Yoga Nidra | A Grounding Return To The Heart
This Yoga Nidra practice is designed to help you reconnect with your body, your breath, and the subtle energy that supports you from within. Through guided awareness and visualization, you will be invited to ground into the earth and soften into a deep sense of rest, while also awakening a gentle inner glow - an energetic warmth radiating from the heart and solar plexus. As your attention moves through the body and breath, you may begin to feel more centered, supported, and attuned to your own natural rhythms. This practice offers a space to surrender the weight of overthinking and doing, and instead allow yourself to simply be, creating a spacious and nurturing experience. Background music is from Music of Wisdom
Transcript
Hello and welcome to your yoga nidra practice.
My name is Jasmine and I'm so happy to be here sharing this class with you.
This class has some lovely,
Nature-y elements to it,
And my focus today is on helping you feel grounded,
Supported,
And connected to the world around you.
If you haven't already,
Go ahead and begin to settle into a comfortable position.
Take your time and use all of the props available to you,
Supporting your head and neck,
Making sure that the lower back is comfortable,
Maybe wrapping up the feet or covering up with a blanket.
Just doing all that you can to make sure that your body feels safe,
Warm,
And at ease.
And as you settle into comfort,
You can draw a nice,
Slow breath in through the nose,
And exhale softly through the mouth,
Inhaling through the nose,
And exhaling through the mouth.
Imagine the surface beneath you warming,
Softening gently,
Welcoming your body into its embrace,
Creating a sweet little U-shaped hollow.
Imagine your body growing heavier and slowly relaxing,
Your steady breath drawing in through the nose,
And with each exhale,
Allowing any strain or tension to melt away.
I'm going to begin counting,
Guiding your breath.
I'll guide an inhale of 4 counts,
And an exhale of 6,
And if that feels alright,
You can follow along,
But if it causes any tension at all,
Feel free to find your own rhythm.
We'll start by taking a full breath in,
And a full breath out,
And now breathing in 2,
3,
4,
And out 2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
In 2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
In 2,
3,
Continuing to allow the body to soften and relax.
Let's begin to explore a sankalpa or an intention for this practice.
You may already know the intention you'd like to work with.
You may like to work with the intention that I'll share with you in just a few moments,
Or you may like to explore any desires bubbling up from the heart and shape them into your intention,
And I'll give you a moment to explore your thoughts and feelings.
If not,
If it resonates,
Feel free to use this one.
I am abundant in love,
Joy,
And opportunity.
I am abundant in love,
Joy,
And opportunity.
Repeat your intention to yourself.
Imagine planting your intention like a little spring seed within your soul,
A little seed that you can nourish with this practice,
With your thoughts and your actions,
Until its roots begin to spread down into your very core,
Your intention becoming a deep and integral part of you.
You can release your awareness of your intention now.
We'll call it back to mind at the end of our practice.
Now you'll begin to rotate your awareness around the body,
Following my voice as I guide you to notice different parts and places.
If you like,
You could imagine a color,
A soft light,
Or a gentle sensation helping to guide your awareness.
Bring your attention to the center of your chest.
Imagine your heart beating within your chest.
Recognize this space as the seat of connection and compassion within you.
Move your awareness to the left collarbone,
The left shoulder,
Upper arm,
Lower arm,
And the palm of the left hand,
The left hand thumb,
First finger,
Second finger,
Third,
And fourth,
The palm,
And slowly guide your awareness back to the heart.
Awareness of the right collarbone,
The right shoulder,
Upper arm,
Lower arm,
Palm of the right hand,
Right hand thumb,
First finger,
Second finger,
Third,
And fourth,
The palm of the hand,
And back to the heart.
Notice both collarbones,
Both shoulders,
The upper arms,
The lower arms,
The palms of both hands,
And all ten fingers.
Recognize both hands as the tools with which you're able to share connection,
Compassion,
And who you are.
Imagine the beautiful energy of yourself radiating from both hands,
And then gently guide your awareness back to the heart.
Awareness of the left ribcage,
The left hip,
Left upper leg,
Lower leg,
The left heel,
And the sole of the left foot,
And the left big toe,
Second toe,
The sole of the foot,
And slowly,
Steadily,
Back to the heart.
Notice the right ribcage,
The right hip,
Upper leg,
Lower leg,
Heel,
And sole of the right foot,
The right big toe,
Second toe,
Third,
And fifth,
The sole of the right foot.
Bring your awareness to the whole ribcage.
Awareness of the whole ribcage,
Both hips,
The upper legs,
And lower legs,
The heels,
And soles of both feet,
And the soles of the feet as the tools that carry you into the places where you need to be,
Where your unique energy is needed.
Immense gratitude for the soles of your feet.
