Authentic Yoga Nidra Courses and Teacher Trainings -
Yoga Nidra, known as the ‘Yogic Sleep’ is one of the supreme & effective techniques to prepare the body and mind for meditation, develop deep awareness and enter the subconscious mind. Yoga Nidra helps to clean out blocks in the Nadi System and make the vital energy, the Prana, flow without disturbance. Deep healing of physical and mental trauma happens naturally. Human Biologist and Founder of the Yoga Science Academy Elli Ji combines the broad knowledge in traditional Yoga Nidra from Nepal and India with up-to-date western research to help you unleash your self healing power. Learn more about our Yoga Nidra Courses Level I and Yoga Nidra Level II.
WHAT IS YOGA NIDRA?
Yoga encompasses more than a collection of techniques such as asanas, pranayama, and meditation. It is a comprehensive science and a vast repository of knowledge that can be comprehended through direct experience and dedicated spiritual practice.
While Yoga Nidra, also known as "yogic sleep", has gained popularity as a specific technique, it is important to understand that in the traditional path of Yoga, the mind is regarded as a unified whole rather than being divided into different techniques. Therefore, practices like relaxation, conscious breathing, meditation, and other components of Yoga Nidra are not isolated entities but integral parts of a holistic approach.
Yoga Nidra involves attaining a state where one produces delta brain waves while remaining conscious. Normally, delta waves are only generated during deep sleep, coma, or in the process of dying. However, with practice, it becomes possible to intentionally enter this state through willpower and awareness.
YOGA NIDRA - BEYOND A TECHNIQUE
Yoga Nidra should not be reduced to a mere technique but should be seen as an opportunity to perceive the universe through transformed eyes.
When we return to the singularity of consciousness, to our unmanifested nature, we experience true unity, which is Yoga Nidra. It serves as a synonym for Maya, the creative power and consciousness that lie unmanifested when the Supreme Being gathers all the senses and sparks of consciousness within. In this state, consciousness awaits the fresh cycle of creation, ready to bloom and express itself.
Through the Yoga Nidra we can open a small door and catch a glimpse of the divine's inner sanctuary. The dormant Kundalini energy, having withdrawn the entire universe into itself, is referred to as "god's sleep" or "god's night."
YOGA NIDRA - SLEEP AND YOGIC SLEEP
Understanding the nature of sleep allows us to grasp the essence of Yogic sleep. Sleep shares a similar nature to death, as it involves entering a different dimension. During death, one discards the physical body like changing clothes. Every night, we temporarily set aside our awareness of the physical body and dive deeper into our astral body without fear. The experience of unity, solidified consciousness, bliss, and enjoyment during this state, where we consume with the mind alone, is akin to the experience of death.
In the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, sleep is defined in two distinct ways:
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Sleep is considered a modification and fluctuation of the mind, an activity of the mind rather than consciousness itself. The emptiness experienced during sleep is filled with the cognition of absence.
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Sleep is a source of knowledge as one delves deeper within. By reaching profound depths, pure knowledge is revealed.
Even during sleep, a conscious aspect of the mind persists. When we become aware that something is happening or occurring around us while we are fast asleep, this aspect of the mind is captured through practice and becomes aware. The surface level of the mind rests, and the source of knowledge begins to open. When we consciously dive into sleep, it transforms into a source of knowledge, which is referred to as Yoga Nidra.
YOGA NIDRA - A SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE
The knowledge derived from Yoga Nidra does not arise from the ordinary mind but from buddhi, the inner wisdom. By practicing Yoga Nidra, we can overcome barriers and allow knowledge to reveal itself. Yoga Nidra serves as a doorway and a tool. It provides an opportunity to utilize the stillness of the mind to accomplish tasks and utilize the tool effectively. The activation of various functions within different layers of koshas during Yogic sleep enables problem-solving, learning, and creativity. In just 10 minutes, you can plan the equivalent of six years of work. However, it is crucial to consciously recall the insights gained during the practice to avoid forgetting them. The benefits of Yoga Nidra extend to healing and knowledge acquisition, as the psycho-neurological system experiences complete rest, leading to rapid neurophysiological healing.
