YOGA TODAY
Enlightened Rest 108: Retreating Into Yogic Rest
VWDWH DQGWKHVRXQGRI³0´RSHQVXSWKHVWDWHRIGUHDPOHVVVOHHSRU GHHSVOHHS,WVD\VWKDWRQFHWKHVRXQGRI³$80´LVFRPSOHWHWKHUHLV a fourth part heard only in the silence — that is the essence of the state called “Turiya”, which is the experience of the soul itself, the great lib- eration. In the awake state, we perceive the outside world with our senses. We identify strongly with the world that our egos taste, touch, smell and see. We sense the small “I” as being all important. In the yogic sense, this is called the experience of separation from the true Self, our soul. In the dream state, our minds are active and we are perceiving our dreams with our mind. This state of activity is what sleep science calls 5(0RU³UDSLGH\HPRYHPHQW´7KHEUDLQZDYHVDUHPRYLQJDELWIDVW - er; images and ideas for our subconscious are stirring and creating the dream state. Sometimes we remember the dreams, but most of the WLPHZHGRQ¶W6KDPDQVRIPDQ\WUDGLWLRQVKDYHKRQRUHGWKHGUHDP state as a porthole to self discovery. Lucid dreaming, for example, is one such honoring of this state. In deep, dreamless sleep, the mind as we know it is inactive. We DUHQRORQJHUSHUFHLYLQJZLWKWKLVPLQGWKDWKDVEHHQLQÀXHQFHGE\ the senses, or the ideas, or the identity — it is a mind that is just being.
BY CLAUDIA NEUMAN
7KHSUDFWLFHRI<RJD1LGUD 7KH<RJDRI6OHHS KDVEHHQXVHGLQD YDULHW\RIZD\VLQRXUFXUUHQW<RJDFOLPDWH<RJD1LGUDKDVEHHQUH - interpreted and repurposed from its original intentions so now many XVH<RJD1LGUDUHFRUGLQJVDVDZD\WRKHOSWKHPJHWWRVOHHSRUWRMXVW relax for a moment. It is also used therapeutically as in the practices WKDW L5HVW <RJD 1LGUD SUHVFULEHV IRU WKRVH UHFRYHULQJ IURP WUDXPD In every case, this ancient practice of lying down and listening to a VHULHVRIYHUEDOFXHVLVEHQH¿FLDOQRPDWWHUKRZLWLVEHLQJSUDFWLFHG &RQVLGHULQJWKHXQGRDPRXQWVRIVWUHVVZHDVDFLYLOL]DWLRQIDFHHDFK moment, the practice of retreating into a state of deep rest and repair through yogic techniques is essential for all humans. $VDSUDFWLWLRQHURI<RJD1LGUDP\VHOI,KDYHIRXQGWKDWSHUKDSV WKH PRVW FKDOOHQJLQJ SDUW RI GRLQJ WKLV SUDFWLFH LV ¿QGLQJ WKH WLPH the space, and the absence of distractions in my everyday life. Imag- LQHDOLIHZLWKRXWGLVWUDFWLRQVRUGUDPD,WGRHVWDNHVRPHH̆ RUWDQG IRFXVHGLQWHQWLRQWRWHOOWKHZRUOG\RXDUHQRZJRLQJWRGR\RXU<RJD 1LGUDSUDFWLFHDQG\RXQHHGTXLHW3KRQHVKDYHWREHWXUQHGR̆ GRRUV closed, and kids and pets gone. For most of us, this seems impossible, but it is essential. :KHQ,WHDFKP\(QOLJKWHQHG5HVWZRUNVKRSV,DVNP\VWX - GHQWV WR UHIUDLQ IURP FD̆ HLQH IRU DW OHDVW KRXUV SULRU WR RXU WLPH WRJHWKHU,DOVRHPSKDVL]HUHIUDLQLQJIURPKHDY\H[HUFLVHIRUDWOHDVW KRXUVEHIRUHKDQGEHFDXVHWKHH[HUWLRQSXPSVXSWKHDGUHQDOVDQG KHDUWUDWH<RJD1LGUDLVSRZHUIXOLQWKDWRQH¶VZKROHV\VWHPJRHVLQWR a state of repair through accessing this deep state of rest — you want to be prepared WRUHVW&D̆ HLQHDQGKHDY\H[HUWLRQPDNHWKHZKROH body and mind like a speeding car, so lying down to practice is akin WRFUDVKLQJLQWRDZDOODWKLJKVSHHGLISUHSDUDWLRQVDUHQ¶WFRQVLGHUHG $QGVDGO\KRZPDQ\RIXVDFWXDOO\WKLQNVORZLQJGRZQDQGGHVWLPX - ODWLQJRXUOLYHVLVEHQH¿FLDO" ,KDYHEHHQLQVSLUHGDQGFRPSHOOHGE\P\RZQ<RJD1LGUDWRSXU - VXHWKHVWXG\RIWKLVVHULRXVO\,KDYHJRQHRQGD\<RJD1LGUDUHWUHDWV to give