Maybe you have heard of Yoga Nidra and aren’t quite sure of what it is. Or, maybe this is the first time you have ever heard of it. Yoga Nidra means “yogic sleep” or “sleep with awareness” the practice leads you into a full-body relaxation and a deep meditative state of consciousness.
Yoga Nidra is a powerful meditation technique where the mind remains conscious during the normally “unconscious” state associated with deep sleep.
Practiced in the lying position, it is one of the most popular yoga meditation techniques because it induces a profoundly deep state of rest. It is effortless, enjoyable, soothing and recuperative.
As it is practiced today, Yoga Nidra is a technique that carries awareness deep into you, layer by layer. This process is called introversion, or pratyahara in Sanskrit. The pratyahara of Yoga Nidra induces deep relaxation.
Yoga Nidra takes your awareness deep into parts of you that you normally cannot access because of tensions. You systematically relax each part of your physical body and then move your awareness to the more subtle layers, your emotions and deeper mind, in order to relax those parts.
“Yoga Nidra is more then a systematic approach to total rejuvenation and healing,
it is a truly a gift to help you shape your destiny and live the richest life you can imagine.” ~ Yogarupa Rod Stryker.
Yoga Nidra has been studied in an array of clinical settings. Findings suggest that it is a remarkably effective method in the treatment of various afflictions:
sleep disorders
chronic pain
chemical dependency
anxiety
multiple sclerosis
low self-esteem
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
As we go through life, all experiences we have plant somewhere in both our physical body as well as our unconscious. These experiences can cause blocks in our lives and may manifest as disease, chronic pain, tightness, anxiety, depression, or a feeling of fear or being “stuck”.
The practice of Yoga Nidra helps to reduce unconscious tension and patterns that often stand in our way of us fulfilling our intentions and goals.
Leave a Reply