Yoga Nidra - An Ancestral Journey

Thank you for joining me and welcome to this ancestral yoga nidra journey.

Here we are creating a sacred space to honor and connect with the energy of our ancestors.

There will be moments when you will not hear my voice,

Only music.

As you move through your journey connecting with your ancestors and moving deeper into visualization,

But you will hear my voice picking you up along your journey.

As you settle in,

I invite you to remember that you are safe,

Held,

And supported throughout this journey.

I want you to know that you are always in control and you can return any time to full wakefulness whenever you need.

Find a comfortable space where you can either sit or lie down,

Being able to relax and be fully supported by the surface beneath you.

Put any pillows or bolsters under your knees,

Cover yourself in a blanket,

Put a pillow or a cushion under your head.

Allow your breathing to deepen.

Breathing into the belly if that is comfortable for you.

And with each exhale,

Release any tension you may be holding on to.

Let your mind and your body surrender into the stillness,

Fully open to the journey we will embark on.

We will begin with a relaxing body scan.

Bring awareness to the point of the body that I mention,

Noticing any tension,

Tightness,

Any sensations,

And invite in release,

Beginning at the right hand thumb,

The right hand index finger,

The right middle finger,

Right ring finger,

Right pinky finger,

Right hand,

Right wrist,

Right forearm,

Right elbow,

Right upper arm,

Right shoulder blade,

The right side of your neck,

Your right earlobe,

The very tip of your nose,

Your third eye point,

The very top of your head,

Your left earlobe,

The left side of your neck,

Your left shoulder blade,

Your left upper arm,

Your left elbow,

Your left lower arm,

Your left wrist,

Your left pinky finger,

Your left ring finger,

Your left middle finger,

Your left index finger,

Your left thumb.

Moving now to the very tip of your left big toe,

Left second toe,

Left third toe,

Left fourth toe,

Left pinky toe,

The ball of your left foot,

The top of your left foot,

The heel of your left foot,

Your left ankle,

Your left calf,

Your left shin,

Your left kneecap,

Your left thigh,

Your left ankle,

Your left hip,

The left side of your waist,

Your right big toe,

Your right second toe,

Your right third toe,

Your right fourth toe,

Your right fifth toe,

The ball of your right foot,

The heel of your right foot,

Your right ankle,

Your right calf,

Your right shin,

Your right kneecap,

Your right thigh,

Your right hip,

The right side of your waist,

Your sacrum,

Your lower back,

Your bellybutton,

Your sternum,

Your upper back,

The very tip of your chin,

Returning to the very top of your head,

The crown of your head,

Inviting deeper relaxation into your body,

Into your muscles,

All the way down to a cellular level,

Allowing this deeper relaxation to trickle down over your scalp,

Over your forehead,

Melting away any tension,

Tightness,

In the muscles of your forehead,

Flowing down over your face and over the back of your head,

Deeper relaxation trickling down over your chin,

Your neck,

Trickling down over your shoulders,

Flowing down over your upper arms,

Over your elbows,

Over your lower arms,

Your wrists and your hands,

Breathing in and out and breathing deeply,

Deeper relaxation flowing over your chest,

Your upper back,

Flowing down over your abdomen,

Your middle and your lower back,

Deeper relaxation trickling down,

Flowing over your hips and your thighs,

Noticing if there's any muscle activation allowing it to release,

Deeper relaxation flowing down over your knees,

Your calves and your shins,

Down over your ankles,

Over the heels,

The soles,

The top of the feet,

The balls of the feet,

Deeper relaxation trickling down,

Down and out your toes,

Allowing your body as a whole to feel heavier and more relaxed on the surface you are on,

Allowing your breathing to flow naturally,

Your eyelids are heavier,

Allowing every muscle in your body to soften,

Every joint to release,

And your body becoming more at ease,

Noticing the in-breath which is cool and the out-breath is warm,

Wrapped in a cozy cocoon of love and light as we prepare to transition to our journey.

Your body is now fully relaxed,

Open and receptive.

You are ready to journey.

With your next breath,

Imagine yourself standing at the edge of the forest on a cool,

Crisp evening.

The air is fresh,

Carrying the scent of autumn leaves and wood smoke.

The sky above you is dotted with stars that seem to shimmer through the dark with a mystical glow.

You feel the presence of ancestors near.

Know that you are safe,

Always protected by the earth and the energies that guide you.

If you wish,

I invite you now to call upon the divine,

Beautiful white light,

The light that surrounds and protects you,

And I invite you now to call upon your ancestors.

As you begin to walk through this forest,

You notice the leaves crunching beneath your feet,

The colors of autumn blazing around you,

Deep reds,

Golds,

And oranges being illuminated by the glowing fire in the clearing ahead.

Notice if you are wearing shoes,

What kind of clothing you are wearing,

And if you are not wearing any shoes,

Notice how soft the earth is under your feet.

Even if the leaves are crunching,

They are still soft.

You follow a slightly winding path,

Each step taking you deeper into the woods,

Deeper toward the connection with your ancestral spirits.

You notice that the trees seem to part,

As if guiding you toward a clearing in the heart of the forest,

Where a beautiful fire is lit waiting to warm you.

Within the clearing,

A gentle fire burns,

Its flames dancing like the spirits of the past.

Around the fire,

You notice figures,

Shadows of those who came before you,

Your ancestors.

Some you may recognize,

And others you may only sense their presence.

