Into The Woods A Yoga Nidra Journey

Welcome yourself to this Yoga Nidra practice.

Welcome as you follow along this wintering series.

Today's practice is offered as part one of a three-part journey,

Though you can listen to this by itself at any time.

To set the scene for this restful hibernation,

Gather what you need to feel cozy,

Warm and at ease in your body.

If you are laying on your back,

Find connection between the ground and your sacrum,

The ground and your shoulder blades,

And where the ground meets the very bottom edge of your skull.

Allow gravity to sink into these three areas.

Wintering is about honouring the slower,

Softer moments of life,

Falling in love with the darkness and the seeds that await us on the other side.

I often think of darkness as a gift of forgiveness,

A place of acceptance and of reformation.

The hardness of life can add layers to our being that in such darkness have no place or allies.

They simply fall away.

In darkness we become naked to our truth.

We can allow forgiveness to pierce our lonely hearts and mend broken dreams.

There is so much gold for us to find in the darkness of winter.

As you settle in,

Allow this series of meditations to be a balm or salve to which you apply tenderly to your body and mind in those moments where all there is to do is rest and receive.

If you are ready,

We will begin.

Exploring your comfort level,

When you feel ready cultivate a deep sigh as you exhale breath out of the mouth.

Lift the tongue to the roof of your mouth,

Resting it just behind the teeth.

We will take two inhales in through the nose to fill up on breath.

Exhaling,

Opening the mouth to sigh and release the breath out.

You can do this again two more times.

Two short inhales to fill up and one long sigh out through the mouth.

Notice where in your body this anchors you to.

Where does your breath bring you as the last moments of exhalation leave your body?

Can you find the softness behind your lungs and deeper in the sweetness behind your heart?

As the body rests back into these supports,

Feel the uprising of darkness meeting the whole back body of yours.

Welcome the darkness as it meets the whole of you.

The whole of you just as you are.

There is a calling from your heart to be more specific.

The sweetness that lies beyond the heart is asking you to rest your awareness within it.

Finding that sweet spot nestled between heart and spine.

There are many treasures to be found in this space.

Deep,

Dark and lustful desires of ours lay here protected and kept safe.

Though today we are ready to reach in and awaken our most heartfelt desire.

Our desire may be in the form of a sankalpa which we are already working with.

It may also be something you feel in the sweetness of this exact moment.

It may arise as a positive statement of truth for the safe passage through the darkness of winter.

If you need some inspiration,

You could try,

I am rested or I am whole.

When the words come to life within,

And you can speak them three times silently to yourself,

Each a vow of truth,

Bringing forth the sweetness of your desire.

There is courage in the reclaiming of what lies beyond the heart.

Not all here has seen the light.

Healing comes when the hidden becomes the unhidden,

And light can unburden it.

As we bury ourselves deeper into rest,

We will orient the body,

Bringing the whole of us in touch,

Threading the lines of communication as we move through the body.

Subtle awareness can allow us to sense the form and formlessness of who we are.

We will begin at the right side of the body.

Here we are stimulating the left side brain.

We will then slowly move to the left side of the body,

Stimulating the right side brain,

Eventually bringing both sides together.

Now feel the tip of the right thumb,

Drawing a thread of light between the thumb and index finger.

Index finger to middle finger,

Middle finger to ring finger,

Ring finger to baby finger.

From the darkness,

All tips of the fingers light up in your awareness.

The light thread moves into the centre of the right wrist,

Along the centre of the lower arm,

Into the elbow,

Centre of the shoulder,

Sense it moving across the chest to the left shoulder,

Left shoulder,

Down the centre of the upper arm,

Left elbow,

Centre of the wrist,

Into the tip of the baby finger,

Thread of light between baby finger and ring finger,

Ring finger and middle finger,

Middle finger to index finger,

And index finger to left thumb.

Feel the tip of your left thumb.

From this darkness,

All tips of the fingers light up in your awareness.

A bridge of light connecting right to left,

Lighting up both hands,

Both arms,

And both shoulders.

Thread of light now moves into the centre of the throat,

Into the right collarbone,

Left collarbone,

Centre of the chest,

Right lower ribs,

Left lower ribs,

Centre of the belly,

Right pelvic bone,

Left pelvic bone,

Centre of the pelvis,

All parts of the pelvis,

Lighting up in your awareness now.

Light thread moves into the right hip,

Down the centre of the right thigh,

Centre of the knee,

Lower leg,

Centre of the right ankle,

Top of the foot,

Sole of the foot,

Big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

And fifth toe.

Light now moves into the left hip,

Down the centre of the left thigh,

Centre of the knee,

Lower leg,

Centre of the left ankle,

Top of the foot,

Sole of the foot,

Big toe,

Second toe,

Third toe,

Fourth toe,

And fifth toe.

From the darkness,

All tips of the toes light up in your awareness,

A bridge of light connecting right to left,

Illuminating both feet,

Both legs,

And both hips.

Awareness of each part of your body is emerging from the darkness with light.

Place the light thread at the crown of your head now,

As it moves to the right ear,

Left ear,

Centre of the forehead,

Outer right eye,

Outer left eye,

Top of the nose,

Tip of the nose,

Right cheek,

Left cheek,

Centre of the top lip,

Centre of the bottom lip,

Centre of the mouth,

Centre of the mouth,

Centre of the chin,

Right side of the jaw,

Left side of the jaw.

From darkness,

All parts of your face light up in your awareness,

A bridge connecting right to left,

Lighting up the whole face and head.

