Meditation made easy
Two things are necessary to meditate: Focus and Relaxation. Most traditional meditation practices begin with teaching one how to focus the mind. It is a practice of great concentration and discipline. You can spend years sitting on a cushion refining your ability to focus intensely, only to find at that point of great concentration, you must then learn to relax and let go of trying so hard.
Yoga Nidra takes the opposite approach. Yoga Nidra enters the meditative state by way of relaxation. Yoga Nidra actually means Yogic “Sleep”. It is the state of awareness just before sleep, where the mind and the body have let go of all “doing” and drop into a state of “being”. In Yoga Nidra the focus is on feeling physical sensations arising in the body. Initially awareness is on the gross sensations of the muscles moving as you stretch in simple yogic postures. Body sensations are your focal point, yet the sequence of postures is designed to lightly stretch and loosen up the body releasing your physical tension. The stretches move from standing, to sitting to lying down where awareness of the more subtle sensations arise. Guided by the teacher into these deep subtleties of sensation, the student has effortlessly become refined in their focus, yet relaxed, and the stress-free zone of meditation is achieved.
“I could never sit still to meditate.” Is the most common reaction to the concept of meditation. We live in a busy world, always on the go, doing, doing, doing. Yoga Nidra emphasis awareness of movement. Noticing what you are feeling as you stretch. Initially noticing being tight, achy, itchy, hot, cold, sweaty, and so on. At times the mind will wander into “I shouldn’t be this tight. I should eat better, I’m hungry wonder what’s for dinner, I should……”, as soon as you become aware of the mind wandering, you simply interrupt the thought process and go back to feeling the physical sensation of the body. In Yoga Nidra one gradually learns to let go of the self-criticism, let go of the self-analysis and just stay with the present moment. Learning to let go of criticizing ourselves is a tremendous stress reliever as well as a huge step into the state of meditation. In meditation, awareness of what is without fixing and without judging leads to a deep state of peaceful acceptance of ourselves. It is one of the many benefits of a meditation practice.
“I haven’t felt this relaxed since…..Well since the last time I did Yoga Nidra.” This is a frequent comment to the practice. Meditation is a state of heightened awareness with a strong presence of peaceful, centered stillness. A deep sense of self worthiness and self-love is present. Thus, it is no wonder that pairing relaxing movement with skillful guidance of mindful awareness can lead one into a state of meditation without the necessity of years of discipline and concentration. Yoga Nidra is an excellent doorway into meditation. One that is particularly well suited to those that are busy, stressed or new to the world of meditation. It is a welcoming doorway. Think of it as going to a friend’s house and using the back door, because, well, because you are loved and welcome within.
Classes are currently taught 6 times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
Classes are always affordable, $10.
Contact for Specific class times.
