As many of you know from my posts on here and from reading the Healing Plan, Yoga Nidra was what set me off on my own path to healing. It was a necessary first step to calm the nervous system down before I could do anything else – and I continue to do it to this very day!
So, I was interested in this account of someone doing Yoga Nidra and thought it might help you if you are wondering about it. This is essentially ‘lying-down’ yoga – I can do that! A kind of conscious resting. It is bliss, I can tell you, and a very important part of the healing process for any chronic illness in my view.
I was stunned the first time I experienced yoga nidra (pronounced nih-drah). I didn’t know what hit me. Never before had I felt so deeply at ease, inside and out. It cut right through the upheaval and restlessness that had been plaguing me for ages.
Without effort, I was guided to an inner place of peace that somehow felt solid, yet spacious. Right then and there, I knew that I needed more, but I was afraid it was a fluke.
It wasn’t. Each time I practiced, I discovered new levels of replenishing relaxation and renewed energy that spilled over into my daily life.
This inspired me to learn as much as possible about yoga nidra. It kicked off years of study, practice, and the desire to share it with others. Recently, I even wrote a book about it, Yoga Nidra for Complete Relaxation and Stress Relief.
Yoga nidra means “yogic sleep,” and it’s generally done lying down.
It’s a comprehensive meditative practice for going far beyond deep relaxation and mindfulness to a place of natural peace and quiet that is tremendously healing for the body, mind, and spirit.
It can also be practiced at bedtime as a sleep aid. Layers of stress are cleared out so they don’t follow you to bed and disturb sleeping. In fact, while not a substitute for actual sleep, one hour of yoga nidra practice is equivalent to 4 hours of sleep. This is due to the types of brain waves experienced along the way.
The yoga nidra process makes it possible to clear out useless habits and bring about positive and permanent changes in your life by using a sankalpa during certain stages. A sankalpa is a special, self-selected resolve for setting an intention. Sample sankalpas are “I am courageous” or “I have abundance.” Other ones are “My life is worthwhile” or “I welcome happiness.” What you choose is up to you. Success is fortified by the fertile brain wave state experienced during yoga nidra and by staying with the same one from practice to practice until it becomes a reality and takes root. Consistency counts.
Yoga nidra can be used to gain mastery over physical body functions such as breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, metabolism, body temperature and brain waves. It can boost your immune system, decrease inflammation, and reduce pain. It clears the mind and helps concentration. It becomes faster and easier to bounce back from mood swings and emotional upsets. Creativity and intuition are stoked.
As with most worthwhile things, regular practice yields the best results.
Julie Lusk
I’ve not tried Julie’s work, I confess, but I’ve put the one I use on the Mind-Body Medicine section for you here. Please don’t add it to your basket as I don’t hold stock, just follow the link to get it, ta. (Not an affiliate link or anything by the way; I just love it ;))
I’m even actually thinking about producing my own – getting the lovely P to earn his keep as a voice over artist and voice one for me. I’ll keep you posted and share it if it is any good!