Unknown Speaker 0:00 Unknown Speaker 0:09 This recording as an offering of Networks for Training and Development's Online University Unknown Speaker 0:24 Hi, everyone, this is Rosa McAllister and from Networks for Training and Development and this is our monthly Healing Circle Call where we take the time, anonymously, to join together, to breathe, to hold each other, to be with one another, to remember that we're not alone, and to practice some wellness things to help us all be a little bit more present, be a little bit more healthy, be a little bit more alive in this world. I'm honored to be with you today, on the first Monday of the month at 8pm Eastern time, as we have our Healing Circle Call for this month, this beautiful month of July 2019. Unknown Speaker 1:14 Several people have asked me about the practice of Yoga Nidra it's Yoga Nidra (N-I-D-R-A), you may or may not have heard of it. It's something that I have been practicing and have been teaching and leading people in practice for a number of years now. Yoga Nidra is also known as yogic sleep or divine sleep, and it's a meditation and conscious relaxation practice. It's intended to induce total physical, mental, and emotional relaxation. It said that an hour of Yoga Nidra can be as restorative as four hours of regular sleep. Unknown Speaker 1:53 Let me say that again. It's been said and surveys have shown and studies, there's been a number of scientific studies, and they've shown that one hour of practice of Yoga Nidra can be as restorative as four hours of regular sleep, although, of course, we don't want to encourage lack of sleep. Unknown Speaker 2:17 Many of us have been skeptical and curious about Yoga Nidra and how is it different? Or what is it like in terms of because some say it's very similar to guided meditation or guided imagery or meditation, and it's very true it is. The practice has been around, Yoga Nidra for many, many, many years, long time, and yet, it's really just now becoming much more popular at yoga studios, Dr. Oz has talked about it, Oprah, and many others. Unknown Speaker 2:45 There are many different ways that Yoga Nidra like yoga can benefit, heal, and transform us to new heights. Some of the benefits specifically of Yoga Nidra beyond the sleep, the the restorative powers of it, it can ease insomnia, some people actually use guided Yoga Nidra practices that you can find online. They use them to help themselves get to sleep, or prepare for sleep. It can decrease anxiety and alleviate stress. It's been found to reduce Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, chronic pain, and chemical dependency particularly when used in combination with other therapies and other programs. Unknown Speaker 3:29 It also Yoga Nidra because it's very sensory based helps us to heighten our awareness and our focus and to transform negative habits, behaviors, and way of thinking just like any yoga practice can or meditation. And probably more than anything, it really fosters a feeling of peace, calm, and clarity. Unknown Speaker 3:49 And yes, many people think it is very similar to meditation. And it is, meditation in particular, some of the differences are meditation is typically in a seated practice where you're sitting on the floor, sometimes cross-legged, but not necessarily, and your body is comfortable yet you're upright and alert. During meditation you consciously place your attention on one anchor or one thing, whether it's your breath, or a mantra that you repetitively try to keep saying to yourself in your mind, although there's many different types of meditation, and some of them have a guided meditation to help you focus as well. Most meditation is a solo practice. It's something that you do yourself, and you try to control for yourself. Unknown Speaker 4:34 In meditation, people can experience multiple states of consciousness within a single meditation, and many stay in what's known as the "waking state of consciousness", which is the state of consciousness where the majority of us humans spend most of our waking hours. Certain meditation techniques take you into a transcendental consciousness or even beyond into higher states of consciousness. Unknown Speaker 4:57 Yoga Nidra however, the physical position is generally practiced by lying down, although you can certainly be seated or in another position. Oftentimes when lying down props such as pillows and blankets are used, anything that will help you get into as totally comfortable and restful position as you can. A typical Yoga Nidra practice is very highly guided by a person such as myself, who will be leading you through a Yoga Nidra practice in just a couple minutes. And it takes your attention to specific places through a series of steps. And in many ways, the specific instructions make it easier to relax than a meditation where you have to do it yourself. And Yoga Nidra you just follow along. Unknown Speaker 5:47 During Yoga Nidra you move into the state of conscious deep sleep. You are no longer in the waking state of conscious even