The term ‘yoga nidra’, or yogic sleep as it is usually known, refers an enormously powerful meditation method, in addition to one of the simplest yoga practices to develop as well as maintain. While the yoga practitioner rests comfortably in savasana (corpse pose), this systematic meditation brings you all the way through the pancha maya kosha (five layers of self), leaving you with a feeling of wholeness. No longer will you have to dread spending hours sitting on the floor waiting for liberation.
Yoga nidra is usually practised lying down with a teacher guiding the session. The practice brings our attention inwards. We learn to go between the states of wakefulness and sleep, at a place where our body finds its natural status of equilibrium (homeostasis) – the breath balances and then becomes calm, unconscious and conscious elements of the mind reveal themselves. We fall into an intrinsic state of deep, joyful awareness.
As we rest here, we are able to turn our attention easily and effortlessly to the fundamental nature of awareness and consciousness. We begin to experience the ‘deeper’ features of yogic teachings that previously we possibly considered intangible, such as feeling our interconnected wholeness and becoming aware of our true, unified nature – expansive, inclusive, and deeply restful.
Anyone Can Do Yoga Nidra!
Intense vinyasa flows as well as long asana holds are not for everyone. However, yoga nidra is a practice which everyone, from children to seniors, are able to do. It’s easy to follow at any age. All that your body needs to do is lie down on the floor. And even if you can’t lie down on the floor, you can still do this practice seated.
What Are The Benefits Of Yoga Nidra?
Research studies have shown that yoga nidra can also:
- Ease insomnia
- Reduce anxiety
- Relieve stress
- Lessen PTSD, chronic pain as well as chemical dependency
- Increase awareness and focus
- Transform negative habits, behaviours as well as ways of thinking
- Foster feelings of peace, calm as well as clarity
There Is No Incorrect Way To Practise Yoga Nidra
As you lie down and are supported in savasana, all you need to do is follow the voice which is guiding you. It’s likely that you will hold onto certain parts of the meditation and not others. Every time that you come to the practice you experience a new understanding—none of which is wrong. Falling asleep is OK too because you will still get benefits while the unconscious mind is soaking up the practice of Yoga Nidra.
Yoga Nidra Is Simple To Integrate Into Your Daily Life
Seated meditation can be exasperating—trying to clear the mind, bring the consciousness back to the breath, or find encouragement for focusing. Yoga nidra is often guided, so there is no intense thinking or questioning why you are staring at a blank wall.
A yoga nidra practice can be as brief as five minutes and as long as an hour. You select the length. You might find that the simplest way to include a yoga nidra practice is to make it part of your daily bedtime practice. Put the headphones on, practise right in your bed, and then fall asleep to sleep. Although this is not the most typical way to practise yoga nidra, you do not have an excuse if you’re going to be lying down anyway.
Contact Trifocus Fitness Academy
Yoga nidra is just one of the beautiful practices that the ancient art form of yoga has to offer. Do you want to learn more? If you do, then you will possibly want to become a yoga instructor. To find out how you can do this, please follow this link.
