Lying relaxation audio recording

[Kit_L]

Recorded at Greenwell Point, on the occasion of the Stretch Therapy Teacher Intensive, just finished.

https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/lying-relaxation-scripts/2016-LyingRelaxationGPTT2016.mp3

Click on this link and save it to your recording device. This is about 24 minutes in duration.

[Rik]

So did this for the first time in a while, pretty marvelous experience. The sensation I get while exploring bodyparts feels like a combination of visualization and feeling and is quite clear; a very large difference from my initial experience with this exercise! The description of a tidal wave while breathing is also interesting: I tend to have a lot of trouble not getting involved in my breathing, this seemed to help.

Good shit.

[Kit_L]

Hahahahahahaha! Thanks Phi; it is good shit! It needs repetition; if you commit to a lunar month of daily practice, you will see/feel changes; if you commit to three lunar months, deep permanent change will occur.

I have two gigs in Malaysia this year (a bit over three weeks in total); I should be able to record all sessions and will make available here. 

[[DW]]

Dave has recently re-visited the lying yoga nidra practice after a number of years focusing upon other practices.  A very nice, deep relaxation (and other more interesting things) occurred in one I did a few days back. I might play with it on and off over the summer (depending upon time after other practices).  A great thing to add to one's training if one does not have access to other things of this nature. Simple and profound. 

[Olga]

Sorry I missed it, but are the eyes supposed to be open or closed? tried both ways so far, sometimes I am struggling with sleep when I close my eyes, so I keep them open and do the relaxation in the first part of the day. Would like to hear Kit's instruction though.

[Kit_L]

Eyes closed. Struggling with sleep is usually an indication of a need... for sleep. Getting 20–30 minutes of deep rest this way will benefit the system immensely. What's interesting is that even when people fall asleep at some point in this practise, everyone wakes up when the finals instructions are given. 

The time of day for the practise is not so important; doing the practise at roughly the same time each day is thought to be beneficial—but this is not set in stone either. For example, doing the practise lying on the floor (not on your bed) just before you sleep has extremely beneficial effects on 'real' sleep.

Different instructions for sitting practise.

[jaja]

I've seen a picture of you doing yoga nidra on a mattress, I believe. Is that a good option? I've found the hardness of the floor really helps my muscles to let go, but I sometimes I can't lay on the ground (e.g. when I'm abroad).

[Kit_L]

I wonder if you could link to the image you refer to? Perhaps surprisingly, I have never seen an image of me doing this practise on a mattress—unless you are talking about the image Olivia took of me practising on one of out two day-beds (with our cat asleep on my chest!). That bed has a thin base pad (75mm?).

If you find a hard floor or surface helps, continue with this.

Yoga Nidra can be done anywhere, in any physical position, and on any surface. The task becomes only, 'how can I relax more?'

[jaja]

Yes, it was precisely that picture! It's a thin mat, but it doesn't look very firm.

[Kit_L]

It's firm enough; thanks for reminding me of this!