example your sankalpa may sound like I am peaceful or I am becoming more confident.

I am loved.

I am living my life to the fullest.

I am content or I am safe.

Or simply just I am here or I am.

Those are just examples.

There may be something else that comes to you.

The word sankalpa means connection to your highest truth.

So know that the truth of your sankalpa is within you waiting to be uncovered and believed when you say it to yourself.

Discovering your sankalpa is a process of just listening.

The statement of a desired way of being is already true.

It is just waiting to be seen,

Heard and felt by you.

There is no need to force it to come to you or make it up.

Just wait and see what naturally arises.

It might not even come to you today.

It might turn up later tomorrow or this week.

The statement of our sankalpa can be felt more when we affirm it in our minds during this practice.

Because when we are here like this relaxed and at ease with time and space open to feel what can be true we can paste this positive self-belief into our minds when we are in this relaxed state.

So that it can stay with us for a long,

Long time or even eternity.

So just wait and see if your sankalpa comes to you.

And if it does then repeat your I am statement now in your mind a few times.

If your sankalpa came to you then let go of it for now.

And turn your attention to your physical body.

Your home.

The home of your soul.

When our mind can focus on our body parts in isolation we can fully relax our muscles and joints in that area.

We can guide our mind around our bodies.

And each place we come to we can let go and relax in that area.

Take your focus to each body part that I guide you to now.

And soften in that area.

First bring your awareness to your right thumb.

Let go and soften the right thumb.

Relax your right forefinger.

Then your middle finger.

Then your ring finger.

And soften your right little finger.

Become aware and soften the right palm of your hand.

The right back of your hand.

Your right wrist.

Take your awareness to your right upper arm.

Your right forearm.

Your right armpit.

Relax your right shoulder.

Soften the right side of your chest.

Become aware of the right side of your waist.

Then the right side of your pelvis.

Relax your right hip joint.

Then your right thigh.

Your right knee.

Let go in your right calf.

Become aware of your right shin.

Your right ankle.

The right top of your foot.

The right sole of your foot.

Relax your right big toe.

Then your second toe.

Third toe.

Fourth toe.

And little toe.

Gently glide your focus back up the body to the right side of your neck.

Relax the right side of your jaw.

Soften your right cheek and right temple.

Relax the muscles around your right eye.

And the right side of your forehead.

The right side of your skull.

Now become aware of your left thumb.

Relax your left thumb.

Become aware of your forefinger on the left side.

Your left middle finger.

Your left ring finger.

And your left little finger.

Soften the left palm of your hand.

And the back of your left hand.

Become aware of your left wrist.

And then your left forearm.

Take your attention to your left upper arm.

Relax your left shoulder.

Soften the left side of your chest.

The left side of your waist.

The left side of your pelvis.

Your left hip joint.

Relax your left thigh.

Your left knee.

The left calf and shin.

Relax your left ankle.

The left top of your foot.

The left sole of your foot.

Become aware of your left big toe.

And then your left second toe.

Third toe,

Fourth toe and little toe.

Coming back up the body.

Become aware of your left side of your jaw.

The left side of your neck.

Relax your left cheek,

Your left temple.

The muscles around your left eye.

The left side of your forehead.

And the left side of your skull.

Now bring your awareness to the whole of your right hand.

Relax the whole of the right arm.

Relax the whole of the right side of your upper body.

The whole of your right leg.

The whole of your right foot.

Relax the whole side of your face.

The whole of the right side of your head.

Then take your awareness to the whole of your left hand.

Relax the whole of your left arm.

Relax the whole of the left side of your upper body.

Soften the whole of your left leg.

And then the whole of your left foot.

Then the whole of the left side of your face.

Soften the whole of the left side of your head.

Now take your attention to both feet together.

Relax both legs together.

Soften the whole of your pelvis and your belly.

Relax the whole of your lower back and upper back.

And your entire spine.

Relax the whole of your chest.

Your entire neck.

All of your jaw.

Soften in your mouth.

Your nose.

Relax the whole of your forehead.

Your entire head.

Your entire body.

Be aware of your whole body.

And let go.

Let go in the whole of your body.

Now find your breath again.

Focus on your natural breathing.

Know when you are breathing in.

And when you are breathing out.

As well as any pauses in between.

Keep guiding your focus to your breath.

And then in your mind,

Slowly count to four as you breathe in.

Slowly count to four as you breathe out.

And if it feels comfortable,

Continue to breathe in for the count of four in your mind.

And out for the count of four.

The breathing should be easy with no restriction.

No force.

Breathe as easily as you can.

As easily as possible.

Counting along if you can.

If it feels comfortable,

You could increase the count of your out-breath,

Your exhale,

To the count of six.

Knowing that it is our exhale that relaxes the nervous system.

If we increase the length of our exhale,

The more relaxed we can become.

So counting in and out for four,

Or in for four,

And out for six.

Keeping your mind on the breath and your counting for a little while longer.

Now let go of the counting of your breath.

Let your breath take its natural path.

Now we'll move gently towards a series of calming visualisations that I have devised for you.

In the theme of winter.

This time of rest and natural hibernation.

The beauty that we can find in the season of winter.

Imagine you are in a clearing of a forest.

A small open space amongst tall evergreen fir trees.

