Yoga Nidra is a magical apply that’s usually translated as “yogic sleep.” Yogic sleep sounds fairly good, however what’s Yoga Nidra precisely?
It’s an attention-grabbing apply that has roots relationship again 1000’s of years. When 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 seek out out all the pieces about this mystical yogic sleep meditation and the way to correctly apply it.
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What Is Yoga Nidra?
This easy, restorative apply is a guided meditation that lulls you right into a state of semi-consciousness. By 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 mentioned {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 persistently 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, transferring you thru completely different levels of consciousness.
Through gently guided rest methods, Yoga Nidra forces you to decelerate, relax, and inevitably restore.
Craving a distinct kind of guided meditation? Do that Guided Pranayama and Mindfulness Meditation for a Calm and Peaceable Thoughts (Video)
The Historical past of Yoga Nidra
Yoga Nidra is alleged to be as previous 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 alleged to be one of many first fashionable yoga academics that actually employed the apply of Yoga Nidra along with his pupils.
Much more modernly, Richard Miller (a yoga trainer who has pioneered the thought 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 house from battle with Submit 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 degree of want for motion. The research discovered decreased blood circulation within the prefrontal, cerebellar, and subcortical areas of the mind whereas topics had been practising Yoga Nidra. (These elements of the mind are believed to be related to motion.)
The research confirmed elevated dopamine launch in the course of the Yoga Nidra meditation, which was additionally related to the expertise of lowered readiness for motion.
One other research discovered that Yoga Nidra elevated coronary heart fee variability (HRV), which is commonly utilized as an index of autonomic nervous system steadiness and, subsequently, is a powerful indicator of general well being.
Yoga Nidra has been studied scientifically with many promising outcomes that present numerous advantages.
One other research measured the consequences of a Yoga Nidra apply on college college students’ vanity and stress ranges. The findings indicated that Yoga Nidra might alleviate primary life stresses and enhance general vanity.
One other research measured mind exercise throughout Yoga Nidra and located that topics had been in a deeply relaxed state (just like the mind state of sleep) whereas practising. What’s attention-grabbing is that these outcomes additionally discovered members to be in utterly conscious states whereas concurrently on this deep rest.
Additional research have discovered Yoga Nidra to assist cut back stress, enhance ache administration, address sexual assault, cut back drug dependancy relapse, and extra.
Observe These 7 Steps to Observe Yoga Nidra:
Conventional Yoga Nidra follows particular steps to achieve the deeply restorative semi-conscious state. The next are typical steps of a Yoga Nidra apply.
1. Set Up Your House
It’s essential to get as comfy as doable when practising Yoga Nidra, so arrange your area nevertheless you might want 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 you might want to to be able to get actually comfy as you lie down to arrange in your apply.
Soften comfortably right into a yoga mat, sofa, or mattress in order that the place of your physique received’t distract you throughout your apply.
2. Create a Sankalpa
A sankalpa is an intention, and it’s one thing that you just in all probability already use in your asana apply.
Convey your consciousness to no matter it’s that your coronary heart wishes or what you hope to realize from this apply. Perhaps you plan to domesticate hope or prosperity, or perhaps your intention is just 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 may possibly develop into the point of interest of your meditation.
The Energy of Sankalpa: Right here’s All the pieces You Must Know About Setting Intentions in Yoga
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.
Pratyahara Defined: The Fifth Limb of the Yoga Sutras and the First Step Towards Meditation
So systematically transfer by your physique and sense every a part of it. Expertise the sensations of your proper huge 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 entire 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 refined elements of your self.
4. Draw Your Consciousness to Your Breath
Really feel the actions of your breath. Really feel your physique respiratory 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 by you. By drawing deeper into the subtleties of your physique, you progress farther and farther into deeper levels of Pratyahara.
As you comply with the ebb and circulation of your breath, let its rhythm lull you right into a semi-conscious state.
Study extra about Prana: Demystifying Life Pressure Power
5. Turn out to be Conscious of Your Ideas and Emotions
Turn out to be the conscious observer and easily discover ideas and emotions as they come up. With out judgement, merely acknowledge what passes by your thoughts – whether or not consciously or not.
Keep away from dwelling on anybody thought or feeling that arises. Merely watch the cascade of ideas go by your thoughts.
6. Expertise and Observe
Take discover of what has arisen from this entire expertise. Turn out 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 higher consciousness past your self.
7. Mindfully Resurface
While you’re prepared, slowly and mindfully return to a state of heightened acutely aware consciousness. Observe your personal tempo to reawaken and reorient to your waking life.
Pause for a second to mirror again in your sankalpa and to seek out gratitude in your apply earlier than transferring on along with your day.
In search of extra deeply restorative practices? Attempt These 4 Restorative Yoga Poses to Loosen up Your Physique and Thoughts
What Is Yoga Nidra? The Takeaway on Yogic Sleep
The apply of Yoga Nidra is undoubtedly helpful to the physique, breath, and thoughts. By practising this soothing meditation, you would possibly end up feeling extra rested, alert, or consciously conscious.
Subsequent, learn: These 8 Advantages of Yoga Nidra Will Make You Need to Observe ASAP
Give the apply a try to see how you’re feeling. You simply might discover that Yoga Nidra is your new favourite model of stress-relieving, restorative meditation.
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