Living with Attention and Intention through iRest
I believe so much of growing and living authentically is reliant on attention and intention. Attention to what is happening within you, and the intention of how you choose to navigate life. Living with attention provides you the ability to show up with intention. One tool that has really helped me hone in on my ability to practice this in my everyday life is the practice of iRest.
iRest was one of my favourite courses that I took during my Yoga Therapy training. To put it simply, iRest is a form of meditation. There are different ways to practice, but the main way is in the form of a guided meditation, similar to that of Yoga Nidra if you are familiar. There are easy and even free ways to access this form of an iRest meditation online and it can be a really powerful tool to reset your nervous system and allow yourself to tune in.
My favourite aspect of iRest, though, is what is called a co-meditation dyad. These are done one-on-one led by an iRest practitioner. Through the grounding and support of the teacher, one can be guided into deep self awareness and self inquiry. It allows you to become comfortable welcoming and sitting with any emotion or experience that arises within you. The first time I was led through a dyad during my training, something was sparked within me. I knew this would be a powerful tool I wanted to use to help others.
iRest allows you be confronted with what is truly going on inside of you in a safe and gentle space. The meditation can help you tune in to where these emotions are coming up as sensations in your body and what that may mean for you. It also strengthens the ability to separate yourself from the emotion and realise it is not who you are - only something you are experiencing. It can be easy for us to get stuck in thought patterns and old ways of being and thinking which impact every aspect of how we live our lives. This can make it really challenging to move on, grow, let go, and change. iRest can help you work through the stories that our brain creates and attaches to, providing space for you to heal. iRest is a trauma sensitive approach that works with each individual and what is present for them in that moment. This technique makes meditation a full body healing experience, so you can truly integrate it into everything you do.
It brings your attention inwards, so you can live and create your life with intention.
Facilitating others in iRest dyads is a truly special experience for me. If you are at all interested in what this may entail or working together, please do reach out.
