Yoga Nidra | Earth Element | Late Summer

In Traditional Chinese medicine, five seasons are celebrated. There is an early summer and late season and this yoga nidra practice invites us to move from the fiery early summer season to slow down and embody the support and stability of the earth element. We are invited to a celebration of the full bloom and abundance of nature around us in the late summer season.

I recorded this practice immersed in the beauty of nature in my backyard! I hope you enjoy it.

Transcript

Namaste, My name is Christy and I'm so grateful to share this sacred yoga nidra practice with you. In traditional Chinese medicine there are five seasons celebrated and in the late summer season we are invited to move from the early summer season of a more fiery, More busy energy or frequency to a slower paced, More earthly, Dropping into this deep gratitude for the abundance of a full bloom of nature around us. And through this celebration of the seasons we can really honor the beauty of the universe around us and connect to that same beauty of nature within us. When you're ready please make yourself very comfortable, Settling into a deeply restorative, Restful position. Inviting in anything that really allows you to rest fully. Recording this yoga nidra practice, I wanted to record it in the beauty of nature surrounding me. So you may hear subtle sounds of nature, Birds and the breeze and you may even choose to practice this immersed in nature around you. Let your body settle into the earth. Release all need to effort, To assist others, To push yourself and produce. And the beauty of the yoga nidra practice is the less we do the more we get from it. Let your body soften and release and let your breath inspire more space between each thought. Taking a slow inhale in through your nose and extending the exhale breath. Let it go and do that again. Inhale, Exhale, Release. And with awareness of resting can you make any adjustments to drop deeper into stillness to allow more comfort and what would it look like to invite in this ease throughout your body knowing that you're fully supported by the earth. Allow heaviness to take over and this heaviness inspires sinking into the earth even a half inch to an inch more as your body releases tension. Fully supported, Resting, Easeful. And let the practice of yoga nidra now begin. Inviting in an intention or sankalpa. This intention is spoken directly to the universe inspired by the desires from your heart. And if you're working with a sankalpa you can bring that into the practice. Or perhaps repeating, I trust the earth as she holds and supports me. I trust the earth as she holds and supports me. Let yourself breathe in this trust and as you exhale feel that inspiration to release and let go. We'll move through a full rotation of consciousness, Feeling sensations in each point in the body that I name. And you may even invite in the sensation of connecting to the earth element in each of these points. Beginning on the right side of the body, The right hand, All of the fingers, The right hand thumb, Second finger, Third finger, Fourth finger, Pinky finger, Palm of the right hand, Back of the right hand, Middle of the wrist, Lower arm, Elbow, Upper arm, Shoulder, Armpit, Right side of the chest, Awareness down the right side of the waist, Right hip, Right thigh, Right knee, Lower leg, Ankle, Heel, Top of the right foot, Sole of the right foot, All of the right toes, Right big toe, Second toe, Third toe, Fourth toe, Pinky toe, The whole right leg, The whole right arm. Feel the whole right side of your body connecting to the energy of the earth, Feeling stable, Supported, Safe, Whole right side connected to the earth. And take your time shifting over to the left side of the body, The left hand, The left hand thumb, Second finger, Third finger, Fourth finger, Pinky finger, Palm of the left hand, Back of the left hand, Middle of the wrist, Lower arm, Elbow, Upper arm, Shoulder, Armpit, Left side of the chest, Awareness sliding down the left side of the waist, Left hip, Thigh, Knee, Lower leg, Ankle, Heel, All of the left toes, The left big toe, Second toe, Third toe, Fourth toe, Pinky toe, Top of the left foot, Sole of the left foot, The whole left leg, The whole left arm, Feel the whole left side of the body connecting to the earth. Feel the right side, Feel the left side, Feel supported, Feel stable, Feel held by Mother Gaia, Feel a sensation in both feet, Heels, Back of the thighs, Both hips, Lower back, Middle back, Upper back, The right shoulder, The left shoulder, Back of the skull, Resting on the earth, Top of the head, Forehead, Forehead, Right eyebrow, Right eye, Left eyebrow, Left eye, Right ear, Left ear, Center point between the eyes, Rest the awareness at the center point between the eyes, Let your whole body feel supported, Stable and held by the earth. As you rest the awareness on the third eye point between the eyes, Let the mind rest with this awareness and begin to feel the temperature of the air moving into the nostrils, Feeling the gentle flow and temperature of the air moving from the nostrils down through the throat and down and out. As you exhale, Gently breathing, Feel the body breathing, Inhaling life force energy and exhaling, Inspired to let go and release, Feeling the rise and fall of your breath, Just feeling your body breathing. Begin to experience the sensation of warmth, Warmth throughout your entire body, Like a warm breeze on the warmest day, Cascading over your entire body, Feel warm, Cozy, Held, Feel warmth throughout your entire body. Now feel the sensation of coolness, Like a cool breeze after the sunsets, Feel this coolness throughout your body, Feel this coolness like the cold, Damp earth, Holding and inspiring you to rest. Now experience warmth and coolness at the same time, Feeling the seasonal shifts within you from the warmest day to the coolest night, Experiencing warmth and coolness simultaneously. Begin to move through a rotation of visualizations, Just let these visualizations move through the mind's eye center, Non-attached, A vast feel of sunflowers, Sunshine on a still lake, Blue sky sprinkled with white puffy clouds, A colorful hummingbird, Drinking the fresh nectar of a flower, The bright sparks of a roaring fire, Morning dew on the damp earth, A tall tree with peaking red leaves, A candle flame, A clear night sky full of bright stars. Now release these images, Release and let go, Let yourself rest, Drift into the stillness of darkness, Darkness behind the eyes, Resting here in the darkness to experience everything, Feeling the vast dark sky with bright stars behind the closed eyes, Resting in the void to experience the whole universe within you. Let yourself rest in stillness, Invite in your awareness to your whole body, Invite your awareness back into your intention or sankalpa, Perhaps repeating, I trust the earth as she holds and supports me, Feel your whole body being held, Feel your whole body supported, Be with your breath, Be with your energy, Start to return back into your physical body and be with the benefits of your practice and what energy you're going to take with you, Take as much time as you need as you need, Continue to rest if you need or reawaken when you're ready. May you always feel the support of the earth under you and around you. I'm celebrating you, Celebrating me, Celebrating the earth and her ability to lead us and show us exactly how beautiful we can transform and evolve. Thank you so much for choosing to practice with me. As always, I love connecting with you and hearing from you. Have a beautiful and blessed day celebrating yourself and mother earth. Namaste.

Reviews

Thank you so much Kristi 🙏🏻. This was definitely divinely inspired I’m sure. Last week my acupuncturist had strongly suggested I pay attention to the 5th season of Chinese Medicine which is Late Summer and practice in this manner allowing for more rest and Yoga Neidra practices daily as well during the day to combat my daily fatigue. I’ve been using this form of meditation regularly since learning it nearly three years ago now. So I’ve increased my daily practice and when I saw this new release of yours this week I was so excited to try it during this week’s acupuncture session! So glad I did because it was amazing❣️❣️✨💜🙏🏻