Monday, Feb 28, 2011 - Day 31
We walked the dog a good long way today over lunchtime so it was very easy to lay down and relax afterward. We probably walked about 3 miles which is standard fare in the summer but like I said before, winter walks tend to be short and hurried. I listened to James Jewell's longer Yoga Nidra practice again. I found myself thinking and planning for about the first 5-6 minutes so I started the track over to give myself more time to settle in.
Near to the end of the practice I heard my calm-room door open a bit but I didn't get up. Turns out Dave had looked in to see if I was done but since I was "asleep" he didn't want to bother me. I told him I wasn't asleep and that I heard him, but in truth, I may have been asleep. Or rather, in that place of in-between. That dreamy but aware state where your mind is free to wander but your Self doesn't follow it, where your whole body is relaxed and you might not even be aware that you have a body any more. It's like your body and mind are asleep but a deeper part of you is awake and aware and following along with the Yoga Nidra instruction.
I hope that this deep experience of relaxation that I just had can follow me into the rest of my day. I take my brown belt test tonight in Tang Soo Do. The more relaxed I can be, the easier it is to remember the language (Korean) and how to do the moves and forms.