Yoga Nidra: Held by the Earth

Hi, everyone. This class is for rest. I am sharing one of my favorite practices yoga, Nidra. And, for class, you'll need a bolster, a blanket, anything that brings you comfort that feels cozy, so blankets, pillows, and also a journal and a pen will do a journal prompt at the end of class. We're gonna begin with a Sanskrit mantra And this one is to honor the goddess of yoga Nidra.

And the way that I like to, or how I've interpreted this particular mantra is it's to honor that rests is a sacred force, an intelligent force that exists in each and every one of us. And that it is our birthright to rest, to slow down, and to create whatever it is we wanna create in life from a place of abundance. So with that, you're welcome to join me. If you happen to know it, you can chat along. And if this is a new mantra for you, just listen with an open heart and an open mind.

And take it as sacred sound. So join me first in seated position. Close your eyes. Let your hands rest on your thighs for a moment. Just get anchored in your body.

Sense into it. Let this be a moment that is marking a transition. Pay attention to where you might be holding, some tension. Can you relax those areas of your body? And even just give it to the earth.

That's a personal mantra of mine. Oh, give it to the earth. If you're feeling the tension in your shoulders, can you relax? Allow that tension to move down the body into the earth. Any tension in your mind, exhale and let it go out through the nostrils into the earth. Let's join our palms together in front of the heart.

Listening to the mantra will begin with an ohm and go from there. And if you know it, please chant along. Shanti mhmm. Your chin lowers to your heart. Honoring the rest, the divine sacred rest that lives in you. When you're ready, lower your hands, let's blink the eyes open. Grab your blanket.

We're gonna start in crocodile pose today. So you can start with your, blanket folded in a rectangle shape and place it underneath your hip points. Now if that feels a little too jarring for you, you might wanna just open your blanket so it's more of a square shape. I'm gonna go for the rectangle shape. So place your hip points on top of the blanket.

And make a pillow with your hands. You're gonna rest your forehead on top of your hands. And just allow your body to settle here. If you feel any pain in your lower back, you may need to open the blanket. So but it's more flat because it's just creating an arch in your lower back otherwise.

So go with the blanket more flat, and still it'll offer support to the hip points. Your feet tops of the feet are on the mat and very relaxed. Let the whole front side of the body relax and surrender into your mat, into the earth. So allow the first couple of breaths, be an invitation for your front body to soften. In fact, imagine you were laying on the earth, perhaps on a grassy field or dirt. Whatever you imagine, imagine your lane on the earth, and that the front of your body is molding to the shape of the earth.

And now draw your attention to your breath. And breathe into the back of the body. And then fill that breath into the side body, into the side ribs. All the way into the front body. You'll exhale slowly out through the nose.

When you breathe in, feel the back ribs, side ribs, front ribs, Exceo all the breath out. We'll do this three more times. This breath is called the chi breath. I'd like to say packing of the chi. So really energizing the body with this very slow intentional breath as you breathe into the back ribs side ribs, front ribs, exhale all the breath out.

Twice more on your own. She is also prana. Just another translation, life force, energy. So this is the packing of your life force energy in the most gentlest way. And when you've completed two rounds, we'll move the hands alongside the ribs to support you as you curl your toes under, keep the knees on the mat, and just press up to tabletop.

Move the blanket and actually place that blanket at the top of the mat. So you can have it later and just come into child's pose for now. To transition out of that crocodile pose. Let your forearms and elbows relax completely. And even here, you can practice the packing of the chi as you inhale into the back ribs, side ribs, front ribs, breathing, filling up.

And exhaling all the breath out. Just one more time like that. And inhaled to all fours set up for Shavasana here, I'm gonna invite you to place something under your head for more support. So a blanket, a pillow is great. A bolster underneath the thighs, the knees, blanket over your body.

So anything that's gonna offer you support here. Take a few moments to set that up for you. And when you're ready, you'll lie down on your back. So taking a supported Shavasana. You'll even close your eyes.

And if there's any part of you that still needs to adjust the posture, please do so. Let this be a moment where you really are fully receiving the support that you need in this moment. But once you've made all of the necessary adjustments, close your eyes. And feel the different touch points of your body that are resting on the earth. And even imagine the earth beneath your body, just as you did when you were lying down in a crocodile pose, imagine the earth.

Feel it beneath you. And your body molding onto the earth, so the back side of the body, taking on its shape. Let's inhale deeply through the nose. We'll do one cleansing breath. Fill yourself to the top.

Open the mouth and exhale. Sailing your lips and breathing in and out through the nose. Bring your attention to the nostrils and feel the moment the air enters the nostrils, filling the body, with prana, with chi, with life force, and feel the moment the air leaves the body, emptying the body. Do that two more times. Now imagine that your resting in the center of a circle.

The earth lays beneath you. And there's a circle of light around your body, an energetic protective shield around your body. As you breathe in, the earth rises to hold and cradle the body. As you breathe out, you surrender into that hold, into that embrace of the earth beneath you. Now notice the soles of your feet, feeling the heels against the earth.

Let the heels become heavier. As you breathe in, as you breathe out. Because calves become heavier as you breathe in as you breathe out. The back of your thighs, heavier. As you breathe in.

As you breathe out. The back of the pelvis surrenders to the earth. Your low spine, mid spine, upper spine relaxes on the breath in, on the breath out. Both shoulders. Relax.

As you breathe in, as you breathe out. The backs of the elbows. Rists, hands. Feel both arms relax on the breath in, on the breath out. Rists, elbows.

Shoulders. Relax the base of the neck in the back of the throat. Into the earth and feel the back of your skull. Relaxing on the breath in and on the breath out. Notice that your whole body is held, unconditionally supported.

By the Earth beneath you. Feel your whole body. At ease and resting. And just as your body remains relaxed, invite the breath again, filling up all the way to the top of the lungs. Excelling all the breath out, moving your toes and your fingers, start to make your way to a seated position, taking your time.

And once you're seated, join your palms together rubbing your hands, inviting bigger movements, placing one hand to your belly, one to your heart. And what I wanna invite you into on your own, if this feels aligned is to journal and to inquire about what feels supportive in your life today. And where can you use more support? Joining the palms together in front of your heart by your chin, honoring the rest that lives within you. Namaste.