Yoga Nidra - the yogic sleep

Yoga Nidra —commonly known as 'the yogic sleep' — is a meditation and conscious relaxation practise that is intended to induce total physical, mental, and emotional relaxation. It is said that an hour of yoga Nidra can be as restorative as four hours of regular sleep.

The first time I tried yoga Nidra, I was both sceptical and curious. But that first session brought me to a totally relaxed, blissful state, and as I’ve explored the practice over the years, I’ve experienced some of the profound benefits. The Satyananda technique focuses on replicating the mind's pattern of jumping from one thing to the other. Accordingly, YN is using the 61 points technique where the instructor asks from the practitioner to 'follow the voice' and bring awareness on the body part that it is mentioned. The practitioner should not move as he is lying down in corpse pose, known as Savasana. It is pretty weird to explain to someone who has never done it before, to actually get the feeling of such a practice, so it it comes on your way, don't throw away your chance to BLISS!

Other than a relaxation technique, YN can also benefit, heal, and transform. It is widely used in trauma therapy, stress, insomnia, pain and much more.

More specifically :

• Ease insomnia

• Decrease anxiety

• Alleviate stress

• Reduce PTSD, chronic pain and chemical dependency

• Heighten awareness and focus

• Transform negative habits, behaviours and ways of thinking

• Foster feelings of peace, calm, and clarity

But how is YN different from meditation practices? In many ways, YN is similar to meditation with similar benefits and reasons for one to practice it. However, there are also some differences; Some of which I am trying to identify below:

Meditation

• During meditation, the physical position is typically the seated upright one, where the body is alert but yet comfortable.

• During a meditation practice, the practitioner consciously places his awareness on a mantra or the natural breath.

• During a meditation practise, many experience multiple states of consciousness within a single meditation. Many stay in the waking state of consciousness, where most of us spend the majority of our waking hours. In several meditation techniques though, are able to take you into transcendental consciousness and -sometimes - in higher states of consciousness.

Yoga Nidra

• During YN the practitioner is lying down to corpse pose, known as savasana, so that he can let go completely. Sometimes props come handy as they are used to reinforce the physical comfort in savasana such as eye pillows, pillows under the knees, blankets etc.

• The practice is highly guided and directs the awareness to specific parts of the body through a systematic process. The fact that it is a guided practise, makes it easier to relax and stay or cultivate focus.

• The state of consciousness during the practice is that of Delta waves. Drifting on and off between consciousness and sleep, you can reach the dream state while being awake. That is the main reason where it is believed that YN is such a restorative practice for the body.

If you are interested in exploring a relaxation practice (and especially interested in reaping the rewards,) try both practices to find out which one suits you the best. You may find that different moods or situations call for different practices. If you’re new to meditation and find yourself getting frustrated or having difficulty meditating, ΥΝ may be a good place to start.