Yoga Niora

with Rolf Sovik, PsyD

Yoga Inicinaiional, 2u13 - All Righis Rcscivcd
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12 GuideIines for Better SIeep
. Slp as much as noo to l rrsho ano halthy th ollowing oay, but
not mor. Curtailing th tim in bo sms to solioiy slp; xcssivly long tims
in bo sm rlato to ragmnto ano shallow slp.
2. / rgular botim routin ano morning waking tim strngthn circaoian cycling
ano, nnally, lao to rgular tims o slp onst.
3. / staoy oaily amount o xrcis probably opns slp; occasional xrcis oos
not ncssarily improv slp th ollowing night. Pr-slp xrcis can mak alling
aslp mor oincult.
4. Occasional louo noiss (.g., aircrat nyovrs) oisturb slp vn in popl
who ar not awakno by noiss ano cannot rmmbr thm in th morning.
Souno-attnuato borooms may hlp thos who must slp clos to nois.
5. /lthough xcssivly warm rooms oisturb slp, thr is no vionc that an
xcssivly colo room solioins slp. Maintain a comortabl, rstul boroom
tmpratur ano atmosphr.
6. Hungr may oisturb slp, so a light snack may hlp slp. /voio high protin
or gas-prooucing ooos. Carbohyorats or milk prooucts ar suggsto.
7. Cain in th vning oisturbs slp, vn in thos who l unacto.
/voio cain a minimum o 6 hours bor botim.
8. /lcohol hlps tns popl all aslp mor asily, but th nsuing slp is thn
ragmnto ano lss rstul.
9. Th chronic us o tobacco oisturbs slp.
C. Popl who l angry ano rustrato bcaus thy cannot slp shoulo not try
haror ano haror to all aslp but shoulo gt out o th boroom ano oo somthing
oirnt. Rturn to bo only whn slpy.
. Turn th boroom clock away rom viw. Continuo rrnc to th clock incrass anxity.
2. /n occasional slping pill may b o som bnnt, but chronic us is inctiv
or most insomniacs.
Yoga Inicinaiional, 2u13 - All Righis Rcscivcd
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Descending Motor Pathway
(Upper Motor Neuron)
Motor Cortex
lnternaI
CapsuIe
CerebraI
PeduncIe
MeduIIary
Pyramids
LateraI CorticospinaI Tract
Connection with
Motor Neurons
Yoga Inicinaiional, 2u13 - All Righis Rcscivcd
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Preparing the Body, Breath,
and Mind for ReIaxation
Step 1: RestinQ the Body
. Rlaxation ruirs a transition rom on stat o consciousnss to anothr.
2. V ar larning to acilitat that transition ano mak it conscious.
3. Th nrst stp is to rst th booy. Rsting ruirs a rstul postur-th rational
or shavasana (corps pos) is |ust that. V no to mak th postur rstul.
4. V holo ourslvs in a particular way. This changs rom momnt to momnt ovr
oays, months, ano yars. Holoing ourslvs is normal. To rlax mans to sotn th
grip' in th way w oo th holoing. Somtims tightning th grip is th way to
rlax it. That's th rational or tnsion/rlaxation xrciss.
5. l you sotn th grip you hav on yoursl, thn somthing must holo' you.
Th noor oos that. Th noor holos you.
6. This laos to stillnss-an ortlss rsting. Th nrst stp in rlaxation is this shit
to an awarnss o stillnss.
7. Stillnss implis that th mino, which is normally rsponsibl or movmnt, oos
not initiat movmnt. lt ls th sotnss ano stillnss o th booy ano rsts.
Step 2: EffortIess DiaphraQmatic BreathinQ
. Pring your awarnss to th now o brathing.
2. Sns th two grat acts o brathing: xhalation ano inhalation.
3. Sns how th brath mptis ano nlls, clanss ano nourishs, carris away
wast ano rstors nrgy.
4. Continu ling th brath until your nrvous systm uits ano sttls oown.
5. Sotn th aboomn ano sns it rising ano alling.
6. Sotn th chst ano rib cag. Lt th rib cag bcom motionlss ano transparnt.
Movmnts o th aboomn ar rlaxo ano op.
7. Vav ach brath smoothly into th nxt. /t th no o th inhalation, rlax ano
xhal. /no at th no o th xhalation, rlax ano inhal. Lt ach brath now into
th nxt by rlaxing. Each transition is rlaxo ano ortlss.
8. Continu ling th braths until you bgin to sns that you ar not th brathr.
Your booy braths. Prathing is ortlss ano rlaxo.
9. You ar th witnss, ling ano guioing your brath.
C. Rlax your mntal ort. Continu to l ach brath, but mak your brathing
ortlss.
. Rlax your booy; rlax your brathing; ano as you continu ollowing your brath,
rlax your mino.
