30 Minute Yoga Nidra For Grounding

A 30-minute Yoga Nidra practice for grounding and breathing. A journey of visualization that focuses on grounding, sensory stimulation, and a safe haven that may be recalled anytime as needed. Breathing exercises to lower anxiety. Rotation of Consciousness to raise awareness of the physical body and move consciousness and healing energy throughout.
Music: "The Ancient Angel" from musicmeditationlibray | Thumbnail photo: Lukas Hartmann from Pexels
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Transcript

This is Debbie.

I will be leading you in this Yoga Nidra practice focusing on grounding.

Yoga Nidra is a guided meditation deep relaxation method that will put your body to sleep while your mind stays active the sleep of the yogis.

This allows the brainwaves to slow down which calms the parasympathetic nervous system.

You may feel both relaxed and invigorated at the end of your practice.

There is no right or wrong way to practice Yoga Nidra.

If your mind strays just come back to my words.

Now let's focus on some breathing exercise.

Either stand or sit with your feet planted firmly on the ground.

Now breathe in and then breathe out.

Two steps in.

Exhale with a long audible sigh.

Repeat two more times.

This breathing technique helps to soothe the nervous system.

Now return to breathing naturally.

Just notice your breath.

Breathe.

Now let's set up your Yoga Nidra nest.

Use whatever props necessary to feel comfortable and completely relaxed.

You will be laying in Shavasana,

Your body stretched out,

Your arms out flat with palms up.

If this doesn't work you may rest them on your belly.

Your legs stretched out with the feet hip distance apart and rolling out.

You might want a pillow for your head,

A bolster or blanket under your knees may help with lower back pain.

You may want a blanket to tuck yourself in to keep warm since the body cools as you become more relaxed.

Can you choose an anchor statement to focus on such as I'm present and listening or I'm awake and aware or I am practicing Yoga Nidra?

Maybe focus on releasing tension in your head,

Your neck,

Your shoulders,

Your hands,

Your feet.

Allow your jaw to relax.

Relax your eyes down into their sockets.

Feel your forehead smooth out and relax.

Feel the entire head getting heavy and sinking into your pillow.

Now can you rock your hips?

Roll your head back and forth to make yourself more comfortable.

Is there anything else you can do to make yourself even a little bit more comfortable?

And now can you invite your attention to focus on the sounds around you starting with sounds outside?

Now can you shift to those sounds closer in?

Maybe you can hear your breathing.

Listen.

Listen.

Now breathe in through your nose and sigh on the exhale.

Do two more times so that you may become more relaxed to better enable you to lay here comfortably for a while.

Imagine your Yoga Nidra nest surrounding you like a cocoon and the floor supporting you as though you were outside laying on the ground.

Now focus on an intention for your practice.

This is called Sankalpa.

This might be a heartfelt desire for your life path,

Heart's longing,

The wisdom of your heart stated in the present tense using the words I am.

Make it simple.

If you don't have your own Sankalpa you might use one of these examples.

I am grounded.

I am healing.

I am relaxed.

I am equanimous.

I am calm.

I accept myself just as I am.

Once you have settled on your intention repeat it three times to yourself silently planting the seed to your heart's desire.

And now can you bring your attention to your body as we focus on the rotation of consciousness.

Can you focus your awareness to the inside of your mouth,

Your tongue,

Root of the tongue,

Teeth,

Gums,

Roof of the mouth,

Inside of the right cheek,

Inside of the left cheek,

The right ear,

The inner ear,

The whole ear,

The left ear,

The inner ear,

The whole ear,

The eyes,

Behind the eyes,

Relax the eyes back and down toward the back of the head,

The whole face,

The temples,

The eyebrows,

The forehead,

The scalp,

The back of the skull,

Two hemispheres of the brain,

The mind,

The throat,

The heart space,

The lungs or wings of the heart,

Right shoulder,

Right shoulder joint,

Upper arm,

Elbow,

The forearm,

The wrist,

The palm of the hand,

The back of the hand,

The thumb,

Second finger,

Third finger,

Fourth finger,

Fifth finger,

All five fingers of the right hand,

Back to the palm of the hand,

The wrist,

Forearm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

Shoulder,

Shoulder blade,

Right side of the chest,

Right lung,

Heart center,

Left shoulder joint,

Whole arm,

Upper arm,

Elbow,

Forearm,

The wrist,

The palm of the hand,

The back of the hand,

Left thumb,

Second finger,

Third finger,

Fourth finger,

Fifth finger,

All five fingers,

The palm,

Wrist,

Forearm,

Elbow,

Upper arm,

Shoulder,

Shoulder blade,

Whole left side of the chest,

Left lung breathing,

Heart center,

Diaphragm,

Belly,

Navel center,

Pelvic bowl,

Right hip,

Thigh,

Lower leg,

Calf,

Ankle,

Heel of the foot,

Heel,

Ankle,

Lower leg,

Knee,

Thigh,

Hip,

The whole pelvic bowl,

The left hip,

Left thigh,

Knee,

Calf,

Shin,

Ankle,

Heel of the foot,

Sole of the foot,

Top of the foot,

Big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

Little toe,

All five toes,

Sole of the foot,

Ankle,

Lower leg,

Knee,

Thigh,

Hip,

The whole pelvic bowl,

Spine,

Torso,

Belly,

Diaphragm,

Lungs,

Throat center,

Center of the eyebrow.

