Hello,
My name is Annie and welcome to this Yoga Nidra created in honour of the Wheel of the Year Festival of Lunasa,
Also known as Lamas.
As we settle into this practice together,
We'll gently connect with the energy of the first harvest,
A time of gratitude,
Abundance and acknowledging all that has been growing within us.
So getting yourself set up and finding a comfortable place to lie down making sure you won't be disturbed perhaps getting an eye mask to reduce any light and creating a nice cosy yoga nidra space.
And as you begin to settle into this practice simply noticing the natural rhythm of your breath.
There's nothing you need to change or force here.
Just allowing the inhale and the exhale to arrive exactly as it is.
As the body begins to soften,
I'd like to tell you a little bit about the season that we're resting in today.
Lunasa,
Also known as Lammas,
Is one of the ancient festivals of the Wheel of the Year.
Celebrated at the beginning of August,
It marks the first harvest.
A time when the grain is ready to be gathered.
And the fields begin to turn from a vibrant green to warm shades of gold.
Named after the Celtic god Lu,
Who was celebrated for his many skills,
Craftsmanship and creativity,
Lunasa reminds us not only to honour the harvest of the land,
But also the harvest within ourselves.
Traditionally,
The festival also honours his foster mother,
Teltu,
Whose hard work preparing the land makes a harvest possible.
Showing us that our efforts and sowing the seeds will lead to abundance.
It's an invitation to pause and notice what has grown within you and around you.
Perhaps you've nurtured something that has come into bloom.
Or there may be things that are still unfolding.
This is a season of abundance,
Of grown fruit,
Vegetables and wildflowers.
Warm sunny evenings and plans with loved ones.
It's a time of colour and possibility.
And yet the season is already beginning to quietly shift,
With the days becoming shorter,
And nature's reminder of impermanence,
That everything moves in cycles.
So before we journey any further.
.
.
Perhaps taking a quiet moment to reflect.
What has come to fruition in your own life.
And what are you grateful for today?
And if nothing comes up,
That's absolutely okay.
Just simply allowing these questions to rest gently in the background.
Like seeds being carried in the warm summer breeze.
So as we move into the yoga nidra practice,
We'll start by setting a sankalpa.
A sankalpa is a positive intention for your practice.
So,
If you have one already,
Then you can go ahead and say that three times.
And if you don't,
Maybe this season of lunasa can inspire it.
So,
Perhaps using the phrase,
I open my heart to abundance and acknowledge how far I've come.
And repeating that to yourself three times now.
And we'll now begin the body scan.
When I mention a body part.
Just bringing your awareness there.
And if you like,
Imagine filling each part of the body with the golden,
Nurturing light of the season.
To starting with the top of the head.
The forehead.
The right eye.
The left eye.
Both eyes together.
The nose.
The mouth.
The right cheek.
The left cheek.
And feeling both cheeks together.
The right ear.
The left ear.
Both ears together.
And bringing awareness to the back of the head.
And the throat.
And now bringing that golden light into the right side of the body.
To feeling into the right shoulder.
The upper arm.
The elbow.
The forearm.
Palm of the hand.
The back of the hand.
The right thumb.
With first finger.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger and the whole of the hand together.
And then feeling in through the whole of the right arm.
And moving to the right armpit the outside of the ribs and the waist.
The right side of the chess.
The heart center.
The right side of the belly.
The right tip.
Bye.
Me.
Lower leg.
The foot.
Feeling all of the right toes together.
And then feeling the whole of the right leg.
And now moving that awareness and light into the whole of the right side of the body.
Feeling all of the sensations in the whole of the right side.
And now bringing your awareness to the left side of the body the golden light gently touching the left shoulder.
The upper arm.
Elbow.
The forearms.
The palm of the hand.
The back of the hand.
The thumb.
First finger.
Second finger.
Third finger.
Fourth finger.
And the whole of the hand together.
And then feeling into the whole of the left arm.
And moving to the left armpit the outside of the ribs and the waist.
The left side of the chest.
The heart space.
The left side of the belly.
The left hip.
Thigh.
Name.
Lower leg.
The left foot.
And all of the toes together.
And then feeling into the whole of the left leg.
And the golden light then shining in the whole of the left side of the body.
And feeling all of the sensations in that left side.
And now I invite you to expand your awareness into the whole of the body.
