New Year, New Beginnings: A Guided Yoga Nidra Journey

This 40-minute Yoga Nidra is a chance to pause, reset, and create space for what's next. Guided by Kristi, this practice invites deep rest, gentle reflection, and a quiet return to yourself.

You'll be guided through body awareness, breath, intention setting, visualization, and sensation — all designed to help you let go of the past and welcome new beginnings with clarity and ease.

Get comfortable, take up space, and allow this time to simply be yours.

Transcript

Welcome, My name is Christy and I'll be guiding you through this yoga nidra session. I invite you now to find a comfortable laying down position, Whatever that looks like for you and please sit yourself up with whatever blankets, Pillows and cozy comforts you have around you. Take up as much space as you need, The key here is comfort. This session is an invitation to step into a place of stillness, To let go of the past and to create space for fresh energy and new beginnings. There is no need to force anything, Simply allow yourself to be here and receive the experience as it unfolds. Once you have settled I encourage you to remain as still as possible, But know that if you do need to adjust you can always do so mindfully. We will now get ready for the practice of yoga nidra, Where I will be inviting you to soften the muscles of your body, Relax your brain and get into a deep sleep. Bringing your body to stillness, Let all conscious or unconscious movement cease and settle into the space around you. We'll begin by taking the biggest breath you've taken all day, Breathe in through your nose filling your belly, Your lungs and your chest and when you reach the top hold your breath there, While you hold see if you can soften your jaw, Your shoulders, Your hips and your belly, Then gently release your breath. We'll do that again one more time, Breathe in naturally filling your belly, Your lungs, Chest and hold. As you reach the top this time notice that energy at the back of your throat, That urge to release your breath right away, Can you allow it to soften, To drop into your body, Maybe sip in a little more air and then release. Now take a deep breath in and then exhale it out with any noise you need to make, Don't be shy here, Let your whole body land right here in this space. Continue to listen to the sound of my voice, My voice is your guide for the next 30 minutes. If you haven't already done so close your eyes down and then soften your eyelids, Let your awareness travel from the crown of your head down to the tips of your toes, Then reverse that journey bringing your awareness from your toes back up through your body landing at the crown of your head. Notice any sensations along the way but don't linger, Simply observe and move on. Become aware of your entire body lying still, Heavy and grounded, Although you have the ability to move you are choosing not to in this moment, Embrace this choice, Experience the stillness and the sensations that come with it. Relax your mind, Relax your body, Bring your attention back to your breath, Notice the natural rise and fall of your belly with each breath, Do not change or alter the breath, Simply observe it, Watch it as it flows freely from your nose to your navel and back again. With each inhale your body expands and with each exhale it becomes heavier and more relaxed. We are now beginning the practice of yoga nidra, A state of deep rest where the body relaxes while the mind remains awake and aware, All you need to do is listen to the sound of my voice and follow its guidance. Make any final adjustments that you need then say to yourself, I choose to remain awake and aware during the practice of yoga nidra. Yoga nidra has now begun. Become aware of the sounds within the four walls of the room you are in, Listen to the sounds around you, Remain in stillness. Your ears are like a microphone, Picking up all the sounds within those four walls. Move your mind from sound to sound, Just listen to the sounds. After you have heard one sound, Moving right on to the next until you have heard all the sounds in this room. You do not have to identify the source of the sound, Just acknowledge that you have heard a particular sound then letting it go, Moving on to the next sound. We are simply listening for any sounds at all. Become aware of the closest sounds now. The closest sound is not the sound you can hear in the room, It is the sound of your breath, Of your beating heart or the blood flowing through your body. Deepen your perception of sounds within your body. Maybe bringing your attention to the sound of your own breath, Become aware of the sound of your breathing by focusing on the natural rhythm of your breath. Feel the body rise on the inhale and notice the body soften as you exhale. Notice the expansion on the inhale and the relaxation on the exhale. With each inhale the body expands more and more and with each exhalation the body becomes