Yoga nidra is also known as deep sleep. This help in deep relaxation. Yoga nidra is the fourth of five yoga states of consciousness. In the yoga nidra state, the consciousness is inactive. It is an ancient practice that is characterized by a series of mediation exercises that lead the yogi to a greater state of relaxation and an awareness of one's true self. Yoga nidra takes the practitioner through many levels of awareness to one of the deepest states of mediation in hopes of experiencing the ultimate awakening to one's true nature. It can be referred to as yogic sleep, sleep state, yoga sleep, sleep of the yogis or sleep with awareness.Procedure For Doing Yoga Nidra
- Use relaxation techniques. Lie on your back and breathe slowly while focusing on your face and forehead. Spend extra time focusing on your nostrils as you breathe in and out through your nose. Slowly move down and focus on other areas of your body until you get to your toes. Then, reverse direction and have your concentration slowly ascend up your body.
- Do the 61 points exercise on your upper body. This involves starting with focus on your forehead. Then, starting with concentrating on your throat, focus on your throat, then right shoulder, elbow, wrist, the tip of each finger, wrist, elbow, shoulder, and finally your throat again. Repeat for your left side. Then, focus on your throat, space between breasts (hereinafter "space"), right breast, space, left breast, space, abdomen, navel.
- Continue through your lower body. Much like you did with the upper body, focus on your right hip, knee, ankle, tips of toes, ankle, knee and finally your right hip again. Repeat with the left side. Then, focus on your navel, abdomen, space, throat, forehead.
- Do the spinal breathing exercise. Try to breathe as if you are breathing from the very top of your head all the way down to the base of your spine. Imagine your energy flowing from the top of you to the bottom, and then from bottom to top as you inhale and exhale.
- Use the chakras to enter into yoga nidra. First, spend a few minutes concentrating on your eyebrows, then your throat. Imagine a moon at your throat. Now focus on the area between your breasts and try to completely empty your mind of thoughts for at least 10 minutes. Then, slowly bring yourself back to full consciousness.
- It allows your mind to begin to draw from a greater pool of creativity to comes up with ideas and solutions
- It lets you approach solutions from a wider variety of different perspectives
- Provides you with an opportunity to think in a more creative way
- Allows fresh ideas to freely flow after each and every session
- Gives you a greater capacity to think on your feet
- Provides you with a constant flow of creativity and inspiration
- You can find yourself coming up with solutions to longstanding situations that have been causing you problems.
- If you fall asleep, or fail to relax, don't judge yourself. Just continue with your Yoga Nidra practice regularly, and you will begin to see results.
- Make a recording of this meditation, or have somebody else make it for you. It's best to say each step slowly and with a soothing voice.
