Intro to iRest Yoga Nidra

Integrative Restoration (iRest) is a mind-body approach to health, healing, and well-being.  The years of observation and research by the Integrative Restoration Institute (IRI®️) and hands-on development by Dr Richard Miller and associates shows that iRest effectively alleviates PTSD, anxiety, chronic pain, depression, and chemical dependency.  The program has been successfully delivered by trained teachers to active duty and combat veterans, chronic pain sufferers, the homeless, the incarcerated, etc.  Research reveals that mindfulness-based practices such as iRest contribute to well-being and resiliency in daily life.  iRest includes techniques that invoke the relaxation response, including a body-sensing body scan, a characteristic of Yoga Nidra.  iRest guided meditation is comprised of 10 steps that guide you through a series of inquiries inviting you to welcome opposites of sensation, breath, emotions, beliefs, images, and memories that naturally arise within awareness.  The idea is that once you are aware of something you can, if you wish, explore actions you can responsively take.  During iRest guided meditation, we welcome everything that is present in the body and mind and find that our emotions and thoughts grow calmer. After initial relaxation, the ten steps are Heartfelt Desire, Intention, Inner Resource, body sensing, breath sensing, feelings, and emotions, beliefs, joy and well-being, Awareness and Integration.  During the practice of iRest, participants are welcome to lie down, sit up, or stand in whichever posture makes them most comfortable.