This one-week intensive retreat aims to guide you to establish a harmonious lifestyle for yourself and be able to share your experiences with others for the better life.
The practice of Yoga nidra has been secret and imparted to those few yogis who have mastered their sleep. In Indian Mythology, there occurs a unique concept of sleep. You often find even the trinity of the universe lord Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva under the domination of sleep. Nidra is viewed in ancient Indian culture as a Goddess. Texts describe yoga Nidra as a manifestation of transcendental reality whom is called Maha-maya, Tripura-sundari, etc.
The course will explore the concept of yoga Nidra in details at theoretical and practical levels. This is designed assist students of yoga to understand and experience the deeper layers of their personality. The course mainly includes breathing practices, tension, and relaxation practices of yoga Nidra. You will be guided through a very basic level of yoga Nidra practice and to the advance practices of yoga Nidra as well.
Apart from the yoga Nidra sessions, students will have sessions on pranayama (understanding and regulating of your breath), Pratyahara (internalisation of sensory inputs), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation) processes drawn from the Patanjali Yoga Sutras - ancient yogic doctrine that aims to integrate your body, mind, heart, and souls for complete living.
Retreat curriculum
Practice relaxation and preparation for yogic sleep
- Introduction to the concept and practices of relaxation
- Relaxation in daily life
- Sequence of relaxation practices
- Tension and relaxation exercises
- Systematic relaxation exercises
- 31 points relaxation exercise
- Preparations for Nidra yoga
Nidra yoga (yogic sleep)
- 61 points (deep relaxation moving into Nidra yoga)
- 61 blue star practice
- Nidra yoga practice 1
- Nidra yoga practice 2
Mantra chanting
- Intro to mantra science
- Morning prayers and evening prayers
- Surya namaskar 12 mantras along with bija mantras
Hatha yoga asanas
- Meditative steps of performing the Hatha yoga: centering, entering, refining, holding, coming out, and reflection
- Surya namaskar (sun salutations)
- Types of yoga asanas: standing, sitting, backward bending, forward bending, spinal twisting, fire series, inversion, shavasana, and others
- Yoga asanas benefits
Breathing and pranayama practices
- Establishment of diaphragmatic breath
- 1:1, 1:2, and 1:4 breathing practices
- Different practices of pranayama: nadi shodhana, ujjayee, kapalabhati, bhastrika, shitali, shitkari, and brahmari
- Benefits or pranayama practices
Meditation
- Meditation in daily life
- Two to five minutes meditations
- Beginning meditation
- So-ham meditation
Yoga philosophy, lifestyle, and yoga ethics
- Introduction to Indian philosophy
- Astanga-yoga: yama, niyam, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi
- Philosophy of Nidra yoga
- Yoga Sutras of Patanjali on Nidra yoga
- Yoga ethics: yamas and niyamas
Typical daily schedule
- 05:00 Wake up
- 06:00-06:15 Karma yoga and mantra chanting
- 06:15-07:00 Shat-kriyas and pranayama practices
- 07:00-08:30 Warm-up exercises, joints, and glands following Hatha yoga asanas
- 08:30-10:00 Breakfast and free time
- 10:00-12:00 Nidra yoga (workshop 1, philosophy, and practice)
- 13:00-14:30 Lunch
- 14:30-15:45 Nidra yoga (workshop 2 and practice)
- 16:00-16:15 Tea break
- 16:15-18:00 Astanga Vinyasa yoga sessions
- 18:30-19:30 Dinner and free time
- 19:30-20:30 Guest lectures / satsanga / meditation / audios and videos / self-study / inner dialogue
- 21:00 Go to sleep
Note: It is advised that you arrive at the yoga school one day before the course starts.