Yoga Nidra Teacher Training First session notes

Vishnu is suspended in a state of yoga nidra in between the yugas, or cycles of time, dreaming the universe into existence. Depicted as lying on a boat made of a multi-headed cobra, Shesha, floating on the cosmic ocean which lies outside space

and time. His feet are massaged by his consort Lakshmi and from his navel emerges Brahma seated on a lotus.

Structure There are many variations of Yoga Nidra, and it’s up to the discretion and intuition of the teacher to choose an appropriate approach. Satyananda in his numerous books lists between six and eleven specific stages that each can be presented differently. 1. Preparation - Shavasana2. Preparatory Relaxation - Breath awareness3. Sankalpa - Resolution4. Rotation of Awareness - Body scanning5. Opposites - Feelings and Sensations6. Chakra7. Breath - Going deeper8. Image Visualization9. Self10. Sankalpa11. Returning

The process of Yoga Nidra can be compared to the gradual blossoming of a flower being allowed to unfold fully. We start at the outermost, with the body, by experiencing it fully, and letting it go, then becoming aware of the next layer, and so on. The journey inwards is complete when we arrive at our destination, the Self. This inner journey can be found in cloaked form in fairy tales, myths and legends, often pictured as a road full of trials, dangers, and blessings.

“Eyes closed, see your inner being in detail. Thus see your true nature.”

Vijnana Bhairava Tantra

Like most Tantrik scriptures, the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra (c. 850 CE) takes the form of a dialogue between Siva and his consort Sakti, here called Bhairava and Bhairavi, where she asks him to reveal the essence of the way to realisation of the highest reality. In his answer Siva describes 112 meditation methods to enter into the universal and transcendental state of consciousness. These include several variants of breath awareness, concen-tration on various centers in the body, non-dual awareness, chanting, im-agination and visualisation and contemplation through each of the senses.

Shavasana“Suppose your passive form to be an empty room

with walls of skin - empty.” Vijnana Bhairava Tantra

The first step is finding the posture and to become completely comfort-able physically and mentally prepared for lying on the back for the given amount of time. Shavasana (corpse pose) is the starting point that leads to the experience of stillness, physically then mentally. Also known as Mitrasana (the dead man’s pose), it is outwardly the most simplest of postures. Although it may sound macabre to name a yoga posture after a dead body, it implies that the body remains completely motionless for some time, without moving a finger or an eyelid. When the body is still, it will start to calm down automatically, and then the mind will follow. It is often a conclusion to an asana practice, but can also be done to begin a class. After a busy day it gives a moment to arrive, and to return. There are a number of exercises that can be performed while lying in sha-vasana to release tensions.Naukasana - Boat PoseHold the breath and raise the legs, arms, shoulders, head and trunk around 5 cm off the ground. Remain in the position while holding the breath. Breathe out and return to shavasan. This is one round. Do 3 to 5 rounds, resting in shavasana after each round.Wave BreathBreathe in, hold the breath and pull the dome of the diaphragm upwards, then pushing it back down. Roll this bubble of air like a wave up to the chest and back to the stomach in an even rhythm several times while holding the breath in for a comfortable length of time. Tense and Release RelaxationUpon inhalation, feel all the muscles of the right leg tense very slightly, and relax on exhalation, for 3-4 breaths. Then similarly with the left leg, then arms and face, and finally the whole body. Gradually allow the tens-ing and relaxing to become more subtle and softer.

Relaxation Relaxation is a release of tension in both the mind and body for a period of time to allow complete rest and revitalization. Threefold tensions ac-cumulate in the muscular, emotional and mental systems. The autonomic nervous system has two functions, the stress (fight or flight) response and the relaxation response. The stress response is a biological survival mechanism designed to protect us from harm. But when it stays active beyond the immediate needs of the situation, then an overwhelming of the system takes place, contributing to a number of stress-related medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease.The relaxation response is defined as ones personal ability to encourage the body to release chemicals and brain signals that make the muscles and organs slow down and increase blood flow to the brain. The relaxa-tion response is triggered when we feel safe, secure and under no imme-diate pressures. It can be willfully stimulated through various methods, such as passive concentration on the body and breath. We can’t force the mind to be still, as we can with the body, so instead we give the mind something to occupy it, to hold on to, and return to. If the sankalpa is repeated during normal waking consciousness, the mind will raise objections to it. Making a resolution involves change, but we have a built in mechanism that resists change, with the effort and consequences that are involved. So a method is used to get access to the subconscious level where the sankalpa works. The mind can be compared to a vast ocean, and so that we don’t sink into its depths we need something to help keep us afloat, such as a life vest. The most common method is to follow the natural breath. It’s something we all do continuously, so even if we may occasionally forget about it during the practice, it’ll still be there when we remember, and we can just return to witnessing it.An alternative is to listen to sounds, which can be very useful for culti-vating openness and spaciousness, and for connecting with the world around.

