Meditative Yoga Float: Yoga Nidra
Updated: Sep 10
On a Friday night in August, I find myself once again on a floating raft in the outdoor pool at Life Time. It is a gorgeous Sunday night-the sun still high in the sky and it’s warm but not too hot. I’m here for a meditative float series with Lisa and Ulrikke. Together the two of them were offering a yoga nidra and sound bowls experience as part of the meditative float series.
I was fortunate to have experienced a meditative yoga float a few weeks ago with Margie, and while I’m unsure of what to expect from yoga nidra, I’m glad to be here. Within the yoga community, at Life Time and for the opportunity to float again.
We begin with Sarah Chatterton, our yoga lead, explaining what to expect from the yoga float and the safety features the yoga staff and life guarding staff have put in place.
Lisa Mullen a Life Time yoga instructor of nearly four years who participated in a yoga nidra workshop in Texas found yoga nidra fascinating and helpful. She readily admits she has sleep issues and found that the yoga nidra meditation practice has helped her. While I know little about yoga nidra, I’m just as happy to try something new. And if it can help with sleep, count me in.
Lisa had heard about the meditative float series last year and felt this combination of yoga nidra under the stars would be restful and peaceful. She elaborated for the group, “Yoga nidra calms our nervous system, moving us into the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for sleeping, lowering cortisol and adrenaline. One hour of yoga nidra work is the equivalent of four hours of sleep.” I heard the group murmur or maybe that was me-wow, is that possible?
Lisa continued, “You can do this anytime, it’s a guided meditation and the goal isn’t to fall asleep. There’s a greater benefit if you stay awake. It’s actually the space between being awake and being asleep.” Ah, we all know that space!
In addition, adding to our experience, Ulrikke Malik would be playing the sound bowls, bathing us in sound in the quiet of the evening.
When I asked Ulrikke about her intention, she explained, “Over time, playing the bowls has become a form of meditation for me. And perhaps that is the most important reason I have chosen to bring sound bowls and sound baths into my yoga practice: because I have personally experienced what they can offer.
I know what it feels like to become still, to listen, to let the sound surround you, and to simply be. Now I feel called to create that space for others—to offer an invitation to pause, breathe, listen, and perhaps discover something within themselves through the experience of sound.”
For me, the sound bowls are such an integral part of the meditative float series. They offer the opportunity, as Ulrikke said, to become still and allow the sound to surround me. It's a unique sound that I recognize and enjoy.
Together, with the help of Sarah, David and Winn as well as the lifeguards, all twenty of us were soon floating in the pool as Lisa began the yoga nidra meditation and Ulrikke began playing the sound bowls.
Full disclosure: I was a participant and this is simply my account, thoughts, and feelings of the event. And because I’m such a good student, there is a part of this that I possibly missed…I was meditating!
Relaxing on the float, I listened to Lisa as she guided us in a very detailed body scan, beginning at our heads and continuing over our bodies to our toes. She then led us into and through breath work, alternating breathing through each nostril. (Research shows this moves us back and forth between our left brain and right brain.)
It was at this point, I said to myself, this is never going to work. I’m not going to get lost in the meditation (this is what I always say to myself), and so I reminded myself to peek at the sky, listen to Ulrikke play the sound bowls, relax into the most comfortable raft ever and let myself be. No pressure, no intention. (I also always say this to myself.)
And then.
Yes, and then…I came to. Suddenly and without any warning, I was back on the float in the pool at Life Time and Lisa in a gentle voice was bringing us back to the present moment. Ulrikke was playing the sound bowls. The kind, young lifeguard looked at me looking at him and asked, “How was it?” (very perceptive for a young guy)
“Amazing,” I answer. I have no other words. I can barely speak. I am still so relaxed.
“How was it for you?” I asked.
“Relaxing,” Lincoln the kind young lifeguard shared.
As before, I didn’t want to disembark this incredible float. Whatever had happened, wherever I went, and I do not believe I was sleeping, it was incredibly relaxing and energizing at the same time. How did this happen?!
Sarah, David, Winn and the lifeguards slowly floated us to the zero-entry and Lisa came around to ask how we were. A number of us were smiling and moving very slowly.
The magic had happened again! Between the lovely evening, the safety Sarah and her family and the lifeguards offered as well as Lisa’s meditation and Ulrikke’s sound bowls, magic had once again presented itself. In the outdoor pool, at Life Time and in community.
As we started to filter out, I noticed Ulrikke’s husband Faisal snapping photos. I decided to take the opportunity for a photo with Lisa and Ulrikke.
Thank you, Lisa, and Ulrikke for this incredible program.
Thank you, Sarah, David and Winn, and the Life Time lifeguards who kept us safe and floating. Thank you to Mariana Campbell, yoga instructor for her assistance, too.
Special thanks to Sarah Chatterton, yoga lead. She was part of the collaborative team behind the meditative float series coordinating much of the efforts. Because of Sarah's leadership efforts, she ensured the series was a success. Sarah coordinated the workshop dates with the instructors, helped with advertising and recruited volunteers. She also connected with the instructors each week before the program reviewing the process as each meditative float lent feedback for continually making it better and more enjoyable. On the days of the meditative float, Sarah kept everyone organized, making sure each person (staff and volunteer) knew who was responsible for what tasks. According to the instructors, it was Sarah who helped everything run smoothly. Namaste Sarah!
Photo credit goes to Faisal for these amazing pictures.
And to Winn Chatterton for his incredible pictures.
Expect Good. Defy Gravity. Sparkle On! Yoga Nidre and Sound Bowls-a magical experience!
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Life Time: https://www.lifetime.life
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