Welcome to our environmental meditation community and this meditation field station of sorts,
Where we'll explore our connection to nature and ourselves through yoga nidra.
I'm Dr.
Jenny,
A wildlife conservationist,
Scientist,
And IRS meditation teacher.
I offer guided meditations with the intention of supporting those of us who are committed to healing the earth,
Be it from biodiversity loss,
Climate change,
Or other environmental threats.
As you well know,
This work requires resilience and resolve to weather the hazards of eco-anxiety,
Stress,
And burnout.
Meditation offers us a conservation toolkit for the inner work that complements our outer work in the world.
Welcome,
I'm glad you've joined our environmental meditation community.
Let me orient you to how we practice yoga nidra.
Yoga nidra is a style of meditation in which we observe sensations of body and breath to sensitize to our feelings,
Emotions,
And beliefs.
There is no right or wrong experience here.
Whether you fall asleep,
Simply observe your thoughts,
Or deepen into a perspective-altering heart space,
All of these experiences are authentic and helping you to be more present and alive in this moment.
In yoga nidra,
We spend time with our being,
With our mind,
Our body,
And heart,
To heighten our sensitivity to the subtle messages that we receive from sensation,
And to more truly know ourselves,
Perfect as we are.
I Rest Yoga Nidra is a research-based,
Trauma-sensitive approach to meditation,
So you're safe here,
No matter what feelings,
Emotions,
Or beliefs you bring with you.
Memories of any experience and stress level are welcome.
Yoga nidra can be practiced in any space and physical position,
While lying down,
Seated,
Standing,
Or even practicing asana yoga or walking.
I encourage you to treat yourself luxuriously and try lying down,
Which is the most traditional form of practice.
In this form,
You may wish to lie on the floor on a padded surface like a yoga mat.
Place a pillow under your head to tilt the chin lower than the forehead to relax the thinking mind.
To alleviate tension in the lower back,
Place a bolster or a pillow beneath the knees.
You may also consider covering yourself with a blanket because the body cools during our practice,
And to cover your eyes with an eye pillow or other material to shield the eyes from light and to deepen focus.
If you choose to sit during our practice,
Position yourself on a chair or on a pillow on the floor.
If you sit on the floor,
Position your knees so that they rest below your hips.
As we practice,
There's no need to tense yourself into absolute stillness.
As itches or aches arise,
Simply consider whether these are just the body needing relief,
Or whether these sensations are messengers of something deeper,
Like signals of feelings,
Emotions,
Or beliefs that could benefit from closer examination.
You're now ready to dive in with me.
Thanks for joining our Environmental Meditation Community.
Feel free to reach out to me with any questions or to connect personally or professionally,
And enjoy the adventure.
