Yoga Nidra: Fire

This is a recording of a live Yoga Nidra session on Insight Timer on the 23rd November 2025 and is the third in a series of nidras inspired by the elements, exploring the Fire element. The practice includes a rotation of consciousness visualising golden light illuminating the body, visualisation of a flame at the heart centre, exploration of the opposites hot/cold and envy/contentment, rapid visualisation of fire-inspired images, a journey to overcome an obstacle and space to invite and acknowledge your Sankalpa.

Image by Ashwini Chaudhary

Transcript

And make sure that you are comfortable for your practice.

So just take a moment to do anything that you can do to be as comfortable as you can possibly be.

So you can make use of any props,

You can cover yourself with blankets or blankets and just find a position that you can rest in where you can maybe forget that your body's there at all and just completely surrender into the relaxation.

And as your body becomes more comfortable notice how effortlessly it begins to relax.

Notice how every exhalation encourages the body into a deeper level of relaxation.

With every exhalation feel tension releasing from the muscle.

Notice how with every exhalation the mind begins to slow down.

And the breath begins to slow down.

And just become aware of any sounds that are present in your environment.

And let the awareness move from sound to sound,

Just acknowledging that those sounds are there.

And without getting too involved in any one sound,

Just notice them and know that they are not going to disturb you.

They can only help you to relax even more deeply.

Now see yourself in a beautiful,

Calm,

Safe place.

Somewhere that you feel completely secure,

Completely at peace.

You might like to recall a time when you felt safe and secure and well.

Or you might like to imagine a situation that has everything you need to feel safe,

To feel well and secure.

And feel yourself completely surrendering into that safe,

Peaceful environment.

And notice that feeling of safety intensifying in your body.

Where do you feel that feeling of safety inside your body?

Feel that feeling vividly.

Watch that feeling of safety grow and expand into the whole of your body.

Welcome it into every single cell.

This is your feeling that you have created for yourself.

And you can always come back to it at any time if you need to.

The feeling of absolute safety and security,

Peace and well-being.

Now bring the awareness to the heart.

And with the awareness at the heart center,

Invite your sankalpa to arise.

The sankalpa is a deep prayer or vow from the heart.

Something that you wish to achieve or attain in this life.

Without forcing anything to happen,

Just allow it to arise naturally,

However it comes.

And if you don't have a sankalpa,

Just keep the awareness at the heart center.

And observe whatever is happening at the heart center.

We're going to take our journey around the body.

And as you bring the awareness to rest at each point,

You might like to see a golden light glowing at each part of the body,

Illuminating the body.

And we'll begin at the tip of the tongue.

Golden light glowing at the tip of the tongue.

Illuminating the tip of the tongue.

And the whole of the tongue.

The whole of the tongue glowing with golden light.

And the roof of the mouth.

The bottom of the mouth.

Golden light illuminating the upper row of teeth.

The lower row of teeth.

The gums.

The upper lip.

The lower lip.

The chin.

The jaw.

The right ear.

The left ear.

The right cheek.

The left cheek.

The inside of the right nostril.

The inside of the left nostril.

The tip of the nose.

The whole of the nose.

The right eye.

The left eye.

The right eyebrow.

The left eyebrow.

The eyebrow centre.

The forehead.

The top of the head.

The back of the head.

The back of the neck.

The right shoulder.

Golden light illuminating the right shoulder.

The right upper arm.

The right elbow.

The lower arm.

The right wrist.

The palm of the right hand.

The back of the right hand.

The right thumb.

Index finger.

Middle finger.

Ring finger.

Little finger.

Golden light illuminating the left shoulder.

The left upper arm.

The left elbow.

The lower arm.

The left wrist.

The palm of the left hand.

The back of the left hand.

The left hand thumb.

Index finger.

Middle finger.

Ring finger.

Little finger.

Golden light illuminating the throat.

The left side of the chest.

The right side of the chest.

The centre of the chest.

The navel.

The lower abdomen.

The right hip.

The right thigh.

The right knee.

The right knee.

The lower leg.

The right ankle.

The right heel.

The sole of the right foot.

The top of the right foot.

Each of the right toes.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Golden light illuminating the left hip.

The left thigh.

The left knee.

The lower leg.

The left ankle.

The left heel.

The sole of the left foot.

The top of the left foot.

Each of the left toes.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Six.

Seven.

Eight.

Nine.

Ten.

Eleven.

Twelve.

Thirteen.

Fourteen.

Eighteen.

Nineteen.

Twenty-one.

Twenty-four.

Twenty-five.

Twenty-six.

Twenty-eight.

Twenty-nine.

Twenty-ten.

Twenty-eleven.

Twenty-twelve.

And the whole of the body together.

Golden light illuminates the whole of the body.

Bring the awareness to the heart centre.

At the centre of the chest.

See a tiny flame flickering at the heart centre.

As the breath flows in,

It flows to the flame.

