Meeting The Land Spirits Yoga Nidra

Welcome to Yoga Nidra for Meeting the Spirits of the Local Land.

Before beginning this practice,

Take a moment to call to mind a favorite place outdoors that is near your home.

This can be any place of your choosing,

Somewhere in nature or even an urban setting where you would like to encounter the local land spirits and interact with them.

You will return to this meeting place in your mind during the visualization portion of this practice.

Begin by lying down in Savasana.

Allow the body to sink into the earth and be supported by the earth.

Be comfortable,

Making any adjustments you wish.

The feet are positioned slightly wider than the hips.

Allow the feet to splay out to the sides.

The palms are slightly away from the hips.

Relax.

Make sure you're in a position that will be comfortable for the duration of this practice.

Relax the shoulders.

Relax the arms.

Relax the hips,

The back,

The knees,

The ankles.

Lift the head a few times to release any tight spots from the back of the neck.

Now allow the eyes to close and keep them closed for the entire practice.

If you feel any tension or tight spots in any part of the body,

Take the awareness to that body part and consciously relax that body part.

Please try to remain still during this practice.

If you become uncomfortable,

Please feel free to make changes using minimal effort.

It's natural to flow in and out of conscious hearing during this practice.

Understand that whatever the experience is today,

Is the experience meant for you.

There is no wrong way to do this.

Just do not fall asleep.

Know that you are in a safe environment and sacred space.

Stay awake by listening to the sound of my voice.

It's natural for the mind to start wandering.

If you notice this,

Just return to the sound of my voice.

Become aware of any external sounds you hear in this moment.

Start by focusing on the most distant sounds,

Moving the attention from sound to sound,

Without labeling the source and without judgment.

Now move the awareness from the external sounds to the sound of the breath as it flows freely and naturally between the nostrils.

Now visualize the body lying on the earth.

The parts of the body touching the earth.

The entire body being supported by the earth.

Become aware of the natural breath,

The spontaneous breath that moves in and out of the body without effort.

Notice the feeling of the breath as it enters and leaves the body.

It is now time for you to make your sankalpa or intention.

This should be something meaningful to you,

A short positive statement.

Try to discover this resolve naturally.

Or you might choose something such as,

I am free from worries,

Anxiety and fears.

Or,

I am relaxed and I am happy.

Repeat your sankalpa three times mindfully,

Feeling this resolve being fulfilled as you make it known to the universe.

We will now begin a systematic journey of awareness throughout the body.

You will move the awareness to different parts of the body as soon as you hear them named.

Do not fall asleep.

Starting with the top of the head,

The forehead,

The right eye,

The left eye,

Both eyes together,

The nose,

The mouth,

The right cheek,

The left cheek,

Both cheeks together,

The right ear,

The left ear,

Both ears together,

The back of the head,

The neck,

The throat,

Bring your awareness to the right side of the body,

The right shoulder,

Upper arm,

Forearm,

And hand,

The whole right arm,

The right armpit,

And the outside of the ribs and the waist,

And the space between the outside of the upper body and the arm,

The right side of the chest,

The right side of the belly,

The right hip,

Thigh,

Lower leg,

And foot,

The whole right leg,

The right side of the pelvis,

Lower back,

Upper back,

The whole right side of the body,

Now bring awareness to the left side of the body,

The left shoulder,

Upper arm,

Forearm,

And hand,

The whole left arm,

The left armpit,

The outside of the ribs and waist,

And the space between the outside of the upper body and the arm,

The left side of the chest,

The left side of the belly,

The left hip,

Thigh,

Lower leg,

And foot,

The whole left leg,

The left side of the pelvis,

Lower back,

And upper back,

The whole left side of the body,

And now the whole body,

The whole body at once.

Keep relaxing,

But do not fall asleep.

Become aware of the breath again.

Feel the flow of the natural breath,

The normal,

Spontaneous,

And effortless flow.

Maintaining awareness of the breath,

Continue to breathe through the belly.

With each inhale,

The abdomen is expanding.