though you are still awake, but you also move past the dreaming state of consciousness and into the deep sleep state. Your mind is actually awake. So it's often discussed as the state between sleep and awake, kind of an intermediary state which we oftentimes do not find ourselves where cannot easily find ourselves in that state. This is why it's said that Yoga Nidra is so restorative for the body. And both practices the mind is conscious, but in Yoga Nidra the body is in a more restful state. Unknown Speaker 6:27 So how does it work? Well, we're going to show you in just a minute, I'm going to take you through a guided practice, but each step is intended to take you a little deeper into an altered state of consciousness. Unknown Speaker 6:40 So I hope no one is driving as you're listening to this. These Healing Calls are being recorded so you can listen in later. So whether you're listening in live or listening later, the point is you should be in a position physically in a physical position, as well as a mental position where you will not be disturbed and where you can zone out. So please, if you're driving or doing anything else, either stop the call or just listen in but don't follow along or pull over to the side of the road. So let's get ready for our Yoga Nidra session. Unknown Speaker 7:18 I want you to lie down on your back on the floor or a bed or a couch if you can, and adopt the pose called Shavasana, which is known as the corpse pose in in yoga. You don't have to however, if that's not possible for you to get into a lying position, just be in a comfortable seated position, legs uncrossed, arms uncrossed, feet on the floor if you can, or at least in a position seated position or otherwise position where you're as comfortable as possible. In this position, your body should be straight from head to toe if at all possible. If you were lying the legs slightly apart and the arms a little away from the body with the palms of the hand turned upwards. If you're in a seated just position, just try to get yourself in as straight line as possible with either feet and legs out in front of you or downwards onto the floor and arms resting in your lap or on the arms of the chair. Adjust everything your body, position, clothes until you are as completely comfortable as possible. Unknown Speaker 8:31 During Yoga Nidra there will be no physical movement, you will not be caught to do anything physical whatsoever. I will be guiding you in a series of commands, if you will, asking you to think about various parts of your body or various things. You do not have to move them at all. All you need to do is think along with my words and follow my instructions and just think of that area or body part. Unknown Speaker 9:05 Close your eyes and keep them closed if you can, until you're all told to open them at the end. Unknown Speaker 9:14 Take a deep breath and as you breathe out, try to erase the cares and worries of the day. Just let them flow out of you. Unknown Speaker 9:27 Take another deep breath. Unknown Speaker 9:30 Don't force it. Unknown Speaker 9:32 And as you breathe out, try to release the cares and the worries of the day. Just let it flow out of you. In the practice, which follows you are going to develop the feeling of relaxation in the body. It is not necessary for you to make movements or deliberately relax your muscles or do anything, simply develop the feeling of relaxation following along with my guidance. It is like the feeling that you have just you have just before sleep when relaxation becomes deep, sleep does come, but you should try to keep yourself completely awake during this practice. During Yoga Nidra you are functioning on the levels of hearing and awareness. And the only important thing is to follow the voice of me, the instructor. Try not to intellectualize or analyze the instructions, as this will disturb your mental relaxation. Simply follow my voice with total attention and feeling. And if thoughts come to disturb you from time to time, don't worry. Just continue the practice, hear my voice and follow along. Unknown Speaker 10:49 At this moment, we should make a resolve. A resolve is a simple statement. Something maybe that you wish or something that you're trying to achieve, something that you're hoping for. The result is should be very simple. Try to discover one naturally, let it just bubble up. Develop a resolve to say at this time. It should be a short, positive statement in simple language. Unknown Speaker 11:20 Find your resolve and state it three times in your mind to yourself. The resolve you make during your new Yoga Nidra is said to come true in your life, that you will will it happen. Again think of your resolve, a simple statement, repeated three times to yourself in your head mentally and if one is not coming to you, that's okay. Unknown Speaker 11:52 Just breathe. Unknown Speaker 11:56 We will now begin by taking a trip through the different parts of your body. Unknown Speaker 12:02 As quickly as possible, Unknown Speaker 12:07 the awareness is to