Nidrā 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.
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.
Nidrā Yoga brings about an expanded 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. Nidrā develops the ability to be both deeply relaxed and intensely concentrated simultaneously giving rise to a state of presence where each moment is rich and precious.
There are two sets of practices in Nidrā classes:
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the relaxation practice – Sithalikarana - which involves lying on the floor, 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 concentration practice – Dharana – which involves sitting 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.
A nidrā session is offered occasionally on a weekend afternoon in Walferdange with a soup afterwards for those wishing to stay around and socialize. Each session will be posted on our upcoming events page. In addition, André Riehl comes several times a year to give weekend workshops in Nidrā Yoga. These are also posted on the same events page.
To be as comfortable as possible, please bring something thicker than a yoga mat to lie on (perhaps a yoga mat and blanket). Wear comfortable clothing that does not restrict your breathing. Finally, a blanket to cover you during the relaxation practice. Please arrive on time to not disturb the relaxation process which starts shortly after the start of the class. If you are more than 10 minutes late, it is requested not to come.
Schedule for Nidrā Yoga
Upcoming events for Nidrā Yoga
Nidrā Yoga Weekend with Andre Riehl
Sat. jun. 01, '13 at 10:00
André Riehl has come for six years now to teach this beautiful practice that comes from the tradition of Kashmir Shivaism where one searches for the balance between deep relaxation and intense concentration to reach a state of vastness, silence and joy. Details