Finding Steady Ground.
Yoga Nidra for Life's Changing Seasons.
Welcome.
Find a comfortable position,
Lying down or resting in a chair.
Allow your body to be fully supported.
If it feels right,
Gently close your eyes.
There is nowhere to go.
Nothing to do.
And nothing to change in this moment.
Simply allow yourself to arrive.
Take a slow,
Easy breath in.
And gently exhale.
Again,
Breathing in.
And breathing out.
With each breath,
Allow the weight of your body to soften into the surface beneath you.
As you settle,
Quietly set an intention for this practice.
It doesn't need to be perfect.
Perhaps it is simply.
May I meet this season of my life with steadiness and ease.
Or allow your own heartfelt intention to arise.
Take one more gentle breath.
Now begin to notice the places where your body is supported.
Feel the heels.
The back of legs.
The hips.
The spine.
The shoulders.
The back of head.
There is nothing to hold.
Allow yourself to be held.
Bring your awareness to your breath without changing it.
Simply notice the gentle rhythm of inhaling.
And exhaling.
Imagine each exhale carrying away a little of what you've been holding.
Imagine each inhale creating a little more space within.
Now bring your awareness to your feet.
Feel both feet resting.
Imagine roots gently extending from the soles of your feet deep into sacred ground.
Not heavy,
Simply steady.
These roots remind you that even while life changes,
You remain connected.
Safe.
Support it.
Belonging.
Rest here for a few breaths.
Now imagine yourself standing at the edge of a beautiful landscape at the turning of the seasons.
Perhaps summer is slowly giving way to autumn.
The light is changing.
The air feels different.
Nothing is rushing.
Nature never resists its seasons.
It simply becomes what it is ready to become.
As you look around this landscape,
Notice what draws your attention.
Perhaps a tree.
Path.
A stone.
A field.
Or simply the feeling of spaciousness.
Trust whatever comes.
Now quietly ask yourself.
What is ready to be released.
There is no need to force an answer.
Simply notice whatever gently arises.
Perhaps it is a habit.
A worry.
And expectation.
Or perhaps only a feeling.
Take a slow breath and imagine offering it to the earth with gratitude.
Now ask yourself,
What is asking to grow within me?
Again,
There is no need to search.
Simply receive.
A word.
An image.
A ceiling.
Unknowing.
Allow it to rest gently in your heart.
Notice how your body responds.
There is wisdom here.
Your body often knows before your mind understands.
Rest with that knowing for a few quiet breaths.
And return your awareness to the feeling of the earth beneath you.
To your breath.
To the quiet steadiness that has been here all along.
Silently repeat.
I am supported.
I can move with change.
Steady ground lives within me.
Allow these words to settle naturally,
Like seeds finding fertile soil.
Begin to notice your whole body once again.
The room around you.
The sounds nearby.
Your breath moving easily.
Gently deepen your next inhale.
Slowly wiggle your fingers and toes.
If it feels good,
Stretch in any way your body is asking.
When you're ready,
Slowly open your eyes.
Carry this feeling of steady ground with you into the rest of your day,
Trusting that whatever season you are walking through,
You already hold the wisdom and resilience to meet it with grace.
Namaste.
