Overhear recurring self-expressions or thoughts that stem from a core belief (e.g., ‘I’m not safe’ or ‘I’m a bad person’). Articulate it in one sentence, welcome it as a ‘part,’ and then ask what it wants or needs, and what action you can take to address it. This process helps uncover the root of misperceptions, transform limiting beliefs into allies, and change actions that stem from these unconscious drivers.
When a recurring emotion (e.g., anger, anxiety) arises, personify it as a ‘part’ of yourself (e.g., an eight-year-old self) and actively engage with it. Ask what it needs or wants to integrate these aspects into your wholeness, preventing them from taking over or leading to misperceptions.
Identify a memory, natural place, or imagined space where you feel completely safe, secure, and at ease. Regularly connect with this image and its corresponding felt sense in your body, eventually focusing only on the bodily sensation. This practice builds a skill of accessing a baseline of ease and well-being, providing resilience and a quick way to downregulate the nervous system when triggered or facing challenges.
Identify what is most important to you and set clear intentions around it, either daily (e.g., in the morning) or as a long-term ‘heartfelt intention.’ Regularly check in with how you are doing in relation to these intentions. This builds self-trust, promotes self-awareness, and drives behavior change, serving as a ‘North Star’ to guide your actions.
Throughout the day, periodically bring your attention to the entire backside of your body (head, neck, back, legs) and allow a sense of rest to permeate your awareness. This simple practice helps to downregulate the nervous system, disrupt overthinking, and foster a sense of resting presence, cutting through mind illusions and promoting clearer perception.
When stuck in a challenging emotion (e.g., disappointment), mentally ‘hold’ it in one hand and its opposite (e.g., satisfaction) in the other. Alternate attention between them, then try to hold both simultaneously. This practice helps to remind you of the full spectrum of experience, prevents fusion with one extreme, and can lead to relaxation or a ’third, more true insight,’ helping you get unstuck.
Engage in Yoga Nidra, a lying down guided meditation that has been shown to help you sleep better, improve working memory, and decrease cravings. Seek out mindfulness-based approaches for a practical and accessible experience, as these articulate the underlying mechanisms.
Practice Yoga Nidra specifically when trying to fall asleep, as it can be very effective for inducing sleep. If you fall asleep during the practice, it is considered perfectly fine and still beneficial.
When holding a belief or experiencing an emotion (e.g., in meditation or Yoga Nidra), actively look for and feel its physical manifestation or ‘correlate’ in your body. This somatic focus helps to understand how beliefs and emotions manifest physically.
Reflect on patterns or behaviors in your life that create ‘messes’ or where you feel stuck, and actively inquire into how you might be unconsciously getting in your own way. This process illuminates misperceptions, helping to integrate different impulses and beliefs for greater wholeness and to ‘get out of your own way.’
When difficult emotions arise, send them warmth and recognize that they might be trying to help you, rather than being something to be ashamed of or pushed away. This compassionate approach helps to integrate and understand these emotions, moving beyond fusion with them.
Approach Yoga Nidra with a sense of receptivity, allowing for a ‘conscious nap’ state rather than a strong feeling of ‘doing’ a practice. This state is powerful for working with the unconscious and allowing underlying drivers to emerge to the surface.
Engage in Yoga Nidra, noting its initial focus on establishing a sense of safety and ease in the body. This approach allows challenging experiences to be met within a context of safety and ease, making it particularly beneficial for trauma sensitivity.
Practice Yoga Nidra (or other non-sleep deep rest practices) as research suggests it can help reset dopamine levels and improve working memory. This can help you move out of a ‘drive state’ and sharpen your mind.