Divine Sleep Yoga Nidra
For Relaxation and Restoration
by Carrie Jackson
A regular yoga and
meditation practice can be used for relaxation and sleep, but some techniques
may be more effective than others. One newer technique, Divine Sleep, is a
practice that encourages participants to connect with themselves and focus
within. C-IAYT Certified Yoga Therapist Jennifer Reis has more than 23 years of
experience teaching yoga and meditation and has helped thousands of people tap
into new sources of energy. Reis is the founder of Divine Sleep Yoga Nidra, a
systematic approach to deep relaxation and transformation designed as a guided
meditation that incorporates breath awareness, body scans and imagery. Reis
says that in just one, 20-minute session, participants can achieve restoration
and aid in healing of the body, mind and spirit. She is scheduled to be leading
a 40-hour, five-day Divine Sleep Yoga Nidra teacher training at Heaven Meets
Earth, in Evanston, from May 13 through 17, as well as a public 90-minute
Divine Sleep workshop on May 16.
What does a regular
session involve?
The teacher asks participants
to set an intention, asking, “What is my heart’s deepest longing,” then leads
the group through the five koshic levels of being in the eight stages of Divine
Sleep. We start with a physical body scan to observe where we might be holding
tightness or other sensations, and then observe our breath and then contrasting
sensations like heavy and light. The fourth kosha, our “witness” level of
being, invites us to notice with love and acceptance all that is within
ourselves, and the fifth kosha allows us to settle into feelings of pure bliss.
While the stages in Divine Sleep are always the same, the teacher will use a
variety of themes and participants will respond differently to each practice.
How can meditating in a
group be more powerful than alone?
The word yoga literally
means “union”. In Divine Sleep Yoga Nidra and any other form of yoga, we
connect with ourselves and others in the class, as well as connecting with
something greater. In a group, we draw on other’s focused energy, which helps
us experience our own focus, bringing about more depth of the experience. That
synergy encourages feelings of safety and belonging. The group also becomes a
community, and people appreciate the accountability of showing up and being a
part of it.
Who is an ideal participant
for Divine Sleep Yoga Nidra?
Divine Sleep Yoga Nidra is
a simple and fast way to reset the nervous system, which can get out of balance
by any number of triggers in our everyday life. This practice takes you out of
active mode, or flight-or-fight, and switches you into the relaxation mode, the
parasympathetic response, which is the body’s natural healing state where
revitalization and regeneration occurs. This reset makes it beneficial for
everyone, and especially wonderful for anyone suffering from trauma, anxiety,
chronic pain, sleeplessness and PTSD. Children can also benefit from this
practice who may have trouble focusing, sleeping or relaxing; and parents who
are juggling too many demands. It’s been shown to help regulate blood pressure,
improve sleep, strengthen the immune system and support the endocrine and
cardiovascular systems.
How is Divine Sleep Yoga
Nidra different from normal sleep?
Divine Sleep Yoga Nidra
puts you in a blissful state of consciousness between waking and sleeping. The
body is able to fully relax, but you can still hear and absorb information,
even if you don’t remember it. Your subconscious is processing everything,
while you are in a deep state of conscious rest. Divine Sleep is the antidote
to modern life. You can get the benefits of two to three hours of sleep in just
one 20-minute Divine Sleep Yoga Nidra session. You can practice Divine Sleep
Yoga Nidra anytime and almost anywhere. Taking that time out during your day
helps to reset your whole being, allowing you to enjoy life fully.
What benefits can a participant
expect?
While participants will
typically feel better after just one Divine Sleep Yoga Nidra session, the
benefits are accumulative with more practice. On a basic level, the deep
relaxation results in myriad health benefits that come with an improved quality
of sleep. With increased sessions, you start tapping into your deepest wisdom
more freely and living more each day from a place of love and acceptance. The
mindfulness techniques help you to start using the higher mind to respond,
instead of reacting, to what comes up in your day and override the limiting
beliefs that hold you back from fully living. You are able to more and more
witness with love and acceptance all that you are and all that the world is
around you.
For more information, updated training and
workshop schedule or to register, [email protected] or visit JenniferReisYoga.com or HeavenMeetsEarthYoga.com.
Carrie Jackson is an Evanston-based writer
and frequent contributor to Natural Awakenings magazine. Connect at CarrieJacksonWrites.com.
