Monday, February 3, 2014

The Healing Power of Yoga Nidra: Rest, Acceptance, Creativity, Transformation


Yesterday I went to a Yoga Nidra workshop (using the Amrit method), and I was re-inspired by this simple yet profound practice, and its power to heal and transform. Growing up, my Mom and I would practice yoga, either a gentle practice that she led in her room (before yoga mats!), or via videos (often with Rodney Yee or Patricia Walden or occasionally with random teachers on library videos). I remember after savasana feeling so wonderful. I distinctly remember a time when I felt otherworldly, and after floating to my room, I looked in the mirror to see if my body was there. Everything seemed hazy, as my gaze had softened, and I felt full, bright, buoyant, and at peace internally. My outer world dissolved, and I knew everything was OK. What was this state of being? It was a huge contrast to the stress I normally felt, being in high school, trying to fit in socially, and trying to keep up with all of the requirements of school. All the pressure I put on myself was released through savasana. I later learned there is a name for this: Yoga Nidra. I am certain it has changed my life, and one of my goals in teaching yoga, is to share this practice with others.

Here are some of my notes, and reasons why I want to practice Yoga Nidra more often, and encourage others to do the same. The quote on Amrit's sight kinda says it all: "Can you be happy doing what you are doing, while you are doing it?" - Gurudev

WHAT IS YOGA NIDRA
Many yoga practicing folks may have experienced this method of deep rest, perhaps without knowing it has a name. Over the years, this is the definition that stuck: "Yoga Nidra is the state between waking and sleeping." It is a potent and precious state of being, where profound change and healing can occur. I have learned different methods for getting there, though wasn't aware of the differences until yesterday, when we discussed being guided into this state, vs. dropping in via silence. From my understanding, the Amrit method, which we practiced in this workshop, is a guided journey, where vocal instructions guide the practitioner into a deeper state of rest, possibly using small movements, progressive muscle relaxation technique (PMR), the breath, or body awareness to initially drop in, with longer spaces of silence toward the end. It is careful and exact, in that there can be awareness on the teacher's end, of what brain wave state the receiver is in, and there is an order to the instructions. This blog on the Stages of Sleep has a bit more info on those states (beta, alpha, theta, delta). There also seem to be a variety of ways the Amrit method can be mixed and matched, for each session, which I appreciate (for example in one practice we did breathing techniques at the beginning, and in one we did progressive muscle relaxation technique instead). In Judith Hanson Lasater's restorative yoga teaching, she encourages more silence, or total silence, to drop in to the state of Yoga Nidra. This has also been beautifully effective for me, where time expands and I'm floating in a sea of peace. In restorative classes I've taken, often teachers guide the students into it initially then leave space. All these methods (full guidance and total silence, or a mixture of both) are appealing to me, for different days. Some days I need the guidance to reconnect to my body and inner world. Some days I am ready for silence without instruction. I like having a few options in my healing tool bag.

SHIFTING LENSES, Inner World vs. Outer World
During the first Yoga Nidra session of the workshop (we did two, with discussion in between), there was a clear moment when my focus switched from my outer world - the whereabouts of all the other people in my life, and my agenda - to this giant inner world, suddenly bright and clear. I was reminded of the awkward eye examinations where the doctor says, "this one, or this one? A, or B? B, or C? is this one clearer, or blurry?" That whole outer world suddenly fell away when I put on the Yoga Nidra glasses, coming into a perspective that easily gets neglected. Teachers John Vosler and Renu referred to it as "the source", and reminded us that the more we connect to the source, the easier it is to get back to it. I agree. I would like to spend more time in this bright inner world, listening and tuning in. 