myself the full experience of this practice without distractions and over stimulation. I have also embarked on doing this as a personal SUDFWLFHLQP\RZQKRPHIRUVSHFL¿FSHULRGVRIWLPHVXFKDVWDNLQJ GD\VWRSUDFWLFHWKLVHDFKGD\DWWKHVDPHWLPHLQWKHVDPHSODFH 7KH UHVXOWV KDYH EHHQ WDQJLEOH IRU PH 0\ FDSDFLW\ IRU KDQGOLQJ stress, my heart rate, my respiratory system, and my ability to recover IURPLOOQHVVKDYHEHHQVWUHQJWKHQHG0\UHVLOLHQFHKDVEHHQUHQHZHG %XW EH\RQG WKH SK\VLFDO EHQH¿WV RI FRQVLVWHQW 1LGUD , KDYH H[SHUL - HQFHGWKHSV\FKRORJLFDODQGVSLULWXDOEHQH¿WV,KDYHDULFKUHODWLRQ - ship to my subconscious life, and my ability to sit in stillness has also LPSURYHG <RJD 1LGUD LV D JLIW DQG RQH RI WKH PRVW SUHFLRXV JLIWV , KDYHUHFRJQL]HGDQGUHFHLYHGLQWKLVOLIHWLPH$VP\WHDFKHUKDVUH - PLQGHGPHRIWHQ WKHVWDWHRI<RJD1LGUDLVDOZD\VWKHUHZLWKLQXV LW is never not happening, we just need to honor it. What is Yoga Nidra Really? %ULHÀ\<RJD1LGUDLVWKHSUDFWLFHRIFXOWLYDWLQJWKHVWDWHRIGHHS sleep and staying aware during this state. The yogic adepts of ancient WLPHVUHFRJQL]HGWKDWZKHQZHJRLQWRRXUWLPHRIVOHHSLQJZHH[SH - rience various levels of consciousness. The Upanishads DQFLHQWWH[WVRIWKH<RJDWUDGLWLRQ HVSHFLDOO\ the Mandukya Upanishad , outline four states of consciousness all KXPDQVKDYH0DQGXN\DZKLFKLVRQO\VORNDV YHUVHV ORQJGH - VFULEHVWKDWHYHU\WKLQJLV³$80´$80FRUUHVSRQGVWRWKUHHVWDWHVRI FRQVFLRXVQHVVZHKDYHDZDUHQHVVRI WKHVRXQG³$´LQ$80YLEUDWHV at the level of our waking state; the sound of “U” matches the dream
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7KLVLVWKHPHQWDOVWDWHUHFRJQL]HGDVDEOLVVIXOVWDWHRIWKH6RXOWKH WUXH6HOI,WLVWKLVVWDWHRIDZDUHQHVVWKDWZHFRXUWLQD<RJD1LGUD practice. We seek the ability to have an awareness of this state, as the ability to do so serves as the opening to that fourth state of Turiya , which is the state of total absorption. 7KHVH¿UVWWKUHHVWDWHVFRQVWLWXWHRXUVHQVHRIVHSDUDWHQHVVIURP the soul because there remains a distinction between “you” that is per- ceiving and that which is perceived. In other words, there is still a sub- MHFWREMHFWTXDOLW\WRSHUFHSWLRQDQGWKLVLVFDOOHG duality %XWEH\RQG that separateness and duality, there is the non-dual transcendence of WKHWUXH6HOI,QWKDWWKHUHLVDXQL¿HGXQOLPLWHGH[SHULHQFHZLWKWKH $WPDQ *RG6HOI 7KDWH[SHULHQFHLVRI%UDKPDQ *RG 6RWKHSUDFWLFHRI<RJD1LGUDLVWKHSUDFWLFHRIEHLQJDZDUHLQWKH states of dreaming and deep sleep. We immediately move out of the waking state through a series of exercises called “the rotation of con- VFLRXVQHVV´ (YHU\ DSSURDFK WR <RJD 1LGUD KDV YDULDWLRQV RQ WKLV , tend to stick to my lineage and teach what has been set forth by the Himalayan masters of the Sri Vidya Tantra tradition that I am a part RI,XVH³7KH3RLQWV´ Once we move out of the waking state, the brain waves are slowed down and various states are experienced. The practitioner is encour- aged to remain aware while this is happening. There are also several GL̆ HUHQWWKHPHVIRU1LGUDSUDFWLFH,QP\WUDGLWLRQZHKDYHVSHFL¿F SUDFWLFHVIRUVSHFL¿FRXWFRPHVVXFKDVKHDOLQJLQWHQWLRQVHWWLQJDQG spiritual development. Every tradition has its own approach and its own intention.
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PATHWAYS—Fall 22—15
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