Yoga Nidra For Grounding & Autumn

Take this moment to explore the field between your body and the earth as we transition from Summer into Autumn supported by abundant lands and long shadows and dusk.

Pick a quiet space, grab a blanket, and enjoy.

Namasté.

Transcript

Welcome!

We offer these meditations freely and your donations make a real difference so thank you.

Okay so we're going to practice a I don't know 20,

30 minute yoga nidra and we are approaching the new moon.

It's a big big new moon coming up so we're riding waves of that lunar current.

New moons are a time when introspection and introspection becomes more natural to us.

Full moons the light is shining on everything and we're energized.

New moon it's dark,

It's it's quiet.

So we're riding that current we're going to do a grounding practice.

Let's start sitting if you can and just check you've got everything you need so a bolster or a cushion front of your knees is always lovely,

A blanket your body temperature tends to drop during yoga nidra so you want to be super cozy,

Something across your eyes and actually although you often buy these lavender bags that that sit on your eyes they're quite heavy it can be nicer to have just a scarf or a t-shirt across your eyes but we're going to start by sitting comfortably.

You can sit in a chair or you can be cross-legged on the floor and we'll just notice how it feels to possibly rest the eyelids if that feels good.

Keep them open if you prefer and sense how it feels as you breathe in and breathe out.

And breathe out.

Usually bringing your awareness to your breath is enough to slow it down and allow it to deepen.

And if you're sitting down on the floor and it's easy enough for you to connect with your feet then take a moment to just take your hands around your feet give them a squeeze give them a little massage.

This is going to be a grounding practice we're in very much a sense of transition with autumn upon us.

So that transition can sometimes feel a little bit overwhelming so let's ground ourselves.

Connect in with the blackberries in the hedgerows,

The falling leaves,

The mushrooms in the soil,

The seeds in the trees,

The conkers,

Such an abundant time of year.

So you can feel for yourself as you press into your feet and feel the pressure of your feet.

If there's any areas that feel tender or that feel relief it might just be nice to hold your feet.

And then turning your awareness to your breath notice the length of the inhale.

If you were doing a silent count how does the inhale feel?

How long does the inhale feel?

And then double the length of the exhale.

And then we're going to bring a mantra into that breath as well and we're going to begin with the seed mantra of gum which is actually spelt g-a-m but when you say it it sounds like g-u-m.

This is the grounding mantra of ganache,

The remover of obstacles.

So as you breathe in the silent mantra is gum and as you breathe out and the out breath is twice the length of the in breath the mantra is lum.

Again it's spelt l-a-m but pronounced as if it were written l-u-m,

Lum.

And lum is the mantra of the earth,

The root chakra.

So we're going to use the mantra lum as we come into our yoga nidra.

So allow yourself time and space to settle down into your yoga nidra nest.

So for some people that will be lying down on your back with a cushion or a bolster under your knees.

Other people prefer to stay sitting,

Can always sit with your back against a wall sitting down on the floor.

There's really no rules but what we're seeking is to feel supported.

So bring whatever cushions are needed to get yourself supported.

Lay a blanket over you,

Be sure your feet are cosy and then when you are settled if you're using an eye mask of any kind lay that across your eyes.

So we have time for you to get comfortable.

And again only have your eyes closed if it feels comfortable.

You can keep your eyes open if you prefer but if you are keeping your eyes open then soften your gaze.

To invite stillness into your body.

And be aware of the space and the shape that your body is taking up and how that is in relation to the furniture and the walls of the space you're in.

You can imagine a golden sphere of light all around you.

A sphere of protection.

And any distractions or noises they can just wait on the outside of that sphere whilst you rest safe within the protection of yoga nidra.

So we're going to take a sankalpa,

An intention.

I honour my body as a sacred vessel that houses my inner light.

I honour my body as a sacred vessel that houses my inner light.

I honour my body as a sacred vessel that houses my inner light.

Feeling the breath as it enters the nostrils.

Feel it travel down into your lungs where it dissolves.

And follow its journey up and out.

Moving outside of your body where it dissolves as you exhale.

Feeling your body rise and fall with your breath.

Slowly scanning through your body becoming aware of your body.

Slowly scanning through your body becoming aware of the parts of you connecting to the floor.

Noticing how you hold your body and let yourself drop through the layers to a place of deep rest.

I honour my body as a sacred vessel that houses my inner light.

Taking your awareness down to your feet.

Feel the heels touching the floor and with your awareness here silently repeat the mantra,

Lam,

Lam Lam lam,

Lam focus Moving up to the calves,

Leaning into the relationship between the calves and the body.

And letting the mantra,

Lung,

Carry on your breath and your awareness.

Feeling the backs of your thighs on the floor.

Noticing their relationship with the earth.

Your buttocks and the floor.

Lung.

The pelvis,

The sacrum.

Parts of the spine touching the floor.

Lung.

Shoulder blades and the floor.

The back of your head held and supported by the floor.

Lung.

Feel all of these body parts becoming heavier as you exhale and repeat the mantra,

Lung.

Notice your body breathing.

Effortless.

Almost as if your body is being breathed.

As you receive the inhale,

Feel the earth rising up to cradle you.

Almost as if the in-breath were a call to the earth to hold you.

And as you exhale,

Surrender into the earth.

Beginning at the number 27,

Start to count backwards with each exhale.

Moving towards zero,

Each breath a layer of tension dissolving.

And if you lose your place,

Start again.

There's no rush,

No agenda to be met.

Lung.

And as you get towards zero,

Feel the earth holding you unconditionally.

Body and earth breathing as one.

As we begin to transition out of the practice,

Maybe the breath deepens.

You might start to hear the sound of your breathing.

Notice your body in relationship with the earth beneath you.

I honour my body as a sacred vessel that houses my inner light.

Deepening your breath.

Moving,

Stretching fingers and toes,

Arms and legs.

And if it's comfortable,

Maybe rolling to your side.

And then making your way back up to sitting when you're ready.

I have been practicing yoga nidra.

Thanking yoga nidra for the protection she offers us as we move into the night ahead and the day that follows.

May she continue to offer her protection.

And thank you to the earth for cradling us and to this body that is a vessel that houses our inner light.

Namaste.

Reviews

Lovely yoga nidra. Wish I could have stayed longer in it!