HOW TO PRACTICE YOGA NIDRA?
Rather than "doing" Yoga Nidra, it is about allowing oneself to glide into it.
To practice Yoga Nidra, lie down on a firm surface such as a bed in a quiet and undisturbed place, assuming the Shavasana (corpse pose). Use a pillow and cover yourself with a blanket, ensuring that your eyes are covered with a black cloth. Choose a time of day when there are no sudden noises that could disrupt the practice. Begin with diaphragmatic breathing, taking 21 deep breaths. Visualize inhaling as if an incoming wave of the ocean is entering your body, and exhale by emptying yourself and allowing the wave to recede back into the ocean. This should be followed by a systematic relaxation of the body, traversing through each body part. Empty your mind of samskaras (impressions), thoughts, feelings, desires, karmas (actions), intentions, and intellectual contemplation. Be vigilant and determined not to fall asleep, keeping your focus solely on inhalation and exhalation. Strive for harmonious breathing, devoid of jerks, shallowness, or any unconscious prolongation of the pauses between breaths. Achieving this harmony signifies reaching a state of balance. In the beginning, practice for only 10 minutes and limit it to once a day. Repeat the same practice over the following days.
WHY DOES YOGA NIDRA HELP?
When we face challenges in life, there is always a place inside us that knows, that has faith. A place where is peace within. Through Yogic practices we can increase our resilience and connect with our inner self on an ever day basis. Yoga Nidra practices teach us how to relax the mind through the body and allow us to sink deep into ourselves. We can explore the hidden parts of our minds and allow natural healingprocesses to occur. A relaxed mind can face any situation with ease. A happy mind can create a beautiful reality! Let ́s allow our body and mind to recover fully and find deep and
healing relaxation.
TRADITIONAL YOGA NIDRA- COURSE STRUCTURE
The Yoga Nidra Teacher Training and the Yoga Nidra Online Courses are
structured in a way so you can choose how deep you want to dive into the
sacred science of Yoga Nidra. We will host 6 full classes of Yoga Nidra and
introduce different relaxation techniques and Yoga Nidra practices.
You will be guided through the whole sessions and learn step by
step to dive deeper into yourself. The practice is scheduled so that it
intensifies over the 6 classes. Each class will take about 120 minutes
and include short meditation, breathing exercise, guided relaxation and
Yoga Nidra practice. The scientific background of the practices will be
explained and give you a better understanding of the body-mind
connection. In each class you have the chance to ask your personal
questions and share your experiences with the others. Your personal
situation will be taken into account, so that you can gain most of the experience. We will record the guidance of Yoga Nidra, so that during the week you can practice the divine sleep of the Yogis. You will also have access to all our Yoga Nidra Online Library.
YOGA NIDRA TRAINING - WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT
The traditional Yoga Nidra Teacher Training and Yoga Nidra Online Courses will be held in different stages. After the first-level course, you can go on with your personal practice or apply for advanced training. Later you will learn how to teach Yoga Nidra to others. The training encompasses theoretical background and lives practice of various techniques. Over the time of the training, we go deeper into the scientific background and the practices intensify bit by bit.
YOGA NIDRA ONLINE TRAINING LEVEL I - WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
When we face challenges in life, we need to rely on our stability and peace within. Yogic practice develops those virtues and becomes an everyday application. As our inner states are reflected in the external happenings, we are responsible and able to create a state of calmness and focus within. A relaxed mind can face any situation with ease. A happy mind can create a beautiful reality! Let´s allow our body and mind to recover fully and find deep and healing relaxation. With the practice of Yoga Nidra, we can heal our body and mind from unconscious and harming programs and find the strength within to heal and expand our awareness.
