Hi,
It's Heather here and welcome to the Water Element or Winter Yoga Nidra.
Lie down in Shavasana and make yourself comfortable.
Adjust your position,
Clothes and blankets so that you can be as comfortable as possible for practicing Yoga Nidra.
Take a few deep breaths and as you exhale,
Allow yourself to relax.
With each exhalation,
Feel yourself sinking deeper and deeper into a relaxed state.
After Yoga Nidra,
You will return to full awareness,
Feeling rejuvenated,
But for now,
Allow yourself to relax as deeply as you can.
If you have a Sankalpa,
A positive intention,
Repeat it now mentally to yourself three times.
It should be repeated with full awareness and feeling.
Now,
Bring your awareness to your breath.
Notice the natural rise and fall of the breath.
No effort required,
Just naturally inhaling and naturally exhaling.
Allowing the breath to flow easily.
Now,
Bring your awareness to the top of your head and allow the head to relax,
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 your neck and out across the shoulders.
Feel the feeling of relaxation spread down both arms to the tips of your fingers.
So,
Both arms become heavy and relaxed.
Both arms sinking down into the mat.
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 the body,
The shoulder blades,
The spine,
Either side of the spine,
All the way to the buttocks.
Now,
Feel the feeling of relaxation spread down both legs all the way to the tips of the toes.
Both legs heavy and relaxed.
The whole body completely relaxed.
The whole body sinking now down into the floor.
Bring your awareness back to the breath and start counting backwards from 54 to 1 with each inhalation and exhalation.
Inhaling 54.
Exhaling 54.
Inhaling 53.
Exhaling 53 and so on all the way down to 1.
If you lose concentration,
Simply return back to 54 and start again.
Focusing on the breath and focusing on the counting.
Now,
Gently visualize a stream of running water.
Water takes the path of least resistance.
It finds its way through easily and takes the quickest route.
Carving out its path over time.
The water in the stream,
It runs into rivers.
Carving out deeper paths and gaining momentum until it reaches a lake or the sea.
The lakes and seas deep and full of potential.
Visualize a calm body of water,
A lake or the sea.
Develop your image of that body of water.
Still and reflective on the surface,
But hidden depth and activity underneath.
Embody the qualities of water,
Fluidity,
Power,
Calmness,
Rejuvenation.
Feel the potential of the energy circulating through the body without resistance.
Now,
Bring your awareness to Chidakasha,
The space just behind the forehead.
Rest your attention there for a short while.
You may notice images,
Colors,
Shapes,
Patterns.
Simply observe with no attachment as if you're watching a movie screen.
Now it is time to repeat your Sankalpa,
Our positive intention.
Repeat your Sankalpa now with full awareness and feeling three times.
Bring your awareness back to your breath and notice that you are breathing.
And start to gently take a slightly deeper breath.
Start to become aware of the sounds in the room.
The sounds outside the room.
Start to wiggle the 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 water is complete.
Hari Om Tat Sat.
