Welcome to this special edition winter solstice yoga nidra.
I'm so happy to have you join me today.
As the winter solstice arrives we enter the deepest stillness of the year.
The longest night and the quiet turning point where darkness begins to give away to light.
This moment invites rest,
Reflection,
And gentle renewal.
Yoga nidra,
The practice of yogic sleep,
Aligns beautifully with the solstice's energy offering a space to pause,
Restore,
And listen inward.
In yoga nidra you are guided into a state between waking and sleeping where the body can fully rest and the mind soften.
Just as the earth lies dormant between winter's hush,
The practice allows you to release what has been carried through the year and plant seeds of intention in the fertile ground of awareness.
There is nothing to do,
Nowhere to go,
Only to receive.
As we begin today allow yourself to be supported by the ground beneath you surrendering to the stillness and darkness as sources of nourishment rather than absence.
From this quiet depth,
Clarity,
Insight,
And renewal naturally arise echoing the subtle return of the light.
Let's begin.
Start by finding a comfortable laying down position.
This can be on your yoga mat,
On the floor,
Or on your bed.
Support yourself with a pillow under the head perhaps,
A rolled blanket under the knees,
And a nice cozy blanket to place on top of the body for warmth.
The winter solstice marks the longest night of the year,
The still point before the sun returns.
This is a time of rest,
Renewal,
And planting the seeds of intention.
Allow your body and mind to surrender into stillness.
Close your eyes and fully arrive here and now.
Now bring into awareness your sankalpa,
Your heartfelt intention,
A seed of truth within you.
Perhaps it is peace,
Balance,
Trust.
Allow the sankalpa to gently arise and repeat it silently three times,
Planting it deep into the fertile soil of your being.
Now we'll rotate awareness gently through the body one part at a time.
Beginning with your right side,
Moving into your right thumb,
Fingers,
Your right palm,
Your right wrist,
Your right forearm,
Your elbow,
Your right upper arm,
Right shoulder,
Right side of your chest.
Moving down to your right waist,
Your right hip,
Ankle,
Your right heel,
Sole of your right foot,
Top of your foot,
Toes one through five.
Now moving into your left side,
Your left thumb,
Fingers,
Palm of your left hand,
Your wrist,
Forearm,
Upper arm,
Shoulder,
Chest.
Moving down to the left side waist,
Hip,
Ankle,
Heel,
Top of your foot,
Toes one through five.
Moving into the back body,
Starting with the buttocks,
Shoulder blades,
Back of the neck,
Back of the head.
Moving into the front body now,
The front of your head,
Forehead,
Eyes,
Nose,
Lips,
Throat,
Chest,
Abdomen,
And pelvis.
Now sense the whole body resting in stillness,
Heavy,
Supported,
And at ease.
Now begin to notice the natural rhythm of your breath.
Inhale and feel the rise of your belly.
Exhale the release.
Inhale quiet light.
Exhale the weight of night.
Inhale renewal.
Exhale release.
Now we begin to notice the rhythm of your breath.
Begin an inner journey.
Imagine before you a winter forest at night,
The ground covered in snow,
The stars shining brightly above.
You step softly into the forest,
Each breath crisp,
Each step carrying you deeper within.
Ahead is a clearing in the center of fire burning.
You sit beside it and the firelight dances warm and steady,
Surrounded by evergreen trees.
The trees are eternal guardians of winter's resilience.
You close your eyes and feel the warmth of the fire inside of you,
A glowing ember in your heart.
This light has always been here,
Even in the longest night.
Now you notice a seed resting in your hands.
It is your sankalpa,
Your intention in symbolic form.
You hold it gently.
It rests in the darkness,
Gathering strength.
Slowly on the horizon a golden glow appears.
It is the sun rising the longest night is ending and light returns.
The forest,
The fire,
The seed all bathe in radiance and you feel your heart expand with hope and renewal.
Know this truth as the earth turns from day to night and night to day.
From winter to spring,
You too move through cycles of rest and renewal.
You are part of this great churning.
Now feeling the opposites within you,
The heaviness of the body,
Feeling the body very heavy,
And now the lightness of awareness,
Feel the stillness of winter,
And now the stirring of beginnings.
Feel the nurturing darkness and feeling the gentle returning of the light.
Hold them both.
Rest in harmony.
Now return to your breath.
Feel your body resting here.
Recall your sankalpa,
Repeating it silently three times.
Repeating it with trust as though it has already taken root.
Now begin to deepen the breath.
Wiggle your fingers and toes.
If it feels good for you,
You can go ahead and stretch the body,
Bringing the arms up overhead,
Inhaling here,
And exhaling,
Rolling onto your side,
And pause here for a few moments.
When you're ready,
Slowly come up to a seated posture,
Placing your hands at your heart.
Acknowledge the stillness,
The renewal,
And the returning light.
The practice of yoga nidra is now complete,
And I thank you so much for practicing with me today and feeling the joy of the winter solstice within your heart.
And I'll see you again soon.
