Yoga nidra is a state of dynamic sleep in which one appears to be asleep, but the consciousness is functioning at a deeper level of awareness. In this state, there is deep relaxation with alertness and inner awareness. It was first formulated by Swami Satyananda Saraswati in the 1960s, deduced from the ancient philosophy of Nyasa
Why Yoga Nidra and how does it work?
Yoga nidra is a systematic method of relaxation inducing complete physical, mental and emotional restoration. Sleep rests the body but yoga nidra rests both body and mind. It is said that 1 hour of yoga nidra is equivalent to 4 hours of deep sleep.
Yoga nidra performs two beneficial functions. It removes fatigue and invigorates the body. The stresses and strains of daily life create tensions and these rob the mind of its serenity. Yoga nidra removes tensions and restores the elasticity of your mind.
In yoga nidra the relaxation achieved at the physical, mental and emotional levels removes psychological blockages, which may release energy to the dormant centres of the brain, leading to the utilization of the maximum capacity of the brain. Yoga nidra can therefore be used to develop intellect, memory, concentration, creativity and other mental faculties. Researches also indicate that yoga nidra can be used as a therapeutic technique to cure psychological disorders like anxiety, hostility, insomnia etc. and psychosomatic diseases like asthma, coronary heart disease, cancer, hypertension etc.
In the practice of yoga nidra, the body sleeps but the mind remains awake listening to the instructions. In psychology, the state achieved in yoga nidra is termed the hypnogogic state, a state between sleep and wakefulness. Expansion of awareness in this state helps to develop the contact with the subconscious mind, which is the storehouse of all wisdom, knowledge, intuition and willpower. When we talk of drawing out the best from within, it is the subconscious mind which needs to be explored in order to have access to that knowledge. This can be done by completely relaxing the conscious mind, which can be best achieved through yoga nidra.
Stages of Yoga Nidra
The practice of yoga nidra is divided into the following 8 stages:
Internalization: Yoga nidra is performed in Shavasana with eyes closed. Closing the eyes eliminates sight stimuli. The mind is then directed towards awareness of external sounds which it will ultimately lose interest in, so become automatically quiet - a method known as antar mouna. The first part of yoga nidra prepares the mind for the practice and is important in initiating the process of physical relaxation.
Sankalpa: When the body and mind are relaxed, then the practitioner is instructed to take a resolve according to his or her own wish. The sankalpa should be short, clear and positive and repeated three times mentally, with full determination, conviction and confidence.
Rotation of consciousness: In the third stage, the awareness is rotated around the different body parts in a systematic and organized manner. The practitioner is instructed to remain aware, to listen to the instructions and to move the mind very rapidly according to the instructions without making any physical movements. The rotation of awareness in yoga nidra follows a definite sequence: right side of the body, beginning with the right hand thumb and ending with the little toe of the right foot; left side of the body, from the left hand thumb to the little toe of the left foot; back of the body, from the heels to the back of the head; and lastly the front of the body, from the forehead and individual facial features to the legs.
Breath awareness: In this stage, one simply becomes aware of the natural breath without making an attempt to change the flow of the breath. One may become aware of the breath by watching it in the nostrils, chest, and abdomen, or in the passage between the navel and the throat. The practitioner becomes aware of each incoming and outgoing breath by counting them mentally.
Manifestation of opposites: In this stage, the physical or emotional sensations are recalled, intensified and experienced fully. Usually this is practiced with pairs of opposite feelings or sensations like heat and cold, heaviness and lightness, pain and pleasure, love and hate, and so on. This practice helps to balance out past memories.
Creative visualization: In the stage of visualization, the awareness is taken to the dark space in front of the closed eyes, referred to as chidakasha in yogic terminology. The practitioner is then instructed to visualize some objects, stories or situations with happy & joyous moments.
Sankalpa: Once again the sankalpa, taken in stage two, is repeated mentally three times in this stage with full dedication, faith and optimism.
Externalization: The final part of yoga nidra where awareness is brought back from the subtle state of psychic sleep to a waking state. The practitioner is asked to become aware of the external sounds, objects and people and then to slowly move the body parts and stretch the body.
What are the benefits and who should practice?
In today's world, human life has become very fast, hectic and demanding. When we are unable to make a proper adjustment according to the demands of the situation, a state of negative stress or distress develops in our personality, which manifests into mental or psychological problems. In most people, the mind always remains in a state of arousal and tension. Yoga nidra, as a technique of pratyahara, not only provides relaxation to the body and mind but also has a number of benefits:
Minimizes tension - In the practice of yoga nidra, especially in rotation of consciousness and breath awareness, the mind is relaxed, thereby releasing the mental tensions. In this way, through the regular and sincere practice of yoga nidra, tensions at the physical, emotional and mental level can be minimized.
