YOGA NIDRA AND ITS BENEFITS
3 Sep 2019 HYN Himalayan Yoga Academy
Yoga Nidra also known as sleepless sleep is the correct name for a form of yoga that is often referred to as yogic sleep. It is a yoga practice that offers the finest physical and spiritual benefits and is not difficult to learn. This article will teach you more about the practice so that you can explore it for yourself. Further about YOGA NIDRA AND ITS BENEFITS
Savasana Pose (Corpse Pose)
To begin your Yoga Nidra journey, you first need to assume the corpse pose or Shavasana as it is known in Sanskrit. This is lying flat on the floor on your back, with your hands resting in a relaxed position at the sides of the body. Do not try and hold or pose your arms simply let them fall away from you. If you need to place a thin blanket under your head to make it more comfortable that is fine, a yoga mat makes the floor a little more forgiving. As you do not want to get cold, you may also want to cover the body with a blanket. If you cannot manage to lie on the floor, you can practice Yoga Nidra in a seated position or failing that then use a bed to support your body.
Totally Relax & Listen
The process of Yoga Nidra involves quietening the mind and listening to the inner voice. It is a process of inner exploration, and you need to guard against allowing the inner chatter to distract you. Be sure that your mind is quiet and allow your focus to take a journey. It doesn’t matter if you fall asleep as the unconscious mind will still gain from the practice. Your guide, whether you are in a class or listening to a recorded meditation is there to help you keep your mind in focus, but you might not even hear parts of it as you go deeper into meditation. This is also fine. You can use any length of meditation that fits your time schedule if you are practicing at home but remember the importance of this time is so precious you should guard against squeezing in five minutes as opposed to bumping something less important so you can spend an hour on your Yoga Nidra.
Open Mind & Feel the Nature
You may be surprised by what you can learn about yourself and what comes up when you start the practice of Yoga Nidra. It is a very safe space, and the brain is more likely to relax and allow the subconscious to release things, or tackle issues that have been causing stress. In other cases, the benefit simply comes from the profound sense of relaxation and the healing that takes place when the body is allowed to transcend into this space. It is like unplugging the mind from the mainframe computer of life and taking this break to escape the constant barrage of information that comes from modern life. The more you practice Yoga Nidra, the more your mind will learn to be disassociated from stress when it is happening which is also much healthier.