Now can you bring your attention to breathing?

Breathing in,

Breathing out.

Bring attention to the base of the spine.

Breathe in from the tailbone to the crown of the head.

Exhale from the crown down to the tailbone.

Imagine the energy pushing up on the inhale and flowing down with the exhale.

Breathing in and up,

Exhaling out and down,

In and up,

Out and down.

Continuing a few times at your own pace.

Breathing in and out.

And now can you bring your awareness to the right side of the body,

The whole right side?

Now focus on the left side,

The whole left side.

Now go back to the right side,

The whole right side.

And now can you switch back to the left side,

The left side?

Can you feel both the right side and the left side simultaneously?

Now can you focus on your body being heavy?

Feel it sink into the ground.

Heavy,

Heavy.

And now can you feel your body being light and lifting?

Can you feel it lifting off the ground?

And now heavy again.

And now light.

Can you focus on your body being heavy and light simultaneously?

And now can you imagine yourself going on a journey?

You start out in a field of flowers with the sun shining brightly and warm.

You notice a path leading into the forest.

You follow the path.

You are soon surrounded by tall trees reaching for the sky.

Ferns,

Moss,

And bushes fill in around the trunks of the trees.

The sun is filtering through the treetop canopy.

The air is cool on your skin.

You can hear a woodpecker in the nearby distance.

You see a squirrel running up a tree.

You smell the woodsy smell of the forest.

You feel the dampness from the small babbling brook running alongside the path.

You lay down on the bank of the brook.

You reach your arms out,

Cupping your hands,

Filling them full of fresh spring water.

You drink readily the cold,

Fresh water.

You gather yourself back up,

Feeling renewed,

And continue along the path,

Listening to the birds and wildlife,

Feeling the cool air on your skin,

Still tasting the water in your mouth,

Feeling the dirt path below your shoes,

And feeling and hearing the pine needles and leaves crackling with each step.

With each step,

You feel more grounded.

You decide to stop for a short rest.

You sit and lean against the trunk of a very tall tree.

You envision your own roots reaching down into the ground like the strong roots of the tall trees.

You feel your roots going deeper,

Getting stronger.

You feel grounded,

Peaceful.

You focus on your breathing,

Breathing in the sweet forest air.

Exhaling all negative energy,

Preventing you from being grounded.

Now it's time to return and follow the path back the way you came.

Remember that you can call up this forest journey anytime you want.

You can recall the grounded feeling you experienced,

The peace,

The joy.

The journey is yours.

It's yours anytime you need.

Continue to feel what you experienced.

Think of how the forest affected your senses.

Feel,

See,

Hear,

Taste,

Sense.

Take this experience with you throughout the day,

Feeling safe,

Feeling grounded,

Feeling peaceful,

Feeling gratitude.

And now can you bring back your sankalpa?

Your life's goal,

Your heart's desire.

Carry with you this seed that you have planted within the sacredness of your heart.

And now very gently come back.

Notice your body laying securely on the ground.

Take in a deep breath and sigh on the exhale.

Move your fingers and toes ever so gently.

Move your head back and forth.

Take as much time as you need.

Pull over to your side when you are ready.

Maybe draw the knees into your chest.

Take a couple of deep breaths.

Sit up when you are ready.

Open your eyes slowly.

Look around you.

Notice the room you are in,

The light in the room,

The sounds.

Big breath in and sigh on the exhale.

Bring your palms together and rub them to generate some heat.

Now place your palms over your eyes.

Tap your fingers gently on your forehead.

And now tapping down around your ears.

Tap your heart space.

Now put your hands down on your lap.

Notice your breath.

Inhale into your belly and then exhale,

Pulling your navel back to your spine.

One more time.

Exhale into your belly and then exhale,

Pulling your navel back to your spine.

Continue to awaken your body while reflecting on your practice.

Now take these blessings with you throughout your day.

Thank you for joining me in this practice.

Namaste.

Reviews

Lovely Debi! I’m so glad we have connected. I really enjoyed the journey here. Felt like I was truly there taking in the surroundings and enjoying the fresh water. Lovely. Thank you 🙏