Why & How To Practice Yoga Nidra

“Falling asleep is one of life’s great pleasures. Even sweeter is falling almost asleep and lingering there in a blissful state of total relaxation.
This is the world of Yoga Nidra.”

If you haven't tried Yoga Nidra before, trust me you are in for a real treat!

It has quickly become one of my most cherished yoga practices and one of my favourite things to share. Why?

Well, firstly because we live in a society where being "too busy" has been celebrated for most of our lives and now we are all stressed out with everything we need to do/can't do/are expected to do. We all need way more rest than we are getting. 

Our body needs time in ‘maintenance mode’ to repair and heal properly. This you probably know already. It's why good quality sleep is so important. 

But what happens when we aren’t getting enough quality sleep, and/or we start to accumulate more stress and tension than what can be dissolved overnight? In a world that profits from our fear and stress - that happens a lot more than you might think! 

Day by day, week by week our body is absorbing more and more stress, creating a backlog of tension, unprocessed emotions and unresolved trauma.

We become run down, fatigued, overwhelmed and burnt out.

And it’s not our fault!

We live in a hectic modern world, where busy-ness has been so celebrated, we’re almost wired to think of ourselves as lazy for doing nothing.
But we need to do nothing!

Not only to deeply rest and heal but to teach ourselves how to be wholly present with what arises moment to moment. Without attaching our happiness or self worth to it, and without resisting or reacting either. To allow ourselves to just be.

And this is where Yoga Nidra can help us.

Yoga Nidra, often called "yogic sleep," is one of the most profound relaxation techniques you can do. It brings you to the state of consciousness between wakefulness and sleep, which is where the body is most able to heal itself. This has been tested and proven in many studies since the 1960's when the practice was first brought to the West by Swami Satyananda.

When we can lay still, fully relaxed and feel beyond the stress and tension that has become our 'normal' we can begin to experience wholeness as a felt sense. We can actually feel 'wellbeing' It stops being an abstract thing we are told to strive for!

When we are able to fully experience relaxation and wellbeing, we can then let go of the idea that we are separate from, incomplete or lacking in any way. We then move through our lives with less fear and stress, and from a place of wholeness and worthiness… And then my friends the whole universe opens up to us.

We start living more intentionally and we are less reactive. 

We are able to manifest what it is we truly want our lives to be.

Wow! Sounds like magic right? 

Surely it must be difficult to do?

Actually, not at all. Which is probably also why I love it so much! 

Yoga Nidra is a guided meditation where you lay down, listen and feel. It may be difficult for the mind to stop racing at first and that’s totally normal. If you haven’t properly rested for a while the body may need a few try’s to remember how!! 

So How To Practice Yoga Nidra? 

First remember this -

The more we do the deeper we go!

This truly is key to you developing this tool and reinforcing the relaxation response in the body. 

When we can start to drop in faster - the deeper we will go, and the more time we have in practice to start shifting our internal world to a more balanced and peaceful, loving state.

Turn off the phone and be in a place free from distractions. You can set a gentle alarm if you worry you will fall asleep.

Traditionally we practice laying down on our back - but not everyone likes to do it this way and that is ok. The idea is to be as comfortable a possible. If that means laying on your side or sitting against the wall please do.

Use any blankets and pillows needed to create maximum comfort - although if you often fall asleep in yoga nidra - maybe a good idea to practice on the floor and not inside your bed!

Pillows under the knees are great for letting the back relax fully and eye pillows/masks are good for resting the eyes.

Closing your eyes will of course stop distractions and enable you to fully focus your attention inward. But if that doesn’t feel safe for you, you don’t have to. But do try to soften the eyelids and your gaze - This moves you out of an alert state.

Although physical stillness is a component of the practice, If at any time you need to adjust your body, please do. It can often be more distracting not to scratch that itch! 

Remember - you always have full autonomy and authority over your own body in any practice you do. Living with a Warrior's heart is listening to and trusting yourself first. 

When starting any new practice it’s also really important to remember the 3 C’s!

Curiosity

Compassion

aCCeptance 😉

Allow yourself to get curious on how you’re feeling, and what is coming forward in your experience. Don't stress about getting it right. Think of how a child learns a new game. They have a real sense of wonder and awe. It's just yoga! Try not to judge yourself for what does and doesn’t happen, or what you do/don’t do. 

Always practice observing your experience and your thoughts, feelings and sensations through a lens of acceptance and self compassion. Notice when you are bing a little critical and and maybe say to yourself my most favourite phrase...

"Oh, how very human of me!"