Defining Yoga Nidra In the Mahabharata, ca. 400 BCE, Vishnu is suspended in a state of yoga nidra, depicted as lying on a boat made of a multi-headed cobra floating on an infinite ocean of milk, dreaming the universe into existence. Mandukya Upanishad, ca. 1 CE, describes the sound OM and its relation to the four different states and layers of consciousness:

“AUM. This eternal word is all. What was, what is and what shall be,

and what beyond is in eternity. All is AUM.Brahman is all and Atman is Brahman.

Atman, the Self, has four conditions.The first condition is the waking life,

of outward moving consciousness. The second condition is the dreaming life,

of inner moving consciousness. The third condition is nidra, the sleeping life,

of silent consciousness without desires or dreams. That condition of deep sleep is of oneness,

of silent consciousness enjoying peace. The fourth condition is Atman in its own pure state,

the awakened life of supreme consciousness. This Atman is the eternal word AUM.

Its three sounds, A, U and M, are the first three states of consciousness. AUM as one sound is the fourth state,

of supreme consciousness. AUM”

A mention of the state of yoga nidra can be found in Patanjalis Yoga Sutras (1:38 ca. 300 CE)“The mind can be made steady by giving it the knowledge of dream and sleep for support.” The term yoga nidra in these early texts are not defining a practice or a technique in a system of yoga, but describe a transcendental sleep.The rotation of consciousness comes from a practise called Nyasa, which can be translated as ‘placing’ and refers to a technique within tantric ritual practice from ca. 500 CE. Bahirmatrika nyasa (external) and antarmatrika nyasa (internal) form part of yoga nidra.

The earliest reference to a practice of lying on the ground like a corpse is in a section on Layayoga in the 12th-century Dattātreyayogaśāstra. “Lying on the ground like an outstretched corpse is said to be the best.” As a yoga posture (asana), Shavasana dates to the 15th-century Hatha yoga pradipika. No one knows the origins of Yoga Nidra for certain, it was initially a state of Being, of conscious deep sleep, and developed into a practice to reach that state. The term itself is quite ancient and most traditions were passed on orally or through demonstration from teacher to student and usually in a traditional gradual manner. One of the earliest ‘modern’ teachers is Sri Devpuriji who taught it since 1880 and passed on this knowledge to Swami Sivananda, amongst others. Parampara literally means an uninter-rupted continuation of teachers, and what is practiced and called Yoga Nidra today comes from this lineage of teachers, and has developed into a variety of similar but different forms. One of most well known modern teachers is Swami Satyananda who is often credited with reviving this knowledge. Another proponent of Yoga Nidra was Swami Rama (1925 – 1996) the founder of the Himalayan In-stitute, who had his own unique approach. Most recently in 2006, Rich-ard Miller, the founder of the International Association of Yoga Therapy developed his own style of Yoga Nidra, calling his technique iRest.

Yoga - unionYoga is generally understood to mean to unite, and implies separation of Purusha (male/atman/self/soul/consciousness) and Prakriti (female/mat-ter/nature/body/energy). The first five limbs of Raja Yoga eliminate one after the other the sources of disturbances to our minds. Pratyahara is the key between the outer and inner aspects of yoga, where we withdraw our attention from ordinary distractions. Pratyahara is composed of two San-skrit words: prati and ahara. Ahara means “food,” or “anything we take into ourselves from the outside.” Prati is a preposition meaning “against” or “away.” Pratyahara means literally “to not consume” or “gaining mas-tery over external influences.” We may experience pratyahara by with-drawing from the mass media and urban environments by retreating to solitude in nature. “Even as a tortoise draws in its limbs, the wise can draw in their senses at will. Even of those who tread the path, the stormy senses can sweep off the mind.”Mahabharata, Chapter Two, Verses 58-60, (ca. 400 BCE)

