Yoga Nidra - Our Whole Nature

In this lesson we focus on yoga nidra as a potent way to relax and rest. It covers the practicalities of how to prepare your room and yourself to maximise your comfort during a yoga nidra session. It also includes how you might adapt your posture if you have a long term condition or mobility issue. You will experience the first element called grounding and be introduced to a grounding sequence which we will use for the rest of the course.

In this lesson we explore the second element of yoga nidra called Sankalpa. We will look at what it means, with examples, and some different ways you can create a meaningful Sankalpa for yourself. You will experience how to use Sankalpa in a guided meditation. You will also learn why it is usually revisited twice and how it is different from making a resolution using willpower alone, because it engages the subconscious mind when you are in a deeply relaxed state.

In the session we explore the third element of yoga nidra called rotation of consciousness or just rotation, a type of body scan where your mental awareness is guided around your body. We consider three aspects of doing a rotation - the starting points, the itineraries/pathways and the different ways you can land your attention at each body part. You will be invited to experience some small rotations using different approaches so that you can begin to decide what your own preferences are.

The fourth element of yoga nidra is breath awareness in which you will learn the importance of breath and how it affects every aspect of our emotions and lives. You will understand that breath is both automatic and within our conscious control. As well as oxygen it brings in Prana - life force energy, into the body. You will experience two different breathing regulation exercises utilised in yoga Nidra - watching the breath without changing it, which deepens it naturally, and counting the breath down, which equalises it.

In lesson five we will explore the fifth and six elements of yoga nidra - integration of pairs of opposites, in which your attention is guided to experience opposite sensations and emotions, and visualization which uses imagery to evoke emotions and memories and stimulate our imaginations. You will understand what their benefits and challenges are and examine what each one contributes to the yoga nidra experience. Space will be created for you to experience them directly.

We explore the seventh and final element of yoga nidra which is Externalization - how to emerge smoothly and safely from deep states. We also recap all the elements that make up a complete yoga nidra. This lesson is more theoretical than the previous ones. You will learn about the relaxation response, how your nervous system works and what brain waves are engaged during yoga nidra. It doesn’t include any experiential exercises but a full yoga nidra track in which you can experience all the elements together is recommended at the end of this lesson.

We dedicate this lesson to sleep and a consideration of which day and night time habits and routines can be supportive for your sleep. One of the main reasons why yoga nidra is sought out, is that it is an incredibly effective sleep tool. This is also a theoretical lesson but three sleep tracks will be recommended at the end of the lesson. *Although yoga Nidra can be very helpful for resetting sleep cycles, if you suspect you have a sleep condition such as sleep apnea, it is advisable to consult a sleep specialist or health care professional.

In lesson eight we explore yoga nidra as a long term strategy and short term intervention for moderate stress and anxiety. You will learn that the vagus nerves control the 'rest-and-digest' part of the nervous system which induces tranquillity. You will experience short term interventions that externalize your attention away from stressful thoughts and can be regularly used in your daily life, either to diffuse anxiety or as preparation to settle yourself for your yoga nidra session. These exercises are: listening to sound, sounding the universal Om, as a way to stimulate the vagus nerves and lengthening your out-breath.

In this session we explore yoga nidra as an accessible way to experience deepened states of consciousness and have a satisfying experience of your innate wholeness. You will learn that the origins of yoga Nidra lie in Indian spirituality and that the journey inwards to ever more subtle states of inner experiencing was originally mapped in the Upanishads using the metaphor of the ‘five koshas,’ which are described as sheaths, layers or energy bodies.

In this final session we explore how you can guide yourself without an audio track or device, enabling you to incorporate your own preferences and unique needs. You will gain the freedom and flexibility to use Yoga Nidra anywhere, at any time. It will personalise your experience of yoga nidra and help you understand it even more deeply. We will focus on rotation for this as it is the beating heart of yoga Nidra. The opportunity to create simple templates as a learning and memory aid will be part of the lesson and you will experience the Yoga Nidra Sandwich Method which provides very strong anchorage and is easy to do.