Whole body,

Awareness,

Sensing the whole body coming into the light.

From darkness,

Rising into its own source of light,

The seeds of light are glowing from within,

The darkness surrounding the whole body.

Allow the darkness to penetrate the whole body now,

Only the light seeds will remain,

The rest can dissolve willingly into the thickness of the night.

In the darkness of night,

You find yourself outside,

Somewhere familiar feeling in nature.

It is the calmest of nights,

Tilting your head up to the rays of the full moon,

As they floodlight your face,

Stars glimmering in the inky blue black sky.

This place feels comforting,

Safe,

Somehow free from influence,

Other than nature itself.

Your awareness expands,

And you notice your surroundings,

Trees and shrubs,

The earth and moss.

A wide path is unfurling before your feet,

As if laid just for you.

Guided by the moonlight,

It brings you deeper into the landscape.

You're able to glimpse ahead,

Making out a small wooden cabin.

As you approach,

Your eyes adjust to the darkness,

And the cabin turns into a wooden sauna house.

Just behind it,

Your eyes dance,

As a body of water comes into focus,

The moon and stars reflecting from its dark depths.

There is smoke rising out of the sauna's chimney.

This brings your focus back from the allure of the water.

You notice that there is no one around,

But you.

It feels almost like nature conspired for you to have this moment all to yourself.

A smile arrives on your face,

Feelings of pleasure from within,

As you gleefully peel each piece of clothing from your body.

The coolness of the night feels reassuringly refreshing.

As the clothes fall to the ground,

Finally,

Your whole body is bathed in the full glow of the moon.

Just as two old friends embracing,

The body immediately feels embraced.

Your bare feet climb the steps up to the sauna door,

The body softening as it awaits the warmth you're about to receive.

There is an intensity of heat bellowing out as the door opens,

Like stepping into a humid rainforest.

You close the door behind you,

Bringing yourself to sit close to the wood-burning stove.

You gaze out through the large glass floor-to-ceiling window over the hypnotic water.

There is a ladle and bucket of water beside you.

You notice the water is infused with your favourite scent as you ladle it over the hot stones.

Immediately,

The noise of the water meeting the heat of the stones fills the sauna,

The intense build-up of steam moving over your whole body.

There is nothing else to do but welcome the rapid and mighty heat.

You feel it all over your skin,

As if moving through the layers of you.

You add another ladle,

Which intensifies this even more.

The heat travels in through your airways,

Heating your body from the inside out.

One more ladle heightens the thickness of warmth around you,

And you decide to lay back onto the pine bench.

The body melts into the support.

Every part of you is thawing,

Unbinding.

Even the sweat building up on the surface of your skin is clearing out,

Liberating the whole body.

The breath slows as the body softens.

Skin mellows,

Muscles ease,

And bones recess.

Everything within lets out a metaphorical sigh,

A great expulsion.

You bathe in this glory.

The rarity of this moment is not lost on you,

And you soak it up.

Every cellular part of you,

To be given this opportunity to release,

Is like coming home.

A gentle and alluring voice stirs you.

It is the water calling you.

Its enticement leads you to slowly make your way up from your sedation,

And steadily onto your feet.

Opening the door of the sauna,

You're instantly met by the exhilarating cool night air.

Soles of the feet touching down onto the earth,

Each step towards the shores of the water,

Stirring you from within.

Toes first encounter the rippling water,

Then a quickening of sensation as you walk in deeper.

The charge of the rising water envelops your whole body.

You feel plunged into the dark,

Cold depths.

There is nothing else to do but surrender,

Surrender,

Surrender.

Under the glow of the moon and stars,

You lay back into the arms of the water,

Floating in its cradle,

Supported and held.

Experience the darkness of the night throughout your whole body.

What do you experience in the darkness of the night?

Imagine your body absorbing the bright lights of the moon and the stars.

What does it feel like to be filled with light?

Surrender and welcome the silence of night time.

Welcome the silence of darkness.

How does your body experience silence?

Now recall and hear the sounds of nature.

The gentle rippling of the water,

Lapping of the shore.

Welcome the sounds of nature.

Experience them through your whole body.

Surrender once again and welcome in solitude.

How does it feel to be alone?

How do you experience solitude?

Now embrace the remembrance of connectedness,

Intimacy with oneself,

Life and the natural world.

What does connectedness feel like?

Surrender as you swirl around floating in the silky black waters.

Surrender as everything dissolves into wholeness.

Everything becomes one of the same.

The seed of light piercing the depths of darkness.

You become the stars in the darkness.

You are the seeds of light.

You sense your sankalpa or intention rise from the sweetness behind the heart.

From darkness your desire rises once again.

If you feel cold you can repeat your words,

Your statement once again,

Embracing the light from within.

The practice of yoga nidra is now complete.

You may wish to welcome the anchor of your breath to guide you gently to awakening.

And as your breath moves,

So does the body.

And as you deepen the breath you can bring bigger movements into the body.

Perhaps rolling the head gently side to side,

Opening the mouth and moving your jaw,

Circling of the wrists and ankles.

What feels right for you now?

As always you are welcome to rest here as long as you need,

Taking your time to rise and move on with your day.

Whether closing your practice,

Laying down,

Continuing to rest or if you are finding a comfortable seat,

An upright posture.

As you slowly open your eyes,

Allow yourself to orientate yourself back into your space.

Gaze around your space,

Perhaps looking out a window.

Thank yourself for your practice today.

I send gratitude to you and hope you have a wonderful rest of your day.