Yoga Nidra: The total relaxation
Yoga Nidra literally means Yogic Sleep. It is a conscious form of Deep Sleep. Yoga Nidra leads to unbelievable clarity, along with a state of bliss and calmness. It is one of the deepest forms of meditation, bringing one to a state of awareness after passing through various levels of mental processes, till one reaches a level of supreme insight and stillness.
Yoga Nidra was first practiced by the ancient sages of India. While it does provide total relaxation, they used it to explore the ‘Samskaras’ or deep impressions, which are the driving force behind our actions or karma. This profound practice was also used in order to achieve ultimate enlightenment.
There are three level of consciousness – Waking, Dreaming and Deep Sleep.
During Meditation, one remains in a waking state of consciousness. You gently focus your mind, letting images, sensations, emotions and thought patterns to come to the surface. Then these distractions fade away and you are totally relaxed, but you are still in the waking state.
When practicing Yoga Nidra, you go beyond the waking and the dreaming state and reach Deep Sleep, yet paradoxically you remain alert, conscious and awake. Yoga Nidra is the state of conscious Deep Sleep, where you totally empty your mind. It is not, as some believe, the transition between Waking and Dreaming. If you are Dreaming, then you have not achieved Deep Sleep.
But Meditation and Yoga Nidra are used together to achieve this highest experience of pure consciousness.
Benefits: Yoga Nidra has many benefits.
Technique: After doing some specific asanas (postures), one has to lie on her/his back in the relaxed posture of the Corpse pose (Shavasana). Shut your eyes lightly, keep arms at the side, leaving the fingers loose and the palm facing upwards. Breathe naturally and quietly.
Yoga Nidra was first practiced by the ancient sages of India. While it does provide total relaxation, they used it to explore the ‘Samskaras’ or deep impressions, which are the driving force behind our actions or karma. This profound practice was also used in order to achieve ultimate enlightenment.
There are three level of consciousness – Waking, Dreaming and Deep Sleep.
During Meditation, one remains in a waking state of consciousness. You gently focus your mind, letting images, sensations, emotions and thought patterns to come to the surface. Then these distractions fade away and you are totally relaxed, but you are still in the waking state.
When practicing Yoga Nidra, you go beyond the waking and the dreaming state and reach Deep Sleep, yet paradoxically you remain alert, conscious and awake. Yoga Nidra is the state of conscious Deep Sleep, where you totally empty your mind. It is not, as some believe, the transition between Waking and Dreaming. If you are Dreaming, then you have not achieved Deep Sleep.
But Meditation and Yoga Nidra are used together to achieve this highest experience of pure consciousness.
Benefits: Yoga Nidra has many benefits.
- It gives one total physical, emotional and mental relaxation.
- It helps one to de-stress.
- It helps to improve the life of those suffering from chronic degenerative diseases.
- It helps to melt away negative thoughts and deep impressions, and helps to create positive and good ones.
- When one is in a state of Yoga Nidra, the mind becomes more receptive and creative, enabling one to enhance learning abilities. Languages or any other subjects which are introduced in this state are quickly picked up.
- Yoga Nidra has also been effectively used by corporates for total relaxation, stress relief and to be more creative and receptive regarding their problem-solving skills.
Technique: After doing some specific asanas (postures), one has to lie on her/his back in the relaxed posture of the Corpse pose (Shavasana). Shut your eyes lightly, keep arms at the side, leaving the fingers loose and the palm facing upwards. Breathe naturally and quietly.