What is Yoga Nidra?
Do you have trouble sleeping?
Do you wake up in the middle of the night with a mind full of thoughts?
Do you feel sluggish in the morning and have a hard time getting moving?
Then a Yoga Nidra Practice may be for you.
Just what is a yoga nidra practice?
I was sitting in a Yoga Teacher Training a few years ago, and the instructor said, “Tonight we will end with a yoga nidra practice.” All the adults around me started getting excited and happy like someone said, “Tonight I will take you all on a exotic journey to a beautiful destination.” I had never experienced yoga nidra before, but I had heard a lot about it. After that first experience I felt like I was taken on an exotic journey to a beautiful destination, to my self.
The practice of yoga nidra is simple to do, lay down in a comfortable place and listen as someone guides you through a visualization/mediation/relaxation practice. The goal is to not fall asleep, but to go in to a deep relaxation, a deep yoga sleep, and come back out again. Nidra means “sleep” in Sanskrit, and while some may use a yoga nidra to fall asleep at night, it’s best to practice during the day to promote better, restful sleep at night.
For me, practicing a yoga nidra is like taking a journey of the self through the self to the self. All of the different layers of ourselves become one true self, and there is no separation just me. I like to practice yoga nidra during times of high stress or after having a few unrestful nights of sleep. During the Full Moon is one of those times, I always have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or going back to sleep on a waxing Full Moon. Yoga Nidra helps.
Check out these articles to learn more about Yoga Nidra:
5 Benefits of Yoga Nidra [Yoga International]
How Yoga Nidra Benefits Mind & Body [Yoga Journal]
How Yoga Nidra Works [Huffpost]
The yoga nidra experience.
It can be difficult to explain what happens during a yoga nidra practice, which are longer than guided relaxation practices. A yoga nidra can last anywhere from 15-45 minutes of laying some place comfortable, a 30 minute practice can be equal to 2 hours of sleep. While listening to a well trained guide, you are lead through breath awareness, body awareness, and then a deeper awareness of your inner self. Sometimes you can hear every single word the guide says, or sometimes you can drop in to a deep sleep and wake up feeling refreshed.
During a Full Moon when I have trouble sleeping, I like to practice a yoga nidra that guides me through a Deep Tension Release of the body. A deep tension release is where you focus on a particular body part and tense it up, then release it and relax. Children also havng trouble sleeping, and also hold tension in their bodies, and this practice might help them relax and find a more restful night of sleep.
One of my favorite yoga nidra guides is a dear friend, Miranda Peterson owner and founder of Namaste in Nature. She had an excellent Full Moon Yoga Nidra. You can find out more about her experiences with yoga nidra here.
A yoga nidra practice may not be for everyone
Over the past year or so, I have turned to yoga nidra to aid my response to stressful situations. It has been a beneficial practice that I integrate in to my daily life. For me it is relaxing, refreshing, and brings me to a deep sense of self and wellbeing. However, a yoga nidra practice may not be for everyone. Adults and children that have had experience with trauma need to practice with caution and with a highly trained yoga nidra guide. Taking a journey to the deep subconscious levels of the brain can bring up intense emotions, unwanted thoughts, and painful experiences. Please make responsible choices and practice yoga nidra safety and with a trusted guide.
But if all goes well, have a great time on your yoga nidra journey! I’m off to practice right now so that I can have a better night of sleep tonight!!
Ms. Brandon, RCYT, RYT500, holds a Master's degree in Special Education from Western Carolina University, is a highly qualified educator, and has 20 years' experience working with children and children with special needs.