WHAT IS, releasing good vs. bad
Teacher Renu reminded us to look at what is. Instead of deciding what's good or what's bad, see what IS. It makes sense, yet it's amazing how often I overanalyze, add a story, and try to think things through to the point of exhaustion. She pointed out how looking at WHAT IS can take a lot of the stress of situations away. We get out of the way of what's happening, and let it move through. Same thing on the micro level of our body. John reminded us of how we so often live in fight or flight mode (a concept we work with a lot in restorative yoga), and how we need the balance of tapping into the parasympathetic nervous system. He shared an awesome story of him walking his dog, and seeing a cat ahead, relaxed and sunning itself in the sun. As soon as it sees the dog, it gets into fight or flight mode, with fur standing, back rounded, ready to act. Then very soon after the dog passes, the cat is back to sunning itself. John pointed out how that's the way the nervous system is meant to work. Often what humans do though, is keep that stress for a long time. So the "fear" energy can get stuck in our bodies, taking days/months/years/lifetimes to analyze something that happened way in the past. Yoga Nidra allows us to rest and let that energy move through. We don't have to know what it is. We can let what is be. Renu says, "Something is happening," which I love, as a way to acknowledge that changes are occurring, and we don't have to know exactly what is happening. In doing so, we can release the need to decide what's good or bad, which can further block these things, this energy, from moving through. If we need to get mad/scared/ecstatic, let it move through, and then rest, moving back to homeostasis instead of staying in stress mode.

STRESS, sleep, REST, release
Our bodies need to rest. We "sleep", and it often does not fully restore our systems because we can get so amped up during the day, or we don't sleep long enough. It's important to rest during the day as well, and not save all our rest time for the evening. Restorative Yoga and Yoga Nidra are ways we can let ourselves let go, and thus release stress, and thus sleep better. It is a beautiful experience to drop in, so deeply, and let our rhythms evolve. Our patterns release. We move in the direction we wanted to go anyway, without overthinking and overanalyzing it. SO often I get stuck in my head, trying to figure things out, and I see it happen all around me. People want to figure things out. I want to figure things out. Sometimes when I begin savasana, intending to get to the prized Yoga Nidra state, I'm trying to figure out my life. Eventually, that part of the brain settles in (the front brain), and I enjoy the not knowing. There is a calmness and acceptance and peace that emerges. Simply by resting in savasana and accessing Yoga Nidra. Wow.

INTEGRATION
This is also the time to integrate what has happened during the day. Physically, mentally, emotionally. On every level. Our body digests. Via the stomach, and also all the organs. Have you ever felt overwhelmed or on complete overload?? Why not rest in Yoga Nidra? There are so many reasons why I don't do it, even when I need it. I'd like to explore some of the barriers I've had to practicing Yoga Nidra, so that I can address them. It's amazing the resistance I have sometimes, to doing this simple practice. Yet, when I finally do, my world starts to make more sense. My panic and overwhelm can switch to allowance and release. Things start to make sense on a deeper level. My mind doesn't have to figure it all out. The pieces are put together for me. Some epiphanies occasionally occur. Synapses fire. (I just wanted to say that phrase.) Creative ideas come too, before or after I fall into that deepest state of rest, without even trying. In this resting state, our deepest creativity emerges. It's there all along, and we cover it up. Part of this practice is releasing the layers, or barriers, surrounding our true self, and true expression.

LOVE
There is love underneath it all. It may take awhile to get there. There is trust. There is peace. There is calm. Santosha (acceptance). "There is no need to make anything happen," is one of their reminders. I love that. It can be so hard as well. It's important to cultivate the opposite of what we normally do (for most of us, we make things happen, or think about making things happen, or worry about not making things happen). I feel more love for myself and others during and after this practice, for sure. It is a gift I can give myself, relatively simply. Yoga nidra is a great healer, and accessing our deep love can mean deep healing a well. Yoga nidra is a deep healing well.

ON SELF-LOVE
In the class, we talked about how often we beat ourselves up. Even for things like not practicing Yoga Nidra every day. Renu asked us, "How would you treat the person you love the most, or your very best friend in the world?" Then she asked us to think about how we treat ourselves. Woah. I don't know about you, but I definitely have some work to do there. (Or rather, via Yoga Nidra, some letting go.) Why do we beat ourselves up, and treat everyone better than ourselves? One of my missions with teaching yoga is to encourage self-care and self-love. Yoga Nidra is a way that we can take care of our delicates selves. Hold space for what's happening, physically and emotionally, and also not obsess over it. Through the relaxation I experience in Yoga Nidra, I am able to make decisions more from a place of self-love and acceptance, and that leads me in a direction that I want to go in anyway. It's a win-win!

