Namaste.
Welcome.
My name is Kristen Rose and this is a guided relaxation practice to celebrate the Spring Equinox.
Using very gentle Yoga Nidra systematic relaxation techniques,
Know that this is a completely effortless,
Beginner-friendly practice.
A journey of deep rest and inner awakening.
Let us begin by finding a comfortable place to lie down.
Perhaps coming to rest in a traditional Shavasana.
Lying down on the back of the body.
You may wish to reach for blankets,
For warmth,
Or pillows to support the natural curves of the body.
You may wish to take a pillow in behind the back of the knees or the head,
The arms.
Or you may bring an additional pillow on top of the low belly for grounding support.
It can be helpful to use a covering over top of the eyes or an eye pillow to relax the eyes and allow the medicine of darkness to prepare you,
To carry you inward.
What might you do to make any final little micro adjustments to the body to become 1% more comfortable?
Take your time.
There is no rush at all.
Begin to notice the breath.
Noticing the breath in the low belly,
At the navel centre.
The gentle rise and fall of the navel.
Notice the contact points where your body meets the earth,
Where you feel held.
On the inhale,
Feel the earth rising up to hold you.
On the exhale,
Feel the body relax and settle down onto the earth.
Every inhale brings energy and relaxation.
Every exhale,
Releasing tension and fatigue.
Coming back into balance.
Breath by breath.
And just begin,
At your own pace,
To establish a four-count breathing rhythm.
Equal waves,
Breathing.
Breathing in to a mental count of four.
And exhale to an equal count.
Bringing balance into the breath.
Easing any physical or mental tension.
Soothing the nervous system.
Continue at your own pace.
This four-count breath.
On the next exhale,
Allow the weight of the head and neck to rest back and down.
Exhale,
Allow the eyes to become heavy.
Eyelids.
Exhale,
Relax the cheekbones and the lower jaw.
Down towards the earth.
With every breath,
Gently releasing.
Allowing the body to become heavy.
Shoulders.
Arms.
Hands.
Fingers.
Exhale,
A wave of relaxation.
From shoulders down to the hips.
The whole pelvic bowl.
Legs.
And feet.
Every exhale,
Letting go a little bit more.
The earth beneath the body.
The whole back hemisphere of the body.
The whole front hemisphere of the body.
Open.
Touching air.
Feel the gentle touch of air on the skin of your face.
Grounded and open at the same time.
Notice any tastes inside of the mouth.
Or fragrance in the nose.
The darkness behind closed eyes.
The ears listening to sounds.
Letting your awareness drift gently from sound to sound.
Following the sound of my voice.
As you begin to bring awareness down into the space of the heart.
The center of the chest.
For it is time to bring forth a sankalpa.
You may be working with a sankalpa at this time.
Like a heartfelt intention.
Or you may wish to borrow the phrase,
I am resting deeply.
To restore balance and initiate renewal.
Or I am open to new beginnings.
Or I am growing with clarity and ease.
Mentally repeat your sankalpa now.
Three times.
I am resting deeply.
To restore balance and initiate renewal.
Or I am open to new beginnings.
Or I am growing with clarity and ease.
Planting it like a seed.
Nourishing it with awareness and breath.
Welcome your sankalpa to be here now.
Resting deeply.
Open to new beginnings.
Balanced and at ease.
In this Yoganidha cocoon.
As the earth rests dormant beneath the body.
The seasons gently turn.
And the sun begins to rise again.
Warming the soil beneath the body.
And sparking new life to emerge.
From the ground up.
From the inside out.
As we begin a rotation of awareness throughout the body.
Bring a gentle awareness into each point.
And visualize a warm golden orb of light.
Filled with energy and warmth.
Radiance.
And the energy of new beginnings.
Into each region of the body.
Like a sunrise from within.
Awakening sensations.
Breathing life and energy into each point.
Inviting awareness to the center of the forehead.
A golden or white light.
Shimmering from the center of the forehead.
From the center of the forehead.
To the center of the throat.
A shimmering point of light.
From the throat center to the right shoulder.
Tip of the elbow.
Center of the wrist.
Palm of the right hand.
Tip of the thumb.
Tip of the index finger.
Middle.
Ring.
Little finger.
Back to the palm.
Elbow.
Shoulder.
Center of the throat.
The whole right arm and hand.
Shimmering with sensations.
A vibration.
From the inside out.
From the throat center to the left shoulder.
Center of the wrist.
Center of the palm.
Tip of the thumb.
Tip of the index finger.
Middle.
Ring.
Little finger.
Wrist.
Shoulder.
Center of the throat.
The whole left arm.
Vibrant with sensations.
Both arms.
Both hands.
Both sides of the upper chest.
To the heart center.
A single point of light.
Navel center.
The right hip.
Ankle.
Sole of the right foot.
All five toes.
Tips of the toes.
