Hi and welcome,
My name is Heather.
This sleep meditation is inspired by the earth element in traditional Chinese medicine and the stabilising energy of late summer.
While it's aligned with this seasonal phase,
It can also be very supportive at any transitional time in your life,
Especially when change feels challenging.
It's part of a series of seasonal sleep meditations based on the five element system.
So let's begin.
Lie down in Shavasana and make yourself comfortable.
Adjust your position,
Clothes and blankets,
So that you can be as comfortable as possible for practising Yoga Nidra.
Take a few deep breaths and as you exhale,
Allow yourself to fully relax.
With each exhalation,
Feel yourself sinking deeper and deeper into a relaxed state.
After Yoga Nidra,
You will return to full awareness,
Feeling satisfied and content.
But for now,
Allow yourself to relax as deeply as you can.
If you have a Sankalpa or positive intention,
Repeat it now mentally to yourself three times.
It should be repeated with full awareness and feeling.
Bring your awareness to your breath.
Notice the natural rise and fall of the breath.
No effort required here,
Just naturally inhaling and naturally exhaling.
The breath flowing easily.
Now,
Bring your awareness to the top of your head.
Allow the head to relax and the mind to become still.
The whole head becomes heavy and relaxed.
Now,
Allow that feeling of relaxation to spread from the head,
Down through the neck and out across the shoulders.
Feel the feeling of relaxation spread down both arms to the tips of the fingers,
So that both arms become heavy and relaxed.
Now,
Feel the feeling of relaxation spreading from the shoulders,
Across the chest,
The tummy and down to the hips and pelvis.
And then down the back of the body,
The shoulder blades,
The spine,
Either side of the spine to the buttocks.
Now,
Feel that feeling of relaxation spread down both legs,
All the way to the tips of the toes.
Both legs heavy and relaxed.
The whole body is completely relaxed.
Sinking deeply down into the floor or mat.
Bring your awareness back to the breath and start counting backwards from 54 to 1 with each inhalation and exhalation.
Inhaling 54,
Exhaling 54.
Inhaling 53,
Exhaling 53 and so on,
All the way down to 1.
If you lose concentration,
Return back to 54 and start again.
Focusing on the breath and focusing on the counting.
Imagine now you are walking along a path.
There is a wall on one side of the path and within the wall you notice a gate.
You go through the gate and on the other side come into a large orchard.
There is an abundance of trees in the orchard.
They are all heavy with ripe fruits ready to be harvested.
You start to pick the fruits,
Placing them in a basket.
You are very satisfied with the rich crop.
Some of the fruits have already fallen early from the trees and will nourish the earth for next year.
Notice how much fruit you have picked,
A sense of contentment for your efforts.
Embody the qualities of the earth element.
Satisfaction,
Contentment,
Inner strength,
Sense of achievement.
Feel the energy of the earth element circulating through the body,
Nourishing each and every cell.
Now,
Bring your awareness to Chidakasha,
The space just behind the forehead.
Rest your attention there for a short while.
And you may notice images and colours,
Shapes,
Patterns.
Simply observe with no attachment as if you are watching a movie screen.
Now,
It's time to repeat your Sankalpa or positive intention.
Repeat your Sankalpa now with full awareness and feeling three times.
Bring your awareness back to your breath.
Notice that you are breathing.
Start to take a slightly deeper breath.
Start to become aware of the sounds in the room,
The sounds outside the room.
Start to wiggle the fingers and toes.
Gently bring some movement back to the body.
Take a stretch or hug the knees into the chest.
The practice of Yoga Nidra for the earth element is now complete.
Hari Om Tat Sat.
Hari Om Tat Sat.
Just gently and slowly turn up the corners of your mouth.
Feel the energy of a smile.
This earth element practice is offered freely as a grounding introduction to the Elemental Sleep Meditation series.
Have a wonderful,
Wonderful day everyone.
