Hi everybody,
It's Heather here.
Welcome.
We're going to practice wood element or spring yoga nidra.
So I invite you to lie down.
Lie down in shavasana and make yourself as comfortable as possible.
Adjust your position,
Clothes and blankets.
So that you can rest deeply here.
Take a few deep breaths.
And as you exhale,
Allow yourself to fully relax and let go.
With each exhalation,
Feel yourself sinking deeper and deeper into a relaxed state.
After yoga nidra,
You will return to full awareness,
Feeling energized and alert.
But for now,
Allow yourself to relax as deeply as you can.
If you have a sankalpa or positive intention,
Repeat it now mentally to yourself three times.
It should be repeated with full awareness and feeling.
Bring your awareness to your breath.
Notice the natural rise and fall of your breath.
No effort is required here.
Just naturally inhaling and exhaling.
The breath flowing easily.
Now,
Bring your awareness to the top of your head.
Allow the head to relax and the mind to become still.
The whole head becomes heavy and relaxed.
Now,
Allow that feeling of relaxation to spread from the head down through the neck and out across your shoulders.
Feel the feeling of relaxation spread down both arms to the tips of your fingers so both arms become heavy and relaxed.
Now,
Feel the feeling of relaxation spread from the shoulders across the chest,
The tummy,
And down to the hips and pelvis.
And then down the back of your body,
The shoulder blades,
The spine,
Either side of your spine,
To your buttocks.
Now,
Feel the feeling of relaxation spread down both legs all the way to the tips of your toes.
Both legs heavy and relaxed.
The whole body is heavy and relaxed.
The whole body completely relaxed.
Bring your awareness back to the breath and start counting backwards from 54 to one with each inhalation and exhalation.
Inhaling 54,
Exhaling 54.
Inhaling 53,
Exhaling 53,
And so on all the way down to one.
If you lose concentration,
Simply return back to 54 and start again,
Focusing on the breath and focusing on the counting.
Now,
Visualize an acorn planted in the ground.
The acorn full of potential to become a great oak tree.
See the acorn begin to grow and shoot up through the ground.
Push up through the earth effortlessly as if it sends roots down into the ground.
Deep foundations into the ground so that it can grow tall and withstand the elements.
Imagine this tree growing,
The energy rising up through the tree's trunk into the branches.
Notice the flexibility in the tree.
Strong and grounded,
But flexible so it can bend with the wind.
Notice how its leaves open up to the light,
Seeking the sunlight.
Embody the qualities of the wood element.
Flexibility,
Adaptability,
Yet grounded with determination.
Feel the aliveness of the energy in the body.
Now,
Bring your awareness to Chittikasha,
The space just behind the forehead.
Rest your attention there for a short while.
You may notice images,
Colours,
Shapes,
Patterns.
Simply observe with no attachment as if you are watching a movie screen.
Now,
It is time to repeat your sankalpa,
Or positive intention.
Repeat your sankalpa now with full awareness and feeling three times.
Bring your awareness back to your breath.
Notice that you are breathing.
Start to take a slightly deeper breath.
Start to become aware of the sounds in the room.
The sounds outside the room.
Start to wiggle your fingers and toes.
Gently bring some movement back to the body.
Take a stretch or hug the knees into the chest.
This practice of Yoga Nidra for the wood element is now complete.
Hari Om Tat Sat.
Hari Om Tat Sat.
