Yoga Nidra For Deep Relaxation PLUS Audio Download

14 May

Yoga Nidra is a deep relaxation technique. The translation is yoga sleep and it takes you to that level of consciousness just before you drop into sleep.

There are many different approaches to Yoga Nidra and it’s often confused with other relaxation and guided imagery techniques.

In their article in the International Journal of Yoga Therapy – No 23 (1) | 2013 the authors suggest that:

“[Yoga nidra] represents a state in which an individual demonstrates all the symptoms of deep, non-REM sleep, including delta brain waves, while simultaneously remaining conscious.”

Most Yoga Nidra practices include several stages to relax the body, mind and emotions. These steps may include (but are not limited to):

Intention
Body awareness
Breath awareness
Emotional awareness
Visualisation
“Waking up” or re-integration

The idea is that each step takes you deeper into an altered state of consciousness – that state between asleep and awake – where you’re fully conscious but your body and mind are fully at rest and ease.

Studies suggest the practice of Yoga Nidra can have promising effects on:

Sleep
Stress & anxiety
Depression
Chronic pain
Addiction
Psychological trauma & PTSD in eg victims of sexual assault & veterans
Self esteem & well being
Awareness & focus
Transforming negative habits, behaviours & ways of thinking

Practice Yoga Nidra at home…

These short Yoga Nidra practices from the Bihar Yoga Nidra book by Swami Satyananda Saraswati will help you start experiencing the technique before diving deeper into longer guided sessions.