MINDFUL MEDITATION AND RESTORATIVE
YOGA NIDRA
Class Includes Zen Koan Reading, Mindful Meditation, Yoga Nidra and Gong Bath
Zen Koan Reading
Zen masters have been sharing koans with their students for over 1000 years. This ancient tradition of these stories, phrases and poems are used for their transformational ability. Analysing the koan for its literal meaning won't lead to insight but to bring about understanding through intuition is the key. Kerrie will share the koan and then we will let it be, as we move into meditation.
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Zazen Practice – Mindful Meditation and Mudra
Seated in chairs for our meditation as we begin to train the mind for around 15 minutes. Through neuroscience this has been found to be the minimum amount of time to practice and still receive the super-charged benefits of mediation. These include reduced stress, improved concentration and focus, better sleep, slower aging and improved memory, improved immune system, repair to areas of the brain damaged through stress (previously thought to be irreparable!), improved low mood and better controlled emotions. It makes us more content and happier…….able to move through life’s challenges with more ease.
Mudras are gestures with the hands and fingers, it’s like yoga for your hands! Through energetic points in our hands mudras enable us to lock and guide energy flow and reflexes to the brain.
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Yoga Nidra
"A single hour of yoga nidra is as restful as 4 hours of conventional sleep."
Also known as yogic sleep, a conscious deep sleep where just your hearing connects with anything outside of the self to follow the guided instructions from Kerrie’s soothing voice. This state of deep relaxation brings about incredible calmness and although you may appear to be sleeping the unconscious mind is functioning at a deeper level and in the conscious there is a trace of deep awareness. Recognised in modern psychology and neurology, in the state of Yoga Nidra the mind is very receptive and health benefits are vast. Including: reduced stress, lower blood pressure, healing of emotional wounds, reduce PTSD (it's used as treatment in the military), brings about artistic and creative inspiration (it was practiced by Einstein!), can bring about a deep sense of wellbeing, connectedness and contentment.
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Gong Bath Relaxation
Sound therapy using gongs is one of the oldest therapeutic healing therapies, it has been around for thousands of years. Everything we see around us vibrates at frequency, these sound frequencies (even if we can’t hear them) can affect how we feel and how we function. You will be immersed in sound waves, there will be builds and release cycles to release emotional blockages. The cells in your entire body will connect with the gongs frequency and be stimulated, a sense of profound connection and peace is often felt.
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The body temperature drops as we relax and find stillness so please wear something warm and bring a blanket and pillow for your comfort – the more comfortable you are the better you can relax. Kerrie will guide you through everything, absolutely no experience necessary!