Yoga Nidra To Connect With Nature

This is a recording of a live Yoga Nidra session on Insight Timer on the 11h January 2026. This grounding practice guides you towards a deep connection with nature and includes nature visualisations, a body scan, exploration of the opposites heavy/light and wave breathing. Throughout the practice, you are reminded of your ever present connection with the world around you in your environment, and through your breath.

Image by Mariana Pedroza

Transcript

So make sure that you've got what you need to be warm and comfortable for the practice.

So if you want to take any pillows,

Any blankets or cushions or any support and just see how comfortable you can make yourself.

So if there are any small movements or any little adjustments that you can make,

See if you can perhaps make yourself so comfortable that you might even forget that your body's there as you practice.

And just be aware as you rest into your position that the earth is supporting you,

That whatever the surface is that you're lying on,

That is a part of the earth.

So as you feel that you are safely held by that surface,

Know that that is the support of the earth holding you.

Just bring the awareness to the breath.

Notice the flow of the breath as it comes in,

As it flows out again.

Feel how every breath guides your body into relaxation.

Every breath carries away any tension from the muscles,

Anything that your body is holding onto that you don't need to carry with you into the practice.

Watch the natural passage of the breath as it comes in through the nose and flows into the lungs,

Into the chest and watch the breath flowing back out again.

See if you can notice the quiet sound of the breath.

You can hear the air touching against the nostrils as it flows in and out.

And just send the awareness outwards to any sounds that are present in your environment.

Let the awareness jump from sound to sound,

Just observing that the sounds are there.

And know that the sounds are not going to disturb you.

They can only help to enhance your experience.

Now picture yourself in a beautiful,

Safe and peaceful place in nature.

See yourself surrounded by all of the natural things that make you feel at peace.

They help to make you feel secure and safe.

Become aware of the sky above you.

Any plants or any animals around you.

If there's anything else you want to bring into this environment that will help you to feel even more safe,

Even more secure,

Even more at peace.

Bring anything that you need into that environment.

Feel that feeling of safety intensifying inside your body.

Notice where you feel that feeling of safety inside your body.

And then feel that feeling of safety growing so that you feel it through the whole of your body.

In every single cell.

This is your feeling that you have created for yourself.

You can always come back to this feeling,

To this safe,

Peaceful place,

Any time that you need to during the practice.

As you rest into your peaceful,

Natural environment,

Become aware of the presence of the earth beneath you.

Become aware of your body resting into the earth.

And as we journey around the body,

As your awareness rests on each of the body parts,

Feel that part of your body completely surrendering into the earth.

Safely held and supported by the earth.

We'll begin at the right hand thumb.

Bring the awareness to rest at the right hand thumb.

The right index finger.

The middle finger.

The ring finger.

The little finger.

The palm of the right hand.

The back of the hand.

The right wrist.

The right forearm.

The right elbow.

The upper arm.

The right shoulder.

The right side of the chest.

The right side of the abdomen.

The right hip.

The right thigh.

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.

Bring the awareness to the whole of the right foot.

The whole of the right leg.

The whole of the right arm.

The whole of the right side of the body.

Now moving to the left side,

Bring the awareness to the left hand thumb.

The left index finger.

The left middle finger.

The ring finger.

The little finger.

The palm of the left hand.

The back of the hand.

The left wrist.

The left forearm.

The left elbow.

The upper arm.

The left shoulder.

The left side of the chest.

The left side of the abdomen.

The left waist.

The left hip.

The left thigh.

The knee.

The lower leg.

The left ankle.

The left heel.

The sole of the left foot.

The top of the foot.

Each of the left toes.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Bring the awareness to the whole of the left foot.

The whole of the left leg.

The whole of the left arm.

The whole of the left side of the body.

And the whole of the body together.

Awareness on the whole of the body together.

The whole of the body together.

Feel the whole of the body supported by the earth beneath you.

Just allow the impressions to arise of the natural world around you.

Allow a natural connection to form with the plants,

With the trees,

With the soil.