heavier. It is now time to set your sankalpa, Your heartfelt intention. This is a positive statement that reflects something you wish to manifest into your life, Phrased in the present tense as though it is already true. We'll use phrases like I am, I have or I create to help guide this intention. At the beginning of a new year we often feel the pull towards a fresh start, An opportunity to step forward with clarity and intention. So take a moment to connect with your heart. What is something you wish to bring to this next chapter? Allow an intention to arise naturally, Something that feels meaningful and aligned with where you are now. If an intention doesn't come to mind, You are welcome to use mine, Which is I welcome new beginnings with an open heart. I welcome new beginnings with an open heart. Once you have found your sankalpa, Silently repeating it to yourself three times with full awareness and belief. I will now guide your awareness through different parts of the body, Beginning with the right side. As each body part is named, Allow your attention to rest there briefly before flowing gently to the next. There's no need to linger or analyse. Simply observe and let your awareness move with ease, Like a soft wave travelling through your body. So sending your awareness to the right side, Landing on your right hand thumb. First finger, Second finger, Third finger, Fourth finger, The palm, Back of the right hand, The wrist, Forearm, Elbow, Upper arm, Shoulder, Right side body, Waist, Hip, Thigh, Knee, Calf muscle, The shin, Ankle, Heel, Sole of the right foot, Right big toe, Second toe, Third toe, Fourth toe, Fifth toe, The whole right side, The whole right side, The whole right side, Awareness of the whole right side of the body. Now bring your attention to the left side, Now landing on your left hand thumb. First finger, Second finger, Third finger, Fourth finger, The palm, Back of the hand, The wrist, Forearm, Elbow, Upper arm, Shoulder, Left side body, Waist, Left hip, Thigh, Knee, Calf muscle, Shin, Ankle, Heel, Sole of the left foot, Left big toe, Second toe, Third toe, Fourth toe, Fifth toe, The whole left side, The whole left side, The whole left side, Awareness of the whole left side of the body. Continue listening to the sound of my voice and let your awareness travel now to the back of the body, Landing on the right buttock, Left buttock, Right lower back, Left lower back, Right shoulder blade, Left shoulder blade, The whole of the right back, The whole of the left back, The spine, Back of the neck, Back of the head, Top of the head, The whole back body, The whole back body, The whole back body, Awareness of the whole back body. Your awareness travels now to the crown of the head, The forehead, Right eye, Left eye, Right ear, Left ear, Tip of the nose, Right cheek, Left cheek, Upper lip, Lower lip, The chin, Throat, Right chest, Left chest, Right abdomen, Left abdomen, The navel, The whole torso, The whole torso, The whole torso, Awareness of the whole front of the body, Visualize the whole body from the top of the head to the tip of the toes, Complete awareness of the whole body, Relax your whole body, Whole body is relaxed, Relaxed, Relaxed, Bring your attention to your breath, Notice the natural rhythm flowing in and out effortlessly, With each inhale invite fresh energy, New possibilities, With each exhale release anything you no longer need, Now visualize a stream of golden light entering through the crown of your head, Flowing down through your body, Filling every space, This golden light represents renewal, Clarity and fresh beginnings, Let it dissolve any tension, Replacing it with a deep sense of ease, Bring your attention to your breath, Notice the gentle flow of air as it moves in and out through your nostrils and visualize two distinct streams, One for each nostril, Effortlessly flowing, Simply observe your breath, Allowing it to rise and fall naturally, Stay completely relaxed as you your breath without trying to control or change it, Now begin to visualize a mental alternate nostril breath or Nadi Shodhana, Imagine the inhale rising through the left nostril and the exhale flowing out through the right, Then inhale through the right nostril and exhale through the left, Inhale lift, Exhale right, Inhale right, Exhale lift, Continue this effortless rhythm, Visualizing the gentle flow moving side to side, Once this breath feels natural you're welcome to add a backward count starting from 27, Inhale through the left 27, Exhale through the right 27, Inhale through the right 26, Exhale through the left 26, Inhale through the left 25, Exhale through the right 25, If your mind wanders or you lose track of the count, Gently return to 27, There is no need to reach the number zero, That is not the goal, Continue following the rhythm of your breath and the gentle backward count, Allowing your awareness to flow with ease, Then letting go of this count of breath, I now ask you to create the