REVIEW OF YOGi WAY CLASS SEATTLE, WA

Recently I took a class in yogi nidra at yogi way. It was a free class, as it seems that perhaps not a lot of people are willing to pay for such a relaxing class. Considering how far I drive to attend these yoga classes here and there, I am very grateful for the free classes that are shared from time to time. I am already working very hard to practice, and to get there, sometimes I do not have enough to get there and pay for the class. However, when I do have it, I find joy in giving it and drive many many many miles just to practice with people, to learn more and to create special experiences.

But maybe I shouldn’t say “work”. This seems to be the western way: work, work, work. It used to be my way too, but yoga has helped me learn how to relax. Now it is not work, its “manifest”.

BUt its funny how you can still get to class and find that you need to relax. When I went to Yogi way in Seattle, I had a hard time relaxing at first. I kept thinking that I had to go to the bathroom, which is my usual feeling when I cannot relax. Anyway, we started the class with some easy movements to relax: like cat cow and some twists and prostrations. Then we got settled in sivasana. I started to relax at this point. I very gradually drifted off into sivasana, but never fell asleep. She had us make an intention, which I did. It came from a subconscious place. It seemed very deep. She talked about how making the intention in yogi nidra would make it have greater effects, because the deeper the desire driving a person, with the intention made, it would be sure to come true.

The vision I had in my eyes started pulsing, and I felt a lot of energy. After that my head started to hurt, and I got cold. When you lay like that so long different parts of your body can start hurting that don’t normally. I breathed through it and it settled. She started guiding us through visions, for example, picture yourself at a lake with the sun setting, picture the sun at noon, see yourself be a lake at midnight on the full moon, and see yourself walking in the forrest. This part was very emotional for me. In very old friend of mine was summoning me into a forrest I know very well. A place where I used to meditate underneath the boughs of a very big tree, a very sacred spot.

After that, she had us count our breathing: 27 chest goes up, chest goes down, 26 chest goes up then down, then we counted like this with our throat and our breath. This was the end of it. Shwe said it was the equivalent of four hours of sleep. I really enjoyed it, and it was actually very emotional for me. I think some things came up that I did not know were running around beneath the surface. It was very good for me. I plan to practice it when I feel sleep deprived and need assistance relaxing.

The class was worth the drive and I send congrats to Yogi Way for hosting such an event. It gives people a chance to meet new teachers and explore new styles of yoga. I believe that the more we open up like this, the more we have to share, the more we can heal each other, and the more we can relax.

A yoga teacher Cyndi Lee once talked about how some of us are hard on the outside and soft of the inside. Others are the opposite. I think that is reflected in the various Yogas people teach – very much like Coconuts and Peaches. This yoga class at Yogi Way was all peaches. I am happy to bring back the flavor, so we can make coconut peach smoothies.