Nidra - sleep All animals and plants have a built-in rhythm which is adjusted to the en-vironment by external cues, the most important of which is daylight. The brain’s internal circadian clock, from Latin meaning “about a day”, uses these cues to naturally synchronize or reset itself each day to the Earth’s 24-hour rotation cycle. This internal clock regulates the body’s sleep patterns, feeding patterns, core body temperature, brain wave activity, cell regeneration, hormone production, glucose and insulin levels, urine production and other biological activities. Without this important check, the circadian system can become seriously unbalanced. Sleep-wake homeostasis is an internal timer that generates a pressure for sleep as a function of the amount of time elapsed since the last adequate sleep episode. A naturally produced substance called adenosine builds up in the body during our waking hours, which has the effect of inhibit-ing many of the bodily processes associated with wakefulness, increasing the pressure to sleep the more it accumulates.EEGThere are several ways the brain can be studied and mapped. Active areas of the brain use more energy than less active parts and an image of the inside of the brain can be created, which is the basis of PET (positron emission tomography), MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and CAT (computerised axial tomography) scanning.The brain cells communicate by sending tiny electric signals to each other. The more signals that are sent, the more electricity the brain will produce. An EEG (electroencephalography) can measure the pattern of this electrical activity of the brain by measuring voltage fluctuations resulting from neural oscillations, known as brain waves, which are divided into bandwidths to describe their functions.

REMThe different types and stages of sleep can be identified by simultaneously measuring several body functions, such as brain activity, eye movement, muscle activity, respiration and heart rhythm, and a summary of these results can be combined into a graph called a hypnogram. REM sleep is largely devoted to brain repair and restoration as it is more efficient for new connections and pathways in the brain to be cemented during sleep, while there are relatively few external stimuli and little or no new informa-tion to process. While non-REM sleep is principally a time for body repair and restoration.

Gamma waves (38 to 100 Hz)Recently discovered, they relate to simultaneous processing of information from different brain areas and are associated with peak concentration and extremely high levels of cogni-tive functioning. Bursts of insight, that feeling that you can do anything. Beta waves (12 to 38 Hz)Normal waking state of consciousness when attention is directed towards the outside world, and engaged in focused mental activity. Hi-Beta (22-38Hz) is highly complex thought, integrating new experiences, high anxiety, or excitement. Alpha waves (8 to 12 Hz)Dominant during quietly flowing thoughts, and in some meditative states. Alpha is the power of now, being here, in the present. Alpha is the resting state for the brain. Alpha waves aid overall mental coordination, calmness, alertness, mind/body integration and learning.Theta waves (3 to 8 Hz)It acts as a gateway to learning and memory. It is that twi-light state which we normally only experience fleetingly as we wake or drift off to sleep. In theta we are in a dream; vivid imagery, intuition and information beyond our normal con-scious awareness. Delta waves (.5 to 3 Hz)Slow, loud brainwaves with a low frequency. They are gener-ated in deepest meditation and dreamless sleep. Healing and regeneration are stimulated in this state, and that is why deep restorative sleep is so essential to the healing process.

Stage 1 (NREM1) is the stage between wakefulness and sleep in which the muscles are still quite active and the eyes roll around slowly and may open and close from time to time, breathing gradually becomes more regular and the heart rate begins to slow. Sudden twitches or jerks, often accompanied by a falling sensation, are quite common during this stage, the last gasps of waking control before sleep takes over. This short period of easily disrupted sleep, usually lasting less than 10 minutes, represents only about 5% of the total sleep time. Hypnagogia is the experience of the transitional state and among the more commonly reported features are phosphenes which can manifest as seemingly random speckles, lines or geometrical patterns, including representational images which are typi-cally fleeting and given to very rapid changes and differ from dreams proper in that hypnagogic imagery is usually static and lacking in narra-tive content. People who have spent a long time at some repetitive activ-ity before sleep, particularly a new one, may find that it dominates their imagery, a tendency dubbed the Tetris effect. In more scientific terms, it is the period of transition from beta with a frequency of 13-30 Hz, which is the normal range for the awake state, to slower alpha waves with a fre-quency of 8-13 Hz, and then to theta waves with a frequency of 4-8 Hz.Stage 2 (NREM2) is the first unequivocal stage of sleep and it typically constitutes about 45%-50% of total sleep. Breathing and heart rate are regular and body temperature drops. Brain waves during stage 2 are mainly in the theta wave range, as in stage 1.

“The slumber most appropriate to the exercise of art is ‘the slumber with a key’. You must resolve the problem of ‘sleeping without sleeping,’ it is a repose which walks in equilibrium on the taut and invisible wire which separates sleeping from waking.You must seat yourself in an armchair, in a su-pineness of complete relaxation. In this posture, you must hold a key which you will keep sus-pended, delicately pressed between the extremi-ties of the thumb and forefinger of your left hand. Under the key you will previously have placed a plate upside down on the floor. The moment the key drops, you may be sure that the noise of its fall will awaken you.” Salvador Dali

