Yoga Nidra For The Winter Solstice | Ancient Rhythms

Namaste.

Welcome to this very special guided yoga nidra experience for the winter solstice here in the northern hemisphere.

My name is Christine and it is an honor to be your humble guide through this gentle crossing of the threshold.

This particular practice is meant to support you in witnessing,

Celebrating,

And honoring the cycles of nature of which we are inseparable and intrinsically interconnected.

If you are listening to this recording around the release date,

It is around the time of the solstice.

Summer solstice in the southern hemisphere where they are experiencing the longest day of the year,

The most sunlight,

And the winter solstice here in the northern hemisphere where we are experiencing the shortest day of the year with the least amount of sunlight.

At the time of the winter solstice we are entering the dark part of the year.

This is a time when all of nature rests.

In archetypal symbolism this is a time to journey to the mountaintop to sit with the hermit,

To turn from the outside world of expression and action,

And to journey inward,

Back into the womb,

Back into the field of all possibility.

It is from this place of darkness,

Resting in the sweet unknown,

In the sacred mystery,

This place of deep stillness and silence that we listen.

We listen for the whispers of soul and spirit guiding us and beckoning us so we may prepare for the coming rebirth.

So,

If you are ready,

Shall we begin?

If you haven't already,

Prepare your cocoon for a deep rest.

Imagine you are building this nest for a dearly beloved one,

Sparing no comforts,

No luxuries for your journey inward.

You might imagine you are building the altar upon which your sacred vessel will rest.

If it feels right in your body today,

Choose a supine position on the back so the spine can rest in a neutral position.

Tuck yourself in,

Perhaps covering the eyes to block out any light.

Snuggle in and rest the weight of your head and your heart back.

Let your body be completely held by the support of your sacred cocoon and by the earth beneath you.

Notice if there are any tiny adjustments you could make to feel even 1% more comfortable.

Now,

Relaxation is the key that will take you deeper toward a state of clarity,

Connection,

And transformative rest.

Taking a few slow deep breaths in through the nose,

And long relaxed breaths out through the mouth as you settle.

Imagine you could breathe down into the pelvis,

All the way down the legs,

Into the feet and toes.

And breathing all the way down into the fingertips,

Imagining your whole body could breathe.

Full body breathing.

And let your attention turn inward as you arrive fully in your body,

Fully in this moment.

Slowly shifting from the world of thinking to the world of feeling and sensing.

Any lingering grip to thoughts of the past,

Thoughts of the future,

Loosening.

Fading into the background.

Invite your mind to rest in your heart,

Fully present in this moment.

Feel your eyelids get heavy,

Eyes sinking down and back,

Skin of the forehead smoothing out,

Jaw and tongue relaxing.

With each exhalation,

Tension and worries melting down into the earth beneath you.

You are held here,

Completely supported.

It is safe to let go and it is time to rest.

Permission to surrender to the medicine of Yoginitra.

The practice begins now.

Let your attention move towards sound.

Notice both ears receptive and listening.

Noticing sounds in your environment,

Sounds of this recording,

Sounds furthest from you.

Imagine the whole body could become sensitive and receptive to sound vibrations.

Full body listening.

And notice the sensation of the breath inside the nostrils.

Breath flowing in,

Flowing out.

Perhaps noticing any fragrances or aromas in the air.

And welcome the soothing darkness behind closed eyes.

Sense the warmth of the eye sockets and the energy of the orbs of the eyes.

Dropping awareness down now into your heart center.

Presence in the heart.

Begin feeling into the innate wisdom that resides here in your intuitive heart.

As you begin calling in your Sankalpa,

Your heartfelt vow for this lifetime.

You might sense this as a feeling or perhaps a word arises.

You might already be working with a primary vow or perhaps you choose to remain in the sweet unknown of no Sankalpa.

Take a moment to notice what is arising.

You might also feel if the following resonates.

I listen intimately to the silence within me.

I listen intimately to the silence within me.

Silently repeat your Sankalpa three times.

Imagine planting this vow of intention like an acorn into the black void.

The field of potential where it will rest and grow in the dark until one day it stands.