Which are coated with velvety snow.

You are warm.

With cosy layers around you.

And there is a small,

Gentle campfire a few steps away from you.

You can feel the fresh,

Crisp air on the skin of your face.

Refreshing you on this winter's evening.

There is a clean smell in the air.

Including the scent of a few pine trees that are free from the covering of snow.

Hear the powerful,

Silent stillness of this quiet winter night.

There is a soft light coming from an almost full moon in the sky.

The night sky is dark and clear.

So you can see a blanket of stars above you.

Some stars are shining brightly.

Some are twinkling.

And some stars are dimmer.

All of the stars are sharing this winter quietness with you.

Think of all the wildlife in hibernation during this period of rest.

This much needed period of darkness and rest.

An arctic fox resting in her leafy and cosy den.

Imagine a small family of dormice in their safe nest.

Deep beneath the thick snow.

The mice,

Their eyes gently closed.

Think of a wise hedgehog couple sleeping curled up together.

All of these creatures taking this natural and instinctive time to rest.

While they await the first signs of light and of spring.

Listen to the odd drips of snow turn to water and fall to the ground.

Dissolving,

Melting.

From glittering snow spots on the trees to clear,

Pure and smooth water.

Hear the crackling of the wood in the mesmerising campfire.

Each crack slightly different in sound than the last.

Listen to the quiet roar of the warming fire.

Smell hints of the fresh smoke through the clear and cold air.

See the smoke making its journey from each flame upwards and into the distance.

Dispersing into the dark night sky.

As you step closer to the fire,

You begin to feel the warmth of the orangey flickering flames.

Feel the gentle heat on your lower legs and feet.

The warm feeling rising up your legs into the palms and fingers of your hands as you hold them in front of the heat.

The mellow warmth reaching your chin,

Cheeks and face.

Just to take the edge of the fresh feeling on your skin.

Enjoy the energy that this fire brings to you in light,

In warmth,

In its own movement and life of the flames.

Watch as a wise and calming snowy owl sits on his branch in the tree in front of you.

Casting shadows from the evergreen branches and moonlight spread across his face and his wings.

See the detailed texture of the feathers on his body.

The intensity of his eyes that have seen the comings and goings of the forest during all of his lifespan so far.

The snowy white owl is calming.

Receive his calm energy and his feelings of wisdom.

Snowflakes begin to silently fall.

Watch as each flake spins,

Floats and eventually falls to the ground.

Catching the light as they move,

Glistening each one in its own unique way.

Feel the freedom of each snowflake.

Share this feeling of freedom.

Feel the connection as the snowflakes unite with each other.

Into their blanket of snow.

How do the snowflakes feel as they drop onto your skin?

Dropping onto your warm skin.

Feeling the feeling of the melting from snow to a tiny water drip.

Now present here in this winter forest,

Be inspired by nature.

Taking its deep rest at this time of year.

It is quiet.

It's still.

It's resting.

Embrace the tranquility of the darkness.

How does this magical winter place of nature make you feel?

Soak up a feeling of peace.

Of rest.

Of hibernation.

Restoring yourself before the spring and light slowly begin to emerge.

At the closing of the year.

Following the winter solstice.

Rest here in this place of calm.

For a little while longer.

Soon it will be time to gradually bring us out of this yoga nidra.

So start to let your winter scene gently and slowly fade away for now.

But remember you can return to this magical place anytime you wish.

It is always here for you.

In this peaceful state now remind yourself of your sankalpa.

Your intention.

Your I am statement.

If you have one.

If you didn't have a sankalpa maybe it will now appear.

Or come along later today.

Or this week.

If you do know your sankalpa.

Repeat it now in your mind a few more times.

Letting go now of your sankalpa.

Start to become aware of the room and the space that you are in.

Feel your body connect with your mat and the ground beneath you.

Become aware of any other senses of touch.

The feel of your blanket or your clothes.

Any sounds that may be present near to you.

Or those sounds that are a bit further away.

Become aware of any other people or presence around you or near to you.

And start to very gently move.

Starting with your toes and your fingers.

Gently wiggling the toes and the fingers.

And then maybe start to include a stretch of the hands and your feet.

Have a stretch out of your legs and your arms if you wish.

And move and stretch in any way that helps to awaken you.

Full body stretch or hugging your knees into your chest.

Or any other stretches that will feel good for you at this time.

Continuing to stretch and move gently.

Now roll onto your right side.

Carefully and slowly.

Stay here lying on your right side.

And gradually begin to open your eyes if you have not done so already.

And receive any information that your sight gives to you.

And any more stretches in your side position.

Have a go now.

And then use your hands to help you come up to a seated position.

Any seated position will do.

Once you're seated,

Place your hands onto the floor in front of you.

Gently pressing them into the air.

To ground yourself after this restful yoga knee drop.

And then take a deep breath in.

And sigh the breath out.

And another deep breath in for energy.

And a sigh of the breath away.

And one more time,

Breathing in deeply.

And a long breath out.

Now lift your hands from the floor.

And place your palms together in prayer position at your heart centre.

And then bow your head down towards your hands.

To bring us to the end of this yoga nidra practice.

Namaste.

Thank you for sharing this yoga nidra.

With me.