following sensations and feelings within the body, Feelings you have felt previously, Feel a sense of lightness as if a weight has been lifted from your body, Your muscles soften, Your breath flows effortlessly and you feel as if you could rise up as light as air, There is no tension, No resistance, Just an easy floating sensation, Whole body is light, Now feel a heaviness spreading through you as if your body is melting into the surface beneath you, You are fully supported, Grounded, Unshaken, The weight of your body presses gently downward, Anchoring you, Reminding you that you are here, Steady and safe, Whole body is heavy, Now feel a deep sense of expansion as if your body is opening up, Your breath widening your chest, Your limbs stretching outward, There is space, Freedom, Limitless possibility, You take up as much room as you need, Unrestricted and at ease, Feel expansion in the body, Now feel a sense of containment as if you are drawing inward, Curling into yourself for warmth and rest, Your energy gathers close, Protected and safe, Like being wrapped in a soft blanket, Cocooned in stillness, Whole body feels contained, Now experience a sense of stillness, Like the quiet just before dawn, Where everything is calm, Steady and at peace, No movement, No urgency, Just a deep quiet presence within you, Whole body is still, Now experience a sense of movement, Like the gentle sway of tall grass in the wind, Like water flowing over smooth stones, A rhythm that carries you, Subtle yet constant, Reminding you that nothing is fixed, Everything shifts and change is always happening, Feel the movement, I will now guide you through some visual symbols, See these images in your mind's eye or simply hold space for them as they appear, I will repeat each one three times, Allow them to arise naturally without forcing anything, A flickering candle, A flickering candle, A flickering candle, An open book, An open book, An open book, A winding river, A winding river, A winding river, A silver key, A silver key, A silver key, Morning light, Morning light, Morning light, A hidden path, A hidden path, A hidden path, A falling leaf, A falling leaf, A falling leaf, Rolling waves, Rolling waves, Rolling waves, A bird soaring, A bird soaring, A bird soaring, You now find yourself standing at the beginning of a quiet path, The air is cool, Carrying the faint scent of damp earth and the soft hum of nature waking up around you, The early morning sun filters through the trees, Casting long golden beams across the ground, There is a sense of calm here, A pause in time, The path stretches ahead, Winding gently into the unknown, With your first step forward you notice the comforting feel of the earth beneath your feet, Solid and steady, Each step feels effortless as though the ground itself is supporting you, Carrying you forward with ease, As you walk the world around you comes alive, The rustling of leaves in the trees, The distant sound of water trickling over rocks, The rhythmic inhale and exhale of your own breath, There is no hurry, No need to reach a destination, Just this moment, Just this step, A head, A large tree comes into your view, A towering oak with deep roots, Its thick branches stretching high into the sky, It has been here a long time, Standing through all seasons, Weathering storms, Reaching towards the sun, You pause beside that tree, Placing your palm against the bark, Feeling its rough texture beneath your fingers, It is steady, Grounded, Strong, A quiet presence in a world that is always moving, At the base of this tree something catches your eye, A small object half hidden beneath the fallen leaves, You kneel down and pick it up, As you turn it over in your hands you realise it holds a message, Perhaps a word, An image or a feeling, Something meaningful just for you, There is no need to search for its meaning, Just take a breath and allow it to settle, Now simply be here, Allow yourself to rest in this quiet space, Holding on to whatever has come to you, Feel the stillness, The support of the ground beneath you, The steady presence of the tree beside you, And when you feel ready you slowly stand, The path is still there waiting for you, You take a step forward, Then another, Feeling lighter, Clearer, The sun is warmer now filtering through the trees, The sounds of the world around you feel softer, Yet more alive, With each step you carry something new, A quiet understanding, A sense of clarity, A feeling of ease, The path continues and so do you, Now to close this practice, Repeat your sankalpa three times silently to yourself, And saying these words with absolute certainty that they will be fulfilled, And slowly bring your awareness back to your room now, Come back to your breath, Maybe inviting movement back to the body by wiggling the fingers and the toes, And take a moment here to experience the effects of this practice, To really feel the sensations, The practice of yoga nidra is now complete. You