Imagining the whole body glowing with the light of the summer harvest.
And now bringing attention to your breath.
Gently breathing in and out.
Noticing the rhythm and where you feel it in your body.
The inhalation receiving.
And inviting new energy in And then on the exhale,
Releasing and surrendering.
We'll now move into the visualisation part of the practice as I guide you on a journey through this festival of lunasa.
You find yourself standing at the edge of a golden wheat field.
With the sun pouring down over you,
Warming your skin.
And bringing a gentle smile to your face as you bask under its healing rays The wheat moves softly in the breeze.
And you walk slowly through it.
Brushing the wheat softly with your hands,
You see the skylarks soaring above you and blissfully singing as they weave in and out of the sky and the wheat.
Gently you start to gather what is ready.
Your hands move slowly through the wheat,
Selecting the ripened stalks and thanking the field for all it has offered.
You reach the edge of a field where a small stone cottage waits,
Nestled amongst the wildflowers that dance gently in the breeze.
And outside sits an old stone mill,
Which turns with an ancient rhythm.
You watch the golden grain slowly becoming soft flour.
Transforming it into something new.
Inside the cottage,
A wooden bowl rests upon the table.
You pour in the fresh flour that has just been made,
Adding warm water,
A pinch of salt and a little bit of yeast.
Slowly the ingredients come together beneath your hands.
And gently you place the dough into the warmth of the oven.
Trusting the process without needing to rush it.
And as it bakes,
You step back outside into the meadow.
Settling amongst the wildflowers.
Feeling proud and grateful for the land that has provided the food.
And knowing that just as the dough cannot become bread without some rest time.
We also need a period of stillness and rest before our transformations The smell of fresh bread begins to fill the air and you follow the trail back into the cottage.
Gently lifting out the oven you allow the scent to fill the entire space.
Then,
Wrapping it up carefully in a cloth,
You begin to prepare and carry it outside to a long wooden table beneath an ancient oak tree.
It's dressed with wildflowers and jars.
Fairy lights are hanging around the branches.
The vibrant colours of the seasons,
Fruits and vegetables decorate the table.
There are candles in all shades of gold and yellow,
There's oranges and reds to symbolise the season.
And the evening sun blankets everything in a warm gold glow.
I'd now like to invite you to perhaps imagine who you would like to join you around this table.
This could be loved ones,
Ancestors to share this bread with.
Spirit guides or animals.
Maybe mythological creatures or the woodland nymphs.
Whoever makes you feel most safe and at home.
Together you start breaking the bread.
Sharing and enjoying the first harvest.
And feeling comforted in this celebration of another turning of the wheel.
And while we enjoy this scene,
The laughter,
The gratitude and warmth,
Or maybe just the stillness,
Perhaps now taking a piece of the bread into your hands.
And tuning in to your own personal journey.
Letting this piece be a symbol of abundance,
Of all that you've grown,
Of the thing still growing.
And the blessings already in your life.
And perhaps taking a moment to consider what you would like to nurture in this season ahead.
There's no need to force an answer here.
And if nothing comes,
Then perhaps you can think about this over the coming days.
Or perhaps there's a word,
A feeling,
Or an intention that naturally comes to mind.
And just holding that intention gently.
As you take a bite of the warm bread.
Receiving and welcoming your intentions.
And carrying them with you into the season ahead.
Now as we come to the end of this Nidra taking a final moment to look around the table Like the faces,
The food.
And that late summer light.
And repeating your sankalpa three times here that we used at the start of the practice.
You may have used the phrase,
I open my heart to abundance and acknowledge how far I have come.
And knowing that when you leave this place you will carry some of it with you.
And so taking your time now to start deepening your breaths perhaps wiggling the fingers and the toes.
Touching the fingers to the thumbs.
Or stretching if that feels good.
And gently opening the eyes and slowly reconnecting with the space around you.
Noticing the room the light.
And any of the sounds around you.
Just gently.
Orienting yourself back into the environment.
Thank you so much for sharing this practice with me today.
I like to think of these practices as a rest ritual.
A way of connecting with the season and its traditions through imagination,
Intention and deep rest.
You're always welcome to return here whenever you need.
And if you'd like to continue resting together,
You can find more of my yoga nidras,
Meditations and seasonal rituals here.
I hope you have a lovely rest of the season.