A mighty oak tree.

Offering it to the great unknown with unyielding trust.

We will begin to rotate awareness on a journey through the physical pathways of the body.

Allow awareness to saturate each point flowing from point to point.

Resolve to remain awake and aware.

Allow my voice to be your anchor.

If you fall asleep,

Trust that you will receive the medicine you need most as we journey forward.

Bringing all of your attention to the clearing between the brows,

The third eye center.

From the center of the forehead to the right eye.

The left eye.

Right nostril.

Left nostril.

Tip of the tongue.

Root of the tongue.

Throat center.

Pit of the throat.

Right shoulder.

Elbow.

Wrist.

Tip of the thumb.

Index finger.

Middle finger.

Ring finger.

Little finger.

Palm of the hand.

Back of the hand.

Wrist.

Elbow.

Right shoulder.

Heart center.

Right side of the chest.

Left.

Right waist.

Knee.

Ankle.

Tip of the big toe.

Second toe.

Third.

Fourth.

Little toe.

Sole of the foot.

Top of the foot.

Ankle.

Knee.

Right hip.

Center of the pelvis.

Left hip.

Knee.

Ankle.

Tip of the big toe.

Second toe.

Third.

Fourth.

Little toe.

Sole of the foot.

Top of the foot.

Ankle.

Knee.

Left hip.

Left waist.

Left side of the chest.

Shoulder.

Elbow.

Wrist.

Tip of the thumb.

Index finger.

Middle finger.

Ring finger.

Little finger.

Palm of the hand.

Back of the hand.

Wrist.

Elbow.

Shoulder.

Heart center.

Navel center.

Center of the pelvis.

Base of the spine.

Right side of the sacrum.

Left side of the sacrum.

Center of the spine.

The mid-back.

Upper spine,

Just between the shoulder blades.

Cervical spine.

The back of the neck.

All the way to the base of the skull.

Back of the head.

Crown of the head.

Center of the forehead.

Center of the throat.

Heart center.

Imagine breathing in and out through this energetic center.

Gentle waves flowing in and out through the heart.

As you inhale,

Breathing in for a count of 1.

.

.

2.

.

.

3.

.

.

4.

.

.

Exhale 6.

.

.

5.

.

.

4.

.

.

3.

.

.

2.

.

.

1.

.

.

Breathing in 1.

.

.

2.

.

.

3.

.

.

4.

.

.

Exhaling 6.

.

.

5.

.

.

4.

.

.

3.

.

.

2.

.

.

1.

.

.

Inhale for 4.

.

.

2.

.

.

Exhale for 6.

.

.

One more round,

Inhale.

.

.

Exhale.

.

.

And then allow the count to fall away,

But keep the shape of the breath.

Letting the out-breath be a little bit longer than the in-breath.

As you are breathing,

Whole body relaxing,

Might you begin to notice the four parts of the breath cycle.

Inhalation,

Like spring,

Or the waxing moon rising in energy.

And the top of the inhalation,

Like the summer solstice,

Like the fluorescence of nature in full bloom.

Exhalation,

Like the fall,

Waning in energy,

When the leaves change colors as the trees draw their energy back inward.

And at the bottom of the exhalation,

There's a quiet moment of complete suspension,

Of complete emptiness,

Like the winter solstice,

Like the dark moon,

When all is dark and quiet.

Might you rest your focus here,

At this threshold between out-breath and the coming in-breath,

This quiet moment of emptiness and trust,

Lingering here in curiosity.

In this emptiness,

We offer ourselves in surrender,

In total trust for the breath that will again renew and sustain life.

This is the sacred rhythm of inward and outward,

And this is our ancient rhythm.

Could you begin to shift attention now to the clearing between the brows?

Awareness migrating and saturating the third eye center.

Begin to invoke a feeling of satisfaction.

Satisfaction.

Noticing how satisfaction feels in the body,

As well as any stories or narratives arising in the mind.

Satisfaction.

Now invoke a feeling of frustration.

Frustration.

Noticing how frustration shows up in the body,

As well as any stories arising in the mind.

Frustration.

