The 3-Breaths Journey
REFLECTIONS 1
The Selfing Game
REFLECTIONS 2
YOGA NIDRA
Find common ground
REFLECTIONS 3
Part of this place
REFLECTIONS 4
Fake it til you make it!
YOGA NIDRA
About YOGA NIDRA
The practices of Yoga Nidra last for around 15 minutes. Be assured of undisturbed peace for this period of time. It can be done sitting, but it is most effectively practiced lying down.
Use some support under your thighs if that’s more comfortable on your lower back, choose a pillow to encourage the natural curve of your neck and cover yourself with a blanket to avoid getting cold. Do anything it needs to make your body feel utterly comfortable
and cared for!
Yoga Nidra is a practice of complete physical, mental and emotional relaxation. We enter a state of consciousness which is neither sleep nor wakefulness, neither concentration nor hypnotism. It is an altered state of consciousness where we lose all sense of time, balancing on an edge: a state of awakened, conscious sleep.
In Yoga Nidra we work with sankalpas, which are positive resolves, intentions or affirmations we plant in our mind like a seed.
Connection – Skill, Art & Necessity
This course is based on the essay of the same title. Take a moment to read it and see whether the theme resonates with you.
The introduction video below gives you an overview of the tools we’ll be working with and explains the why behind the how on this journey toward a deeper sense of connection and belonging. It also outlines the content of the program in a bit more detail.
The full course consists of four classes of about 60 minutes each, plus two Yoga Nidras of around 15 minutes.
Side note: I’m aware that the audio could be better. The background noise comes from an unexpected issue with the microphone and audio setup — unfortunately not something I was able to fix within the production timeframe. I’ll admit it was hard for me to accept (I’m one of those people who struggles with the famous 80%). My hope is simply that you’ll find it good enough.
Introduction & Welcome!
1. Meditation through Movement
Meditation through Movement
We keep it simple, and we keep it moving – without rushing! This class is meant as an antidote to the forward-momentum of our daily life. We use the repetition of movement in order to erode our task-orientation and getting-things done mentality. We use the simplicity and the precision of movement for our mind to settle into the present moment.
Mindfulness is the essence of the practice; movement and physical sensation are simply the places where our attention rests. We learn to listen to the body and we learn to treat it well. In this mindful state, we create the foundation for deeper insight and connection to unfold.
Props: Yoga block
Opening Into Vulnerability
2. Opening Into Vulnerability
Opening into vulnerability has nothing to do with weakness! It needs courage, heartfelt bravery, and the trust to let yourself be seen for who you are… – and that's what genuine connection depends on!
Backbends are the physical expression of opening up; they are the physical tools we use during this class in order to strengthen our ability to authentically connect to the outside world. At the same time we try to find a sense of enoughness and good will for ourselves, both of which effectively erode the “fear of standing alone” (one of the primary builders of the inner “fortress”).
Opening into vulnerability cultivates our compassion, it means feeling alive and dropping our armour. Yes, the armour protects us from injury and pain – but it also shields us from joy and connection. For connection to happen we need to allow ourselves to be seen, truly seen, with all our imperfections and edges. This class is meant to set the stage.
Props: Yoga block, plus a blanket or beach towel
3. Stir It Up!
The intention of this class is to open up to new perspectives and views. Physically, this translates into moving through space in 360°, constantly shifting orientation. The focus is less on strength, but more on flexibility, permeability, and fluidity.
We use the image of “space” as a metaphor for new perspectives, possibilities and potential, trying to explore the “space” with an open, unbiased attitude. We try to let go of fixed ideas on how things SHOULD be and instead cultivate curiosity and mental flexibility. And if this is what we struggle with, we simply observe and recognize it. Eventually we learn to relax and open up to more feelings than just those that are comfortable or familiar.
So yes, this class meant to trigger, to challenge and maybe even annoy a little. This is how we get to know our habitual reaction to the unfamiliar, our hooks and buttons. Both can reveal quite a lot about our self image and how it is standing in our own way. Remember: we’re here to set things in motion — and sometimes that means stirring things up.
Props: Yoga block
Stir it up!
4. Spiritual Warrior
In the previous sessions, we focused on qualities such as openness, compassion, and welcome. An open, compassionate heart needs the support of a strong back, also metaphorically speaking. It needs backbone to carry the soft front open! Otherwise our emotions might easily overwhelm us.
So the physical focus in this class looks like this: we strengthen our back, as we continue to open the front – we cultivate our inner “Spiritual Warrior”.
Warriors can open their beating heart to anything they encounter, after all self-limiting behaviours, attitudes and beliefs are defeated. Their strength comes from within! A warrior acts out of vidya, which describes the ability to see things as they truly are, rather than through the blur of personal dramas, resistances and old storylines.
We learn to cultivate the wisdom and insight, the courage, fearlessness, determination and trust the Spiritual Warrior stands for, so that our compassion and open-heartedness become sources of strength. From that place true and deep connection can flourish.
Props: Yoga block
