"When the aspirant strengthens his practice of meditation and contemplation and learns to analyze and resolve all his desires, thoughts, and feelings through the practice of yoga-nidra, he attains a state in which he consciously learns to place his mind in deep rest." (Swami Rama)

Description

Nowadays, very few people can genuinely claim to live without some level of stress. We all know how to tense our minds and bodies in order to achieve certain professional and personal goals, but far less focus is placed on learning how to relax and achieve deep rest once the day is over, so we can start the next day anew, completely refreshed. Yet, in the complex world of today, facing new situations successfully every day relies on the ability to think creatively, to identify new solutions for new challenges. Achieving such flexibility is much easier if we can let go of old concerns that tie up our mind's focus, and face new situations with a fresh, calm and balanced mind. How can an ancient practice like yoga help with this?

The quick answer is 'in many ways', as different aspects of yoga act to release stress at different levels of personality. For example, yoga postures release stress in the physical body, breathing practices release deeper emotional stress, and so on. For an outline of various levels of personality and a holistic view on the relationship between health and spirituality, including the benefits of various yoga practices, please see here.

However, such problems are not really new, and the yoga system actually includes a practice that specifically teaches how to achieve the deepest possible rest. This practice is called 'Yoga Nidra'. In Sanskrit, 'Nidra' means sleep. Yoga Nidra is often translated as 'conscious sleep'. In other words, the practitioner sleeps, but s/he is fully conscious at the same time. The contradiction is only apparent, but regular, committed practice is necessary to reach that understanding. A complete explanation of the philosophy behind this technique can be found in Swami Rama's book "Enlightenment without God" (see suggested reading below). However, a true understanding of Yoga Nidra can only be achieved through regular, systematic practice.

Advanced yoga practitioners find Yoga Nidra, and not ordinary sleep, to be the most efficient and effective way of resting. The most efficient, because, for experienced practitioners, 10 minutes of Yoga Nidra achieve the same effect as 2 hours of regular sleep.  The most effective, because through ordinary sleep one does not achieve full rest, as when we wake up our worries, angers, and concerns for the future are back; whereas going through the proper Yoga Nidra process cleans up negative emotions that unnecessarily burden the mind and fully relaxes all levels of the psyche, so that one wakes up ready to face life with a completely fresh mind. In other words, the practitioner lets go of everything that is  'old' and 'stale' so that the 'new' and 'fresh' can enter his/her mind.

The technique also enables one to explore deeper levels of the unconscious mind that are usually not accessible. The term 'Yoga Nidra' actually refers to the state that is achieved through the proper method, but it became common to refer to the technique as 'Yoga Nidra', rather than the result of that technique.

There are many methods to achieve Yoga Nidra. Even more methods nowadays are being labeled 'Yoga Nidra' although their aim is not actually conscious sleep. Many of the latter type use visualizations, music, or even out-of-body projection. While such methods may be helpful for their practitioners, they are definitely not Yoga Nidra proper. Himalayan yogis developed this practice as a method to cleanse the conscious and unconscious mind of 'impurities', such as emotions, thought and desires that prevent spiritual development. The use of images, sounds or sankalpa (resolution statements), while sometimes helpful at first, eventually prevents one from reaching into the deeper levels of the mind.

After the practitioner is established in Yoga Nidra, one can start taking advantage of the many possible applications of the technique. Among these are self-healing and learning (e.g. foreign languages).

To experience Yoga Nidra, one may try the simple exercise provided at the end of the lecture titled "Yoga Nidra Refined Silence" (see suggested reading below), or the even simpler exercise following the link below, or come along to our classes. For contact details in Adelaide or Sydney, click here.

A Brief Form of Yoga Nidra

Key Benefits

• profound relaxation, at all levels (physical, emotional, mental, spiritual)

• deep rest

• self-exploration

• healing (application)

• learning (application)

Indications

• stress and stress-related conditions (psychological, psychosomatic)

• any health condition where relaxation is expected to benefit the patient (e.g. hypertension, back / neck pain, asthma)

• dealing with phobias, habit changes

• self-healing

• learning

Suggested reading

• Swami Rama (1988). Enlightenment without God. Honesdale, PA, Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy of the U.S.A.

• Swami Rama (1996). Path of Fire and Light - Vol.2. Honesdale, PA, Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy of the U.S.A.

• Yoga Nidra Refined Silence, by Swami Veda Bharati (Rishikesh, 2004).

Suggested listening

• Swami Veda Bharati (2010). "Yoga Nidra 3 Disc Set". Go to: http://www.swamiveda.org/html/dvd_library.php

See also:

• Joints and Glands
• Hatha Yoga
• Meditation

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Last modified: 12-May-2011