SUNRISE INTEGRATIVE YOGA’s purpose is to help explore balance, joy, truth, and the easing of suffering by using the practice of meditation and Yoga Nidra.

About

Dawn is the person behind Sunrise Integrative Yoga. She has over thirty years in the practice of meditation, and utilizing the tools from the Yoga tradition. Dawn has spent her life seeking truth, beauty, and “dawning.” She lives in Northern California’s Bay Area, continuing to love and find peace in the surrounding trees, hills, mountains, and shorelines. Dawn is equally connected to and at home in Northern Michigan, where she grew up in between two lakes, and the music, art, and science in the surrounding woods. She is an avid hiker, runner, and swimmer, and keen observer of nature and the lives of animals all around us.

Professional Training and other Learning

Dawn is certified in Amrit Yoga Institute I AM Yoga Nidra Professional Training, and, iRest Level 1 Teacher Training. Parallel to this, Dawn has also gained an M.A. in Creative Writing, a B.A. in Physics, and has photographed much of the world’s beauty.

Services and Projects

Dawn’s services include guided Amrit Method Yoga Nidra, guided iRest Yoga Nidra, and general group meditation instruction and practice.

Yoga Nidra for Pain Relief and Yoga Nidra to Improve Sleep meditation recordings are available on Amazon, iTunes and Spotify.

Yoga Nidra to Ease Stress is available on SoundCloud.

What is Yoga Nidra?

Because our world is busy with doing, the beauty and gift of Yoga Nidra is that it is NOT about doing! Yoga Nidra is a guided “conscious sleep” meditation practice. The listener rests comfortably and allows the guiding voice to take them to various levels of awareness and deeper states of relaxation. In this state, the nervous system finds balance and the inner self can be experienced in a restorative way.

Yoga Nidra can be practiced by beginners or experienced meditators. 

The Technique

The technique uses a set of tools such as breath work, setting an intention for the practice, observing points of the body, silent pauses, all intended to encourage the listener to become the witness. In this witness state the listener learns to detach and experience the Self outside of habitual thoughts and perception. The listener learns to observe sensations and thoughts as they come and go.

How is Yoga Nidra Practiced?

Yoga Nidra is experienced by lying down or sitting comfortably while listening to a guided meditation. The meditation is typically around 30 minutes long. It is often helpful to be covered up with a light blanket and to use an eye mask. Use extra support as needed such as a bolster under the knees or a small pillow under the head to allow the body to fully relax.

It is important that Yoga Nidra is experienced comfortably. If lying down or sitting is painful or uncomfortable, or if closing the eyes feels unsafe, the meditation can be practiced in any way that feels right such as standing up or with eyes open. There is no wrong way to practice.

What are the benefits of Yoga Nidra?

Yoga Nidra encourages improved sleep, improved sleep quality, reduces stress, and bathes the nervous system in the healing vibrations of relaxation. Yoga Nidra can feel like a restorative nap in which you return to your day rejuvenated.

Clinical studies show that Yoga Nidra is associated with positive physiological changes. Yoga Nidra has also been shown to reduce anxiety, mild depression, and improve symptoms of PTSD. 

Yoga Nidra research has demonstrated these benefits:

Improved mood, confidence, self-esteem - Increased alertness - Improved athletic performance - Lowered blood pressure - Slower heart rate - Lowered blood sugar levels - Reduced pain and inflammation 

Finally, because the practice of Yoga Nidra is “integrative,” it helps knit together body, mind and spirit, allowing the practitioner to explore a sense of wholeness and experience what can be called our True nature.

Namaste. “Tat tvam asi” … Thou art That.

Contact Dawn