Human body needs three types of relaxation - Physical, Mental and Metaphysical.
Sleep provides us physical relaxation, For mental relaxation one must practice Yoga Nidra is a powerful and systematic method to achieve complete physical, mental and emotional relaxation. Yoga Nidra derives its name from two words- Yoga and Nidra.
The term Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word "Yuj" which means union or to join together – to unite into one integral whole. If the core meaning of Yoga is understood, it indicates one pointed awareness where everything gets merged into one consciousness. It is the union of individual energy and universal energy.
Nidra is a Sanskrit term which means "sleep". In yoga nidra, one appears to be asleep but the consciousness continues functioning at a deeper level of awareness. For this reason only, Yoga Nidra is sometimes referred to as psychic sleep or deep relaxation with inner awareness.
Yoga Nidra is a state between sleep and wakefulness. One of its major objectives is to provide deep relaxation by turning inwards, away from the outer experiences. This is achieved by dissociating mind and mental awareness from the senses.
When the consciousness is separated from external awareness and from sleep, it becomes extraordinarily powerful that can achieve anything including physical, mental and emotional wellbeing, unfailing memory, knowledge, creativity and a transformed life as a whole.
The ultimate goal of Yoga Nidra is to achieve a state of samadhi (intense concentration), enlightenment, or bliss.
During Yoga Nidra practice, the consciousness is in a state between wakefulness and sleep. Modern psychology calls this state, “Hypnagogic state,” the state immediately before falling asleep. In this state, the mind is exceptionally receptive. It means, the mind accepts anything given to it and then accomplishes it in real life.
When the consciousness is connected to all the senses, the mind's receptivity is less due to the process of intellectualization. We try to reason out everything that we receive which makes it difficult for the knowledge to go deep into the subconscious mind and impress it upon there. But when you withdraw your intellect a little bit and enter into a state where you are neither in deep sleep nor fully awake, whatever impression you give to your mind, it is received fully and also stays there and becomes more powerful. Yoga Nidra thus can transform our lives as per our own wishes that we express in the form of resolve (Sankalpa) we do during Yoga Nidra Practice.
Yoga nidra has been used since ages for directing the mind to accomplish anything. This is the secret of the extraordinary accomplishments of the great Indian saints now available to everyone. Let’s have a look at some of the accomplishments that can be achieved through Yoga Nidra:
Yoga Nidra gives deep relaxation to our bodies.
Conventional sleep can only relax the mind and senses but Yoga Nidra is blissful, it relaxes the soul, the inner self leading to superhuman efficiency and energy (1 hour of Yoga Nidra is equal to 4 hours of conventional sleep!)
It establishes harmony between our body and mind.
It alleviates psychosomatic diseases by focussing on somatic (bodily) experiences and thus bridging the mind-body dichotomy.
It relieves tensions accumulated in the three layers of our body- muscular, emotional and mental.
It heals and rejuvenates overtaxed tissues, glands and organs.
It also brings emotional stability which leads to better relationship with self and others
It enables us to receive intuitions from the unconscious mind.
The intuitions received during Yoga Nidra provides answers to our problems that lie within us.
This state of Yoga Nidra is a source of artistic inspiration.
It is also the source of creative scientific discoveries. History is full of examples where great scientists and inventors solved difficult questions during a state when they were neither awake or asleep.
Yoga Nidra leads to a peaceful and meaningful life.
When the whole procedure of Yoga Nidra is followed, the consciousness no longer emotionally identifies with the mind and body and thus you become one with divine consciousness.
The practice of Yoga Nidra generally lasts for 20 to 40 minutes. There are separate Yoga Nidra techniques for those looking for relieving health issues and others who are seeking the spiritual side of Yoga.
Yoga Nidra is a simple practice which gets started by lying down in ‘Shavasana’ (The Corpse Pose).
After lying down in shavasana, you then follow the audio recorded which can be provided by Guruspeak team for subscribed members. Please do not attempt to instruct yourself mentally for doing Yoga Nidra because then you become mentally active and start analyzing.In doing so, the purpose of Yoga Nidra gets lost which is to dissociate the mind from senses.
A Sankalpa or resolve is chosen just before the main part of Yoga Nidra is done which is the rotation of consciousness through the different parts of the body.
After repeating your resolve firmly in your mind, you have to then just listen to the voice and move the mind very rapidly according to the instructions. For example, when the instructor says, “right hand thumb”, repeat it mentally and think about your right hand thumb and move on to the next body part as instructed by the voice.
After the body parts, awareness is then rotated to breath, feelings and sensations depending upon the purpose of Yoga Nidra practice.
You are then made to visualize images named by the instructor. This is done only in some longer versions of Yoga Nidra practice.
The practice of Yoga Nidra is ended with the resolve again.
Finally, the practice of Yoga Nidra is concluded by gradually bringing the mind from the condition of psychic sleep to the waking state.
Despite its name being Nidra, the most important aspect in Yoga Nidra procedure is to refrain from sleep. Remember, it’s a state between sleep and wakefulness! Falling asleep means losing the awareness, the very thing you aim for during Yoga Nidra.
References:
https://corrosion-doctors.org/Dreaming%20is%20Personal/Nidra.htm
https://www.yogawithdev.com/what-is-yoga.html
https://www.yogapedia.com/definition/5711/nidra