“Yoga Nidra is a form of aware sleep — a state of consciousness between sleep and waking. It is a restorative, meditative practice that creates effortless relaxation by guiding you, step by step, deeper into your physical and inner landscape.”
― Raegan Robinson
Yoga Nidra
YOGA NIDRA is a powerful relaxation and meditation technique that induces a state of deep, but conscious physical, emotional and mental relaxation.
Yoga nidra literally means yogic sleep, often called as a conscious sleep where the practitioner begins to withdraw the senses and move the awareness from the external to the inner “world” to enter the deep state of conscious relaxation (between wakefulness and sleep).
The aim of yoga nidra is for the body to remain completely relaxed (asleep), but for the mind to stay alert and awake. It is a sleep with awareness where we can completely switch off our thoughts, let go of thoughts processing, problem-solving, connect deeply to the breath, deeply calm the body and mind on deeper levels and unite with the inner Self, accessing the subconscious mind of all aspects of Being.
Whilst relaxed on the floor I read a script to you. With no effort the script takes you through many brain training techniques that help to open the mind and your awareness by speaking to your subconscious mind. Our subconscious mind is where we store all our beliefs, conditioning, good/bad habits, big/small traumas we may have experienced, memories are all stored here. When we are in this relaxed state we increase the alpha waves, which are responsible for co-ordination, alternes, clarity, focus, calmness and for decreasing anxiety. We become extremely receptive to change, that we can enhance our neuropathways and rewire our brains from limiting believes, habits or behaviours. We can completely transform our outlook on life. Thus releasing mental, emotional and physical tensions stored in our mind and body.
YOGA NIDRA can be a very powerful practice to help us deal with stresses and triggers of everyday life, promote deep healing on all levels and even help to release deep-seated traumas and guide our awareness toward our most authentic, true Self.
We use SANKALPA ( also known as resolve or resolution) during the practice of Yoga Nidra.
Sankalpa is a short phrase in a positive language that is repeated in the subconscious mind when it is most receptive and sensitive to autosuggestion during the practice of yoga Nidra (at the beginning and the end). It should be something of immense importance to you, something that you would like to change or align in your life. Sankalpa can help you to have a direction in life along positive lines, help to reshape the negativity in your life, reshape your desires or even reshape your future.
The resolve can be compared to a seed planted in the subconscious mind at the start of the practice (when the mind is relaxed and ready to accept and absorb it) and watered towards the end. In both cases, it will be mentally repeated 3 times. For success, the Sankalpa needs to be planted with strong willpower, faith, conviction and feeling to bring about transformation and healing.
The more you practice Yoga Nidra and repeat the statement, the quicker you may feel the change to happen, however, it may be a very deep-rooted change that could take a while to feel, and that is ok. If you truly believe and want the change then it will happen. Take your time if you are unsure of what you may want as your Sankalpa. Something may come to you when you least expect it! If not, then you will still relax and enjoy all the benefits of a Yoga Nidra practice.