2. Now you ar raoy to initiat your rlaxation mthoo-or simply continu rlaxing
ano watching your brath.
Yoga Inicinaiional, 2u13 - All Righis Rcscivcd
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A Yoga Stretching and
Strengthening Routine
. Vrtical arm swings (altrnatly bnoing your lbows)
2. Horizontal arm swings (altrnatly crossing in ront)
3. Torso twist: with light nsts in ront o navl; goal posts; glob; soccr ball
4. Ovrhao strtch
5. Utkatasana (chair pos)
6. /boominal suz (xhal-contract your aboomn)
7. Marching
8. Sta pos
9. Nck rolls in hanos-ano-kns pos
C. Fir hyorant' hip rotations
. Downwaro acing boat
2. Rclining twist ano rock arouno th clock'
FoIIowed by Quided reIaxation.
Yoga Inicinaiional, 2u13 - All Righis Rcscivcd
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Exercise Without Movement
Basic
ReIaxation
TensionJReIaxation
Exercise
CrocodiIe
Corpse
RiQht LeQ
Popoat
Both LeQs
Popoat
Left LeQ
Popoat
1
2.1
Yoga Inicinaiional, 2u13 - All Righis Rcscivcd
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TensionJReIaxation
Exercise
TensionJReIaxation
Exercise
RiQht Arm
Popoat
Left Arm
Popoat
RiQht Side
Popoat
Left Side
Popoat
Both Arms
Popoat
2.2
2.3
Yoga Inicinaiional, 2u13 - All Righis Rcscivcd
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Aswini Mudra
Popoat
4
ChiId's Pose
5 vigorous broaths
5
Boat Pose
Popoat
3
TensionJReIaxation
Exercise
2.4
AII Limbs
Popoat
Standing TensionJReIaxation
ReIax hoao to too
Tense too to hoao
ReIax too to hoao
ReIaxed broathing
Popoat
6
Agni Sara
1D to 5D
peIvic contractions
7
61 Points ReIaxation
(Shavayatra)
8
Yoga Inicinaiional, 2u13 - All Righis Rcscivcd
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Yoga Inicinaiional, 2u13 - All Righis Rcscivcd
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61 Points
Yoga Inicinaiional, 2u13 - All Righis Rcscivcd
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Systematic ReIaxation lnstruction
61 Points Exercise with CountinQ
/oapto rom th CD, Aovancoo Yoga Polaxations, by Rol Sovik, PsyD.
Li on your back on a nrm, nat surac. Support your hao ano nck with a thin cushion, ano
us an y pillow to covr th ys. Plac your t a littl wior than hip oistanc apart ano
plac th arms alongsio you, 8-C inchs away rom th torso with th palms turno up.
l ncssary, plac a rollo up blankt unor th kns to rliv back strain. Clos your ys
ano lt th booy rst.
Sns th sounos arouno you passing in ano out o your awarnss. Sns th spac arouno you.
Pring your awarnss to your booy ano l th back o th booy contacting th surac bnath
you. Lt th wight o your booy sttl oown. Sns th ront o your booy. Fl th outsio o
your booy, th touch o air against your skin, ano th touch o your clothing.
Tak your awarnss insio, ano l th amiliar snsations o your booy rom hao to tos.
/s you bring your attntion within, l th movmnt o your brathing-th brath movs
out ano in, again ano again. /s it movs out, th brath mptis, rliving lings o atigu
ano strain. /s th brath movs in, it nlls you with a sns o wll-bing.
Pring your attntion to th navl rgion. Sotn th muscls thr ano lt your aboomn ris
on th inhalation ano all on th xhalation. Th aboomn riss as th lungs nll, ano alls as th
lungs mpty. Lt th brath now in a smooth, unbrokn stram. Rlax your ort. You ar th
innr witnss, ling th now o your brathing, yt rlaxo.
Gntly travl rom th crown o your hao oown th booy, rlaxing all th way rom hao to
tos, ano graoually bring your awarnss back through your lgs to th bas o th spin.
Slowly mov rom th bas o th spin to th crown o th hao. Sns your whol booy,
ano brath as i your ntir booy braths, clansing ano nourishing with ach brath.
Lt your whol booy rst.
Now bgin moving through th 6 points. Pring your attntion to th nrst point, th ybrow
cntr, op at th cor o th hao. Rst your attntion ano visualiz a blu, star-lik point
o light; or instao o visualizing th point, you can l a star-lik point o nrgy. Sttl into
this point, rlaxing th brath as i it nows thr, ano oo this at ach o th 6 points. Rst your
awarnss, sns th imag or ling o a blu, star-lik point o nrgy, ano brath as i th
brath nows at that point.
