The Magic of Yoga Nidra
I am, by nature, a bouncy person, full of energy and always on the go. Slowing down, indeed doing nothing, for an extended period of time, wasn’t something that I felt drawn to. The idea of meditation – sitting in silence with only my thoughts for company - was abhorrent to me. But then I discovered Yoga Nidra.
Yoga Nidra, also known as ‘Yogic Sleep’ is a little bit like magic; it’s a deep relaxation practice that induces a state of consciousness between waking and sleeping. That blissful dreamlike state when you’re not quite awake and yet not sleeping.
What’s magic about this state is that it enables deep rest and healing to take place, making it beneficial for a wide array of physical, mental and emotional ailments.
Strictly speaking Yoga Nidra is not a style of meditation. Nidra is always performed laying down in a corpse pose (Savasana) whereas meditation is typically a seated practice. Yoga Nidra is a fully guided practice - listening to the instructions given during a Nidra practice is essential for moving past the waking state and into deeper layers of the self.
A Yoga Nidra practice follows a script consisting of eight stages that take you along a journey of integrative restoration for the body, mind, and soul. These stages include intention setting, breath awareness and visualization.
Everyone from benefit from Yoga Nidra; there are no physical barriers to participation, and most people will likely feel its positive effects. This is because we live a high-stress lifestyle where we are always on the go. Yoga Nidra allows us to take some time for stillness, which can be a powerful destressing tool.
What I love about Yoga Nidra is that you don’t have to do anything except lie still and listen. I have found a 20 minute practice during the day can be calming and energising. And if I practice last thing at night, Nidra is one of the best things for helping me to overcome insomnia.
Look out for my Yoga Nidra and guided meditation practices coming to Insight Timer soon.