Stage 3 (NREM3) is known as deep sleep, and represents around 15%-20% of total sleep time. Blood pressure drops, breathing becomes slower, tissue growth and repair occurs, hormones are released. It is character-ized by delta brain waves with a frequency of around 0.5-4 HzREM occurs in cycles every 90-120 minutes throughout the night, and ac-counts for up to 20-25% of total sleep time. The brain’s oxygen consump-tion, reflecting its energy use, is very high during this period, in fact often higher than when awake. Breathing becomes more rapid and irregular during REM sleep than during non-REM sleep, and the heart rate and blood pressure also increase to near waking levels. Although the muscles become more relaxed during non-REM sleep, they become completely paralysed and unresponsive during REM sleep. This virtual absence of muscle tone and skeletal muscle activity is known as atonia, and it occurs because the brain impulses that control muscle movement are completely suppressed, other than those controlling eye movements and essential func-tions. Brain activity is characterized by low-amplitude mixed-frequency brain waves, similar to those experienced during the waking state - theta waves, alpha waves and the high frequency beta waves more typical of active con-centration and thinking.HormonesMelatonin is produced in the pineal gland in the brain, chemically caus-ing drowsiness and lowering body temperature, and production is in-hibited by light and stimulated by darkness. Cortisol is produced in the adrenal gland, found above the kidneys, and used to form glucose or blood sugar and to enable anti-stress and anti-inflammatory functions in the body. Towards the end of the night, the secretion of cortisol begins to increase in preparation for the anticipated stress of the day, usually peak-ing with a particularly large increase of up to 50% about 20-30 minutes after waking, known as the cortisol awakening response. Growth hor-mone, essential to the repair and restoration processes of the body, is also secreted during sleep, particularly during deep non-REM sleep.Sleep HygieneThis refers to the habits and practices conducive to a regular good night’s sleep. Try to get regular exposure to direct sunlight during the day, par-ticularly straight after waking can help establish good circadian rhythms. Avoid exposure to bright light, especially blue light, close to bedtime, as it may confuse circadian rhythms and trigger awakening rather than sleeping processes. Avoid caffeinated drinks a few hours before bedtime,

but hot milk or herbal tea may encourage sleep.Strenuous exercise, heavy meals or a hot bath increase body temperature, making it harder to fall asleep afterwards. However, a lukewarm bath or shower can help relax your muscles and make falling asleep easier. An evening stroll while doing a mental review of the day may help to let go of mental tension. Use your bed only for sleep and sex, not for television, computers, phone, etc., so that a strong mental association is established between the bedroom and its activities. The bedroom should be as dark and free from intrusive noise as possible and a place of comfort and rejuve-nation. The ambience should reflect that by being uncluttered and visually nourishing, such as a childhood teddy bear in a corner or family picture

SankalpaThe mind becomes receptive to autosuggestion during yoga nidra and a key part of the practice is to formulate an intention, or resolution, known as a sankalpa, a short and simple statement that articulates a desire. A sankalpa can take two forms. The first is the heartfelt desire, a state-ment that reflects your true nature, of who you are and comes from deep within. A second form can be of a specific intention or goal. It may also be visualized symbolically as an image, felt as a sensation or just quietly known. It can also be repeated before sleep and immediately after wak-ing up, when there is access to the subconscius mind..The sankalpa shouldn’t be shared with anybody else, it’s something pri-vate and very personal. Other people’s reactions and opinions may con-fuse and dilute the potency of the sankalpa. After the seed of sankalpa is planted in the quiet space of the mind, yoga nidra can begin.

Chakras The chakras are a main subject of Tantra, which focuses on the energy as-pect of existence. Consciousness never changes, whereas energy is always changing. The chakras are centers where energy is transformed to more subtler energies, from gross, to mental to spiritual. Understanding the origin of desires, and the energy we devote in fulfilling them, can help in redirecting our efforts and gives our actions a deeper purpose.For each of the chakras there are a large range of images, sounds and melodies which will create activity or stimulation of that region. In their most essential or archetypal form the images are known as yantras (spe-cific geometric shapes) and the sounds are known as mantras.

Homework and sleep assignment The homework assignment for this period is a daily shavasan of max 10 minutes. Choose an object of focus (dharana), which could be a whole body experience (easiest), following the natural rising and sinking movement of the stomach (for physical ten-sion) or watching the air pass through the nostrils (for mental tension).Also experience the onset of sleep, and witness the gradual with-drawing of the senses, pratyahara. But don’t resist sleep, when the urge comes, roll on to the side if you prefer, and let go.To avoid stress later, it may be wise to already be preparing a script, with focus on the first three steps we covered:1. Becoming comfortable in shavasana.2. Preparing the mind to recieve sankalpa, usually with 2-3 min-utes of breath awareness.3. Sankalpa - sowing the seed of intention to the subconscious.