Hi,
This is Nathalie.
Welcome to this winter yoga nidra.
Find a comfortable position lying on your back.
Let your legs fall open naturally,
Arms resting beside your body,
Palms facing upward or inward,
Whatever feels most relaxed.
If you like,
Place a blanket over you or support under your knees so your body has everything it needs to fully let go.
Once you've settled in,
Take a slow breath in through the nose and a long,
Soft exhale out through the mouth.
Allow the body to settle.
Allow the face to soften.
Allow the whole system to surrender into stillness.
From this moment on,
There's nothing you need to do,
Nothing to achieve.
Just follow the sound of my voice.
Try to stay awake,
Stay aware,
And rest deeply.
First,
Bring to mind your sankalpa,
A short,
Positive intention stated in present tense.
It may be a feeling you want to cultivate,
A quality you want to live with,
Or a simple truth you wish to strengthen within.
Examples could be,
I am calm and resting,
Or I trust myself and I trust life,
Or I rest in inner stability.
Choose one clear sentence and repeat your sankalpa silently three times with full awareness.
Now,
We begin the systematic journey through the body.
Follow along simply by listening and bringing awareness to each part as it's named.
No need to move,
Just notice.
We start with the right side of the body.
Right hand thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger.
Ring finger,
Little finger.
Palm of the right hand,
Back of the hand,
Right wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Right shoulder,
Armpit,
Right side of the ribs,
Right waist,
Right hip,
Left hip,
Right thigh,
Knee,
Calf,
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole of the right foot,
Top of the right foot,
Heel of the right foot,
Big toe,
Second toe,
Third,
Little toe.
Left hand thumb,
Index finger,
Middle finger,
Ring finger,
Little finger,
Palm of the left hand,
Back of the hand,
Wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Upper arm,
Left shoulder,
Armpit,
Left side of the ribs,
Waist,
Left thigh,
Knee,
Ankle,
Heel,
Sole of the left foot,
Top of the foot,
Big toe,
Second toe,
Third,
Little toe.
Let's continue with the right shoulder blade,
Left shoulder blade,
Right shoulder blade,
Left shoulder blade,
Right wrist,
Forearm,
Elbow,
Armpit,
Entire upper back,
Middle back,
Lower back,
Right buttock,
Left buttock,
Right buttock,
Left buttock,
Right buttock,
Right buttock,
Left buttock,
Center of the throat,
Right side of the jaw,
Left side of the jaw,
Right cheek,
Left cheek,
Tip of the nose,
Right nostril,
Left nostril,
Right eyelid,
Eyebrow,
And temple,
Left eyelid,
Eyebrow,
And temple,
The space between the eyebrows,
Forehead,
The whole head,
The crown of the head.
Now feel the entire right side of the body,
The entire left side,
Both sides together,
The whole body lying here in complete stillness.
Shift your attention to the natural flow of your breath,
No change needed,
Just observe.
Notice the coolness of the inhale and the softness of the exhale.
Feel the breath as it moves in the nostrils,
Down the throat,
Into the chest,
Into the belly,
And then back out again.
Imagine the breath like a gentle winter breeze,
Steady and quiet,
Effortless.
Now begin to count the breath backward from 11 to 1.
11 on the inhale,
11 on the exhale,
Then 10 inhale,
10 exhale,
9 inhale,
9 exhale,
All the way down to 1.
If you lose the count,
Simply start again from 11 without judgment.
Allow your breath to anchor you in deep calm.
Now we work with opposite sensations,
Not to stir emotion,
But to observe the mind's ability to shift.
Bring to mind the sensation of lightness.
Imagine your body becoming lighter and lighter,
As if floating slightly above the ground.
Feel lightness for a few moments.
Now gently shift to the sensation of heaviness,
The weight of the body sinking into the surface beneath you,
Steady,
Grounded,
And supported,
Your body feeling heavier and heavier.
Now return to lightness.
And again,
Heaviness,
Solid,
Relaxed.
Back to lightness,
Feeling your body float above the ground.
And again,
Heaviness,
The weight of the body sinking into the surface beneath you.
Let both sensations exist without preference,
Simply noticing.
Now allow the mind to open into gentle winter scenes.
They are not forced,
They simply appear.
Imagine yourself standing at the edge of a quiet,
Snowy forest.
The air is crisp,
But not cold,
Just fresh and clean.
Snow blankets the ground in soft white.
Everything feels still.
You begin to walk slowly.
Your steps make a gentle sound in the snow.
The forest is peaceful,
Silent,
And welcoming.
Ahead,
You see a clearing.
In the clearing,
A small group of reindeer moves calmly between the trees.
Their presence feels grounding and steady,
Like guardians of the winter.
You watch them for a moment,
Feeling their calm energy.
Now imagine looking up at the sky.
A single snowflake begins to fall,
Slow,
Delicate,
And unique.
It drifts and dances through the air,
Softly landing in your open palm.
It melts with warmth,
Reminding you of your own inner softness.
The scene shifts.
You find yourself sitting beside a small winter cabin,
With warm light glowing from the windows.
You're wrapped in a soft blanket.
Inside,
A fire crackles gently.
You feel completely at ease.
You feel held,
Warm,
And protected.
Let this winter landscape wash over you.
Reindeer moving quietly.
Snowflakes falling slowly.
Warm light guiding you home to yourself.
Rest here for a few silent breaths.
Now return to your sankalpa,
Your inner intention.
Repeat it silently three times with full trust that it is taking root within you.
Begin to bring awareness back to your physical body.
Feel the support beneath you.
Feel the air on your skin.
Notice the rise and fall of the breath.
Gently invite small movements into the fingers and toes.
Slow circles with the wrists and ankles.
A soft stretch of the arms above your head if it feels good.
And when you're ready,
Slowly roll onto one side and rest for a moment.
And eventually,
Come up to a comfortable seated position.
Your winter yoga nidra is complete.
Carry this quiet ease with you into the rest of your day.