YOGA NIDRA vs. MEDITATION
This was brought up briefly in the class. One of the reasons I don't practice Yoga Nidra more often, is because I also want to practice meditation daily (which I don't do, but it's on my list), and have a yoga asana practice (asana are the physical poses that fall under the branch of Hatha Yoga), and sometimes go to dance or other body awareness/ movement classes, like Feldenkrais. OMG. So how am I going to fit it all in?? Sitting is not comfortable for me past twenty minutes, whereas Yoga Nidra is much more relaxing. Yet, I believe there are benefits of both, and still want to practice both. The teachers pointed out that the benefits of Yoga Nidra, seem to be the same as meditation, and perhaps even go deeper since the body can rest. I know there are reasons why sitting is good for meditation, partly so that the mind can stay more alert, partly so that even if sitting gets uncomfortable, we can practice being with discomfort, examining the thought patterns that come with it. For now though, I am going to let myself explore Yoga Nidra a bit more, and perhaps it will inspire my meditation practice as well. I imagine I will go back and forth between the two, and I have this idea that as long as I leave time for one or the other each day, it will keep me connected to that source. Curious to know others thoughts on the reasons to practice one or the other.

FINAL WORDS
There is so much more to say about Yoga Nidra, though the practice speaks for itself, and also defies description thru words. It's important to experience it to actually understand its potential. I appreciated the dialogue and experience this workshop gave me, and was inspired to practice and share this method of healing more enthusiastically. Thank you to Renu and John for flying all the way from LA to lead the workshop (even with a 2.5 hour flight delay that could have been very stressful, but they were able to joke about it in the end, pointing out that the worst that would have happened is they wouldn't have been there when we all arrived, and another guy who was trained in this method probably would have led). Thanks to my housemate Angeles Rios for reminding me to go! The workshop was at Yoga Tree in Hayes Valley, and there is a Level 1 Immersion happening at the end of February. Eventually I'd like to create a guided Yoga Nidra audio, that I will post on http://seaweedsway.bandcamp.com (Please let me know if you're interested, as that will motivate me!) As some of you know, the studio where I normally teach, The Yoga Loft, had a fire in December. We will need help from the community to get it going again. You can sign up for the newsletter or find us on facebook to get the updates: https://www.facebook.com/loftsf It is closed until Spring or later, so that renovations can be done. In the meantime, I intend to blog a bit more about my experiences with a variety of movement, yoga, relaxation, and body awareness techniques. Thanks for reading, and may you have the time and space to explore Yoga Nidra on your own.

Photo by Jesse Stout, taken at the Yoga Loft

Friday, October 25, 2013

new life, renewed blog

Hello friends,
In hopes of getting this blog going again, I am going to make an actual post on here. That's the first step, right??

Yoga has been such a wonderful guide and comfort, and also discomfort at times (in that necessary sort of way, when things get too complacent) through my life. I'm grateful to have found this practice early on, and also keep realizing ways that I can fit it into my everyday life more easily, and hope to share those ideas with you all.

I also hope to hear others' ideas of how they work yoga into their lives. Afterall, yoga is not just the poses, but a way of being in the world. I used to want to do fancy poses, and may get back to that motivation some day, but in teaching gentle and restorative, I see more and more how much we need relaxation in our busy modern lives. The activeness of our minds keeps our bodies tense even when we are trying to sleep or when we are supposed to be having fun. I do believe it is important to have an active practice as well, and these days that's taken the form of dance classes for me. I encourage folks to keep moving with what works for them. This is a practice that evolves as we do. If we ignore important messages from our bodies, they keep finding a way to emerge, or sometimes can manifest as pain.

Let's listen to our bodies more and see how that works.

