Back away from ego and encounter stillness: Yoga NIDRA with Tonya Minton
Have you ever gone to a yoga class and become distracted by critiquing your poses in the mirror? Perhaps you suddenly realize that you’re comparing your ability to hold standing bow as long as the person next to you. Maybe you notice your mind dashing back and forth scrambling to keep your body in place as you transition from one position to the next.
Yoga is known as a mind, body, spirit sport (if you will). While it possesses a gentle connotation, yoga can actually be quite physical. Styles of yoga like Hatha or Vinyasa require various movements and increased heart rate. These popular forms of yoga have definite benefits, but for some, the rigorous moves prove challenging.
Retreat House Spirituality Center recently connected with Trained Spiritual Director and Retreat House Partner Tonya Minton to learn about a lesser known type of yoga - NIDRA.
While this style requires less physical mobility than some of the more well-known forms of yoga, it is still indeed physical as it invites participates to connect with their bodies in a deep, meditative way. Read below to discover more:
RH: How did you discover YOGA NIDRA?
Tonya: As a life coach, I’ve found that folks need help slowing down and finding a way to meditate. Meditation doesn’t work the same for every person. It is so individualized. What might work for you doesn't work for the next person. I have made it a passion of mine to help people to meditate, to slow down and find something that works for them. It helps for managing stress and trying to get all of the things done that we put on our lists. It feels like we going 150 miles per hour every day. Yoga NIDRA is one way to meditate.
RH: So is NIDRA yoga?
Tonya: It is a yoga practice that combines mind and body. It typically lasts 35-40 minutes. NIDRA is a gentle approach to body awareness where participants work compassionately with self thoughts and emotions gradually leading to greater sense of awareness. Participants have space to notice how they are feeling, to notice areas of the body that are tense, areas that might need more tending.
RH: How is NIDRA different than other more well-know types of yoga?
Tonya: It is very inclusive. NIDRA is for any person, age group, even children. It is relaxing with little required movement. We start standing and doing some intentional breathing practices, then we literally lie down. In yoga NIDRA language, we call this making a nest. I am starting to host NIDRA at Retreat House and have made eye pillows for participants. They give eyes a little bit a pressure and it tells our brain to release chemicals telling participants that it is time to relax.
This allows participants to become very comfortable and reach an in between state - not quite asleep and not quite awake. It is in this state that we are able to concentrate on the intentions we’ve set for our life, or perhaps even just the practice at hand.
RH: Will you explain some about the meditation aspect of NIDRA?
Tonya: NIDRA allows participants to access a place of peace. Peace is always present for us but sometimes it is really hard to access this place when we have so much going on. In NIDRA, we are not doing poses or balancing exercises, etc. which is typically what you think of when you think of yoga but NIDRA is really more of a guided, still meditation.
RH: We have participated in NIDRA with you and noticed that there is a real element of exploring sacred story included within the meditation process. It is very healing. Would you speak to that some?
Tonya: There’s definitely an invitation to story within NIDRA. I spend time at the beginning of each practice to get to know people, to understand what pains or tensions they’re dealing with, or what life challenges or celebrations are present. I weave these themes into the meditation script. NIDRA addresses the physical aspects of the body, the way our traumas manifest.
Through explorative questions, NIDRA invites us to surpass ego, that place that can keep us blocked from exploring some of the ways our wounds keep us hurting, emotionally, physically. I
RH: What are some benefits of NIDRA?
Tonya: Studies it has been proven this practice is great for removing anxiety. It has also been used with veterans to help with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). And while many of us are not veterans, there are still a lot of stressed out people walking around. NIDRA gives us space to connect to our body. Some folks have even told me it helps them sleep. It helps people in different ways, which is part of the beauty. It meets us where we are.
RH: Since Retreat House is centered around spiritual direction and you are a spiritual director, how does NIDRA work into the practice of spiritual direction?
Tonya: When I’m listening to someone in direction and listening to their story and helping to see where the light is shining from, I hear a lot about stress and how people have the challenge of slowing down. This is a tension, a struggle - I feel like I am working all of the time and have no time for self care, they say.
“I love to invite directees to NIDRA, an intentional time for them to focus on themselves, to feed their mind, body in a restorative and renewing way. It is a gift to themselves. ”
Tonya Minton leading YOGA NIDRA in Thurman’s Threshold at Retreat House
Tonya Minton leads Yoga NIDRA first Mondays at Retreat House and online in our ZOOM ROOM. Learn more and register.