Ancestral Light Roots

This yoga nidra focuses on exploring our ancestral roots. Whether by honoring them or clearing our roots of generational issues, the sankalpa is yours. We will also explore the theme as roots being bearers of light, using the radish vegetable as a metaphor. Linguistically, the root of the root (radish in this case) is “rad,” which means light. The root word for light in Hebrew can also mean salvation or wide open spaces.

The information/story portion of the meditation ends at the time stamp of 8:28, so if you prefer to skip ahead and tap directly into the nidra, you can do that too.

Ambient music by Mark Ignoffo.

Transcript

Hello, And welcome to the HERE, H-E-A-R, And NOW. As you settle in and come to stillness, I'm going to talk about the theme of this Yoga Nidra. Plant your body and let my words drift over you. You can be anywhere, In any position, To do this meditation, But quiet and comfort are optimal. Come to a position that is best for your body. If at any point you need to move, That's fine. Just return to stillness as soon as you are able. And if you don't understand what I'm saying, Don't worry. On some deeper level, Your soul does. There's no way to do this practice wrong. There's nothing else to do, And nowhere else to be. As Carl Jung once said, Who looks outside, Dreams, And who looks inside, Awakens. So just be, As you pay attention only to the sound of my voice, As I tell you a little bit about the importance of roots. Listen, Sense, And feel what stirs in your soul. For purposes of this Yoga Nidra, We're going to discuss the taproot system, Using the radish as an example. A radish is a taproot. There's only one root, And it runs deep. When you were eating a radish, You were actually eating a root, Just like a carrot or a beet. Oaks, Elms, And pine trees also use a taproot system. However, Redwood trees, Peanuts, And potatoes do not. They achieve stability and support by spreading their roots out extensively, Often intertwining with neighboring roots, To create a network of mutuality and community. Deep or shallow, Each root system is viable and strong. The Latin root of the word radish is rad. From this root, We get the words radiate, Radiant, And radical. It means light. An Irish author, John O'Donoghue's book, Anamkara, He describes the Hebrew root word yasha to be translated as salvation. O'Donoghue explains that yasha can also be translated to mean wide open spaces, Freedom as expansive, Not restrictive. Vast and uninhibited. Light, Therefore, Can also be interpreted as salvation. Infinite, The source of light travels without constraint or prejudice, Like a seed from which a root arises. Planted in darkness, It grows down towards the core of the earth, Creating light and space. Anchored in the gravitational pull, It needs nutrient-rich dirt, Sunlight, And water. Optimal conditions in which to germinate. Without any one of these three elements, The seed cannot develop a root. But once the root forms and begins to move, The growth is exponential, The onward momentum a conduit. By burrowing deep into Mother Earth, Roots send their energy, Their light, Into the darkness, Creating space, Creating salvation. Roots offer stability and act as a vehicle for nourishment. Drawing up nutrients, The roots absorb from the soil that which is needed for sustainability and biodiversity. Some tap roots, Such as radishes, Prefer dank, Mucky soil, But soil that is well-drained. Lotuses, Also tap roots, Like mud at the bottom of a pond. Potatoes also prefer moist conditions. But other tap root plants flourish in dry, Arid soil. Even though the radish is only one primary root, It has offshoots or rootlets, Tiny fibers that are a part of it. Connected, They too radiate. Biologically speaking, Not all roots produce roots. However, They can still sow seeds and reproduce in this manner, Bearing fruit. For example, After the radish seed flowers, The plant develops a pod containing its seeds. When the pod is dry, The seeds can be harvested. This is called a self-seeding plant. So for purposes of this yoga nidra, Consider the notion that by resting here in the gentle support of the earth, You are self-seeding, By relaxing, Resting, And listening. Now that you are firmly planted in the earth yourself, Having created space in your heart, Let's shift our attention slightly to the subject of ancestral roots, The roots of your human family tree. According to recent science, Original genetic coding, The seeds, Are basically eliminated after 20 generations. And after only six to eight generations, There is no reliable genetic coding to connect you to your forebears. Your ancestors may be your ancestors, But at a certain point, You lose a genetic connection. Let that sink in. You have pretty much no genetic connection to your family before the year 1500. So some questions to ask yourself are, How much light, And for how long, Does your family radiate? Can you name your great-grandparents? Any one of the eight? Does it matter? And is it important? These are the questions we are going to explore during this journey of self-inquiry, Setting the intention of giving thanks for our roots, For our light-bearing ancestors. If it resonates with you, Consider saying, I am thankful for my ancestors, Who illuminate my way forward, Three times or so. You can use any other phrase that speaks to you. Then plant this intention in your heart, Or any other part of your body that needs to be nourished, Or, Conversely, Any part of your body that needs to release any generational trauma. And then, Let it go. Let this be a healing experience, Honoring your ancestors, By being here, And honoring yourself. Drop further, In the stillness, And silence. Then bring attention to your breath. First, Noticing where it arises in your body, Belly, Chest, Throat, Maybe even the face, The nose, Or the mouth. Notice if you're breathing fast, Or slow. And then inhale through your nose, And exhale through your mouth, Through softly pursed lips, Like you're blowing through a straw. In through the nose, Out through the mouth. Do this at your own pace, In your own way. Do a few more rounds of breath like this, In through the nose, Out through the mouth, Through softly pursed lips, Finding your own rhythm. Release the breathing pattern, And allow yourself to relax even further. Cradled by the love of the earth, Welcomed, Into its deep and mysterious folds. Now invite your circle of angels, Ancestors, Family or friends, Mentors, Pets, To accompany you on this journey into the soul. It can be