yoga humor, yogini style, yoga personality, yoga tips - Y is for Yogini

neither here nor there { dream not, awake not }

artwork credit: roemer.vox.com

The most marvelous thing happened in Kundalini on Monday. Our practice was as thrilling and pranafied as usual: lots of 1st and 2nd chakra work, breath of fire, and inversions (woo! love being upside-down!). I began to feel something strange-but-good within my body, so deep it was practically cellular. As I lay down for savasana, my head touched the floor, I did my usual savasana wiggle-dance to settle in, and then I disappeared.

For the next 10-15 minutes (?), I was not in that room. I was somehow untethered, floating about, blissful and safe. I wasn't aware that I'd taken this little impromptu journey until I heard Kia's voice come in from very far away. As she beckoned me back into my body, I wondered where I'd been.

My analytical self is still putting this puzzle together. It's possible this was yoga nidra or some other altered state of consciousness. I almost didn't write about it, as I was worried I might scare it off for next time. I'm excited for tomorrow's class. Perhaps another odyssey?

My lovelies, have any of you had this experience? Is it yoga nidra ... prana intoxication ... my serpent breaking free and roaming about? Please tell me about your mind-space voyages!

Note: Although the artwork above is representative of my experience, I do not look so much like Where's Waldo as he does. But I think Waldo rocks. That said, on Monday I happened to be Where's Y is for Yogini.

{ yoga nidra } yogic sleep ... uh, not exactly

photo credit: ballet.co.uk

I am notorious for my insomnia. My friends get super late/early emails and respond back with, "Really?! 4am?!" But they know it's par for the course. Some of my Tweets are being sent out just as my East Coast yoga pals are waking up to start their day. 

On the first day of TT, we sat in a circle and intro'd ourselves. I made a crack about how I hadn't slept since I was in the womb. Now if people can't remember my name they say, "You're the one with insomnia." Yeah. Could be worse, though. We have a colorful (and mouthy, lol) group. But however true, dishing isn't yogic, so I'm going to halt there and purify my mind with salt collected by virgins. :)

Back to the sleepy biz. A few thoughts on my own personal brand of yoga nidra:

1. When I do sleep, I often wind up in Vrksasana or Virabhadrasana 2. Yup, I'm a bed hog. (BTW, you should check out this funny post by my homegirl Erica, aka Spoiled Yogi for more yoga poses done sub/un/consciously.)
2. At times, I wake up doing some sort of mudra in my boyfriend's ear or armpit. It's good to have a bendy girlfriend, but there are unexpected downsides.
3. When you rarely snooze, you have lots, and I mean lots of time to read. I'm working on Light on Yoga, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, The Heart of Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, and a bazillion others.
4. During those few precious hours of sleep, I'm still too busy in my mind to rest. I have wildly vivid dreams which are often quest or adventure-based. Sometimes I dream of yoga sequences and YTT. The other night I was balancing on my head, Iyengar-style.
5. Everyone always asks if increasing my practice also ups the sleep count. Not really, but I will say that YTT does help me nap. Small win!
6. The one time I fell asleep in Viparita Karani (at home) was a joyous event! Then I woke up and thought someone had vice-gripped my head while turning my legs into plywood. Ouch.
7. If you need a sleep doc, I'm an expert in all the things that are supposed to make normal people sleep, but don't work on the weirdos like me. Warm milk. Cool room. Lavender essential oil. A mallet.
8. My #1 fantasy includes the expected: bf, candles, soft nature sounds (waterfall), and my snuggly fluffy cloud-bed. But that's where the normalcy ends. The fantasy also includes the pleasant sounds of snoring (mine) and drooling (also mine, the kind you produce during the deepest, most delicious sleep).

Someday I hope to be able to get enough Z's to fill a country full of Alphabet Soup. Until then, I'll have to daydream and dream about it.

To get yourself schooled on the real Yoga Nidra, check out my yoga sista Abby's awesome post at her blog, Perusals & Peregrinations!