Welcome to the Spring Equinox Yoga Nidra Meditation.
Spring is a time for creating,
For blossoming and connecting.
It's a time for renewal and energy.
The light is growing and the days begin getting longer,
And we begin feeling balanced with the energy of hope.
New life and fresh starts.
It is this time of the year that we should begin to plant seeds for what is to come for the rest of the year,
Also reflecting on our intentions that we made in the winter.
What seeds are you planting in your life?
Today we will set an intention for spring and begin to nourish this season with what is needed to create growth and sustainability.
Let's begin with a little bit of movement.
Begin to lie down on your back and take a moment to assess your body.
Notice your physical body.
How does the physical body feel in this moment?
Notice your mind taking a seat in the physical body as you observe your temperature,
Your level of comfort or discomfort in physical sensation.
Notice the sounds around you,
Whether or not your mouth is moist or dry.
Notice the aroma.
Notice the parts of your body touching the floor.
And then notice what your energy is like today.
Are you feeling bored,
Excited,
Energized,
Fatigued?
What is your emotional state like?
What emotions are heavy on your mind as we begin to make the transition from winter into spring?
Notice your body breathing.
Is your breath long or short,
Fast or slow?
Now that you're aware of your body's state,
Begin to slowly inhale and exhale.
Bend your knees and bring your feet on the floor.
And with your next inhale,
Arch your lower back away from the floor,
Feeling the muscles of your back contract.
As you exhale,
Slowly flatten your back to the floor,
Feeling your abdominal muscles engage.
Do this a few times on your own.
These lying cat-cows through the spine,
Undulating back and forth.
Letting go of any tension in your spinal column.
On your next inhale,
Relax the spine to a neutral position.
Notice how your spine and spinal muscles feel.
Now release the neck and shoulders.
Slowly begin to turn your head from the right to the left.
Moving with awareness as if your head was moving through water.
Move at a pace and a distance that feels comfortable in your body.
Move with awareness of your breath.
And the next time your head comes to center,
Gently shrug your shoulders up towards your ears.
And then slowly release them back down.
Doing this with your breath,
Breathe in and shrug your shoulders towards your ears.
And as you breathe out with a sigh,
Release your shoulders slowly towards your hips.
Now relax your shoulders and your neck and notice how they feel.
Take a good morning stretch.
Lengthen out your legs and your arms.
Maybe roll a few circles into your wrists,
Joints.
Wiggle your fingers.
Roll a few rolls through your ankle joints in both directions and wiggle your toes.
Maybe yawn or sigh with an audible sound.
And then begin to make your way fully onto your back.
Maybe support your knees with a pillow or blanket.
Make sure you're warm enough and that your position is one that is going to be comfortable for the duration of this yoga nidra practice.
It's best to remain still during yoga nidra,
So comfort is key.
You want your body and your brain to have a chance to fully relax.
But know that if you ever become uncomfortable during the practice,
You are free to change your position at any time.
Allow your eyes to close after you get comfortable.
Yoga nidra is a practice of yogic sleep.
Guide you to a state of consciousness that's between wakefulness and sleeping.
So just set the intention to remain awake,
Listening to the sound of my voice.
And if you go in and out of conscious hearing,
That's normal.
Don't be concerned.
Your subconscious is always listening.
Just try to concentrate without intensity and relax.
Absorbing whatever you need in the moment and letting the rest go.
So once again,
As you make yourself comfortable and still allow the mind to take a seat in the body and become aware again of the sounds that you hear in your space,
Just focusing on distant sounds without labeling anything.
And then move to more sounds that are closer.
Sounds within the space that you're practicing.
And then without opening your eyes,
Just visualize the space that you're practicing in.
The space that your body takes up and the position of your body lying.
Imagine now your body growing roots into the earth as the earth rises up to support you in your practice.
Feeling grounded and rooted in relaxation,
Allow your breath to come alive with the idea of spring renewal,
Aware of the natural breath,
Your spontaneous breath that moves within you like the waves of an ocean without any effort.
And the natural breath flows in through both nostrils.
Notice the breath as it comes in.
Which one of your nostrils is more open or dominant or free flowing right now?
Notice the temperature of your breath as it comes in through the nostrils and follow it into your sinuses,
Into the back of your throat and into your lungs.
And feel the warmth of your breath as you breathe out,
Allowing the exhale to become longer,
Slower.
Now at this moment,
Tuned into your body and breath,
Begin to set your intention for the spring equinox.
What do you want to grow more of in your life during this season?
The dreams and the intentions that you set a few months back in winter,
And the ones that are popping up right now.
What is the seed that is waiting to be planted in the fertile soil of this yoga nidra practice?
What is waiting with curiosity to be nurtured?
As we switch from winter into spring,
This is the time to plant the seed to transform into the new season.
