Breathe In, Bliss Out

I’m reviewing this after doing it about a dozen times.

General workout breakdown: This approximately 20-min. CD contains yoga nidra practice intended as a relaxation meditation. This is a great introduction to the practice of “yogic sleep,” during which you remain conscious while going into a very relaxed state - you’re actually not supposed to fall asleep, but you may sleep much better afterwards!

You begin with getting comfortable lying supine, in a corpse-like position, which is where you’ll stay for the entire practice. Jill allows you ample opportunities to get all of the fidgets out. Next comes the crafting of a sanculpa, a form of intention. Jill provides some examples and explains how to turn negative ones into positive ones before giving you a few moments to create your own. Jill then has you count backwards with the yogic complete breath, or deep abdominal-thoracic breathing. Rotation of Awareness follows, during which Jill asks you to bring awareness to different parts of your body. This is not a progressive muscle relaxation but rather an exercise in directing your consciousness to a particular point when it is mentioned. After that comes the Realm of Conscious Awareness, where images, sounds, etc., play themselves out on a projection screen behind your closed eyes. Jill explains that this is what flickers across your subconscious mind during the day, only now you’re conscious of that. This portion ends with your sanculpa appearing on that screen. Jill ends by slowing bringing you back to your body in your space, allowing you to come out of your deeply relaxed state at a pace that keeps you relaxed but will allow you to resume your day after a few minutes. (Ideally you wouldn’t then rush out to operate heavy machinery, for example, because you may still be in kind of an altered state!)

Level: I’d recommend this to anyone, really. This is not a physically challenging practice at all; the only possible caveat would be if you can’t lie on your back for that amount of time (pregnant women, for example, may want to find an alternative position). Although it helps to have some experience with sitting quietly in a more meditative state, this could be a great way to introduce yourself to that sort of challenge. I’ve been practicing yoga for over seven years now, but I’m fairly new to yoga nidra and currently don’t have a meditation practice. I feel like I get a lot out of both this CD and this type of practice. I’ve been spending more time in restorative and therapeutic yoga styles over the past few years while battling some health issues plus trying to combat stress, so I’m delighted to add this tool to my collection.

Music: none.

Production: clear sound.

Equipment: perhaps a mat or a blanket, if you’re on the floor; Jill also says you can do this on a bed or sofa. Jill recommends resting your calves on some pillows (or blankets or a bolster) and tucking something under your head, like a blanket or a flat pillow (a towel would work, too). You’ll want to dress comfortably and perhaps also warmly for this one (like putting on a pair of socks), as your body temperature may drop a bit from lying quietly for so long. Oh, and make sure you’re in a quiet space, without disturbances. Turn off that phone, lock out the other people and/or animals in your household, close the windows onto that busy street, etc., and perhaps also dim the lights.

Space Requirements: enough space to lie down comfortably with your feet and arms a little apart.

CD Notes: no chapters.