With each exhale,

The navel is drawn in towards the spine.

Now begin counting your breaths backwards in your mind from ten to one,

Like this.

Ten,

Navel rises.

Ten,

Navel falls.

Nine,

Navel rises.

Nine,

Navel falls.

Begin this now,

Bringing total awareness to your counting.

If you miscount,

Begin again at ten.

Continue relaxing,

But do not fall asleep.

As you continue to breathe naturally,

Begin to notice any sensations in the body.

You might feel warmth,

Coolness,

Lightness,

Heaviness.

Simply observe these sensations without judgment or expectations.

Allow yourself to experience whatever is present,

Accepting these feelings as part of your current practice.

With each inhale,

The body is becoming more and more relaxed.

The body is becoming soft,

Loose,

Gentle,

Free,

And calm.

Allow this feeling of relaxation to grow inch by inch throughout the body.

Inhale love and light.

Exhale what doesn't contribute to your highest good.

Breathe in relaxation.

Breathe out all worries and fears.

Now begin to create an image in the mind,

An image or picture of the God,

The Goddess,

Your spirit guide,

Anyone or any place where you derive maximum comfort and peace.

Imagine this guide sending you a huge light of positive energy,

And creating a circle of protection around you.

Imagine the self fully wrapped inside this circle of protection where you are peaceful,

Stress-free,

And free from all anxieties.

Enjoy the way you feel in this safe space.

You feel calm and secure here.

In your mind's eye,

See that you are now in the outdoor meeting place near your home that you chose before the beginning of this practice.

You are aware of any sensations or sounds that might also be present.

Allow those things to simply be there while slowly attuning to them,

Knowing that land spirits often use the sights and sounds of nature to communicate.

Standing in this meeting place,

You feel surrounded by love and light.

You sense that you are fully grounded and feel a deep connection with the earth.

Speaking with only your thoughts,

You call out to the local land spirits and invite them to be with you.

Again,

By using your thoughts,

You introduce yourself to these spirits.

You listen.

You observe.

Through the voice of nature,

The otherworldly spirits welcome you here.

Perhaps you see them.

Regardless,

You sense them in a calm and very real knowing.

You bring your awareness to whatever messages they have to share with you.

Spend a few moments now absorbing those messages.

Speaking with your thoughts,

You share the message you have for the spirits of the land.

Take your time.

Before leaving this meeting place for now,

You convey your gratitude,

Knowing that you can return here at any time of your choosing.

I will now call out a number of different things.

Visualize them on the level of emotion,

Memory,

And imagination as it resonates with you.

Jump from image to image and do not linger on any image for long.

Don't force your focus.

The element of earth.

A single tree.

The element of air.

A pentacle.

The element of fire.

A cauldron.

The element of water.

A bird in flight.

The light of a candle.

A quiet pond.

A campfire.

Leaves falling to the earth.

The sound of my voice.

The body at rest.

Spirit.

The body at rest.

Now call to mind the sankalpa or resolve that you set for yourself at the beginning of this practice.

Repeat this intention three times with focus,

Clarity,

And determination.

Visualize your resolve being received by the universe,

Taking shape,

Bearing fruit,

Becoming successful.

Bring your awareness back to the breath,

The natural quiet breath going in and out of the body.

Maintain awareness of the breath and feel it growing stronger and steadier.

Take a slow,

Conscious,

Deep breath in and let it go completely.

Allow the mind to become external now.

Continue to stay awake as this practice concludes.

Shift the attention to sounds within this room.

The sound of the breath,

Sounds of the earth,

The sound of my voice.

Now move the attention to sounds outside the room,

Sounds you can hear without straining.

Be aware of the sounds around you.

Be aware of the body.

Be aware of the breath.

Begin to invite subtle movements into the hands and feet,

The fingers and toes.

Perhaps you will choose to stretch lightly.

Do what feels natural and comfortable to you.

At your own pace,

Come up to a sitting position.

Take a deep breath in and exhale completely.

This concludes your Yoga Nidra practice for now.

Blessed Be.