Yoga Nidra - Earth Element

The Earth element will be your teacher through this Yoga Nidra session today.

Earth is one of the natural elements of this world.

It represents feeling grounded,

Stable,

Secure and safe.

Working with the Earth element,

You will feel more connected to your body and increase your confidence.

This natural element is connected to the Muladhara chakra,

The root chakra,

Which you will find at the bottom of your spine.

I invite you to lie down on your back,

But if that is not an option for you today,

You can simply find a comfortable seated position.

Otherwise,

Find a good spot to lie down and relax.

Maybe in the comfort of your bed,

On your couch,

Or maybe you feel more connected to the Earth lying directly on the floor.

Spread your legs a little,

Have your feet at least hip-width apart.

Place your arms a little spread out with your palms facing up,

And you can close your eyes.

And feel if this is the position you can comfortably spend some time in,

Without moving.

If you want to adjust something,

Now is the time.

And with your eyes closed,

Start bringing your attention to your breath.

Don't change it,

Just follow it.

See where it is at,

Feel how it moves,

Without judgment,

With curiosity.

Is your breath deep or shallow?

Is it quick or slow?

Is it high in your throat or deep in your belly?

Just watch,

Just feel.

And let's take a deep breath in through your nose.

And a deep breath out through your mouth.

In through your nose.

Out through your mouth.

One more time.

In through your nose.

Soak up all the air you can.

And out through your mouth.

Let all the air escape.

And at the end of your breath,

Try pushing the last bit of air out with a sigh.

Very good.

You can come back to your natural breath,

With your mouth now closed.

Let your breathing rhythm suit you.

Let the earth carry you.

Feel how your body is resting on the ground,

How the earth holds you.

Holds you grounded,

Stable and safe.

Imagine that on an inhale,

You pull the energy of the earth in from the ground.

And on an exhale,

You let restlessness and tension go.

You drop it into the earth.

So inhale,

Pull the energy in.

Exhale,

Let tension go.

Inhale,

Nourish yourself with the earth's energy.

Exhale to let the earth absorb all agitation.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Inhale security.

Exhale impatience.

Inhale safety.

Exhale restlessness.

Imagine the earth's energy as a warm red glow entering your body,

Creating a slightly tingly feeling.

Maybe like little sparks,

If that works for you.

So imagine how that red,

Sparkling energy enters your body through your heels and finds its way from the bottom of your feet to your toes.

Your entire left foot is covered in a soft red glow.

Your big toe is glowing and tiny sparks are moving through your second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe and little toe.

You feel the earth's energy moving through your right foot,

From your heel to your toe.

The red glow eases all the bones,

Nerves and muscles in your right foot.

You feel little sparks in your big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe and little toe.

Your right foot is one with the earth.

Your coughs soak up the earth's energy.

It spreads through your lower legs.

They gleam as the energy moves through them,

Making you feel connected to the earth.

Feel the earth's energy in your upper legs,

Spreading a warm glow,

Making your knees and your thighs supple and smooth.

The red glow enters your tailbone,

Your pelvis,

Your hips.

It's a warm,

Soothing energy that softly glimmers through your body.

It moves to your lower back and belly,

To your navel,

Your chest area and upper back.

Feel the earth's energy tingle in your collarbone,

And from there it spreads to your left shoulder,

Hugging your left shoulder.

Your left upper arm starts to glow gently,

As does your elbow,

Lower arm and wrist.

The energy starts to create little sparkles in your left hand,

First in your thumb,

Index finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger and little finger.

Your entire left arm glows and shimmers.

Now pull the earth's energy into your right shoulder.

Feel that nourishing energy moving from your right shoulder to your elbow,

Your lower arm,

Your wrist.

Imagine how your hand starts to glow.

Your thumb,

Your index finger,

Middle finger,

Ring finger and little finger.

Your entire hand.

Focus on the energy in your throat and neck,

Moving up to the back of your head.

Feel how your face starts to radiate.

Maybe it feels good to loosen up your jaw a little bit,

Stick out your tongue even.

And then sink back into full relaxation.