go from one part to the next. Unknown Speaker 12:12 following along my statements. Unknown Speaker 12:16 As I state a part of your body, you should repeat that part in your mind and simultaneously become aware of that part of your body. I'll state that again. Unknown Speaker 12:28 As I state a part of your body, repeat it in your mind, and simultaneously become aware of that part of the body. Unknown Speaker 12:39 Keep yourself alert, but do not concentrate too intensely. Become aware of each part of the body, as I state it. Unknown Speaker 12:51 Let's begin. Unknown Speaker 12:56 Become aware of your right hand. Unknown Speaker 13:02 Think of your right hand thumb. Unknown Speaker 13:08 Your second finger. Unknown Speaker 13:11 Your third finger. Unknown Speaker 13:14 Your fourth finger. Unknown Speaker 13:18 Your fifth finger. Unknown Speaker 13:21 The palm of your right hand. Unknown Speaker 13:24 Become aware of your palm. Unknown Speaker 13:28 The back of the right hand. Unknown Speaker 13:31 The right wrist. Unknown Speaker 13:34 The lower arm. Unknown Speaker 13:38 The elbow. Unknown Speaker 13:41 The upper arm. Unknown Speaker 13:44 The right shoulder. Unknown Speaker 13:48 The armpit. Unknown Speaker 13:52 The right waist. Unknown Speaker 13:57 The right hip. Unknown Speaker 14:02 The right thigh. Unknown Speaker 14:06 The right kneecap. Unknown Speaker 14:10 The calf muscle, Unknown Speaker 14:14 The ankle. Unknown Speaker 14:17 The right heel. Unknown Speaker 14:21 The sole of the right foot. Unknown Speaker 14:25 The top of the right foot. Unknown Speaker 14:30 The big toe of the right foot. Unknown Speaker 14:35 The second toe. Unknown Speaker 14:38 The third toe. Unknown Speaker 14:42 The fourth toe. Unknown Speaker 14:44 Your little toe. Unknown Speaker 14:50 Now become aware of your left hand. Unknown Speaker 14:57 The left hand thumb. Unknown Speaker 15:01 The second finger. Unknown Speaker 15:04 The third finger. Unknown Speaker 15:08 The fourth finger. Unknown Speaker 15:11 The little finger. Unknown Speaker 15:13 The palm of the left hand. Unknown Speaker 15:17 The back of the left hand. Unknown Speaker 15:21 The wrist. Unknown Speaker 15:25 The lower arm. Unknown Speaker 15:28 the left elbow. Unknown Speaker 15:32 the upper arm. Unknown Speaker 15:35 The left shoulder. Unknown Speaker 15:39 The armpit. Unknown Speaker 15:42 The left waist. Unknown Speaker 15:45 The left hip. Unknown Speaker 15:49 The left thigh. Unknown Speaker 15:52 The left kneecap Unknown Speaker 15:56 The calf muscle. Unknown Speaker 15:59 The ankle. Unknown Speaker 16:02 The left heel. Unknown Speaker 16:05 The sole of the left foot. Unknown Speaker 16:10 The top of the foot. Unknown Speaker 16:14 The big toe. Unknown Speaker 16:17 The second toe. Unknown Speaker 16:21 The third toe. Unknown Speaker 16:24 The fourth toe. Unknown Speaker 16:26 The little toe on the left foot. Unknown Speaker 16:31 Now we're moving to the back of your body. Unknown Speaker 16:34 Become aware of your right shoulder blade. Unknown Speaker 16:39 Your left shoulder blade. Unknown Speaker 16:45 The right buttock. Unknown Speaker 16:48 The left buttock, Unknown Speaker 16:52 Your spine. Unknown Speaker 16:55 The whole back together. Unknown Speaker 17:01 Now we will go to the top of your head. Unknown Speaker 17:07 The top of your head. Unknown Speaker 17:12 The forehead. Unknown Speaker 17:16 Both sides of the head. Unknown Speaker 17:20 The right eyebrow. Unknown Speaker 17:24 The left eyebrow. Unknown Speaker 17:28 The space between the eyebrows. Unknown Speaker 17:34 The right eyelid. Unknown Speaker 17:38 The left eyelid. Unknown Speaker 17:42 The right eye. Unknown Speaker 17:46 The left eye. Unknown Speaker 17:50 The right ear. Unknown Speaker 17:54 The left ear. Unknown Speaker 17:57 The right cheek. Unknown Speaker 18:00 The left cheek, Unknown Speaker 18:04 Your nose. Unknown Speaker 18:06 The tip of your nose. Unknown Speaker 18:09 The upper lip. Unknown Speaker 18:12 The lower lip. Unknown Speaker 18:15 The chin. Unknown Speaker 18:18 The throat. Unknown Speaker 18:20 The right chest. Unknown Speaker 18:23 The left chest. Unknown Speaker 18:25 The middle of the chest. Unknown Speaker 18:29 The navel. Unknown Speaker 18:31 The abdomen. Unknown Speaker 18:36 The whole of the right leg. Unknown Speaker 18:40 The whole of the left leg. Unknown Speaker 18:45 Both legs together. Unknown Speaker 18:49 The whole of the right arm. Unknown Speaker 18:53 The whole of the left arm. Unknown Speaker 18:57 Both arms together. Unknown Speaker 19:01 The whole of the back. Unknown Speaker 19:05 The buttocks. Unknown Speaker 19:07 The spine. Unknown Speaker 19:09 The shoulder blades. Unknown Speaker 19:12 The whole of the back together. Unknown Speaker 19:16 The whole of the front. Unknown Speaker 19:19 The abdomen. Unknown Speaker 19:21 The chest. Unknown Speaker 19:23 The whole of the front together. Unknown Speaker 19:28 The whole of your torso, both back and front together. Unknown Speaker 19:35 The whole of the