The flame grows with the breath.

Watch that flame expanding with every breath.

Every inhalation nourishing the flame at the heart centre.

Watch that flame slowly growing into a burning fire at the centre of the heart.

Feel into your body and invite the feeling of heat to arise.

Invite the feeling of heat.

Feel your body becoming very warm.

As if out in the sun on a hot summer's day.

Welcome the feeling of heat.

Intensify it.

Feel it vividly throughout the whole of your body.

The feeling of heat.

Welcome the feeling of heat.

And the feeling of cold.

Invite the feeling of cold to arise.

Welcome the feeling of cold.

Feel your body so cold as if out in the snow on a cold winter's day.

Intensify the feeling throughout the whole of your body.

The feeling of heat.

Welcome the feeling of cold.

Hot and cold together.

Invite the feelings of hot and cold to arise inside the body at the same time.

Welcome them both together.

Intensify the feeling.

The feelings of hot and of cold.

Inside the body together.

Hot and cold together.

And the feeling of envy.

Invite the feeling of envy to arise.

Perhaps by recalling a time when you felt envious.

Or just by allowing that feeling to arise by itself.

Welcome the feeling of envy.

Feel it in every part of your body.

Intensify the feeling.

Feel it as vividly as possible.

And feeling of envy.

Welcome the feeling of envy.

And the feeling of contentment.

Invite the feeling of contentment to arise.

Welcome the feeling of contentment.

Feel it vividly through the whole of your body.

The feeling of contentment.

Welcome the feeling of contentment.

Envy and contentment together.

Welcome both feelings as they arise inside the body at the same time.

Feel them both vividly and simultaneously.

The feelings of envy and contentment together.

Envy and contentment together.

Bring the awareness to the eyebrow centre.

Observe the eyebrow centre.

Notice what is happening there.

Any shapes,

Images,

Colours or patterns.

Or darkness.

Without getting too involved.

Just observe.

And keeping the awareness at the eyebrow centre.

I'm going to name some different things.

Allow an impression of each thing to arise as it's named.

They may come as images.

They may come as feelings or more subtle impressions.

There's no need to force anything to happen.

Just allow each one to arise however it comes.

Starting with a flickering candle.

Stars in the night sky.

The midday sun.

Bread warming in the oven.

A lion.

A bonfire.

A burning cone of incense.

A string of fairy lights.

The sun rising over the desert.

Rays of sunlight filtering through the treetops in a forest.

Hundreds of small candles in a large cathedral.

A roaring fireplace in the winter.

Come back to the centre of the chest.

Come back to the flame at the heart centre.

And continue to nourish the fire at the heart with the breath.

Each inhalation nourishes the fire.

Allowing the fire to grow and to burn more strongly.

Now see yourself walking up the side of a mountain.

The afternoon sunlight shines down upon you.

As you make your way up the mountain.

You know that at the top is something that you deeply desire.

It's a long uphill walk.

And at times the climb up the mountain isn't easy.

But the dream that lies at the top keeps you moving forwards.

As you start to near the top of the mountain.

A large figure steps into the path in front of you.

You take a look at the figure and you see that it is not something that you can easily move past.

A part of you wonders if you should just turn around and go back.

You're determined to reach the top of the mountain.

To achieve your dream.

And you tune back into the fire at the centre of your heart.

And you realise that you know exactly what you have to do.

To pass this obstacle and to reach the other side.

You look up at the figure in front of you.

And you see it for what it really is.

And then you do whatever it is that you need to do.

To move past that obstacle.

To move forward on your path.

You continue up the last part of the pathway to the top of the mountain.

And as you reach the top you find yourself connecting with the thing that you have been aiming for.

At one with your dream.

Resting at the top of the mountain.

You welcome the warmth of the sun.

You enjoy the beautiful views that surround you.

And you feel completely at peace.

Come back to the heart centre.

Come back to the burning fire at the centre of the heart.

And invite your sankalpa to arise again.

Without forcing it,

Welcome your sankalpa as it comes very naturally.

And if you don't have a sankalpa,

Just keep the awareness of the fire at the heart centre.

And watch the burning flames of the fire.

And now very slowly begin to turn the awareness back outward.

Notice any sounds that are present in your environment.

And just let the awareness jump from sound to sound.

Without getting too involved in any one sound.

But just acknowledging that they're there.

And feel into the feeling of your body resting into the surface beneath you.

Feeling of the air flowing in and out.

And watch the small movements that happen with the breath.

The chest gently rising and falling.

And start to make some small movements to reawaken the body.

Moving the fingers and the toes.

The hands and the feet.

And give yourself a stretch in any way that feels comfortable for you.

So taking your time,

There's no rush.

When you're sure that you're wide awake again,

Slowly blink the eyes back open to complete the practice.

Reviews

Fire in my heart! Sometimes it was hard to feel envy but I kept the fire alive. Will keep striving to reach the mountain top. Thank you so much!