So invite and welcome what inspires you,
What guides you into this next season of life.
Allow it to come naturally and be positive and short and simple.
And if one isn't coming to mind right now,
You might choose to use this one.
I break old thought patterns and step into the clarity of spring.
Whatever you choose for your sankalpa,
Your intention for this yoga nidra practice,
Repeat it to yourself three times right now.
We are now going to begin a journey of sensory awareness through the body.
You'll be asked to become aware of different parts of your body as I name them.
And just imagine a warm,
Healing light,
Like one of the sun's rays touching each area,
Nourishing these parts of your body.
Move your awareness to the right side of your body.
Your right thumb,
Second finger,
Third,
Fourth,
Fifth,
Palm of the right hand,
Back of your right hand,
Wrist,
Right elbow,
Shoulder,
Right waist,
Right hip,
Right knee,
And ankle,
Right big toe,
Second,
Third,
Fourth,
Fifth.
Feel your whole right side.
Drift your awareness to your left side.
Notice your left hand,
Thumb,
Second finger,
Third,
Fourth,
Fifth.
Notice your left palm,
Back of your left hand,
Wrist,
Elbow,
Shoulder,
Left waist,
Hip,
Knee,
Ankle,
Left big toe,
Second,
Third,
Fourth,
Fifth,
Sole of your left foot,
Top of your left foot.
Feel your whole left side.
Move to the back of your body.
Feel your spine nourished as it settles into the props and the ground beneath you.
Feel the back of your head,
Your shoulder blades,
Your gluteal muscles,
Your hips,
Your heels.
Feel the whole back body,
The natural curves of your back body.
Now feel the front of your body,
The top of your head,
Your forehead,
Your eyes,
Your jaw,
Your throat,
Your chest,
Your abdomen,
Your pelvis,
Down the thighs,
Knees,
And shins,
All the way over the tops of your feet.
Feel the whole front of your body.
Feel your whole body as one entity.
Feel whole and complete.
Your whole body relaxed.
Now direct your attention back to your breathing and notice breath moving into each one of your extremities in all directions.
The breath moving forward and back,
Up and down,
And side to side.
Imagine the breath moving through you like a waterfall,
Clearing away any stagnation of winter.
And with every exhale,
Feel your cortisol levels dropping.
Feel your body relaxing and your brain becoming clearer and more settled,
The mind more settled in the body.
Now begin to imagine your body,
Your feet bare to the earth beneath you.
Imagine standing in the warm sun,
Its rays radiating upon your skin.
Visualize your toes barefoot in the cool,
Damp grass of spring.
And you find yourself walking towards a beautiful garden filled with a plethora of colors and tantalizing scents of different plants and flowers and the essence of dirt.
You hear the buzzing of bees busy at work in the garden,
Spreading the pollen for more growth.
You bend down to a pile of fresh soil beneath you.
You smell its richness in a deep inhale.
As you scoop the soil into your palm and you feel its moistness between your fingers.
You hear the sounds of frogs in a nearby stream,
Birds in the trees.
And imagine now that you place a seed,
The seed that contains your intention,
Your sankalpa for the spring.
And you're placing it in this fertile,
Damp,
Rich soil.
You gently cover the seed of intention with more soil and next to you,
A watering can appears.
And you moisten the soil and water the seed of your intention.
The sun's rays warm the moist soil of your newly planted intention.
You breathe slowly and visualize the seed now sprouting,
Budding,
And growing into a beautiful creation.
This is your intention,
Your visualization of what you want to come into fruition,
The budding and growing fruits of your labor.
You are bringing love and energy and power to your intention just by visualizing it here and now in yoga nidra.
You are beginning the process of manifestation.
Breathe into the knowing that this intention,
It already exists within you.
You are simply allowing the mind to become aware of your intention and your ability to bring your intention to light.
Now return to your sankalpa that you set your intention for spring.
Repeat it to yourself three times silently.
And we begin to return from your garden and just as the flowers begin to rise and bloom as our days become brighter.
Now we have that same opportunity.
This is your moment to rise and bloom and burn bright.
So coming back to the feeling of your breath flowing in and out of your nose and maintaining your awareness of breath.
The same time you become aware of your physical body.
Once again,
Your body relaxed and lying on the floor.
Feel your skin,
Your clothes,
All of the props touching you.
Notice the heaviness of your body.
Take awareness of all the points of your body that are touching the floor surface beneath you.
Once again,
Visualize the surrounding room.
And slowly,
As you are ready,
Begin moving your body parts,
Hands and feet.
No hurry.
And when you are sure that you are fully awake,
May gently open your eyes.
Roll over to one side.
Take all the time you need to press yourself from the floor.
Attune to how you feel now.
Your practice of yoga nidra is complete.
Take your intention with you into your life.
Thank you for practicing.