Trains the mind: The sankalpa taken in each session of yoga nidra is perhaps the most effective technique for training the mind. Swami Satyananda (1998) says, "anything in life can fail you, but not the sankalpa made during yoga nidra". The sankalpa helps in training the mind because it is planted when the mind is relaxed and ready to absorb and accept it. The essential thing is that the resolve should be planted with strong willpower and feeling.
Clears up the unconscious: During the practice of yoga nidra, the instructor asks the practitioner to visualize certain symbols and images with a witnessing attitude. The practice of visualization brings the unconscious repressed desires, experiences, conflicts and frustrations to the conscious level and then cuts off the personal identification with those experiences. As a result, the unconscious is cleared up.
Awakens creativity: When the mind is totally relaxed, the awareness slowly enters the deeper realms (subconscious and unconscious) of the mind and the person becomes aware of the creative and intuitive faculties.
Manages psychosomatic diseases: When the tensions, conflicts and frustrations of the mind manifest in the form of physical symptoms, those diseases are termed as psychosomatic diseases. Yoga nidra aims at releasing the suppressed and repressed conflicts from the unconscious, thereby relaxing the mind. When the potent cause of psychosomatic disorders is managed, the disease can also be cured.
Enhances memory and learning capacity: Brings extraordinary improvement in the absorption and retention of information from external sources as well as the internal knowledge within one's own mind.
Manages psychological disorders: In the practice of yoga nidra, the inherent tendency to become tense is rooted out and the individual starts viewing the situation as less demanding. Yoga nidra acts as a non-chemical tranquilizer that quickly removes insomnia and induces deep sleep.
Cancer and yoga nidra: As a technique of meditation, yoga nidra can be adopted as a therapeutic model in the treatment of cancer. In cancer therapy yoga nidra works at four different levels:
Releasing repressed matter: In the state of complete relaxation patients practice the technique of visualization, which helps in bringing up the repressed unconscious matter to the present area of awareness and slowly the reinforcing factor of cancer is rooted out.
Pranic healing: In the practice of yoga nidra, the subtle life-force energy, prana, is awakened and mobilized throughout the body. The practitioner is asked to consciously imagine the flow of light or energy within healing the infected area of the body. Slowly this conscious imagination activates the dormant self-healing capacity and actual healing takes place in the patient.
Mental healing: The cancer is visualized shrinking in size; an army of white blood cells is visualized fighting the cancer cells. This results in the activation of dormant mental power i.e. the power of the unconscious to heal the infected part. When the body is visualized to be in perfect health again and again, the inherent potency of the mind actually starts healing the cancer.
Promoting willpower: To overcome cancer, enormous willpower and sustained endurance is needed. For this purpose, sankalpa is practised in yoga nidra. The sankalpa helps in building up willpower and optimism in the patient because it is sowed in the subconscious and unconscious mind again and again.
In this way, by developing confidence, willpower and optimism, by clearing up the unconscious repression, and by healing the cancer site at the pranic and mental levels, yoga nidra may help to cure cancer.
Yoga nidra rejuvenates the whole human organism on all levels- physical, pranic and mental.How to practice?
Yoga nidra is a practice which generally lasts for 20 to 40 minutes. You can practice at any time during the day or night, except immediately after meals.
Yoga nidra is actually a very simple practice. Practically everyone can do it after a little training. If you do not have access to an instructor or guru, you can learn it from a recording.
Before starting, choose a quiet room and close the windows and doors. Minimize distractions by making sure the clothing and atmospheric conditions are comfortable. Then lie down in shavasana and listen to whatever the voice is instructing. Go on following the instructions mentally. No concentration, no pranayama, only listening and following the instructions mentally. A preparatory round of asanas and pranayamas or 'trataka' will increase the efficacy if practised before yoga nidra.
The important point in yoga nidra is that you must not allow yourself to fall asleep. Before practice, repeat to yourself, 'I am going to relax completely, but I will not sleep'. This resolution can be repeated at various times throughout the practice. Sleep is very difficult to control in yoga nidra because one becomes so relaxed. The essence of yoga nidra is awareness. You have to maintain awareness from moment to moment.
To sum up, the technique of yoga nidra has preventive, promotive and curative value. It prevents stress and stress-related disorders by inducing deep physical, emotional and mental relaxation, by training the mind to remain calm and quiet and by rooting out the repressed desires and thoughts from the deeper realms of the mind. As a promotive science, yoga nidra awakens the inherent creativity and promotes the learning and memory abilities of the practitioner. In our present modern lifestyle, where psychological and psychosomatic problems are on the rise, the technique of yoga nidra is a real boon for mankind.
Source - Bihar School of Yoga
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