Starting in the big toe.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Navel center.
Navel center.
Sole of the left foot.
All five toes.
Tips of the toes.
Starting in the big toe.
To the sole of the foot.
Navel center.
The whole pelvic board.
Full.
Both legs.
Both feet.
Shimmering with sensations.
From the inside out.
To the low back.
Sacrum.
A single point of light.
Ascending from the base of the spine to the mid-back.
Upper back.
Base of the skull.
Center of the forehead.
Shimmering.
The whole body now.
The whole body.
Resting deeply.
And now.
Inviting awareness down and into the soles of the feet.
Visualize two golden points of light in the soles of the feet.
With every breath,
Imagine breathing in through the foot soles.
Up and through the body.
And out through the crown of the head.
Releasing the breath back down and into the earth.
Back down to the feet.
Inhale through the feet.
Golden points of light ascending through the body.
Exhale through the crown.
Energy and breath pouring into the earth.
Down the back of the body.
Back up through the feet.
In your own way.
Golden light of awareness.
Carried by the breath.
Flows in through the feet.
Out through the crown.
Down through the earth.
Feel the body breathing with the earth.
A gentle awakening from the ground up.
From the inside out.
And now begin to consciously instill a felt sense of warmth throughout the whole body.
Like the warmth of the sun.
Gently touching the skin.
Hydrating down to your core.
The whole body becoming warm.
So warm.
Letting that go.
And now inviting in a felt sense of coolness.
Like a cool winter breeze throughout the whole body.
A deep felt sense of coolness.
Into every cell.
And now in your own way.
Consciously invite in both opposing sensations.
Warmth and coolness at the same time.
The whole body warm and cool simultaneously.
At the same time.
Letting that go.
Bring all of your awareness to rest in the whole right side of the body.
Sensing and feeling trillions of cells.
An inner cosmic vibration in the whole right side body.
As if the whole right side were illuminated with light.
And the whole left side body could disappear into darkness.
Just imagine the light of sensations in the whole right side.
Allowing awareness to gently glide over and into the left side body.
Trillions of cells.
Little points of light.
Shimmering sensations.
The whole left side body.
The whole right side body fading into darkness.
And now sensing and feeling the whole body.
One cosmic unified field of sensations.
Both right and left sides of the body.
The whole body shimmering under the light of your awareness.
Shining outward into the quiet space around the body.
Like a star.
Like the sun.
The whole body.
And now,
Bring awareness to the point between the eyebrows.
Soften into the darkness behind closed eyes.
You may wish to rest in this healing darkness.
Or you may wish to move with me on a journey through a rotation of imagery.
Begin to imagine a rising sun.
The dawn light spreading evenly across the horizon.
Neither night nor day fully claiming the sky.
The dawn light.
And now,
Visualize snow melt soaking into the earth.
Softening soil.
Nourishing roots below the surface.
Snow melt soaking into the earth.
Seeds resting in dark soil.
Beginning to swell with life and readiness.
Seeds resting in dark soil.
Little buds forming on branches.
Is just the beginning.
The air is fresh and alive.
A quiet meadow waking.
Plant life.
The forest floor.
Green shoots breaking through the ground.
Steady and unhurried.
Little green shoots breaking through the ground.
Resting deeply now.
Cultivating a sense of balance within.
Balance between effort and ease.
Stillness and movement.
Light and dark.
Allow the imagery to dissolve.
Into a felt sense of rest.
Resting now.
As awareness itself.
Awareness that contains peace,
Contentment,
Balance,
Even joy or bliss.
Resting now.
As awareness itself.
It is now time to recall your Senkulpa.
Three times mentally.
Planting it like a seed in the garden of the subconscious mind.
I am resting deeply to restore balance and initiate renewal.
Or I am open to new beginnings.
Or I am growing with clarity and ease.
Slowly begin to bring awareness back into the physical body.
Feel the volume or density of the body.
Resting on the earth.
A humble sense of the earth beneath the body.
And the sky above you now.
And the breath that fills your lungs.
Notice how you feel.
And simmer in any feel-good tones or relaxations that you may be experiencing.
That you may have cultivated here today.
This is a turning of the seasons.
This is a time for deep rest and inner awakening.
And most certain transformation.
Start to slowly deepen the breath.
And then begin to emerge from stillness.
By wiggling fingers and toes.
Take your time.
And continue to rest if you need.
You may wish to bend the knees.
Roll over onto one side.
And pause.
Reflect.
And offer gratitude to yourself for being here today.
And to all of our teachers.
And to the ancient traditions we have borrowed these practices from.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you for joining me on this spring equinox journey inward.
May you now bloom and unfold outward.
And take the essence of this practice with you.
Out and into the rest of your day.
May you all be happy.
May you all be healthy.
May you all be peaceful.
And may you all be happy.
Be free.
Namaste.