As we grow our practice together, as a community, we can find the support we need is all around us and let gratitude take the place of want.

I invite you to come to one of my classes in the near future. I teach gentle yoga on Saturdays, 11am-12:15pm, allowing us late-night folk to sleep in on the weekend. :) I also teach restorative yoga Monday nights, 7:30-9pm, for those who enjoy a bit of stillness to set intentions for the week. Friday is kids yoga day, 3:45-4:45, for ages 10-14. There is a groupon deal going on at the Yoga Loft right now, $45 for a month unlimited. It's a really great offer, and great for those who want to try lots of different classes! Or, if you are looking for a combo package w/ bodywork, you could choose the 5 classes + a one-hour Thai Massage for $100. This is also a good way to explore the offerings of the yoga studio I call home.

Thank you for reading. I welcome your yoga stories and experiences so this is more of a dialogue.
Ommmmmmmmmm Shanti Shanti Shanti
Jessie

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Gentle Yoga Thursdays in August + Ongoing: Saturday Gentle Yoga & Sunday Restorative at the Loft

Dear friends,
It's been awhile since I've posted here. I hope you all are doing well! I'm writing with some updates about yoga classes that I'm teaching at the Loft, in case you can make it. Would love to see you!

First, starting tonight, I'm teaching a Gentle Yoga 4-Week Series on Thursdays, for the month of August. A good way to unwind & feel at home in your body. If you can't take all 4 classes, you're welcome to drop-in for any of them!! You can signup at http://theloftsf.com/ under the Workshops/Events section. 

Gentle Yoga 4-Week Series (Drop-Ins Welcome)
Thursdays 8/4/2011 - 8/25/2011
6-7:30 PM
Cost: $50 Series/$17 drop-in or regular class card
@ the Loft, 321 Divisadero St. @ Page
The series will be a meditative movement exploration, a slower-paced yoga experience fitting for beginners and those who want a gentle and less physically challenging class for any reason. While the classes will be accessible to everyone, they still provide a strong base for starting and sustaining a regular practice. Each class will build on the last, but for those who can't take the whole series, drop-ins are welcome. We will focus on breath, feeling comfortable in the body, and grounding, while revealing stillness and space in the body. Through this practice we can quiet the mind, heal, and move with intuition and safe alignment.

WEEKEND CLASS SCHEDULE:

SATURDAYS
10:45-12pm
Gentle Hatha Yoga at the Yoga Loft
321 Divisadero St. @ Page St.
$10 community class. all levels are welcome.
This class is a meditative movement exploration, a slower-paced introduction to the practice that is good for beginners as well as those who would like a gentle & less physically challenging class for any reason. Focus is on getting into the body, grounding, and bringing acceptance to the body in the present moment. Students are encouraged to quiet the mind, breathe, and use intuition in moving in conjunction with guidance on safe alignment.

SUNDAYS
6:30-8pm
Restorative Yoga at the Yoga Loft
321 Divisadero St. @ Page St.
$10 community class. all levels are welcome.
This is different from a regular yoga class, in that you do less poses and hold them for a longer amount of time in a non-strenuous way, all propped up, so the body can relax more deeply. Focus is on the breath and gentle softening of places where we hold extra tension and stress... and on re-setting, exploring, and rejuvenating intentions.
*third sundays there is a sub because i'm at the seaweedsway showcase!*

Thanks for considering. Perhaps will see you soon!

