I discovered Yoga Nidra during my 200h YTT back in 2019 and I was absolutely hooked. A full wave of total and ultimate relaxation. Permission to be still and be guided in meditation.
What I love about about Yoga Nidra is that it is accessible for everyone! A yoga practice that can be easily incorporated into your daily life (and no handstands required!) The perk of Yoga Nidra - that we may not find in meditation for example - is that it's always guided and therefore makes it easier to follow along.
Through guided meditation, the practice aims to keep you fully awake and aware while at the same time, extremely relaxed and moving in and out of consciousness.
It has incredible benefits for anyone who finds themselves struggling from trauma, anxiety, or lack of sleep and holds healing power for those looking for a deeper feeling of peace and to re-connect with themselves.
Yoga Nidra helps guide us to a restful state, a place where we can heal and awaken our inner beings. Inviting an expansion of our own self-awareness.
What does Yoga Nidra mean?
The Sanskrit term Yoga Nidra translates to mean ‘yogic sleep’, a deep relaxation and meditation method. Sleepy yoga :) It is a state somewhere between sleep and waking when the body is rested and relaxed, as the awareness turns inward through listening to a guided meditation. The idea is to bring you into a deep state where our mind and senses relax. As this happens our brain activity is reducing, and our bodies enter a healing-like state. The body is able to release toxins on a cellular level, this helps to clear and refresh the mind and subconscious.
It is recommended to lie down in a comfortable position, this could be in savasana or in the most natural and balanced position for that person. The student is then guided through a specific script. The student may experience feelings of sleepiness as your mind and thoughts quieten and you reach a state of consciousness, somewhere in between sleep and awake. The body is in complete relaxation and your mind is awake.
Disclaimer: it is totally normal to fall asleep! Although it is recommended to remain awake and aware through Yoga Nidra, sometimes our body simply needs to fully rest.
Benefits of Yoga Nidra
As the individual enters a sleep-like state, their focus shifts to the third eye chakra to stimulate the hormones in the pineal gland. This then helps to release melatonin, our stress-reducing hormone, which in turn boosts our immune system. If the individual practices Yoga Nidra regularly this can promote better cognitive performance, clear the brain fog!
Some other benefits:
· Calms and soothes the nervous system
· Reduces pain
· Boosts cognitive function and creativity
· Reduces fatigue
· Rejuvenates the body
· Improves sleep
· Lowers blood pressure
This is a powerful practice that can enable the individual to better cope with the day-to-day stresses and triggers we experience.
It has the potential to promote healing through guided awareness toward our most authentic selves.
Looking to try out Yoga Nidra? Join my Sunday evening online yin restorative class at yogaloft.lu where I offer gentle yin postures and close the session with Yoga Nidra.
Be safe, and take care my lovelies.
Chloe Jane xx