Welcome back.
Today we'll explore a snowflake winter yoga nidra to empower you to rejuvenate,
Rest and restore your mind,
Body and your spirit.
This practice can be done during any season and any time of the year,
Though it's the most powerful and nourishing when practiced during winter or during the new moon.
Please take the next couple of moments to allow yourself to get comfortable.
You may wish to lie on your back,
Your side or in any orientation that feels supportive for you.
Please also feel free to use any pillows,
Bolsters,
Blankets or any form of support so that you can feel completely and fully at ease as you settle into the shape that will be holding you for your practice of yoga nidra today.
Notice now a real connection with your capacity of letting go with each exhalation.
A feeling that when you exhale leaves,
A sense of all those places of your body being held and received by the earth herself.
Exhaling and releasing the weight of your head,
Your shoulders,
Your arms,
Your fingers,
All along your spine,
Your hips,
Through your buttocks,
All along your legs,
Down into your feet.
Each breath that goes out is a release as you feel the earth herself holding all of you and you let yourself be held.
And each breath in is a welcome as you feel a vitality unfolding inside of you.
There isn't anything you need to be doing.
There isn't anywhere you need to be going.
There are no deadlines to meet.
There's no one to plead.
You have given yourself the permission to do nothing at all.
And this is your practice of yoga nidra.
There isn't any way to do this wrong because there isn't anything at all to do.
You don't even need to pay attention to the words that are being said.
Just to hear the sound of my voice and notice your breath coming in and out.
That is more than enough.
Welcome to your practice of yoga nidra.
Welcome home to yourself.
Welcome to the safe,
Protective,
And nurturing space that is your practice of yoga nidra.
Let your awareness be.
I am practicing yoga nidra.
I am practicing yoga nidra.
I am practicing yoga nidra.
And invite now in the center of your heart a feeling of gladness,
A seed of thankfulness for this opportunity to practice yoga nidra as you connect with this space.
Allow your sankalpa,
Your heartfelt intention,
Which may take the form of a positive I am statement that is a reflection of your true nature and the essence of your being.
Allow it to arise.
Allow it to form and be known.
This could be I am love.
I am joy.
I am abundance.
Whatever your sankalpa,
Your heartfelt intention is,
Allow it to surface from deep.
And if no particular sankalpa arises,
Allow an openness and curiosity remaining to guide the light around your physical conscious awareness.
Descending.
On the up,
We begin at the root of your tongue.
A shimmering snowflake.
Land there.
The tip of your tongue.
Of your mouth.
The bottom of your mouth.
The inside of your left cheek.
The inside of your right cheek.
Your left ear.
Lobe of the ear.
The shell of the ear.
Inside and all around your ear.
Allow little snowflakes to land there.
Your right ear.
The lobe of the ear.
The shell of your ear.
Inside and all around your right ear.
Little snowflakes descend.
The back of your head.
And the crown of your head.
Your right eyebrow.
And your left eyebrow.
The space between your eyebrows.
Your right eye.
Your left eye.
The bridge of your nose.
The tip of your nose.
Your right nostril.
And your left nostril.
Your upper lip.
And your lower lip.
Your left jaw.
And all along your jawline.
To your chin.
To your right jawline.
Allow a string of sparkling,
Glimmering snowflakes to descend and gently land upon the bottom of your face.
The center of your throat.
Your left collarbone.
Your right collarbone.
Your left shoulder blade.
Your right shoulder blade.
Your left arm.
Elbow.
Forearm.
Wrist.
Center of the palm.
And all five of your fingers.
Of your left hand.
Your thumb.
Index finger.
Middle finger.
Ring finger.
And your little finger.
Your right arm.
Elbow.
Forearm.
Wrist.
Center of the palm.
And all five of the fingers of your right hand.
Your thumb.
Your thumb.
Index finger.
Middle finger.
Ring finger.
And your little finger.
The center of your heart.
Let a shining snowflake descend there.
Your left lung.
And your right lung.
The center of your navel.
Your left hip.
And your right hip.
Your left thigh.
Calf.
Shin.
Ankle.
