October Notes: Yin in the Forest, Yoga Nidra Plans & Autumn Beginnings
I don't know where September went. It came, I had a newsletter ready, and for one reason and another I never sent it. Now October is flashing past and here it is, in the last week.
A week of Yin in Sintra
I spent last week on a Yin Yoga training as a student. It felt so nourishing: all the practices, and learning Traditional Chinese Medicine from someone else. There were some things I was thinking about from a new perspective, or in a way I hadn't come across yet, and it felt like a great refresher to everything I've learned over the years about yoga and TCM.
One of the things I took away was the beauty of connection, the stillness, and how much I enjoy the quiet and settling into a pose.
We were in a really beautiful location in the centre of Sintra. The yoga shala is surrounded by forest, so much nature that it's so relaxing, even if you have a busy mind. As the week progressed, I really settled in to being present, much more than I did on the first day. And it was really wonderful connecting with fellow yogis, who are from all over the world and doing the training for different reasons.
My plans for next year
This takes me on to my plans for next year. I do hope I'll find a space to run an in person Yin Training whilst maintaining the online option, but at the same time I know I want to make it really special, so we'll see how that looks.
I'm currently creating my own Yoga Nidra Training. It's something I've thought about for a couple of years now, and how I would do it, because this is a practice I love with a passion, and I feel it's a practice that not many people know. I want people to fall in love with it as much as I'm in love with it.
What is Yoga Nidra?
It's a practice for those who are unfamiliar with meditation, or think perhaps it's a challenge or that they can't do it. This one is so easy to get into. You're basically encouraging your student to just lie down, and listen. Then it's your role to simply guide them through a meditation while they listen, lying there. That's it.
Yoga Nidra means “yogic sleep”, so sometimes people do fall asleep, which is also okay. Ideally you're staying awake, but if that happens to you, that's fine.
I trained in Yoga Nidra with Scott Moore several years ago, and he’s been my mentor ever since. Scott is one of the leading Yoga Nidra teachers in the world: he’s the author of Practical Yoga Nidra, has trained hundreds of teachers, and his practices have been enjoyed by tens of thousands of people on Insight Timer. I’ve loved joining his online workshops and meditation challenges, and I’m proud to call him a friend, even though we haven’t met in person (yet!). If you’ve ever enjoyed a Yoga Nidra practice with me, you’ve felt a little bit of Scott’s influence.
What the training will cover
My idea with this training is to:
Go into the foundations of Yoga Nidra, traditions, and best practices for teaching
Look at the script side: a traditional script, or how you would tailor your script to a theme or intention you have for the practice
Give a selection of audios of Yoga Nidra practices for you to listen to and practice with
Then look at how you take this out into the world and offer it to your students and community
For example, this could be such a great addition if you're holding a longer class or a two hour workshop. You can dedicate half an hour to Nidra at the end of the practice, before the last bit of Savasana. Or say you're leading retreats: this is such a beautiful way to really drop into that restful state. I want to show all of these different ways you can take this and put it out there.
Finding your voice
Another element, which I also encourage in my Yin Training, is making sure you're finding your voice, that you're not trying to carbon copy me. I want you integrate the traditions and teachings of Yoga Nidra into your offerings with integrity and your authenticity.
Join the waitlist
I know some of you on my email list have already replied or dropped me a message wanting to join the waitlist. My idea for the waitlist is to offer an early bird rate as a thank you for being my beta testers. I owuld love to get feedback from the beta testers. I really want to create things that are beneficial, so you leave feeling “I know how to do this, and I'm happy to go out and share it.” Even with the trepidation of doing something for the first time, you know I'm cheering you on in your corner.
I'm hoping to get this done towards the end of November or beginning of December because, you know, the Christmas and holiday season can be so hectic, so why not drop into some Yoga Nidra?
If you're up for it, hit reply and ask me to add you to the waitlist or add your info here.
Autumn in Portugal
We're coming into a slightly more autumnal feeling here in Portugal. The temperature is starting to drop a little at night and you feel it in the morning, but we still have beautiful blue skies and sunshine throughout the day. It's definitely feeling like the start of a transition.
At the weekend I went to the beach with a friend and our kids, and we had so much fun doing this trend of getting the kids to dress up as ghosts and taking photos around the place. I did it last year as well (not at the beach), but I thought it was a fun thing to do on a Sunday afternoon followed by playing in the sea.
Wishing you a wonderful week. 💕
Much love,
Jessica