Before we can help others, we must be able to help ourselves.

This is both a unique and an unusual course, borne out of my experiences and understandings of taking care of myself through interesting times, of living a meaningful life, and of having a purpose that can be shared in some profound way with others. I created it from scratch. No one else does this. It is rooted in my approach to yoga nidra which I consider to be an evolving construct.

The purpose of this course is not to have new techniques to teach. The purpose is to do deep work on ourselves in a deep and direct fashion (hence an emphasis on deep nidra relaxation and healing rest, where we can go to the heart of the matter) so that we are able to make a better job of doing whatever we decide is the reason for being here on the planet, living the life that we do.
We will look at taking care of ourselves in ways which are deep seated, whole hearted, serious and weighty,

Deep work over six days is sustained, intense, profound and transformative. For most, it will take some considerable time to process and truly sink in. 

Think about this. If we can’t take care of ourselves, what substance will there be to offer to others? This course is for those of us who want to create meaningful change in our lives, to live lives that are satisfying, to be good at what we do, to consider why we’re here, what we’re doing and whether the way that we do so is worth it. If it is, then these six days facilitates being better on that path, and if it isn’t, then they explore why it isn’t and what can be done about it. This isn’t about short cuts, quick fixes or instant cures. It isn’t another training to add to our repertoire. It’s so much more than that.  It’s about deep core work and looking, really looking at ourselves without glamour or prettying up what is there. It’s about working with who we are and moving on with that which is pragmatic, practical and effective. It’s about learning what it is that we’re good at, how to be able to be good at what that might be and doing what works and enabling ourselves to do so. It’s about connecting with the healing and rest that we need to be able to be good at anything.

This sustained, persistent and determined nidra effort is what I believe makes things come about.

These six days work towards making that possible.

Trance is the key:

Why trance? Because, this enables us to look clearly and lucidly at who we are, why we’re doing what we’re doing in our lives and at how well that serves us. It allows us to explore what changes of substance may be made, at how feasible that is and at to let the narratives that we live our lives by be ones that are right for us. It allows us to engage in a meaningful dialogue with our deeper selves to know what the heart of the matter with us is whereby conscious and unconscious can come together and be one.

The path with heart that we live our lives by:

It’s actually quite straightforward, how we live our lives. To some degree people tell themselves a story and live their lives accordingly. Mostly though, it seems that they end up in life journeys that often don’t seem quite right and it’s as if they can see or sense another path in the distance, maybe nearby or parallel to the life they lead, that they feel they should be on, and they’re not. 

This course is about finding out through a sustained and persistent use of very focussed trance where is good for us to be, and to facilitate how to get there.

We start with healing and rest. Before changes of substance can be made there needs to be a place of solace, of healing and of rest. We do this course with fresh and open eyes, like a child’s where possibility is everywhere, yet still being aware of how things are and without rationalising up is down (as people do so often).

We are offered the possibility of transformational change here. For some, it is more than enough simply to be able to take care of themselves, to rest and to heal. For others, being able to see and understand intuitively why they are where they are and what possibilities are open to them is something quite profound. This course travels down both of the two paths mentioned here.

The caveat: 

As mentioned above deep work over six days is sustained, intense, profound and transformative. For most, it will take some considerable time for what is experienced to process and truly sink in. Those who do the six days are asked not to share the practices with others. It’s likely to be too much, too intense and too deep for most people. This most definitely isn’t a course for learning how to do the things in it with others. It is, most explicitly about how to take care of oneself as an individual in profound and meaningful ways and on many levels.

This is work for oneself. It isn’t about learning something and teaching it to others. That way, for most people lie varying degrees of danger. This is deep transformational work for oneself.

The six days are run in such a way that we are able to decide for ourselves what is best for us. There is no need to share insights, although there is an ongoing dialogue throughout the six days. Privacy is respected. These six days are about process not content.

This isn’t a course with much in the way of filler. It is intense. Intensely relaxing, healing, enquiring and satisfying. There are practices, expositions of the how and the why of them, directions for using them both during the six days and afterward and discussion individually with me and within the group. Each person within the group will have their own insights and paths to traverse. There is not one way for every one and the teaching reflects this. Individuals will be encouraged to follow that which is right for them.

There is not much emphasis on the bendy stretching aspects of yoga. It’s in the mind, actively  and in the body, more passively that these six days will focus on. 

Below are some of the areas which will be explored.

Nirlipta is happy to answer queries about the course for those who are curiously considering it.

Topics Covered During the Course 

Below are some of the topics that will be covered during the course:

• How nidra works- a brief overview and explication. There will be an introduction to neuroscience in relation to nidra- the how, of how it works. This will be done via theory and through absorbing it by experiencing it in nidra.
   
