Yoga Nidra: Cycles Of Nature

Experience the profound tranquility of yoga nidra, a guided meditation practice designed to bring deep relaxation and inner peace. In this journey, you will reconnect with the cyclical rhythms of your breath, sensing its flow as it mirrors the natural cycles of life. As you breathe, feel the rivers of energy expanding and contracting within your heart space, merging with the ebb and flow of ocean tides.

Allow yourself to be carried by the breath, experiencing its expansive, stimulating energy and its calming, grounding effects. This meditation invites you to descend beneath the mind into a state of ever-expanding stillness, where all doing stops, and you enter the domain of grace.

After this practice, you will feel rejuvenated, connected, and at peace, embodying the natural rhythms of life and nature herself.

Music by Chris Collins

Transcript

And welcome to this practice of Yoga Nidra.

So just lying back comfortably,

Settling in,

Taking another few moments just to notice if you're in the most comfortable position you possibly can be in and if there's any other adjustment that you need to make,

Then do so now,

Arranging your body so you feel you can drop in fully.

And be sure to have all parts of your body supported so you can soften and completely let go into relaxation.

So the invitation for all of our Yoga Nidra sessions is to follow along as you choose.

So this may be with eyes lightly open or closed and tending to your own needs as you require.

Everything here is just an invitation.

So in this practice,

We will drop in and connect with our own inner sanctuary.

And we'll explore our sankalpa and intention.

And you may have words already formed.

If you don't have words formed for an intention,

Then it might just be a felt sense or an image or just a deep trust that your soul already knows the way.

So it might just be about being open in receptivity to this deeper knowing and allowing images and feelings and insights to just come to you spontaneously.

So we will bring our attention now to the body and release some trapped energy as we move deeper into relaxation.

So we're going to tense up different parts of the body and hold the tension for a brief moment.

If you can't have any undue pressure in your head for any reason,

Like cardiac disease or hypertension or glaucoma,

Then just continue to breathe naturally even as we create a bit of tension in the body.

And otherwise you can hold the breath in while you create the tension and then release it out.

So we'll begin with the upper body.

So as you inhale,

Slightly lift and make fists of your arms,

Deliberately induce stiffness and tension throughout the shoulders,

Arms,

Fists,

Tighten,

Tighten,

Even more,

And now completely relax,

Relax and soften.

On your next exhalation,

Relax the upper body even more,

Let go and observe the flood of energy in your arms.

And now we're going to inhale,

And this is the lower body,

Deliberately induce stiffness and tension in your hips,

Lightly lifting the legs and feet,

Tighten,

Tighten,

Hold,

Hold and let go,

Let go completely and observe the flood of energy in your legs.

So this time we will tighten and tense the entire body.

So as you inhale,

Tighten arms,

Hands,

Shoulders,

Feet,

Legs,

Face,

Buttocks,

Torso,

Tighten,

Tighten,

Hold,

Hold and let go,

Let go completely,

Softening.

And with your next exhalation,

Soften even more,

Observe and feel the energy extending to all the muscles,

Nerves,

And cells in your entire body.

Let your whole body melt into the flood of energy you feel in your body.

Let your body go limp,

Like a ragdoll,

Releasing any holding anywhere.

And feel what is present as sensation without labels or comments.

Feeling more,

Thinking less.

Release any struggle to make anything happen.

Allow the commentary of the mind to dissolve into sensation.

The more you can focus on your sensations,

The stronger and clearer they will become.

Immerse yourself fully in the feeling that is present.

Allow the mind to dissolve into bodily presence.

And as you soften into the earth beneath you,

Know you are welcome here,

On this land,

In this space.

Fully welcome.

And whatever arises within,

Be it sensation,

Feelings,

Emotions,

Thoughts,

Desires,

Images,

Or if any distractions arise from outside,

Allow it all to be here with a sense of welcoming,

An invitation to move you more deeply within.

Feeling the continuing softening of muscles around the eyes,

Soften jaw,

Lightly open lips and teeth.

Release all expression from the face.

Ease shoulders away from ears,

Belly soft and supple.

Feel hips and buttocks releasing into the surface beneath them.

Heels and feet grounding into the earth.

And feel your whole back body fully supported by the surface,

The ground,

The earth beneath you.

Sense the in and out flow of your breath.

Now let's take a full breath in together and let go fully,

Sighing the breath out.

And another breath in and sighing it out,

Letting go even more.

And notice what you sense,

What sensations are present.

Without the need to change or analyze,

Just being open to welcoming what's here.