Your jaws are relaxed,

Your mouth and your lips.

Your nose is relaxed,

Your cheeks and your cheekbones.

Your eyes,

Your eyebrows and your forehead.

Top of your head.

And bring your attention to that spot between your eyebrows,

Your third eye.

Can you still feel that warm glow from the earth's energy?

Or maybe you experience a feeling of being grounded or safe.

Embrace it.

Enjoy it.

From this place,

Between your eyebrows,

You can let yourself sink into the earth,

Into the comfort of the earth.

With every breath you take,

You sink deeper.

Deeper into the earth.

Deeper into its comforting embrace.

Sink deeper.

Into the earth.

And into a silent mind.

There is nothing to worry about.

Nothing you need to do in this moment.

Just keep sinking into the safety of the earth.

And relax in silence.

And maybe,

In this silence,

You can visualize your greatest desire at this moment.

Maybe it's a word or several words,

An image or an idea.

Try to see it.

To feel it.

If there were no objections,

No insecurities,

What would your deepest desire be?

What is your biggest wish?

Imagine how you'll feel when this wish becomes a reality.

Who would you be?

How would you act?

How would you feel?

Take this feeling and fully grasp it.

Make it bigger and bigger.

Can you create an intention from this feeling,

From your deepest wish?

Maybe it's just one word,

Like safety or groundedness.

Maybe it's a little sentence,

Like I trust my gut feeling.

Take a few seconds to express it in words and repeat it to yourself three times.

As if you are planting the seeds into the earth that'll grow your wish into reality.

And once you've internally voiced your intention,

You can let it go and return to that spot between your eyebrows.

Sink deeper into the earth.

Deeper into relaxation.

Deeper and deeper.

Your body is in complete union with the earth.

There is trust,

Collaboration,

Or better yet,

They are one.

So let's explore this nourishing state a little further.

Imagine the versatility of the earth.

How it can be hard,

Like rocks,

Or soft,

Like dust.

Earth changes with the seasons.

Warm and cold.

Wet and dry.

And just like the earth,

We have our own seasons,

Internal seasons.

Sometimes we need to cocoon in darkness.

Sometimes we shine in brightness.

We can only distinguish the seasons because the others exist.

There is no winter without summer.

And no spring without fall.

The seasons provide stability in change.

The earth's energy is always there to make you feel safe,

Rooted,

And grounded.

Whatever internal season you are in,

You can trust the earth.

And you can trust yourself.

Explore the element earth as if it's the first time you're seeing.

With curiosity,

But with the safe feeling of familiarity.

Imagine working in a vegetable garden,

A place where you work with the earth.

You take off your garden gloves to feel the earth.

You stick your hands into it,

And you toss and turn it.

It feels moist,

A little heavy maybe.

And it gets under your fingernails,

But you don't mind the dirt.

Visualize planting the seed of your intention in your vegetable garden.

Bury it,

Water it,

And watch it grow.

Take a few breaths to enjoy the process.

Know that you can always connect to the earth.

To its energy.

It's always there to nourish you.

To carry you.

To be your rock if you need it.

To nourish your roots.

Enjoy the earth's soothing,

Safe energy.

Absorb it.

Let the earth and its energy strengthen you.

Gain confidence.

Now slowly become aware of my voice again.

Start noticing the space that you are in.

Maybe you notice some sounds,

Near or far away from you.

You can gently make some tiny movements with your hands.

And your feet.

Maybe turning some circles with your wrists and your ankles.

And if your body needs it,

You can fully stretch out for a second.

And then roll onto your favorite side.

When you're ready,

Keep your eyes closed and calmly push yourself up in a seated position.

See how you feel connected to the earth now.

Maybe you imagine that seed you planted.

Or maybe you feel the connection through visualizing roots that grow from your body into the ground.

Or you might even feel that lovely red warm glow again.

That glow of the earth's energy running through your entire body.

Now let's close this session by taking a deep breath in and a deep breath out.

Good job.

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

I hope you'll be able to carry this grounded feeling,

This connection to your body and the earth,

With you through your day.

Thank you for practicing.

Namaste.