Yoga Nidra is a magical apply that’s typically translated as “yogic sleep.” Yogic sleep sounds fairly good, however what’s Yoga Nidra precisely?
It’s an fascinating apply that has roots relationship again hundreds of years. In the event you’ve ever been fortunate sufficient to expertise the apply, you realize that the advantages of Yoga Nidra are plentiful and that the apply is soothing, restorative, and deeply restful.
Learn on to search out out the whole lot about this mystical yogic sleep meditation and tips on how to correctly apply it.
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What Is Yoga Nidra?
This straightforward, restorative apply is a guided meditation that lulls you right into a state of semi-consciousness. Via intention setting, physique scans, visualizations, and breath consciousness, you’re transferred to a different world that’s calm, soothing, and peaceable.
Yoga Nidra is believed to be deeply restorative and stress-free for the nervous system and as restful and soothing as sleep. It’s stated {that a} brief Yoga Nidra apply is as refreshing as hours of deep sleep.
A brief Yoga Nidra apply is as refreshing as hours of deep sleep.
It’s undoubtedly a strong apply, but it surely’s additionally one of many best meditations to comply with and to constantly apply.
As a totally guided meditation, Yoga Nidra is practiced mendacity down in your again. This restful place permits you to fluctuate between acutely aware and semi-conscious states, shifting you thru completely different phases of consciousness.
By way of gently guided rest strategies, Yoga Nidra forces you to decelerate, relax, and inevitably restore.
Craving a special sort of guided meditation? Do this Guided Pranayama and Mindfulness Meditation for a Calm and Peaceable Thoughts (Video)
The Historical past of Yoga Nidra
Yoga Nidra is claimed to be as outdated because the apply of yoga itself.
First talked about within the Upanishads (historic holy scriptures of Hinduism and yogic philosophy) after which later mentioned within the Mahabharata (the longest epic poem on the planet, which incorporates the Bhagavad Gita), Yoga Nidra has undoubtedly been round for a very long time.
The revered guru Satyananda Saraswati is claimed to be one of many first trendy yoga academics that basically employed the apply of Yoga Nidra together with his pupils.
Much more modernly, Richard Miller (a yoga instructor who has pioneered the concept of utilizing yoga as a therapeutic apply) developed the iRest Yoga Nidra methodology as a contemporary adaptation of the traditional meditation apply of Yoga Nidra.
His methodology has been used internationally for numerous functions, together with serving to troopers returning dwelling from struggle with Publish Traumatic Stress Dysfunction (PTSD).
The Science Behind Yoga Nidra
Yoga Nidra has been studied scientifically with many promising outcomes that present numerous advantages.
One research discovered that Yoga Nidra is characterised by a depressed stage of want for motion. The research discovered decreased blood stream within the prefrontal, cerebellar, and subcortical areas of the mind whereas topics have been working towards Yoga Nidra. (These elements of the mind are believed to be related to motion.)
The research confirmed elevated dopamine launch through the Yoga Nidra meditation, which was additionally related to the expertise of diminished readiness for motion.
One other research discovered that Yoga Nidra elevated coronary heart price variability (HRV), which is usually utilized as an index of autonomic nervous system stability and, subsequently, is a robust indicator of total well being.
Yoga Nidra has been studied scientifically with many promising outcomes that present numerous advantages.
One other research measured the results of a Yoga Nidra apply on college college students’ vanity and stress ranges. The findings indicated that Yoga Nidra may alleviate primary life stresses and enhance total vanity.
One other research measured mind exercise throughout Yoga Nidra and located that topics have been in a deeply relaxed state (just like the mind state of sleep) whereas working towards. What’s fascinating is that these outcomes additionally discovered contributors to be in fully conscious states whereas concurrently on this deep rest.
Additional research have discovered Yoga Nidra to assist scale back stress, enhance ache administration, deal with sexual assault, scale back drug habit relapse, and extra.
Comply with These 7 Steps to Observe Yoga Nidra:
Conventional Yoga Nidra follows particular steps to succeed in the deeply restorative semi-conscious state. The next are typical steps of a Yoga Nidra apply.
1. Set Up Your Area
It’s vital to get as comfy as doable when working towards Yoga Nidra, so arrange your area nevertheless it is advisable to get relaxed and settled.
You could want to use props like a yoga bolster below your again or your knees or to cowl your self with a blanket or place a pillow below your head. Modify your self nevertheless it is advisable to to be able to get actually comfy as you lie down to organize in your apply.
Soften comfortably right into a yoga mat, sofa, or mattress in order that the place of your physique gained’t distract you throughout your apply.
2. Create a Sankalpa
A sankalpa is an intention, and it’s one thing that you simply in all probability already use in your asana apply.
Convey your consciousness to no matter it’s that your coronary heart needs or what you hope to realize from this apply. Possibly you plan to domesticate hope or prosperity, or perhaps your intention is solely to calm down and restore.
No matter your intention for the apply is, make it clear in your thoughts’s eye in order that it might grow to be the focus of your meditation.
3. Scan Your Physique
This step is excess of only a physique scan. This stage of your Yoga Nidra apply is supposed to maneuver you right into a state of Pratyahara (a withdrawal of the senses). Pratyahara is believed to be the gateway to the unconscious and that’s the main goal of Yoga Nidra.
So systematically transfer via your physique and sense every a part of it. Expertise the sensations of your proper large toe all the way in which right down to your pinky toe. Actually really feel your hips, torso, and arms. Sense your throat, chin, lips, nostril, eyes, and brow.
Transfer throughout your complete physique and, as you accomplish that, systematically calm down every a part of your physique as you sense it. When you’ve totally relaxed your physique, let it keep totally relaxed as you progress your consideration to extra delicate elements of your self.
4. Draw Your Consciousness to Your Breath
Really feel the actions of your breath. Really feel your physique respiration naturally. Dive into the deeper mechanics of your breath. The place does the air enter your physique? The place does it exit? What’s its texture, temperature, and pace?
Expertise the tide of prana flowing via you. By drawing deeper into the subtleties of your physique, you progress farther and farther into deeper phases of Pratyahara.
As you comply with the ebb and stream of your breath, let its rhythm lull you right into a semi-conscious state.
5. Grow to be Conscious of Your Ideas and Emotions
Grow to be the conscious observer and easily discover ideas and emotions as they come up. With out judgement, merely acknowledge what passes via your thoughts – whether or not consciously or not.
Keep away from dwelling on anyone thought or feeling that arises. Merely watch the cascade of ideas go via your thoughts.
6. Expertise and Observe
Take discover of what has arisen from this complete expertise. Grow to be conscious of the acutely aware observer that’s at all times current, no matter your emotional or bodily state.
Join with this larger consciousness that dwells inside you. Really feel how this connects you to a better consciousness past your self.
7. Mindfully Resurface
While you’re prepared, slowly and mindfully return to a state of heightened acutely aware consciousness. Comply with your individual tempo to reawaken and reorient to your waking life.
Pause for a second to mirror again in your sankalpa and to search out gratitude in your apply earlier than shifting on along with your day.
What Is Yoga Nidra? The Takeaway on Yogic Sleep
The apply of Yoga Nidra is undoubtedly helpful to the physique, breath, and thoughts. By working towards this soothing meditation, you would possibly end up feeling extra rested, alert, or consciously conscious.
Give the apply a attempt to see how you are feeling. You simply could discover that Yoga Nidra is your new favourite fashion of stress-relieving, restorative meditation.
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