About iRest Institute

iRest Institute

iRest Institute is an educational organization that provides immersions, workshops, retreats, teacher trainings, and informative content based on the ancient eastern and western wisdom teachings of meditation that are presented in an accessible form for today’s world.

The Institute’s comprehensive offerings draw from the traditions of Saṃkhya and Patāñjali’s Yoga Sutras, nondual Advaita, the unqualified nondual teachings of Śaivism, a ten-fold approach derived from the principles and practices of Yoga Nidra, western psychological theories, modern-day neuroscience research, and the wisdom traditions of Buddhism, Taoism, and Judeo-Christian forms of contemplative meditation.

iRest Yoga Nidra Meditation

iRest (Integrative Restoration) is a comprehensive, evidence-based practice of self-inquiry and self-understanding that is grounded in the traditions of Yoga Nidra and an ancient map of meditation from the nondual teachings of Śaivism, adapted to suit the conditions of modern life. When practiced regularly—little and often—iRest enables us to meet each moment of our lives with unshakable, unbreakable peace and well-being, no matter how challenging or difficult our circumstance. iRest has been designed to bring the healing benefits of yoga and contemplative practices to a wide variety of people and issues, for health, healing, well-being, and awakening to our most essential nature.

iRest Yoga Nidra Meditation is now practiced and taught by thousands of people worldwide. iRest programs are offered in yoga studios, community centers, clinics, schools, hospices, correctional facilities, and U.S. military hospitals and VA sites. Based on current studies with iRest in the military, the Defense Centers of Excellence approved iRest as a Complementary and Alternative Medicine warranting continuing research for its use in the treatment of PTSD. In addition, the U.S. Army Surgeon General lists Yoga Nidra (based on research with iRest) as a Tier 1 approach for addressing Pain Management in Military Care.

Our MISSION is to provide people and communities with resources that transform suffering into growth, build deep resilience, and inspire insight and lasting equanimity. We do this by offering educational programs, professional meditation teacher training, and opportunities for self-discovery.

Our VISION is a peaceful world in which misperceptions that lead to suffering are resolved, and individual and global well-being are valued, nourished, and supported.

More About iRest

Dr. Richard Miller

iRest was developed by Richard Miller, PhD. Richard is a world-renowned spiritual teacher, author, yogic scholar, researcher and clinical psychologist, who has combined traditional yogic practice with Western psychology and neuroscience. He is committed to bringing the healing benefits of iRest to all segments of our population. In addition to founding the iRest Institute (originally named The Integrative Restoration Institute), Richard was also the co-founder of The International Association of Yoga Therapy and founding editor of the professional Journal of IAYT. 

A message from Dr. Miller:

I first became involved with Yoga Nidra in 1970, when I moved to San Francisco. I decided to meet people by taking a 12 week yoga course. When I showed up for my first class, I found out that the instructor had decided to teach the class in total silence. So, during the 12 weeks of my course, I didn’t meet a single person - but I ended up meeting myself - and this became a major turning point in my life.

At the end of the first class, the instructor taught us a basic Yoga Nidra meditation. That night, I walked home feeling totally at ease and radiantly joyful within myself. Instead of having my usual feelings of separation and loneliness, I felt connected, both to myself and everything around me.

This experience left a deep longing in me to understand the practice of Yoga Nidra and to realize this feeling of peace and connectedness.

In the following decades, my yearning would lead me to study with some of the most renowned meditation teachers in the world and to become a skilled practitioner - both by continuing my own practice and by sharing this practice with others.

I later adapted these ancient practices in an effort to make them more accessible - so more people could experience deep healing and well-being. I wanted to make the practice of meditation easier to do and more applicable to our modern, western world so I developed iRest. iRest is based on ancient Yoga Nidra teachings, but designed for modern day living. I’m happy to report, iRest meditation is now taught and practiced world wide.

I call the various practices that make up the iRest program “tools for life”. They comprise a tool belt of essential practices that can help you experience true health, resiliency, and well-being throughout your life. These tools empower you to skillfully meet each moment with unshakable peace and wellbeing - no matter how challenging or difficult your situation.

Regular practice - a little and often - enables you to experience the power of iRest and helps you feel connected to yourself, others, and the world around you.

We can’t know what an apple tastes like, unless we taste it. You can’t know the power of iRest unless you practice it. Whether you are looking for a way to better deal with the everyday stresses of life, or whether you are dealing with serious trauma or pain, I invite you to explore the practice of iRest and experience what it can bring to you.

With joy and gratitude,

Richard

iRest Trainings and Events

We offer a broad range of iRest meditation events and trainings for people at all experience levels and at locations around the globe: