The Grounding Tree: A Yoga Nidra For Rooted Rest

This Yoga Nidra guides you into a deep state of relaxation using the grounding energy of trees and the nurturing support of the earth. Through breath awareness, body scanning, and vivid tree imagery, you’ll connect to a sense of stability, balance, and calm. Like a tree rooted deeply in the soil yet reaching toward the sky, this practice invites you to feel both grounded and uplifted. Perfect for restoring inner peace and a connection to nature. Please note this is a live recording from my Wintering Workshop.

Transcript

Finding your comfortable position now, Making sure that you're warm, The eyes can be open or closed, Hands can rest on the body or out from the body. See if there's anything now that you could do to allow yourself to be five percent more comfortable. And maybe with an exhale, Soften a little bit more into the earth. Listen to the sounds that you can hear around you. Welcome any sounds, Without labeling, Welcome what you hear. Feel or imagine the surface beneath you, Holding and supporting you completely. And welcome to this practice of yoga nidra. This is a grounding and nurturing practice, Welcoming in the energy of the trees and the earth, Helping us find stability and rootedness. And remind yourself that there is nothing to do, There's nowhere to go, There's nobody to please. And as you breathe in through the nose, Simply rest and receive. If you like, Take a deep breath in through the nose, And as you breathe out slowly through the mouth, Invite the body to soften a little bit more. If you feel like doing that a couple more times, Each time you breathe out, A little bit more. Begin to feel your breath settle into a natural rhythm. A rhythm not unlike a gentle sway of branches in the wind. Begin to notice the body where it rests. A new sense or feel or imagine places where your body meets the earth, The heels, Backs of the thighs, The pelvis, The spine, The shoulders, Back of the head. Allow these points of contact to anchor you now, As if you were a tree deeply rooted in the soil. Now bring to mind a sanpalpa, Your heartfelt intention or wish or desire for your practice. It might be for our day together, It could be for this relaxation of yoga nidra. It might be a word, A phrase or an image that brings you a sense of grounding peace or clarity. If nothing arises, Simply invite the phrase, I am grounded and supported by the earth. I am grounded and supported by the earth. You might like to repeat your sanpalpa silently three times. Now we'll take a journey through the body, Letting the awareness come to each part as it is named out. You can let all your focus and all your attention, Your concentration, Come to each part. And if that is not available to you, You might even like to repeat each part as it is named out. So bring all your attention, All your focus to the right hand thumb, As if you had nothing else to think about or focus on, But the right hand thumb. And then the second finger, The third finger, Fourth finger and the little finger, The palm of the right hand, Back of the hand, Wrist, Forearm, Elbow, Upper arm, Shoulder, Right side of the chest, The waist, Hip, Thigh, Knee, Lower leg, Ankle, Top of the right foot, Sole of the foot, The right big toe, Second toe, Third toe, Fourth toe and the little toe. And bring all that concentration and awareness and focus to the left hand thumb. And the same then with the second finger, Third finger, Fourth finger and the little finger, Palm of the left hand, Back of the hand, Wrist, Forearm, Elbow, Upper arm, Shoulder, Left side of the chest, Waist, Hip, Thigh, Knee, Lower leg, Ankle, Top of the left foot, Sole of the foot, The left big toe, Second toe, Third toe, Fourth toe and the little toe. Move the attention now to the back of the body, The heels, Calves, Thighs, Hips, Lower back, Middle back, Upper back, Shoulders, Back of the neck, Back of the head. Now the front of the body, The crown of the head, Forehead, Both eyebrows, Both eyes, Cheeks, Jaw, Throat, Chest, Abdomen, Pelvis, The whole right leg, The whole left leg, The whole right arm, The whole left arm, Both arms together, The whole right side of the body, The whole left side of the body, The head, The whole body, The whole body, The whole body resting and supported by the earth. Turning the attention to begin watching each breath in and each breath out. Breathing in, I know I am breathing in, Breathing out, I know I am breathing out. And if you were to begin to count back from 10 to 1, 10 being the inhale, 9 being the exhale, All the way down to 1. Letting go of the count wherever you are, Wherever you find yourself in the count, Letting go. Let the breath move like the branches in the breeze and imagine you are a great tree standing tall in a vast open forest. The body is the trunk, Strong and steady. The arms are branches reaching wide and free. Your fingers are the delicate tips of the leaves sensing the air around you. Sense or feel or imagine your roots growing deep into the earth below spreading far and wide. Notice how the roots weave through the soil finding nourishment and stability. The deeper they go, The stronger you feel. Sense the energy of the earth rising through your roots into your trunk and up towards your branches. With each breath, Feel this grounding energy infusing your entire being. The wind gently moves your leaves but your trunk remains steady, Unwavering. You are connected to the earth and the sky, Balanced and at peace. Now begin to sense or feel or imagine the coolness of the earth beneath you. The texture of the soil and the strength of the rocks. Imagine lying on the forest floor, The earth holding you. The warmth of the sun filters through the canopy above. It's light dancing across your face. The next time you breathe in, Breathe in the scent of the trees, The richness of the earth and the freshness of the air. With each breath, Feel yourself becoming one with the earth, Like a tree that belongs exactly where it is. We'll leave a little bit of time here for silence, A space for deeper rest or healing, Place for insight, Inner wisdom. I'll mind the time and then you'll hear me welcome you back. We'll remain for now in this space for about five minutes. I'll mind the time. Beginning now to welcome back your sankalpa, Your affirmation, Your intention. Maybe it's I'm grounded and connected through the earth, But whatever your sankalpa is, Repeat it mentally here three times as if it is already true and happening. Perhaps see in your mind's eye where you are positioned in the space. Being aware of the whole body being supported by the ground again, Perhaps the blanket and warmth of clothing on the body, The coolness and lightness of air on the skin. Welcome in the sounds you can hear around you. And begin those micro movements into the fingers and the toes, The hands, The feet, The head if it needs to turn from side to side. And in your own time and when you feel ready to roll to your side, Rest there for a moment before you come to your seated position, Knowing that you can carry this grounded energy of the earth and the trees into your day and that this practice of yoga nidra is now complete. This practice of yoga nidra is now complete.