Awareness back to the heart,
Up to the left side of the jaw,
The left ear,
Cheekbone,
Temple,
The left eye and eyebrow,
The nose,
The mouth,
And the heart.
The right side of the jaw,
The right ear,
Cheekbone,
And temple.
The right eye and eyebrow,
The heart.
Notice the whole jaw,
Both ears,
The cheeks,
The temples,
Both eyes,
And the nose,
And the mouth.
Notice the mouth as a tool with which you voice who you are,
All that you stand for,
The voice with which you share connection and compassion.
Bring your awareness to your entire body,
From the top of your head to the soles of your feet,
And everything in between.
Feel your whole body warm,
Alive,
And radiating with an energy that is uniquely yours,
An energy that is so important.
See this beautiful,
Bright,
Incredible energy spreading beyond your body into a vast web of interconnectedness.
Continue to notice and cultivate a sense of this warm energy within your body.
Envision this radiant energy coming from the heart space,
And with each exhale,
See it flowing into every cell of your body,
Washing along the torso,
Down the legs,
Into the feet,
Along the arms and the fingertips,
Over the face,
Into the crown of the head.
With each inhale,
Envision a growing pool of warm,
Golden energy at the heart space.
With each exhale,
It flows through the entire body.
Any thoughts that cross your mind also swim through this energy,
And so even your thoughts and your ideas are suffused with its soft,
Soothing glow.
This well of energy at your heart space runs so deep,
It can never run dry.
With each inhale,
Envision drawing from this well,
And with each exhale,
See this energy fill your entire being.
Now you can gently let go of any images or any focus that you're holding onto,
And maybe you become aware of a sense of deep peace within your body and your mind.
Slowly bring your awareness to the center of your forehead,
And then draw that awareness inward,
And begin to simply notice your mind space.
Greeting anything you find here with gentle acknowledgement,
Remembering that there's no right or wrong mind space,
It simply is what it is.
Within this space,
Begin to imagine the following things,
Conjuring as vivid of an image as you possibly can.
Imagine a rose in full bloom.
Imagine that you could smell this rose,
Could feel its soft petals.
Imagine a pair of loving hands,
And feel their warmth and tenderness.
Picture a quiet room bathed in soft,
Green light,
Light filtering through trees.
Imagine a warm embrace.
Picture a bird asleep in its nest,
Gentle waves on a lake,
A flickering candle flame,
A bright full moon over a field of grass.
And can you imagine yourself standing beneath a bright full moon and a field of grass?
The ground is soft and warm beneath your bare feet,
And the light from the stars and the moon fall softly upon your skin.
The night is very calm,
And you feel as though you're in a pocket of the universe that has been created just for you.
This is a place of peace and safety,
A place where you can lay down your burdens and rest in the healing light of the moon.
Ahead of you is the biggest,
Oldest tree that you have ever seen.
You walk toward it,
Hearing its leaves whisper above you.
This tree has been here since long before you,
And will remain long after.
Its roots grow deep and strong.
It's weathered countless storms,
Seen countless seasons come and go.
It has soothed countless souls,
Including your own.
This tree radiates ancient wisdom and compassion.
Its energy saturates the air.
It sends a tingle across your skin.
You gently place one hand on its trunk.
You lean your forehead against it.
You can feel its spirit tenderly holding your arm.
Perhaps you hear softly whispered wisdom or reassurance.
For a few moments,
You simply rest here.
Connected to this source of ancient support.
Feeling a sense of calm and stillness settle deep within.
And now we'll say a tender goodbye to this moonlit scene.
Knowing that it's here any time we'd like to return.
For now,
You can allow the imagery to dissipate and slowly come back to your mental landscape.
Notice any thoughts,
Sensations,
Or emotions that are present.
And now bring your sankalpa back to the front of your mind.
Your sankalpa might have been,
I am abundant in love,
Joy,
And opportunity.
Once more stating your intention silently to yourself.
Feeling its energy spreading throughout your subconscious.
Feeling it seep down into your bones.
Noticing the subtle sensation of air flowing at the nostrils.
The soothing,
Rhythmic rise and fall of the body.
And maybe you allow the lips to part as you inhale through the nose.
And sigh out your breath through the mouth.
Welcome into your awareness the sensation of the blanket or your clothing resting on top of the body.
And the temperature of the air as it meets your skin.
Notice your whole body from head to toe.
And begin to notice the sounds that are present aside from my voice.
Mentally remind yourself that you have been practicing yoga nidra.
Your practice is coming to an end.
And now it's time to return to a state of being awake and aware.
When you're ready begin to invite gentle movement back into the body.
Taking your time to slowly stretch and awaken each part.
And eventually you'll roll to one side and make your way up.
We'll end our practice here.
Thank you so much for allowing me to guide and support you through this class.
I hope that it's left you well rested.
And I'm sending you deep peace and gratitude.