Feel your body deeply connected with the earth.

Feel the body becoming heavier and heavier as it sinks into the earth.

Feel your body sinking into the earth and becoming one with the earth.

The heavy body sinking into the earth.

Resting into the depth of the earth.

Now feel your body becoming very light.

Floating up away from the earth.

Up into the sky.

Connecting with the element of air.

Feel yourself floating up into the sky.

Becoming so light that you become one with the sky.

Feel yourself connecting with the sky.

With the clouds.

With the sun and the moon.

And one with the sky.

The earth and the sky together.

Feel the body so heavy that it connects deeply with the earth.

And so light that it floats away and connects with the sky at the same time.

Feel that connection with the earth and the sky together.

One with the earth.

One with the sky.

Now bring the awareness to the breath.

Watch the natural breath.

And follow the air as it flows in and as it flows out.

And making a connection with the element of water.

As you breathe,

See the breath moving over your body like a wave.

As you inhale,

The wave washes from the feet up to the top of the head.

As you exhale,

The wave washes from the head back to the feet.

And continue watching the wave flowing over your body.

From the feet to the head on the inhalation.

From the head to the feet on the exhalation.

And bring the awareness to the eyebrow centre.

Observe the eyebrow centre.

Notice what's happening at the eyebrow centre.

Any shape.

Any colours or pattern.

Or perhaps just darkness.

Without getting too involved,

Just observe the eyebrow centre as it is right now.

Keeping the awareness at the eyebrow centre.

I'm going to name some different things.

Allow an impression of each one to arise as its name.

Without forcing anything to happen,

Just allow each one to come however it comes.

Beginning with an oak tree.

Bluebells in a forest.

A snow-capped mountain.

Pebbles on the beach.

Waves crashing on the sand.

Dew drops on the grass.

A cascading waterfall.

A trickling stream.

The midday sun in a clear blue sky.

A flickering candle.

Moonlight reflecting off the still surface of a lake.

Stars in the night sky.

A feather blowing in the breeze.

An eagle soaring through the sky.

Pink clouds at sunset.

The howling wind.

The sun rising over a valley.

Bring the awareness to the heart.

Bring the awareness to the heart centre.

See a flame burning at the heart centre.

Rest the awareness from the burning flame at the heart.

Bring the awareness to the breath.

As the breath flows in and out,

Become aware that the air that you are breathing is connected to the whole of the world.

The molecules of air flowing into your body are connected to the tallest mountains,

To the oceans,

To the forests.

Allow the awareness to drift with the air to a place in nature that's inviting you to connect with it right now.

Breathe the same air as that place in nature,

Knowing that you are always connected.

Now very gently bring the awareness back to the feeling of your body resting into the surface beneath you.

Feel into the safe support of the surface that you're resting on.

Become aware that the surface that you're resting on is a part of the earth and is connected to every other part of the earth.

Send the awareness down into the earth beneath you,

Down below the building,

Into the soil,

Into the earth.

Let the awareness drift out into the surrounding world around you,

To the earth that exists beneath you,

Wherever you are,

To the roots of the trees and the roots of the plants,

To all of the creatures living within the soil.

Let the awareness continue to drift outwards,

Acknowledging the presence of the natural world around you,

Beneath you.

Send the awareness up to the sky above you.

Make that connection with the clouds,

The sun,

The sky above you,

That you are always connected to,

Wherever you are.

Let the awareness drift through the sky.

Very gently become aware of the sounds that you can hear around you,

The sounds that are floating through the air,

Making their way to your ears.

Just acknowledge all of those sounds,

Welcome them and slowly bring the awareness back to your body,

Back to the feeling of the air flowing in and out of your nostril,

Flowing in and out of your lung.

Welcome the feeling of the air against your skin.

With every breath,

Feel your way back into your body.

And then when you feel ready,

Start to make some small movements with the fingers and the toes,

With the wrists and the ankles.

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

So taking your time,

There's no rush.

And then when you're sure that you're feeling wide awake again,

Slowly blink the eyes back open to complete the practice.