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Pranayama practice for diaphragmatic breathing
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The faculties of the mind
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Sleep and dream states
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Brainwaves and awareness
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Neurological and physiological effects of Yoga Nidra
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Health benefits of Yoga Nidra
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Relaxation techniques
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Yoga Nidra techniques
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Spinal breath
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Questions and answers
YOGA NIDRA ONLINE TRAINING LEVEL II - WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
In the second course of Yoga Nidra we will go deeper into the magic of the divine practice. The course will be comprised of lectures and practice. In the Yoga Nidra lectures we will deepen the understanding of vibration, epigenetic, manifestation processes, and trauma to mention a few. You should get a thorough understanding why and how Yoga Nidra works and how you can personalize your own Yoga Nidra practice or design a holistic Yoga Nidra program for a whole group. By practicing what you´ve learned in Yoga Nidra I, you are used to lie down for longer period of time now and mastered not to fall asleep during the practice. The sessions will get longer and we will work more keenly with the flow of Prana and explore different applications for different constitutions and needs. Breath awareness, relaxation and Prana flow will be part of the Yoga Nidra practice as well as a short Meditation in sitting position.
The sessions will be more intense and as always, we take time to share the experiences. The lectures will cover:
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Brainwaves and states of awareness
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Practice with Mantra – how and why
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The Pineal gland and the third eye centre
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Accessing free will
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The faculties of the mind
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Free vs. fate, how can we access our free will
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Sleep and dreams
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Cleaning trauma and releasing information
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Origin and healing of diseases
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Environmental toxins and ways to protect and cleanse
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Important aspects of teaching Yoga Nidra
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Preparation of a session and combination with other techniques
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Cleaning and activating chakras
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Third eye practice
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How to guide Yoga Nidra
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Prana flow
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Audio files for personal practice
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Acces to the Full Yoga Nidra Online Library (Videos, Sequences and Handouts
YOGA NIDRA ONLINE TRAINING LEVEL II - WHO CAN JOIN?
This will be a traditional guidance for everybody who wants to deepen the practice and explore the vast realm of the yogic sleep. No previous knowledge is needed. It ́s an experience-based practice to enjoy and expand.
YOGA NIDRA TRAINING - WHAT YOU NEED
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Firm grounding
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Yoga mat or blanket
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Shawl or a blanket to cover yourself
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Light dark tissue, maybe a dark t-shirt to cover your eyes
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Folded towel to rest your head on
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A quiet room, no cell phones or other disturbances
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Pad of paper to take notes
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Empty stomach
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Dedication to apply the techniques
YOGA NIDRA TRAINING - SCHEDULE
We will meet every weekend on Saturday and Sunday. Every time a new technique will be introduced. The scientific and spiritual background will be explained and then applied. All sessions will be recorded and you will have access to the videos, sequences and guidances in your personal Video Library, so you can watch again or at another time. You can write your questions and observations into the comments and I will cover them in the next session or reply right away. Every Wednesday we will meet in the morning to practice together. Also, these sessions are recorded and will be available for you.
ABOUT YOUR TEACHER - ELLI JI, MSc
Elli Ji has been guiding Pranayama courses for several years and has experience in teaching and diagnosing people. She applied the knowledge of many years of Yoga trainings, additional education and personal experience to help people around the world. She trained many people with various backgrounds and needs in different settings in Nepal, India and Europe. With a MSc in Human Biology, 500hrs YTTC and education in TCM, Hypnosis, Reiki and immersion into Yoga Nidra and Pranayama, she understands the physiological, neuronal and hormonal pathways, effects of yogic applications as well as the spiritual aspects of
holistic health. Specialized in both, western science and eastern spirituality, she will explain all neuronal and physiological effects of the yogic techniques in detail. The scientific understanding is combined with spiritual experience and insight from years of dedicated practice and teaching. Through practice and purposeful application of ancient spiritual techniques she got rid of various so-called chronic diseases and helped many others to find their way back to a balanced life and natural health. What allopathic western medicine and experts could not solve, the ancient knowledge of Yoga and holistic approaches towards health and life itself opened a new path where the modern findings of science could shine in a new light of meaning and opportunities. Elli Ji
understands to address multiple symptoms with simple measures and reactivate self-healing processes. Her goal is to increase awareness about the power of our breath and share the collected knowledge with
others so that we can grasp our personal potential and live a life in holistic health and personal fulfilment. The students ́ background and purposes are taken intoaccount into her teaching, so that everyone can gain the most of the lectures and integrate the new knowledge into daily life.