• Self-healing, a multi-level sophisticated approach (working in a transcendentally visceral embodied manner with regard to the nidras which will be utilised). We tend to under-perform because too much is asked of us, because we push ourselves too hard and because we neither rest enough nor sleep enough. This approach shows how to deliberately carve a space in our ridiculously busy and over stressed lives in order to rest, to heal and allow ourselves the space to be, rather than to be in a space where it’s essentially about doing and not being, strengthening the disconnect we have from our true inner selves, the part of us that makes us who we truly are.
   
• Doing nidra for oneself, actively rather than passively relying on an external voice with liberating and potentially cathartic results. Learn how to do this without having to rely on an external source or voice in an effective manner. There are various approaches to doing this that have been worked out.
   
• Breathing and nidra. The use of breath in nidra. What it does, why it’s important and how to use it pragmatically and effectively to alter physiology for a deeper experience of trance in nidra. Very particular forms of breathing suitable for nidra will be explored within select nidra practices.
   
• The incredible power of visioning with nidra. An introduction to a method of goal setting or sankalpa, which is significantly different to traditional approaches. It is effective, intuitive and self-directed and therefore more accurate as a gauge and measure of one’s own inner reason for being here (in this life, life’s purpose) pointing to the real motivations that drive us, rather than pressure of succumbing to others, or the rationalising of what we think we ought to do as opposed to what is truly meaningful to us.
   
• A precise use of language both as an objective way to discern one’s own inner feelings, thoughts and positions without cognitive blocking or rationalising and as a therapeutic tool for self-enquiry. The introduction, experience of and application of clean language in a nidra context, for oneself and as an adjunct to therapeutic self-exploration. It is a way of uncovering why we are as we are, what our motivations are, where we our tendencies are likely to take us and how we can choose to consciously direct the course of our lives, if we wish, using this disarmingly simple yet very profound approach in the nidra setting.
   
• Introduction to an understanding of the role of trance in nidra, self-hypnosis and the link between the two. Using specific forms of self-hypnosis as a nidra tool to access the nidra state in a variety of settings allowing for the facilitation of nidra in both formal and non-formal settings. This will be introduced in an easy yet effective manner.
   
• Introduction to hypnosis, hypnotic language, their bonds with nidra, how to begin to use this and the power of words from a hypnotic perspective in relation to nidra. Non-verbal hypnotic nidra as another innovative paradigm.
   
• Mapping, re-mapping, and other realities. This is a way of exploring our relation to ourselves and to the world by accessing neural pathways in the brain in new, exciting and powerful ways. In this section there will be an exploration of mapping the body as an extremely powerful tool for self-change. This explores the wonderful and very potent power of nidra for transformational work. It can be a visionary way of connecting with one’s view of themselves and the world.
   
• Memory. Using the power of the mind through nidra using venerable paradigms such as the mind palace. Mind palace introduction and application, in order to make the point of how to start using these two old systems, memory palaces and nidra together in this new way. Adding to this would be something more specific, that of remembering nidra by way of another example: perhaps the introduction of remembering a specific nidra, of remembering a series of nidras, a classification system for different components, such as rotations, opposites, settling practices and so on, ways of doing nidra breathing. At least an introduction to this. How far it goes will depend of course on where people are in themselves and what they’re capable of dealing with. The nidra memory example is to show what is possible that people can translate as it were and use in their own areas of interest. It’s a really valuable life tool.
   
• Exploring the ovals. These are perfect nidra metaphors for connecting with ourselves directly, bypassing cognitive resistance, concerns and worries of the everyday mind. This is a series of nidras revealed to me during an intense period of doing pranayama and nidra. These range from deceptively simple to complex elaborate nidra entities and have a strong purpose. They are both powerful and very beneficial for doing nidra for oneself (and are also deeply relaxing).
   
• Bringing it all together. Creating your own practice. Here there will be a tying up of loose ends and consolidating the learnings of the course.

The second weekend of the Self-Care module will continue to build on and deepen what was introduced during the first part. In addition, there will be further practices added to consolidate and enhance participants experience. Also, there will be guidance on using the practices in real life settings. As before, the weekend will be substantially made up of the intense reinforced experience of self-care nidra, a lot of nidra.

Who is it for?

• No experience necessary 
• Everybody is welcome
• The day is an introduction to anyone who wants to focus on themselves deeply and to makes space for change for themselves
• It’s about self-transformation
• It’s perfect for those looking to transform their relations to long standing health conditions.
• It’s also useful for people who cannot sleep, because it teaches the basic techniques of settling and welcoming sleep.

Schedule

22 – 24 June (Part 1) and  16 – 18 August (Part 2)

11am – 6pm each day