Ommm shanti shanti

Jessie
...................
Jessie teaches gentle hatha & restorative yoga in San Francisco. Her mother was her first yoga teacher, and this early experience of yoga led to a continued exploration and fascination of yoga. In 2006, she trained to teach Beginner's Hatha Yoga (with a large emphasis on the gentle Integral Yoga method), through the guidance of Jeannie Laslo (Red Door Yoga Co-Owner). In 2008, to continue her studies, she took the Yoga Loft's Advanced Studies/Teacher Training, and in 2010 she took Judith Hanson Lasater's Relax & Renew Restorative Yoga training. She enthusiastically welcomes new practitioners to yoga and supports the continuation of a yoga practice at any time or phase of one's life, with an awe of how yoga can heal us. Jessie intends to facilitate the experience of yoga, or union, by allowing space for the breath, emotions, observing patterns of thought and thus habits of movement, and encouraging overall comfort in the body in its current state. Jessie teaches with care for each student and believes in the power of yoga to bring about a deep peace and ease of mind, heart, and body, that can allow us to fulfill our innermost intentions. She is also interested in the intersection of yoga and music, and sings in a community women's choir, Conspiracy of Venus, as well as organizes and promotes shows via a project called SeaweedSway. Receive updates on yoga classes Jessie teaches by joining the email list 
http://groups.google.com/g​roup/seaweedsway-yoga and/or checking http://seaweedswayyoga.blo​gpsot.com/

Friday, December 3, 2010

Yoga Classes this Week: Saturday Gentle Hatha (12:45-2) & Vinyasa (4:30), Sunday Restorative (6:30), Wednesday Beginner's (7:30)

Hello!
Here is an update on yoga classes I'm teaching this week, if you can make it to any.

All of the classes are only $10 and all levels, except for the Beginner's Class on Wednesday (ask me for pricing info).  The Beginner's Class is geared towards those who are newer to yoga, of course, but if you want a gentler class it may be a good fit for you as well.

So, here's this week's schedule:

Saturday (ongoing)
Gentle Hatha Yoga
12:45-2pm

Saturday (this week only)
Vinyasa
4:30-6pm

Sunday (ongoing)
Restorative
6:30-8pm

Wednesday (this week only)
Beginner's
7:30-9pm
(intro to backbending)

The Yoga Loft is located at 321 Divisadero St. @ Page. http://theloftsf.com/ You may want to leave a little bit of extra time for parking, if you're driving.

Thanks and perhaps will see you there!
Jessie

Bio:

Jessie teaches gentle hatha & restorative yoga in San Francisco. Her mother was her first yoga teacher, and this early experience of yoga led to a continued exploration and fascination of yoga. In 2006, she trained to teach Beginner's Hatha Yoga (with a large emphasis on the gentle Integral Yoga method), through the guidance of Jeannie Laslo (Red Door Yoga Co-Owner). In 2008, to continue her studies, she took the Yoga Loft's Advanced Studies/Teacher Training, and in 2010 she took Judith Hanson Lasater's Relax & Renew Restorative Yoga training. She currently assists yoga teacher Britt Fohrman in gentle and restorative classes.

Jessie enthusiastically welcomes new practitioners to yoga and supports the continuation of a yoga practice at any time or phase of one's life, with an awe of how yoga can heal us.  She intends to facilitate the experience of yoga, or union, by allowing space for the breath, emotions, observing patterns of thought and thus habits of movement, and encouraging overall comfort in the body in its current state. Jessie teaches with care for each student and believes in the power of yoga to bring about a deep peace and ease of mind, heart, and body, that can allow us to fulfill our innermost intentions. She is also interested in the intersection of yoga and music, and sings in a community women's choir, Conspiracy of Venus, as well as organizes and promotes shows via a project called SeaweedSway. Receive updates on yoga classes Jessie teaches by joining the email list http://groups.google.com/group/seaweedsway-yoga and/or checking http://seaweedswayyoga.blogpsot.com

Monday, July 26, 2010

Caretakers Community Yoga Class this Tuesday & next! Gentle Hatha on Saturday, Restorative on Sunday


Hello everyone,

Last week, as some of you know, I experienced the Relax & Renew restorative yoga training with Judith Hanson Lasater. Though I'm now reminded of how much there is to learn, I am very excited to start integrating some of her many relevant lessons.

