Yoga Nidra for the Water Element

Prepare for the practice of Yoga Nidra by laying on your back in Savasana

Say to yourself mentally “I am practicing Yoga Nidra”

Get as aligned and symmetrical as possible . . . (usual wording)

We will start with a Tense and Release exercise : Tense each body part like it is frozen and made of ice an and release has been warmed and easily flows with any blockages or obstructions: Tense feet like each – release and relax like a warm gentle stream, calves, knees, thighs, abdomen, chest, back, arms, hands, face

If yoga nidra it is best in the body remains still. But if you become uncomfortable  ….

Say to yourself mentally “I will stay still for Yoga Nidra”

Now relax and imagine you mat is a raft and you are floating on calm body of water, a gentle lake

Feel all the points of contact between the body and your raft

Feel supported by the raft. Feel your head supported, shoulders

Imagine yourself floating easily and securely on the raft.  Gentle floating without any care or worry
Your body is nearly 70% water. Become aware of all the types of water in the body.

Sense the blood flowing through your veins, feel your heart beating, pumping life round your body.Feel saliva in the mouth, mucus in the nose, any sweat, the feeling of moisture in the outbreath
Recognize that all of the Water within the body, which we think of as “us,” and “ours,” as “ourselves,” is in reality simply borrowed for a while from the outside world, that it’s quite literally flowing through us, and that we don’t own it.

There is only one Water element — there’s no “my” Water and there’s no “other” Water.

Repeat mentally:

“This is not me. This is not mine. I am not this.”
Scan in all directions listen for sounds . . outside the room…inside the room…body sounds… breath… heart beat

In the heart beat hear the sankalpa

SANKALPA
(Sankalpa dialogue)

BODY ROTATION (same as always but with gentle summer rain touching each body part)

Imagine a gently drop of summer rain touching each body part.Feel the cool and pure water droplets against your skin.Let them gently wet you and cleanse your aura, your body, your mind and your soul.A body part will be named and imagine a warm raindrop gently touching he body part. Cleansing and anointing you.

Begin the rotation of conscious through the body imaging a gentle drop of rain touching each body part beginning with the right hand thumb. Right hand thumb, index finger . . .

BREATH AWARENESS
Feel the rising and falling of the abdomen as you breathe and visualize seashore at night with the waves breaking on the shore.  There is a connection with your breath and belly, and what you see.  As you breathe out the waves break and the abdomen expands and as you breathe in the abdomen contracts and the sea withdraws.

Counting the abdominal waves backwards from 18 to 0 with awareness of the breath at the abdomen
The abdomen expands 18
The abdomen contracts 18

(continue as usual)


OPPOSITES (see dialogue as usual)

WARM – Imagine the body in a warm bath etc. . .

COOL – Imagine the body under a cool waterfall

VISUALIZATION

Bring awareness to the chidakasha the mind space in front of the closed eyes

Think of a calm lake

A calm blue lake with a Golden beach

A golden beach on the shore of an infinite lake of peace and bliss

On the water is a large white lotus flower is rocked gently by the waves

On the flower there is a baby lying safe and protected, and that baby is you

Feel yourself as that baby, rocking gently in the waters of the infinite lake

Continue your experience of you as baby rocking gently on the water

Feel a soft breeze blowing against your new born skin

See the blue sky above you

The quality of feeling is fresh and expectant as if the air is full of the possibilities of new beginnings

You feel excitement and wonder at all the newness around you

A sudden little shower of raindrops falls, and the water kisses your face with a gently, sweet
tenderness

More tiny droplets of rain now fall on the lake and golden beach

Imagined yourself renewed by the droplets of rain

Now let go of your baby self and come back into your adult form

See the infinite lake

See the golden beach

See the gentle rain

Now let go of the visualizations

And come back to the chiddakasha, the mind space in front of the closed eyes

SANKALPA

(same as always)

EXTERNALIZATION

Listen for sounds (heart beat, breath,   )
Feel water in the body:  blood flowing through your veins, feel your heart beating, pumping life round your body. Feel saliva in the mouth, mucus in the nose, any sweat, the feeling of moisture in the outbreath
Now remember the room,  ….
Feel all the points of contact between the body and the mat raft . . .
Come back to breath
Extend awareness from head to fingertips.
Extend awareness from head to toes,
.  . . etc... (close as usual)