Now invoking a feeling of attachment.

Attachment.

Wanting to hold on to or control something.

Notice how attachment shows up in the body,

As well as any stories around attachment arising in the mind.

Attachment.

Now begin to invoke a feeling of surrender.

Surrender.

Letting go.

A loosening of control.

Noticing how surrender lands in the body,

And any narratives arising in the mind.

Surrender.

Now let go of any stories and come to rest in a state of equanimity.

Now become observer,

Taking your seat as witness.

Knowing that satisfaction,

Frustration,

Attachment,

Surrender.

These are a part of our human experiences.

Coming and going.

Changing and communicating important information for us about what is important for us to pay attention to in any particular moment.

It is safe and honorable to welcome each of these visitors as a guest and a messenger of the moment.

Offering wisdom.

Trusting each guest has a part to play in the evolution of consciousness,

Personally and collectively.

Resting in a state of neutrality and openness.

Now,

Coming back to the breath.

Calm,

Steady breath.

Gentle flowing and ebbing.

Imagine breathing in through the nose,

Up toward the third eye center and deep into the brain.

And then imagine exhaling back down and out through the nose.

Breathing in nose to center of the brain.

Breathing back out through the nose.

With your mind's eye,

Begin to see a black screen.

Project any images or impressions onto this screen like a movie.

Imagine you are a seeker,

A traveler,

Preparing to seek out and sit with the black screen.

The wise sage of the mountain.

You carry nothing with you but your lantern.

You climb over boulders and roots.

Trees lift their branches to let you pass.

You climb higher and higher.

Giving thanks to the landscape as it lets you pass over its body.

Climbing higher and higher toward the mountaintop to a cave where the hermit lives.

A warm glow emanates from inside the cave.

As you now sit by the fire in the center of the cave.

The hermit shares stories with you about the cycles of nature and of transformation.

And the essential ingredients of introspection,

Solitude,

Silence.

Now you are ready to take what you have learned back down the mountain.

And to bring these gifts to your outer world.

The hermit lights your lantern with a flame from his fire.

This is the light of your inner lantern.

It is a beacon for when you cannot see.

And it will guide you and protect you as you journey home.

Now begin to see yourself descending the mountain.

As I count down from five to one.

Coming back toward this now moment.

Five.

Four.

Descending.

Three.

Two.

One.

Awareness back in the body.

Resting here so deeply.

In a state of integration with the moment and with yourself.

Fully immersed right here,

Right now.

You are whole.

One with all that is,

Has been,

And ever shall be.

So very gently begin to gather attention at your pelvic center.

Just below the navel.

Awareness gathering in at the pelvic center.

Allow yourself to be held unconditionally here.

In the cosmic womb of existence.

Resting in the sweet potential of the unknown.

Dissolving into the silence and stillness of the winter solstice within you.

Resting so deeply here.

Gently,

Gently guiding awareness back to the heart.

Awareness gathering in.

Presence in the heart.

It is time to recall your sankalpa.

Perhaps you are reaffirming.

I listen intimately to the silence within me.

Invoking your sacred promise mentally three times now.

Feel your sankalpa echo through your entire being.

Rippling outward.

Taking up space.

Begin to notice your breath.

Sensing the weight of your body.

The space your body is occupying.

Beginning to sense your environment.

Sensing the space around you.

Noticing the quality of air gently touching your skin.

The sounds around you.

Fragrances and aromas.

Could you take a deep breath in through the nose?

And exhale to sigh it out.

Twice more.

Deep breath in.

Long breath out.

One last breath.

The practice is complete.

When you're ready,

Roll onto one side and rest a while longer.

Hugging your knees up toward your chest.

And just as we practice shavasana symbolically,

We practice rebirth as we rise from the fetal position at the end of each practice.

This is the shape we each begin life in,

In the womb.

Dear soul,

You are inseparable from the ancient rhythms of inward and outward.

Intrinsically connected,

Held always,

Loved beyond words.

Thank you for your presence.

May your new year be gentle.

And may you remember to listen deeply to the silence within.

So much love.

Namaste.

Thank you.