Sensing the space you're in as a warm,

Comfortable cocoon.

As you become aware of the space around you,

We'll begin connecting with a felt sense of safety within you.

Invite and bring alive an inner landscape,

An inner sanctuary that invokes a sense of peace,

Calm,

Well-being and protection.

You may feel or sense or imagine a sense of safety,

Peace,

Being at ease.

Maybe a place starts to form,

A landscape,

Perhaps in nature,

A beach with lapping ocean waves or a fragrant meadow full of flowers and grasses.

Maybe sitting by a crystal clear,

Gurgling stream or being high in the mountains or deep in a green forest.

Or perhaps you're in a space that is a room that's cozy,

Contained.

Or perhaps an imaginary spot like drifting on a fluffy cloud or resting in an ancient protective tree.

Wherever this may be,

Open to the one who weaves dreams,

Bringing this place alive for you.

Inviting all your senses to arrive in this inner landscape.

Now notice any sensation in your body that may feel constricted.

And with your inner voice acknowledge its presence with I hear you.

And if you notice this constriction or a lack of sense of safety anywhere in your body,

Ask the sensation with your inner voice,

What can I bring to create a little more safety?

Could it be a person,

An animal,

Something from nature,

Or something else?

Allow any images or sensations to arise from within your felt sense,

Less so from your mind.

Notice what shows up as you create this invitation for anything that invites a sense of safety that is felt.

Take your time with allowing the answer to arise.

And simply notice what is arising.

Whatever it may be,

However bizarre it might appear,

Just trust what first comes to mind.

Allowing the image of this inner resource to emerge in your mind's eye or to simply sense it and really soak it in.

Allowing time for it to fully emerge.

And then draw it down into your heart,

Soaking it into every cell.

Allow for a sense that you are fully protected in this special place with these beings of peace that are here to provide you with ease and comfort.

Allow this inner sanctuary to spread throughout your whole body and you to be held within it.

Notice any signs of relaxation that appear in the body as you invite in these inner resources.

Breath slowing down and dropping in,

A more peaceful energy emerging.

Drink this into every cell of your being.

Allow for a sense of complete comfort and ease.

This inner sanctuary allows you to connect with the deepest ground of your being.

Where you are safe and protected.

Where no outside forces can touch you.

Know you can call forth this inner sanctuary,

This inner felt sense of safety as a means of support any time during any practice.

You can call forth this inner sanctuary during our yoga nidra practice and outside of any practice.

Knowing it is here available to you at a moment's notice.

And now allow your sankalpa,

Your intention to emerge.

This is a wave being born of your heart.

It might be an intention or an inner resolve,

A heart's prayer,

A heartfelt desire or mission.

A longing you desire more than anything else in life.

Perhaps the feeling of being whole,

Healed,

Healthy.

Feeling free of reactionary tendencies or feeling deep self-acceptance,

Peace,

Well-being.

Whatever it may be,

Imagine your deepest heartfelt desire completely fulfilled as true and manifesting right in this very moment.

How you feel in your entire body-mind when this is so.

Perhaps you have words to express it in the present tense.

Or perhaps it's an image or a felt sense.

And if nothing arises in this moment,

Simply trust your own heart's wisdom.

Allowing a space for intuitive guidance to arise.

A space with nothing to do,

Simply being open to receive guidance.

But your deepest knowing is already guiding the way.

A simple receptivity of just being,

Guided by the rhythm of life.

And hold this in your awareness.

If you have words,

Repeat them to yourself three times in the present tense.

Feel it as though you are living it now.

Or simply trust in your heart's deepest knowing.

Trust that during this time,

Any issues that stand in the way of your sankalpa may be released spontaneously and with ease.

Let go of any struggle or effort to make anything happen.

And now,

Allow my voice to be your guide as we travel through the physical body.

Feel your attention awaken sensation in each body part that is mentioned and equally drop into the silent spaces between my words.

Invite your awareness to remain present and aware.

Bring attention now to your mouth.

Tongue.

Jaw.

Cheeks.

Right ear.

Left ear.

Eyebrow center.

Right eye.

Left eye.

Both orbits of the eyes.

Temples.

Forehead.

Scalp.

Back of the head.

Throat.

Sense the whole head as an orb of radiant sensation.

Right shoulder.

Elbow.

Wrist.

Palm of the right hand.

All five fingers.

Sense the whole right arm as an orb of luminous sensation.

Now bring your attention to left shoulder.

Elbow.

Wrist.

Palm of the left hand.

