Nidrâ Yoga
To see the world in a grain of sand,
and heaven in a wild flower,
hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
and eternity in an hour. – William Blake
Inherent within each of us is a desire to achieve a state of consciousness
that goes beyond our mental understanding and brings us into the experience
of the sublime. It is a state of dynamic stillness that allows us to penetrate
the space between two thoughts and arouse an awareness of the divine.
Nidrâ Yoga is from the Tantra tradition. “Tan” comes
from the Sanskrit “Tat”, meaning “that which is indefinable”,
and “tra” meaning “to preserve”. Tantra is that which
preserves the indefinable - that space between two thoughts where we come
into contact with the exquisite mystery of life.
Nidrâ Yoga attempts to elicit that delicate state
of consciousness by deepening the ability to
relax while at the same time intensifying the ability to concentrate. In
our daily lives, these qualities seem mutually exclusive. When one is deeply
relaxed, one is often absent. When one is intensely concentrated, one is
often tense. Nidrâ posits that developing the ability to be both
deeply relaxed and intensely concentrated simultaneously gives rise to
a state
of presence where each moment is rich, precious, and sacred.
There are two sets of practices that are done in traditional Nidrâ classes.
The first is the relaxation practice – Sithalikarana - which involves
lying still on the floor over an extended period of time, consciously
relaxing the muscles, organs, bones, sense organs, and faculties
of the five senses. Then, one continues to release mental tensions with various visualization
exercises.
The second set is the concentration practice – Dharana – which
involves sitting still on the floor, very much as in meditation, the difference
being that the mind focuses on chosen objects to hone one’s degree
of concentration.
The class scheduled on Thursdays at 18:30 in Walferdange (45-60 minutes)
is offered for free this term as it is the penultimate part required
of a four-year teacher training program in this specific realm
of yoga and is of a completely different nature from the hatha yoga classes
offered.
For those who sign up for the term, while the class is free, there
will be a 10 Euro payment requested for each time there is a cancellation
made less than 24 hours before class. This 10 Euros will go as a charitable
donation to an Indian school set up by André Riehl, the head of
the teacher training program.
What to bring: As you will be lying for an extended period of time
on a carpeted floor, it is important that you are comfortable.
A normal yoga mat is not usually thick enough. Therefore, while we have
used yoga mats
here to borrow, you may wish to bring an additional thicker padding
or blankets to add more cushioning. Also, as you will be sitting, make
sure that you
have a cushion high enough for you to be seated comfortably for
15-20 minutes at a time. Also, wear comfortable clothing that does not
restrict your breathing.