Heel.
Rainbow arch of your left foot.
The ball of your left foot.
And all five of the toes.
Of your left foot.
Your big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
And your little toe.
Your right thigh.
Knee.
Calf.
Shin.
Ankle.
Heel.
Rainbow arch of your right foot.
The ball of your right foot.
And all five of the toes.
Of your right foot.
Your big toe.
Second toe.
Third toe.
Fourth toe.
And your little toe.
From head to toe.
From toes to head.
The earth that is your body is now covered with little shimmering snowflakes.
This pure white blanket.
Soothing.
Guide your awareness now.
Your breath.
Notice your inhale and your exhale.
As you exhale,
Feel heavy.
Descending like snowfall down to the earth.
Inhale.
Feel light.
Floating like water vapor up to the heavens.
To the sky.
Exhale to feel heavy.
Settling like snowfall down to the earth.
And inhale.
Feel light.
Floating like water vapor upwards to the heavens.
To the sky.
Continue to alternate between these extremes.
A feeling of heaviness with your exhale.
And a feeling of lightness with your inhale.
For the next five breaths.
Now,
Invite both extremes.
A feeling that you are both as heavy as snowfall.
Descending down to the earth.
And at the same time,
As light.
As water vapor.
Floating upwards towards the sky.
Feel both of these experiences simultaneously at the same time.
In your consciousness.
And now,
Gently let go of this practice.
And notice the natural weight,
Shape,
And form of your physical body.
Guide your awareness to the center of your heart.
And see,
In the center of your heart,
A shimmering snowflake.
With your next inhale,
Allow this shimmering snowflake to crystallize and shine.
With your next exhale,
Let this snowflake dissolve into water and to flow outwards into the world.
Inhale,
Allowing the snowflake to crystallize and shine in the center of you.
And exhaling,
Letting this snowflake dissolve into water,
Flowing outwards into the world.
Continue to alternate between these experiences for the next five breaths.
And now,
Invite both extremes.
A feeling that you are both allowing this snowflake to crystallize and shine in the center of you.
And at the same time,
Letting this snowflake dissolve into water and flow outwards into the world.
At the same time,
Feel both of these experiences simultaneously in your consciousness.
And now,
Gently let go of this practice.
And notice the natural texture,
Quality,
And length of your breath.
As you notice the natural quality and length of your breath,
Become aware of your breath.
As a dear friend you've known for so long,
This friend you've known since the moment you.
For the next nine breaths,
Count each of your exhales from nine to zero.
If you lose track of the counting,
It doesn't matter.
What matters is you let your mind rest.
Exhale.
Let's begin.
Become aware of having been practicing Yuga Nidra.
Let your awareness be,
I have been practicing Yuga Nidra.
I have been practicing Yuga Nidra.
I have been practicing Yuga Nidra.
Know that the insight,
Healing,
And inspiration that you've received from your practice of Yuga Nidra,
It stays with you even as this practice comes to an end.
With your next exhale,
Let your awareness rest in the space of your heart.
And with your next inhale,
Let your sankalpa,
Your heartfelt intention,
Rise with the breath of your heart.
Be open to whatever guidance your heart has to offer you.
Hear the voice of your inner teacher,
An embodied experience of your heartfelt wisdom as your lived reality.
Hear.
You are welcome to stay for as long as you wish,
Connecting with your inner teacher.
If and when you feel ready to conclude this practice,
Allow your breath to become more audible.
You may wish to let your body gently move with your breath.
And let the sound of my voice awaken you to a more everyday state of consciousness.
The practice of Yuga Nidra is now complete.
You may wish to gently rise and stretch.
At the bottom of the screen,
You'll see an option to view the classroom or ask a question.
Before moving on,
I invite you to take a moment to click through and share your insights,
Read the answers from other students,
And to hear my replies.
Remember to start your responses with Session 3 or to restate the question so we all know what you're referring to.
This is an opportunity for deep learning,
Introspection,
And insight.
So please,
Don't miss out.
Today's Reflection Prompt is How Do I Cultivate Trust and Connect With My Intuition?