Rst ano brath, snsing all ths points. Your booy is lik a cosmic spac nllo with th
light ano nrgy o this nlo o stars. Your brath is lik a wino mptying ano nlling this spac.
Li rsting ano brathing, allowing your brath to pass in ano out without ort. Your mino is
nllo with th snsation o ths points ano th ling o ach brath. Rlax your booy. Rlax
your brathing, ano as you continu to l th now o your brath, rlax your mino. Th spac
o your mino is nllo with th uit snsations o th brath. You ar th innr witnss, rlaxing
your booy, brathing, ano mino.
Om Pac, Pac, Pac
Vhn you ar raoy, gntly brath a littl mor oply, snsing th spac arouno you.
Fl th uitnss in that spac. Slowly cup your hanos ano bring your hanos ovr your ys,
opning th ys into th palms. Roll ovr to your sio ano com back to a sitting postur.
Eybrow cntr Navl cntr 32
Throat cntr 2 Plvic cntr (btwn th hip |oints) 33
Right shoulor |oint 3 Right hip |oint 34
Right lbow |oint 4 Right kn |oint 35
Right wrist |oint 5 Right ankl |oint 36
Tip o th right thumb 6 Tip o th right big to 37
Tip o th right inox nngr 7 Tip o th right scono to 38
Tip o th right miool nngr 8 Tip o th right thiro to 39
Tip o th right ring nngr 9 Tip o th right ourth to 4C
Tip o th right small nngr C Tip o th right small to 4
Right wrist |oint Right ankl |oint 42
Right lbow |oint 2 Right kn |oint 43
Right shoulor |oint 3 Right hip |oint 44
Throat cntr 4 Plvic cntr 45
Lt shoulor |oint 5 Lt hip |oint 46
Lt lbow Joint 6 Lt kn |oint 47
Lt wrist |oint 7 Lt ankl |oint 48
Tip o th lt thumb 8 Tip o th lt big to 49
Tip o th lt inox nngr 9 Tip o th lt scono to 5C
Tip o th lt miool nngr 2C Tip o th lt thiro to 5
Tip o th lt ring nngr 2 Tip o th lt ourth to 52
Tip o th lt small nngr 22 Tip o th lt small to 53
Lt wrist |oint 23 Lt ankl |oint 54
Lt lbow |oint 24 Lt kn |oint 55
Lt shoulor |oint 25 Lt hip |oint 56
Throat cntr 26 Plvic cntr 57
Hart cntr (cor o th chst) 27 Navl cntr 58
Tip o th right brast 28 Hart cntr 59
Hart cntr 29 Throat cntr 6C
Tip o th lt brast 3C Eybrow cntr 6
Hart cntr 3
Yoga Inicinaiional, 2u13 - All Righis Rcscivcd
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Yoga Inicinaiional, 2u13 - All Righis Rcscivcd
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75 Breaths ReIaxation Exercise
(ShithiIa Karani)
Breath Awareness Practice
Yoga Nidra
Rest
Breath diaphraQmaticaIIy
Breathe:
Cx to tos
Cx to ankls
Cx to kns
5x to prinum
5x to navl
5x to hart
5x to throat
5x to ybrow cntr
2Cx to bas o nostrils ano back to ybrow cntr
Then back down:
5x to ybrows
5x to throat
tc.
Li on th lt sio or C braths, as i brathing on th right sio.
Li on th right sio or C braths, as i brathing on th lt sio.
Li on th back or C braths, as i brathing with th whol booy.
Rst at th ybrow cntr.
Rst at th throat (imag o a ull moon).
Rst at th hart (no mantra-|ust th mrst awarnss o brath).
Yoga Inicinaiional, 2u13 - All Righis Rcscivcd
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Yoga Nidra
Preparations:
Darknss or an y covr
Empty stomach
Proprly aligno shavasana postur
Thin cushion or hao ano nck
Shawl or blankt i ncssary
Ouit
Rgular practic o th mthoos
Steps:
. Gntl movmnt
2. Exrcis Vithout Movmnt (incluoing agni sara)
3. 6 Points ano 75 Praths rlaxation xrciss
4. Prath awarnss practic
5. Yoga niora
Benefts described by adepts:
Rlaxs nrvous systm
Rlaxs hart ano skltal muscls
Givs a op rst
Hlps rouc slping tim
Dpns sl-awarnss
Hlpul or high blooo prssur, gastric or pptic ulcrs, circulatory problms,
strss rlato illnsss, ano oisorors associato with aging
GuideIines:
Do not all aslp in th xrcis.
l you oo, no th practic ano start again th nxt oay.
Th brath clanss ano nourishs.
Follow 75 Praths with th brath awarnss practic (stp 4).
Thn bgin yoga niora (stp 5).
Start by practicing yoga niora or not mor than C minuts.