Yoga Nidra: Earth | Root Chakra | No Music

A deep, music-free Yoga Nidra in the tradition of Swami Satyananda Saraswati, working with the earth element and the muladhara chakra. 

Through the classical rotation of consciousness, elemental imagery, and an extended journey connecting the root chakra, this practice cultivates groundedness and stability. Bring your own sankalpa, and allow the earth to hold it.

Transcript

This practice honours the earth element associated with the root chakra at the base of the spine. The sense of smell, The colour red, The quality of solidity, Stability and nourishment. The mantra is LAM. Lie down in Shavasana, The corpse pose. Extend your legs and allow your feet to fall naturally apart. Let your arms rest a little away from the body, Palms facing upward. Gently close your eyes. Make any final adjustments to your position. Feel the weight of your body on the floor. The floor supports you completely. Allow full surrender to the ground. Become aware of the physical points of contact between your body and the earth. The back of the head, The shoulder blades, The backs of the hands, The buttocks, The calves, The heels. Each point of contact is the earth receiving you. Take a slow, Deep breath in and as you exhale, Feel the body settle a little more deeply into the floor. Again, A slow breath in and on the out-breath, Let go of any remaining tension in the muscles. One more deep breath. And let the breath return to its natural rhythm. You are lying upon the body of the earth. She holds you now. The sankalpa is a short, Positive statement of resolve, A seed planted in the relaxed mind. It should arise from your deepest aspiration. It is a declaration of truth. Bring your sankalpa to the surface of the mind now. Allow it to form in your own words. A simple, Clear and positive statement. Repeat it silently three times with full feeling and conviction. The earth receives your sankalpa. It will grow in its own season. Now we begin the rotation of consciousness, A journey of awareness through the different parts of the body. Move as quickly as possible from part to part. Repeat the name of each part silently in your mind and simultaneously feel that part of the body. Keep yourself alert but not tense. Become aware of the right hand, Right thumb, Second finger, Third finger, Fourth finger, Fourth finger, Fifth finger, Palm of the hand, Back of the hand, Right wrist, Left forearm, Elbow, Upper arm, Shoulder, Armpit, Right side of the waist, Right hip, Right thigh, Kneecap, Calf muscle, Ankle, Heel, Sole of the right foot, Top of the foot, Right big toe, Left big toe, Second toe, Third toe, Fourth toe, Fifth toe. Become aware of the left hand, Left thumb, Second finger, Third finger, Fourth finger, Fifth finger, Palm of the hand, Back of the hand, Left wrist, Forearm, Elbow, Upper arm, Shoulder, Left side of the waist, Left hip, Left thigh, Kneecap, Calf muscle, Ankle, Heel, Sole of the left foot, Top of the foot, Left big toe, Second toe, Third toe, Third toe, Fourth toe, Fifth toe. Now the back. Right shoulder blade, Left shoulder blade, Right buttock, Left buttock, The spine, The whole of the back together, Top of the head, Forehead, Both sides of the head, Right eyebrow, Left eyebrow, The space between the eyebrows, Right eyelid, Left eyelid, Right eye, Left eye, Right ear, Left ear, Right cheek, Left cheek, The nose, Tip of the nose, Upper lip, Lower lip, Chin, Throat, Right side of the chest, Left side of the chest, Middle of the chest, Navel, Abdomen, Whole of the right leg, Whole of the left leg, Both legs together, Whole of the right arm, Whole of the left arm, Both arms together, The whole of the back, Buttocks, Spine, Shoulder blades, The whole of the front, Abdomen, Chest, Back and front together, The whole of the head, The whole body together, The whole body together, The whole body together, Now become aware of your natural breath, Do not alter it in any way, Simply observe the gentle rise and fall of the abdomen, The cool touch of air at the nostrils, And the slight warmth as it leaves, Now notice the sensation of heaviness, Feel how heavy the body has become, As though it is made of stone, Let this heaviness deepen with each exhalation, The body is heavy, Completely heavy, Like a great stone resting in the earth, Now bring your awareness to the sense of smell, The earth element governs the nose and the faculty of smell, Recalling a fragrance of the earth, Wet soil after rain, Pine trees in the forest, A field of lavender, Now I will guide you through a series of images, Encounter each one swiftly without analysis, Let the images arise and pass like clouds, A seed in dark soil, Pressing downward, Roots reaching, A seed in dark soil, Pressing downward, Roots reaching, A seed in dark soil, Pressing downward, Roots reaching, A great mountain at dawn in stillness, A great mountain at dawn in stillness, A great mountain at dawn in stillness, The smell of rain on dry earth, The smell of rain on dry earth, The smell of rain on dry earth, A cave deep within a mountainside, Cool, Silent, Safe, A cave deep within a mountainside, Cool, Silent, Safe, A cave deep within a mountainside, Cool, Silent, Cool, Silent, Safe, The colour red, Deep red, The red of iron-rich earth, The colour red, Deep red, The red of iron-rich earth, The colour red, Deep red, The red of iron-rich earth, A bear entering its winter den, Curling, Sleeping, A bear entering its winter den, Curling, Sleeping, A bear entering its winter den, Curling, Sleeping, You are the earth itself, Patient, Solid, Ancient, Still, You are standing at the foot of a great mountain, The mountain is ancient, Older than memory, Its stone has experienced the rise and fall of the seas, The slow movement of the continents, The slow movement of the continents, You feel the solid ground beneath your feet, Rock and clay compressed by time, At the base of the mountain, Almost hidden by ferns, There is an opening, A natural doorway into the mountain, You approach it, There only curiosity and a deep instinctual recognition, As though you have always known this place, You step inside, The air is cool and carries the scent of deep earth, The cave walls glow faintly, With a soft red golden light, You do not know the source of this light, But it is gentle and it is welcoming, At the very centre of the cave, There is a great stone, At the very centre of the cave, There is a great smooth stone, Beautifully formed, As though shaped by the hands of the earth herself, You sit on the stone, And the moment you sit, You feel a vast stillness enter your body from below, Rising through the soles of the feet, Through the base of the spine, Filling the pelvis and the belly with warmth, I am held, I belong to this earth, I am grounded here, In the centre of your awareness, At the very base of your spine, You sense the root chakra, It glows like a coal, Deep red, Slow pulsing, It is your foundation, Your sense of security, The connection that draws nourishment from the ground, Silently from within this deep place, The mantra arises, LAM, LAM, LAM, LAM, Not a sound you make, But a vibration the earth makes through you, The cave is completely safe, There is nothing to do, Nothing to become, You are already complete, As the stone is complete, As the mountain is complete, Before you leave this cave, Before you return to the surface world, Bring your sankalpa once more to the surface of the mind, Feel it rooted now, Planted not just in thought, But in the body itself, In the bones and in the belly, In the earth of your being, Repeat it three times in your mind, With full awareness now, The earth, The earth has received your intention, It is safely held within her, Now begin to come back, Become aware of the breath, Moving in and out of the body, Become aware of the weight of the body on the floor, The floor is solid beneath you, The earth holds you still, Begin to feel the physical body once again, Hands and fingers, Feet and toes, Allow tiny movements to return, Maybe a soft stretch, Returning to full awareness, Carrying within you the quality of the earth, Groundedness, Stability, Patience, These qualities are within you, They are qualities you have remembered, Take a slow, Deep breath, And begin to deepen it with each cycle, When you are ready, Allow the eyes to open slowly, Let the world return gently, The practice of Yoga Nidra with the earth element is complete, Hari Om Tat Sat, You are listening to Isabel Styles.