anyone who is rooting for you from the other side of the veil, Give thanks and ask for their blessings, As you seek to heal and illuminate your mind, Body, And spirit. And before you fully surrender to the grace space, Repeat the intention one more time. I'm grateful for my ancestors. Now allow yourself to relax, Allow your awareness to drift to your tailbone, And plant itself there. All of your attention and focus on your tailbone. The first chakra, Called the root chakra. This is the tip of the spine. Notice if the energy at your tailbone is spinning clockwise, Or counterclockwise. Maybe you don't feel any energy down there at all. That's okay too. Remember, There's no way to do this practice wrong. But if you have any tension or pain in that area, And the energy is spinning in a counterclockwise fashion, See if your imagination can make it go the opposite way. Then drift your attention up a little bit into your tailbone. And notice if you can shift it to the sacrum, A space just above the tailbone. And notice which way the energy is flowing here. The sacrum's name comes from Latin, But is derived from the Greeks, Who called it the sacred bone. Observe, Sense, And feel the circle of energy in this location. Allow your attention to evaporate. Now allow your attention to shift even further, Upwards to your low back, The lumbar region of the spine. See if you can discern which way the energy is flowing in this area. This is called the solar plexus chakra. The solar plexus gets its name from the Latin word plexus, Meaning braid or network, And the Latin word sol, Meaning sun. This refers to the network of nerves that radiates from the area near the stomach, Resembling the sun's rays. This is your seat of power and motivation. Relax and witness the flow of energy here. Next, Bring your attention to the center of your heart, The heart chakra. Notice the direction of the energy in this space. Is there any emotional pain that needs to be reversed? Or is it full to overflowing? No commenting, Just observe and be aware of the sensations in your heart space. Drift attention up into the area at the base of the throat, The home of the fifth chakra. Again, Notice the direction of energy there. This is the throat chakra. Are you choking back any emotions? Spend some time sensing and feeling into this area. Without judgment. Internally release anything that needs to be said before moving forward. Now bring your awareness into an area between the eyebrows called the third eye. This is the seat of enlightenment. Finally, Bring your attention to the top of your head to an area called the crown chakra. This area is associated with connection to creation, To the source. It is also the area that was closed last in your body, After you were born. The two sides of your skull closing and fusing mother and father, Sun and moon, Left and right. Now we begin what is called the rotation of consciousness. We will go on a journey around the body, Traveling from spot to spot and bathing each location with the healing light of awareness. Honoring our genetic roots from our paternal ancestors on the right side of the body and the maternal on the left. Blessing the areas of unity and honoring the differences. Balancing the two sides. All you have to do is follow the sound of my voice from point to point. Even if you don't know where each point is, Your body will remember for you. Return your awareness to the root of the spine, The tailbone and travel attention up to the sacral spine. Right ovary if you have one, Right hip, Right front of thigh, Right back of thigh, Knee, Shin, Ankle, Heel, Sole of foot, Toes, Root to tip, Big toe, Index toe, Middle toe, Ring, And pinky. Your whole right leg, Then the pubic bone in the middle, Over to the left ovary if you have one, The left hip, Left front of thigh, And back of thigh, Knee, Shin, Calf, Ankle, Heel, Sole of foot, Toes, Root to tip, Big toe, Index toe, Middle toe, Ring toe, And pinky. Then the whole left leg, Back to the pubic bone in the middle, Bridging the lower differences, Then both legs together, Unified. Breast bone in the middle of the chest, Bridging the upper sides, The right ribcage, Right breast, Right armpit, Shoulder, Front, And back, Upper arm, Elbow, Forearm, And wrist, Palm of the hand, And back of the hand, And all the fingers, Root to tip, Thumb, Index, Middle, Ring, Ring, Pinky. Then the whole right arm, Back to the breast bone in the middle of the chest, Left ribcage, Front and back, Left breast, Left armpit, Shoulder, Front and back, Upper arm, Elbow, Forearm, Wrist, Palm of the hand, And back of the hand, All the fingers, Root to tip, Thumb, Index, Middle, Ring, Pinky. The whole left arm, And then both arms together. Return to the breast bone, And then up to the pit of the throat, Middle of the clavicles, Bridging the sides left and right, The tongue, Root to tip, Right nostril, Right ear, Right eye, Left nostril, Left ear, Left eye, Right eye, Both eyes, Both ears, Both nostrils, Together, Synchronized, Third eye, And then the roots of the hair at the top of the head. Saturated with bliss, Plant your intention one more time. I am thankful for my ancestors. Allow yourself to receive blessings and messages from your spiritual fan club, Honoring the roots of light in the darkness. Now sense and feel if you prefer to stay longer in the darkness, Germinating, Perhaps sleeping, Or if you prefer to arise in the darkness, Open to awareness and move forward with your day. The choice is yours. There are no rules or regulations. You decide. If you choose to arise back into the light of day, Begin to pay attention to sounds received in your right ear. And then your left. Then both ears together. Sensing aromas in the right nostril. And then the left. Both nostrils together. Gently becoming aware of the sensations touching the skin, The temperature of the air, Perhaps the feel of a pet next to you. If it feels like something you'd like to do, Consider wiggling feet and rolling wrists, Stretching fingers and toes, Palms of hands, Your legs and arms, Slowly bringing movement back into the body. If you feel like it, Roll over onto one side and repeat your intention to yourself one more time. I am thankful for my roots. Notice which side you rolled onto if you rolled right or left. Then move in any way that seems as if your body is calling for it with ease and intention. Perhaps opening your eyes Give thanks for this time spent creating space with yourself, Illuminating your path. This ends the Yoga Nidra. Namaste, Jai Bhagwan, And Amen.