Yoga Nidra - Water Element (with music)

In this Yoga Nidra session we welcome water as our safe home base.

Over 50% of our bodies consist of water.

The world consists of about 70% of water.

So water is a crucial element in our lives.

It's one of the elements of nature.

Water symbolizes many things like fluidity,

Freedom and joy.

Our second chakra,

Svadhisthani chakra,

Connects to the water element.

So in this Yoga Nidra session we'll flow with the water.

Flow towards a deep sense of calmness.

And all you have to do is listen to my voice.

So find yourself a quiet spot to lie down,

On your bed or your couch,

Wherever is most comfortable for you.

Feel how you're lying here.

Legs slightly apart,

Arms next to you,

Palms facing up.

If there's anything you can do to make yourself more comfortable,

Do it now.

So that you can enjoy the practice without any need to move.

Maybe cover yourself with a blanket,

Maybe adjust your spine or perhaps you need no changes at all.

If you haven't already,

You can close your eyes and welcome your inside world.

Welcome your breath.

Welcome the movements of your breath.

Feel how your breath moves you,

How your body rises and expands on an inhale and how it falls and contracts on an exhale.

You don't need to change a thing.

Your breathing rhythm is perfect as it is.

Maybe you can see your breath as waves,

Waves of the ocean,

Slowly and steadily rising,

Rolling like the waves.

Let's add ocean sounds to your breath.

We'll do some Ujjayi breathing.

Ocean breath,

As the sound of your breath mimics the sound of the waves.

It's easy to do but if it distresses you,

Feel free to return to your natural breath.

Let's give it a go.

Breathe through your nose with your mouth closed and gently contract your throat so that a soft hissing sound surfaces.

An ocean sound.

You can visualize it as breathing through a straw if you like and you probably notice that your breaths become longer and slower.

Very good.

Inhale,

Exhale.

Now on every inhale,

Count back from 10.

10,

Inhale and exhale.

9,

Inhale and exhale.

Continue counting at your own pace.

You can let go of your Ujjayi breath and return to your natural breath.

You may notice that it has become deeper and slower now or maybe not.

It's all good.

Now let the water rinse you,

Refresh you.

Imagine how the water cleanses you from your head to your toes like a shower.

The water is just the right temperature.

Feel how the water touches the top of your head,

Your hair or your skin.

The water flows to the back of your head.

Feel how it washes over your face,

How it rinses,

Even inside your head.

The water is rinsing away everything that doesn't serve you anymore,

Making space for peace,

Calmness,

Openness.

The water rinses your face,

Bringing brightness and purity to your forehead,

Your eyebrows,

Your eyes,

Your nose,

Your cheeks,

Your ears,

Your mouth,

Your jaws,

Your chin.

Feel the water flow to your throat,

Your neck,

Your collarbone.

The water reaches your right shoulder,

Softening your right shoulder and slowly making its way down through your arm,

Via your upper arm,

Elbow,

Lower arm,

Wrist and to your hand,

Releasing all tension.

Sense the water embracing your left shoulder,

Making space in your entire left arm,

Finding its way from your shoulder to your upper arm,

Your elbow,

Your lower arm,

Your wrist,

Your hand and all its fingers.

Cleaning,

Rinsing,

Refreshing.

The water flushes away all pain,

All stiffness,

All sorrows.

It reaches your upper back and your chest,

Cleansing,

Making space.

It soothes your lower back and your belly.

It softens your hips,

Your pelvis.

The water hugs your right leg.

It flows around and through your entire right leg,

Washing away all the tension and stiffness and bringing fluidity to your thigh,

Your upper leg,

Your knee,

Your lower leg.

It touches your ankle,

Your heel,

The top of your foot,

The ball of your foot and all your toes.

And then the water does the same on your left leg,

Eliminating all tension from your left leg,

Cleansing and purifying your left thigh,

Your upper leg,

Knee,

Lower leg.

And it keeps flowing,

Flowing to your ankle,

Your heel,

The top of your foot,

The ball of your foot and your toes.

The water releases you of all tension.

Feel how you've become the water.

Feel it flow and meander through your entire body,

Washing away all sorrows,

Concerns and tension and replacing it with space.

Lots of space,

Endless space.

And in this space you can set an intention,

A sankalpa that honors your truest self.

Notice your intention surfacing from the water.

Maybe you rephrase it a bit in positive words,

As if it's already present.

I am joyful,

I live and flow with nature,

I am free.

Whatever comes up for you.

Now imagine writing down your intention in the sand on a beach.

You use your hands to write the words in the sand and once you're finished,

You take a few steps back.

You sit down and watch the ocean wash your intention away.

As the waves get a hold of your intention,

You can let it go.

It's been understood.

All you need to do now is enjoy this moment at the beach.

You play a bit with the warm sand,

Let it run through your fingers.

You find some seashells and peer over the water.

You take a long slow walk on the beach and decide to dip your toes in the ocean.

The water looks so tempting and the temperature is just right.

Not too warm,

Not too cold.

You walk in a bit further to feel the water on your entire body.

There are a few gentle waves washing away the sand from your body and the sorrows from your mind.

And behind those waves,

The water is extremely calm.

Not even a ripple.

You swim towards this refreshing,

Calm spot in the ocean.

You turn on your back and spread your arms and legs.

You're floating,

Flowing,

Rinsing,

Cleansing.

The ocean whispers your intention in your ear and you feel it spread through your entire body and beyond.

You are the ocean.

You are the water.

You are fluid.

You are spacious.

And you are open.

Now slowly come back to the surface.

Become aware of my voice,

The space that you are in.

And start to make some tiny fluid movements,

Like touching the tops of your fingers with your thumbs or making small circles with your feet.

Maybe you swallow a few times and then roll to your favorite side and stay here for a breath or two.

Now gently push yourself up in a comfortable seated position,

Keeping your eyes closed.

Place your hands in front of your heart and give thanks.

And it may be nice to have a glass of water after this recording ends to embody the Yoga Nidra practice.

Take a few mindful sips of water to prolong the effects of this session and take it with you into your day or night.

Namaste.