Sleep, Spiritual, Wellbeing

What is Yoga Nidrā?

Yoga Nidrā is made up of two words: Yoga in Sanskrit means union and Nidra means sleep.  Yoga Nidrā has also been known as: Yogic Sleep, Psychic Sleep, Sleep of the Buddhas, Dynamic Sleep/Rest. In academic circles, alongside practices like Hypnosis, it is also sometimes referred to as Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR).

In the context of Yoga Nidrā, sleep is not the same as we may think of when we take a nap.  It is sometimes referred to as “touching on the edge of sleep’” – that space in-between sleep and waking, known as the hypnogogic state.  We therefore don’t sleep in Yoga Nidrā because the person is fully aware of their surroundings.

Yoga Nidrā is found in ancient texts though there appears to be some discussion about how old it actually is, perhaps between 1700 years and 3000 years old (possibly even older).  It was popularised by Swami Satyananda Saraswati in the 20th Century.

Yoga Nidrā is a practice of slowing down, enabling calm and relaxation, though many teachers are careful to say that relaxation is a bi-product, rather than the purpose.  It can also be thought of as a type of self-care or self-nourishment.

Yoga Nidrā is for anyone, including children, teenagers, pregnant women and has been known to help with those who suffer with menstrual problems.  There has also been some evidence recently that it can help those suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder.  However, there is a focus on body parts (including tongue and eyes) in Yoga Nidrā so always check before you invest and speak to your healthcare team if you’re worried about engaging in any activity.   Most if not all Yoga Nidrā practices turn some form of attention to the body.

Sankalpa

This can mean resolve or intention, and seems to add an additional layer to this practise.  It can appear in the form of an ‘I’ statement of encouragement or affirmation, e.g. “I am healthy and happy” but it doesn’t have to be huge. It could be “I am making space for rest in this activity”.  This can appear twice during the Yoga Nidrā practice though some Yoga Nidrā teachers say the sankalpa is not necessary, even suggesting it may not appear in the original texts.

Stages of Yoga Nidrā

There are a number of different stages to this practise, and some teachers offer these differently though generally the principles seem the same.  The stages include: preparation, sankalpa (intention), rotation of consciousness (e.g. body scan), breath awareness, feeling of ‘opposites’ (e.g. awareness of emotions), visualisation, sankalpa (again), externalisation (e.g. coming back/returning to sense awareness).

Preparing for Yoga Nidrā

Most commonly this is practised in śavāsana, which is laying down on the floor, commonly on your back, with your legs open and relaxed, and with palms facing upwards (usually about 6 – 8 inches away from the body).

Try to make sure you are in as quiet as place as possible where you won’t be disturbed.  Ideally, you will be able to get in to śavāsana but it is possible to do this from a seated position (sitting is not ‘wrong’, it’s just that for dynamic rest laying down is optimal).  Wear something comfortable. If you are worried about your health and well-being, or are worried about the impact of a Yoga Nidrā practice (especially with awareness towards the body), speak to a professional before participating in any kind of activity.

Your Yoga Nidra Kit

In their book Yoga Nidrā Made Easy, Uma Dinsmore-Tuli and Nirlipta Tuli suggest:

  • a timer “to keep track of the timelessness”
  • you may prefer to use audio tracks (books often come with them or recommendations)
  • headphones are optional
  • time
  • space

You can use an audio recording/CD or find a video on YouTube if you have not yet found a teacher, but always check the quality of the teaching or resources before you invest.  In the case of audio/video, you may wish to watch first and try later.

What to Expect

If you notice as you do this activity, you have thoughts – the emphasis is very much on letting them come and go, maintaining an awareness of your surroundings. You may also notice:

– You may miss some of the instructions, this is absolutely fine though do your best to maintain awareness;

– a desire to fidget – If you need to move, just move.

– feeling emotional – it’s ok to cry.

Keep in mind, instructions tend to move very quickly between body parts so you are not expected to dwell in any one area.  The process is awareness, not thinking or concentrating. Mainly, we don’t judge these experiences; allow them to just pass through you.

“Whether you experience something or nothing in Yoga Nidrā it is completely right.  No experience is also an experience.  Whatever happens, I’m going to receive it.” – Samarthya Bhatnagar

Although considered an ancient practice, Yoga Nidrā is growing increasingly popular today, as a way to rest, relax and ‘be’ with your mind, body and soul; like mindfulness, it may even provide an opportunity to enhance your spiritual intelligence, particularly if you are able to rest on the edge of awareness and notice insights that this may provide (you may also find keeping a journal of your experiences helpful).

It may even help improve the quality of sleep you achieve and by extension improve your mental health and capacity to cope. Above all though, it should never be an activity that exacerbates stress or anxiety – it is intended for the complete opposite – so only do what’s right for you.

Delphi is the author of Answers In The Dark: Grief, Sleep and How Dreams Can Help You Heal, out now on Amazon and Hive.  You might also like Monday Mojo™. The Helping You Sparkle™ magazine is part of the Helping You Sparkle™ portfolio. References to third parties does not endorse their content. Please read these policies for details. 

© Delphi Ellis 2024 – please note this content may also appear elsewhere as promotional material for Answers In The Dark.