Moments of Deep Rest

First time here? Read through the guide before beginning the practice. Returning practitioners can go straight to the recording.

These days we are all so tired, from so many things.

There is a lot to say about this particular moment in history, where everything feels like it is accelerating to a speed beyond what human biology can process. A time when futures feel uncertain, where technological advancements and geopolitical uncertainty are erasing the (problematic) foundations that have held us for centuries.

It is also a time of excitement and possibility. The breakdown of old ways creates space for the new, as we peer into potential futures that haven’t yet coalesced.

Faced with such grand systemic issues (and possibilities) running parallel to the demanding nuances of day-to-day work, all tangled together in a giant knotted ball of yarn, we can easily lose sight of ourselves. We run faster, trying to keep up or build the future we long to live into, as the frantic pace of change seeps into every corner of life.

This guide is not an answer to these very real and important challenges that we face in the 21st century. It is rather an invitation to pause and come back to ourselves, to let the uncertainty fall away and remember who we are and what matters most.

Yoga Nidra, a form of non-sleep deep rest, is a restorative practice that allows the body to become more and more relaxed while the mind stays alert, moving through different frequencies of brainwaves. This process of relaxation brings insight to the multi-layered, multi-dimensional aspects of our very being, and rejuvenates the body and mind.

What I love most about Yoga Nidra is that it is simple and effective. You don’t have to get away for a fancy spa weekend, you can simply practice the art of deep rest right where you are, weaving the experience into the rhythm of daily life.

Get your space ready

Yoga Nidra is generally practiced lying down, though you can also sit in a chair or lotus pose if that’s your thing (just make sure your spine is as straight as possible). Whatever position you choose, you want it to be extremely comfortable and supported, allowing the body to fully relax and release tension.

My set-up involves a yoga mat, several large pillows, two blankets, an eye mask, and incense. There is a reason seasoned practitioners call their place of practice a “nest”.

If you are lying down, try to lie down on your back. You can use pillows under the head and knees to help bring comfort. If this is too much, try lying on your right side using pillows and folded blankets to prop you up wherever there is tension or pressure. If you are pregnant, lay on your left side.

Your body temperature will drop during the practice, so it can be helpful to have a blanket.

Getting your space ready also includes your mental space. Before you begin your practice, take a few minutes to jot down anything on your mind—ideas, to-dos, worries and concerns. Emptying your mind, assured that you won’t forget anything, you can now begin to soften into rest.

Set your intention

“Intention is the conscious placement of energy in the direction we want it to go.” —Kamini Desai

Before you begin, it is important to plant the seed of an intention. This is unique to Yoga Nidra, and serves as an easeful way of focusing attention on the life we are trying to cultivate while enjoying the process along the way.

To be clear, intentions are not goals.

Goals are about outcomes, a destination in the future that we would like to reach. Intentions, on the other hand, are about the direction we are traveling.

When we focus all our energy on a goal we are less attuned to the way life is unfolding around us. Opportunities that emerge are ignored, seen as obstacles to our purposeful efforts. We detach from the ebb and flow of life, the relationships and experiences that surround us, directing all our energy towards a particular future state.

Not only do we miss out on where life wants to take us, if we don’t reach our goal we are likely to beat ourselves up with cycles of negative self-talk that rigidify into the story of who we are.

Intentions, on the other hand, are about the life we are living now, about taking skillful action in the world towards what we would like to achieve but staying present to the journey. When we know the direction we are heading, detours don’t derail us, but offer an opportunity for exploration and learning.

We’ve all experienced this in life. Say you’re driving north, but a big construction project is underway and you have to take a detour. The detour might take you east, west, or even south for a bit. You might find yourself in places you never expected, places that offer new experiences or chance encounters that impact your sense of self and what is possible. But eventually the detour returns you back to your original heading, and you continue north.

Intentions work the same way. Let’s say my intention is to be more present to others. And maybe I get off track a bit and notice my attention keeps getting drawn to a big project or worries about the future. Eventually I will notice this, and bring myself back to presence, attuning once again to the people around me.

Now, if my goal was to be more present and suddenly I am not present, then I haven’t met my goal and I will likely judge myself (harshly). Because this is an intention, I am able to take in the learnings that I just experienced—what it’s like to lose presence, what it’s like to time travel in the mind, how I come back to presence—and use them to strengthen my intention. I’m not beating myself up or creating negative stories about myself, but simply engaging in a practice of presence.

The other thing that happens when we combine Yoga Nidra with intentions is that we are able to work with intention at a very subtle level, well beyond what we can do in waking consciousness.

Yoga Nidra, through various techniques, guides the body into deeper and deeper states of relaxation while the mind abides in awake awareness (this involves a shift in brainwave activity from beta waves to a combination of delta and alpha waves). Working with an intention in this altered state of consciousness, this place of connection between the conscious and subconscious mind, plants the seed of intention deep within our being, creating the potential for transformation.

A few rules of thumb for creating an intention for your practice:

• Make small intentions. Don’t make giant ones.
• Use concrete words, set in the present tense, with emotional feeling.
• Focus on what it is you want to cultivate, not what you feel you lack.
• Make sure the intention is about you, not focused on others.

Examples of intentions:

• I am grounded, present, and open.
• I lead with intention and purpose.
• I love and nourish myself.
• I rest deeply and move with ease in my life.
• My relationships are a source of inspiration and joy.
• I sense and honor my boundaries.
• My work inspires me.
• I accept myself as I am.
• I trust myself and my decisions.

Once you have set an intention, you can use it repeatedly. You don’t have to create a new intention every time you drop into a practice. And if you aren’t sure about your intention or how to craft it, feel free to reach out—I’m happy to support you!

Settling in

You are now ready to begin your Yoga Nidra practice.

Get super comfy, and allow your body to soften.

In the beginning, it is natural to fall asleep. This is especially true if you are experiencing burnout or exhaustion, and your body just needs to recover. Over time you will start to settle into awake awareness even in deep states of relaxation.

Start the recording, and for the next 28 minutes allow yourself to rest fully and deeply.

Moving back into daily life

Take your time coming back to waking life. Notice how your mind and body feel. Repeat your intention to yourself as you begin to move back into your day.

What you experienced in rest comes with you as you continue to move through everyday life. With a deeper sense of who you really are and what matters most, with time you will find you are more unified, more present, more attuned to yourself.