head. Unknown Speaker 19:40 The whole body together. Unknown Speaker 19:45 The whole body together. Unknown Speaker 19:49 The whole body together. Unknown Speaker 19:57 Become aware of your body. Whether it's lying on the floor or sitting in the chair, whatever position, see your body perfectly still in this room. Visualize this image in your mind, as if looking from the ceiling at your body. See its stillness. See its calm. See your whole body together. Unknown Speaker 20:33 Now become aware of your breath. Feel the flow of your breath in and out of your lungs. Do not try to change the rhythm with the breathing. Just let it be natural and automatic. Become aware of it as you have the various parts of your body. See your body breathing as if you are looking at it from the ceiling, looking down on your body, and its current position in the room. Maintain your awareness of your breath. Continue complete awareness of your breath. Unknown Speaker 21:18 Breathe. Unknown Speaker 21:20 Breathe calmness. Unknown Speaker 21:23 Breathe serenity. Unknown Speaker 21:26 Breathe joy into within and around your body. Unknown Speaker 21:38 Now, as I say, various images, I want you to see them in your mind's eye. I want you to use your various senses, to not only see them, but to hear them, to smell them, and maybe to taste them. As I say these words, I want you to repeat them in your mind after me and feel the sensation of the image that it evokes. Unknown Speaker 22:11 Burning candle. Unknown Speaker 22:14 Burning candle. Unknown Speaker 22:17 Burning candle. Unknown Speaker 22:21 Endless desert. Unknown Speaker 22:24 Endless desert. Unknown Speaker 22:27 Endless desert. Unknown Speaker 22:31 Torrential rain. Unknown Speaker 22:35 Torrential rain. Unknown Speaker 22:37 Torrential rain. Unknown Speaker 22:41 Snow capped mountains. Unknown Speaker 22:44 Snow capped mountains. Unknown Speaker 22:46 Snow capped mountains. Unknown Speaker 22:51 Birds singing. Unknown Speaker 22:54 Birds singing. Unknown Speaker 22:57 Birds singing. Unknown Speaker 23:01 Stars at night. Unknown Speaker 23:04 Stars at night. Unknown Speaker 23:07 Stars at night. Unknown Speaker 23:11 Wind in your hair. Unknown Speaker 23:15 Wind in your hair. Unknown Speaker 23:19 Wind in your hair. Unknown Speaker 23:23 Waves breaking on a beach. Unknown Speaker 23:27 Waves breaking on a beach. Unknown Speaker 23:31 Waves breaking on a beach. Unknown Speaker 23:36 Warm cocoa in your mouth. Unknown Speaker 23:41 Warm cocoa in your mouth. Unknown Speaker 23:45 Warm cocoa in your mouth. Unknown Speaker 23:51 Now is the time to repeat your resolve, that statement you made for yourself earlier. Remember that statement that you made? And repeat that same resolve that you made at the beginning of this practice. Do not change it. Repeat the resolve three times with full awareness and feeling in your mind. Repeat your private resolve three times with full awareness and feeling in your mind. If you can't remember it exactly, that's fine. Unknown Speaker 24:35 We will be finishing up now this Yoga Nidra practice. I want you to relax all efforts. Draw your mind outside and become aware of your breathing again. Become aware of your natural breath. Become aware of your whole body and where it is in the room, in your space. Unknown Speaker 24:59 Your body is totally relaxed. Unknown Speaker 25:03 You are breathing quietly and slowly. Unknown Speaker 25:08 Develop awareness of your body from the top of your head to the tips of your toes and say mentally in your mind, "I am at peace. I am at peace. I am at peace." Gradually wiggle your fingers or your toes. Unknown Speaker 25:45 Lick your lips. Unknown Speaker 25:49 Move your body very gently. Unknown Speaker 25:52 And very, very gradually open your eyes. Unknown Speaker 25:58 As you move forward for the rest of the day, try to take some time to be quiet. Unknown Speaker 26:06 Take pauses and maybe close your eyes again. Unknown Speaker 26:12 Make sure that you try to take your time and do not hurry. Be kind to yourself and gentle to yourself as if you're awakening from a beautiful sleep. When you're sure that you're wide awake, move your body slowly in the room, drink some water. Maybe listen to some quiet music and get about doing the rest of your day with intention, with peace, and with love. Yoga Nidra is easy to do anytime. Unknown Speaker 26:53 As I mentioned there are many recordings online. This recording will be available on Networks Online University under our Healing Calls. But please feel free to play with this practice. Use it regularly before sleep anytime during the day. Anytime to help yourself get grounded, get centered, to restore yourself. And join us next month, the first Monday of the month at 8pm Eastern time, here for Networks Healing Calls. Thank you so much. aloha and mahalo. Jessicas Stover 27:47 Thank you for listening. We hope the information provided was helpful. Don't forget to stop by our website and take advantage of all we have to offer. Transcribed by https://otter.ai