This yoga nidra reconnects us with the energy of nature, by guiding us on a walk in a forest located in the Canadian Shield in Ontario Canada. It invokes images to connect us with the sights, sounds, smells, and energy of the forest. It was inspired by own forest journey near Sharbot Lake Ontario more than 4 decades ago, when I had a peak experience that so vividly and viscerally connected me to the energy of nature, that the memory has never left me. I offer this yoga nidra as a chance for others to have a taste of this experience and remember that nature not only surrounds us, but is a part of us and that we are a part of nature. By tapping into the energy of nature we remember our true selves, connected to all that is.

In this Nidra, I also gratefully share words from Thich Nhat Hanh (Nhat Hanh, 2014, p. 108), and a poem by Zach Beach called “Reach Out in Both Directions” (Beach, 2019) . I discovered the poem for the first time while preparing the script for this Yoga Nidra and was amazed by how many elements of my own experience were captured in it, which suggests its universal nature. I hope you enjoy this Yoga Nidra.

Nhat Hanh, T. (2015). Silence, The Power of Quiet in a World Full of Noise. HarperOne, New York.

Beach, Z. (2019). 108 Savasana Poems: Blissful Words From the Heart of Yoga.

This yoga nidra reminds us to embrace the good in ourselves and others. It aims to help us quiet the inner critic that loves to focus on the negative, to provide us with a more balanced view of ourselves and others. During the body scan (annamaya kosha phase), we embrace the imagery of rewarding ourselves with little gold stars, the type that school teachers often gave out as a reward for good work/behaviour when I was in grade school. The cover photo with its glinting sun evokes a natural gold star as well. I hope you enjoy this yoga nidra.

This yoga nidra reminds us that we are not alone and encourages us to become aware of all the love that surrounds us across the generations, past, present and future. It may be particularly helpful when we are feeling alone, or missing people from our past, including those who have gone before us. It is not recommended if you have suffered a recent loss that you are grieving deeply - trust your inner wisdom as to your own readiness. During the body scan (annamaya kosha phase), we embrace the imagery of a small red heart to represent love being placed at each point of the body that is named. We also use imagery of a white feather on a beach to connect us to those who have gone before. I am grateful for the photo by Ron Lach of such a feather, and the poetry of Zach Beech entitled ‘This Moment’ used during the anandamaya kosha phase to reaffirm your own perfection, past, present and future. I hope you enjoy this yoga nidra.

This Yoga Nidra on impermanence recognizes that while everything around us eventually changes, what stays constant throughout these changes in our life is our true self. While we often fear change, here we are encouraged to embrace change and all the possibilities that can come with change. During the body scan (Anamaya kosha phase) and breath work (Pranamaya kosha phase), we embrace the imagery of a small burning candle, as a flickering flame represents the ethereal nature of all things. During the Vijnanamaya kosha phase (witness consciousness) we use imagery of the beauty found in the changes in the natural world with each passing season. This beauty is also evoked in the cover photo by AJ Povey. I hope you enjoy this Yoga Nidra. Many thanks and Namaste.

Photo by aj povey: https://www.pexels.com/photo/orange-and-blue-and-white-snow-forest-226400/