Tomorrow and next Tuesday, I invite you to attend a Gentle Hatha yoga class at the Caretakers House, if you have time in your schedule to come. Please do RSVP if you can make it. Here are the details:

Caretakers House Community Yoga
This Tuesday & Next Tuesday 6:15-7:45 (please arrive a few minutes early to set up)
848 divisadero st. @ mccallister.
$5-10 suggested donations, but no one turned away for lack of funds, & trades are welcome!
Please RSVP.
http://caretakers-sf.org/

Also, this weekend I'm teaching both of these ongoing classes at the Yoga Loft, so please do show if you can clear some time for a group practice:

Gentle Hatha Yoga at the Yoga Loft
Saturdays 12:45-2pm
321 divisadero st. @ page.
$10 community class
http://theloftsf.com/

Restorative Yoga at the Yoga Loft
Sundays 6:30-8pm
321 divisadero st. @ page.
$17 regular drop-in, $14 student/teacher drop-in, or less if you have a class card. (If you are on a tight budget, you can request the $10 friend price, just let me know in advance so I can tell the front desk. For new students, there is a 3 for $35 offer as well.)
http://theloftsf.com/

As always, please let me know if you have requests for any of these classes, or if you have questions from past classes...

Thanks and perhaps will see you soon.

Ommm shanti shanti shanti

Jessie

PS - The full moon was last night - a reminder to look at the sky and see it!

...music, yoga, & nature events...
http://seaweedswayyoga.blogspot.com/
http://seaweedsway.blogspot.com/
http://facebook.com/theseaweedsway

Monday, June 21, 2010

Caretakers House Tuesday, Gentle Hatha on Saturday, Restorative on Sunday, Om Namah Shivaya

hello everyone, and happy solstice!!

i hope you all are enjoying the warmer temperatures these days.

i'm writing to let you know that tuesday, community yoga at the caretakers house is happening this week (switched from last week).  the class will happen again on the first tuesday of july. please RSVP if you can make it. 848 Divisadero St. @ McCallister. 6:15-7:45pm. feel free to bring friends, as there has been lots of space in class these days. :)

also, as a reminder:

every Saturday, i'm teaching gentle hatha yoga at the yoga loft, from 12:45-2pm for $10. it's a community class, and all levels are welcome. 321 Divisadero St. @ Page. http://theloftsf.com

Sunday, I will be teaching restorative yoga class once again, 6:30-8pm at the yoga loft.

Would love to see you soon in and out of class!

last but not least, wanted to leave you w/ the anusara invocation, to chant internally or audibly:

Om Namah Shivaya Gurave
Sacchidananda-murtaye
Nishprapanchaya Shantaya
Niralambaya Tejase

one translation = 

Om. Reverence to the Divine Absolute, the Teacher, whose true form is Being, Consciousness, and Bliss, who is completely expansive, absolutely peaceful, without the need for any external support, and incandescent (with spiritual power). 


ommm shanti shanti
peace,
Jessie

PS - Thursday July 8th, the Beth Custer Ensemble, Dina Maccabee Band, & Allison Lovejoy's Cabaret Nouveau at Cafe du Nord!!! http://bit.ly/july8bethcustertix

Friday, May 28, 2010

Yoga Classes This Week - Gentle Hatha Class Tomorrow + Caretakers House Yoga Tuesday

hello everyone,

happy full moon!!

i'm writing w/ a little reminder of the yoga class schedule this week, in case you can make it.

tomorrow & every Saturday, i'm teaching gentle hatha yoga at the yoga loft, from 12:45-2pm for $10. it's a community class, and all levels are welcome. 321 Divisadero St. @ Page. http://theloftsf.com

sunday, restorative yoga class is canceled for memorial day weekend, but it will be back on next week, 6:30-8pm at the yoga loft.

tuesday, community yoga at the caretakers house is happening, as it's the first tuesday of the month (also happens on 3rd tuesdays). please RSVP if you can make it. attendance has been low lately, so i'm looking for ways to revamp the class. let me know if you have ideas - if you'd like something different out of the class, or if the every other week thing is two confusing. suggestions are welcome! 848 Divisadero St. @ McCallister. 6:15-7:45pm.

Would love to see you soon in and out of class!

ommm shanti shanti
Jessie