Feel the love and the wisdom that they bring,

Knowing that they are here to guide,

Support,

And share their love with you.

As you sit by the fire,

Notice what kind of seat you are on,

If it's made out of stone,

Or a wood log,

Or if there are chairs here.

Take your time settling in,

Acknowledging the ancestors surrounding the fire with you.

One in particular stands up and slowly steps forward.

This may be somebody that you recognize and know,

Or it may be an ancient spirit,

Perhaps from a time long before,

Far back in your timeline,

Perhaps you and from a past life.

They come to offer you a gift,

A symbol of their wisdom,

Love,

Or guidance.

Take a moment to receive this gift with love and gratitude.

What form does this gift take?

Is it something you've seen before?

Is it heavy?

Is it light?

What color is it?

How does this gift make you feel?

Taking a moment,

Your ancestor sits down beside you.

They may be holding your hand,

Wrapping an arm around you,

Or just sitting next to you peacefully.

Allow yourself to connect with this beautiful circle around you,

Feeling the gentle warmth of the fire,

Allowing your spirit to feel the connection to those who have come before you.

Because of their strength and resilience,

You,

The miracle,

Are here.

You are reminded now that their strength flows through your veins.

Their stories are woven deep into your being.

Know that you are never alone.

You are a part of a long line of souls that stretches all the way back through time.

I invite you to take a few moments to just sit with your ancestors by the fire,

Immersing yourself in their beautiful energy,

Asking them questions if you'd like.

You will hear my voice again shortly.

At this point,

Your ancestor invites you to rise.

It could be the one that sat next to you that gave you the gift,

Or a different one within your circle.

Together,

You walk deeper into the woods until you reach a sacred well.

This is the well of memory.

The well seems to be illuminated by the crystals that make the well.

This is a place where the knowledge of your lineage is held.

Take time to visualize what this well looks like,

What color it is,

If it stands tall,

If it is in the ground.

As you peer into the water,

You notice that images are being reflected back to you.

These are moments from your ancestors' lives.

These are moments that carry wisdom for you now.

Take a few moments to watch these images,

Allowing any lessons or insights to arise naturally.

Feel free to stand or sit by the well.

Feel free to ask your ancestor any questions about anything you see within the well.

After spending some time here at the well,

Your ancestor reminds you that you are welcome to come back here anytime you need wisdom or guidance.

Your ancestor takes your hand and leads you back to the clearing where the fire is still burning.

As you get closer,

You feel its warmth wrapping around you like a comforting embrace.

As you walk back to the clearing,

Your ancestor speaks words of love and encouragement,

Reminding you that you are always connected to them,

That their wisdom is always available to you when you seek it.

Take some time to connect with any additional ancestors that you would like to meet with.

Feel free to embrace them,

To hold their hand,

Or to just sit down and say hello.

You're welcome to ask them who they are if it's someone you don't recognize.

Ask any questions you'd like here.

Your ancestors also remind you that not only are you welcome to return to the well of memory,

But you are welcome to come back here to this sacred ancestral circle anytime you'd like.

If you'd like to have a seat and watch the fire crackling in front of you and dancing,

Feel free to relax here with this beautiful group,

Noticing if the flames produce any images,

Any representation of how much your ancestors love you,

Feeling gratitude for their resilience,

For the fact that they existed and that you now exist.

They love you so much and they want you to shine your beautiful light for everyone around you.

Take a moment to thank them all for meeting you here as your journey is coming to a close for this session,

But know that at any time you can come back here and reconnect.

At any time in reality you can invite them to connect with you,

To guide you,

To protect you,

To bring you wisdom.

They have love for you and they want to support you.

Your ancestors are so grateful that you came to see them today and they begin to bid you farewell.

It's farewell for now,

But the connection with them will forever remain.

You turn and you begin your journey back along the path,

Feeling a little bit lighter with each step,

As though the gifts of your ancestors and the wisdom and the love and the protection has lifted any burdens from your heart.

As you walk back through the forest,

Notice how the night feels calm and peaceful.

It's as if the forest is illuminated in the dark and your path is lit by the peace and the gratitude and the love from the divine.

The stars twinkle above you and the air feels cool but comfortable against your skin.

Notice that you're still carrying the gift that your ancestor gave you and as you hold on to it a little tighter,

Step deeper into gratitude for that gift.

Slowly you begin making your way back to the beginning of the forest where you began.

You have honored and connected with your ancestors.

You have received their gifts.

You've connected with the timeless wisdom that flows through you.

Reconnect with the earth beneath you allowing it to ground you once again,

Bringing you back to the present reality.

Begin to deepen your breathing taking one big breath into the belly and sighing it out.

Gently bringing awareness back into your physical body allowing your breathing to flow naturally here noticing the way that the back of your body feels on the surface you are on.

I invite you now to wiggle your fingers and your toes bringing more movement into the body waking the body back up gently rolling your head side to side and very slow very soft movements.

Take a moment to pause here and begin to open your eyes if you are ready.

Carry this connection of gratitude with you as you return to your day.

You are never alone.

Your ancestors always walk with you.

They offer their love,

Wisdom,

And protection at every step.

Thank you for taking this journey with me,

For honoring and connecting with your ancestors and for allowing yourself to connect with this beautiful sacred energy.

Taking your time as you return knowing you are always safe,

Supported,

And loved.

And may you carry the beautiful light and love of your ancestors with you.