All five fingers.

Sense the whole left arm as luminous sensation.

Sense the hollow between your collarbones,

Center of the chest,

Heart space,

Navel center,

Pubic bone,

Pelvic bowl,

Upper back,

Middle back,

Lower back,

Sacrum.

Sense the whole length of the spine as a highway of vibrating sensation.

Right hip.

Knee.

Ankle.

Sole of right foot.

All five toes.

Sense the whole right leg as an orb of vibrating sensation.

Left hip.

Knee.

Ankle.

Sole of left foot.

All five toes.

Sense the whole left leg as an orb of vibrating sensation.

Sense both legs as orbs of vibrating sensation.

Sense the whole torso as an orb of radiant luminosity.

Sense both arms as vibrant sensation.

Sense your head a pulsing sphere of luminous energy.

Sense the wholeness of your body radiating in all directions.

Whole body.

Whole body.

Your awareness reaching out in front of you.

Behind you.

To your right.

To your left.

Above and below you.

A luminous vibrating orb reaching out into the surrounding space.

Sensing your body in this way allows for a letting go.

Allowing the body to be in its true dwelling place as it is invited more deeply into stillness.

Life as Shakti finding her temple within and as the body.

At any time sense your inner sanctuary as the ground of being that is safe and at ease.

Knowing the earth,

Cradles,

Your whole being.

Now simply become aware of the rising and falling of the breath.

As you inhale the navel rising.

As you exhale navel falling.

Simply notice the breath breathing itself.

And for the next few breaths we'll do a form of Shidli breath.

In which you'll inhale through the nose.

And upon exhaling gently pursing the lips.

Almost like quietly whistling.

So now breathe in through the nose.

Fill your lungs fully and completely without any strain.

And start to exhale with softly pursed lips until you've emptied the breath completely.

Your exhale is a steady stream of breath.

Then inhale again through the nose.

Each time you exhale through pursed lips empty your mind of all anticipations.

Exhaling releasing any tension through the breath.

Each time you inhale drop into a deeper level of silent awareness.

Each time you exhale let go even more.

Now drop that breath and sense the cyclical rhythms of breath expanding and contracting at the heart space.

With your natural breathing cycle.

Feel these rhythms travel through your body like rivers of energy.

The circle of breath connecting us with the circle of life.

The cyclical rhythm allowing for a reconnection with all that moves and nourishes life.

The in and out flow of breath connecting us with the cycles of the coming and going.

Like the expression of the dawning of the day and the easing into night.

Remembering that our bodies are expressions of these cycles of nature or self.

The movement of breath reflected in the ebb and flow of ocean tides.

Sensing the flow of breath.

The expanding opening energy of the in-breath.

And the calming grounding energy of the out-breath.

Experience the expanding stimulating in-breath.

And the calming grounding out-breath.

Easing into your own rhythm.

Descending beneath the mind into ever expanding stillness.

Like here,

All doing stops.

This is the domain of grace.

Now invite your sankalpa,

Your intention,

Back.

Be it a heartfelt desire or a heartfelt prayer.

Be it words or an image or just trusting.

Your soul's deepest knowing.

Let it echo through your being.

Then inviting your inner sanctuary back into your awareness.

Knowing that you can visit this place anytime at a moment's notice.

Calling in the inner resources that bring a sense of support,

Care,

Resilience.

And slowly begin to drift back to the surface of awareness.

Allow the sense of safety and ease and well-being to remain with you as you emerge back.

If it's the end of your day,

Simply allow yourself to remain in the dream weaver's domain and release into sleep.

If you find yourself at the beginning or in the midst of your day,

Then in your own time,

Intuitively follow any urge.

Begin to move,

Letting your attention rest on the flow of your breath.

Letting this movement of the in and out breath enliven sensation in your body that invites you back to wakefulness.

So however you choose to complete this practice,

Whether it's drifting off into sleep or starting to come back into wakefulness.

This practice is coming to a close.

If you're following the thread of wakefulness,

Then start to move gently,

Stretching out,

Perhaps slowly opening the eyes,

Just allowing your soft gaze to rest on something in your surroundings that brings a sense of pleasure and delight,

Be it a color or a texture or a pattern.

Just let that sense of feeling good reverberate through your whole being,

Sensing your body grounded and connected with the surface beneath you,

Held by the earth,

Easing back into your day or drifting into the evening or night,

Taking this experience of peace,

Calm,

Stillness with you.

And this practice of Yoga Nidra is now complete.

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.

We come in peace.

We go in peace.