contemplate this…

As the interest in yoga nidra and it’s benefits increases many yoga studios are starting to offer classes and cd’s but to most students and non-yogi’s that might benefit greatly from the practice, the words yoga nidra and the equally exotic sounding english translation “yogic sleep” remain a mystery. Individual experiences of yoga nidra vary widely which might explain the vast and sometimes fantastic claims about it’s benefits. Here, we’ll do our best to demystify yoga nidra a bit by passing on our understanding of this practice as taught to us by yoga nidra teacher and psychologist, Richard C. Miller PhD.

The simplest description is probably hardest to grasp conceptually: yoga nidra is a tool for self reunion or self restoration. But what, exactly does it mean to be reunited with your self and how is it we got separated to begin with? In classical yoga, there are coverings that obscure our true nature categorized into the koshas (sheaths) of physical body, breath, mental awareness, and knowledge, among others. We develop these coverings just by living in our bodies and developing our personalities and egos. Yoga nidra guides us back to first principles of information gathering using direct experience. In the practice, we make sensations, feelings, emotions, thoughts, and identities the objects of our attention and by doing so we become aware of our perceptions of the world that are no longer true; we clear outdated information making way for perceptions that better match our present situation.

The wonderful thing about this practice, which we often describe as meditation with a toy box, is that it leaves you feeling refreshed and clear even if you know nothing of yoga or koshas. It gives us a respite from our spinning selves where we can rest in pure presence. Students often leave wondering what was done to them. The resulting shift is usually quite apparent. Some students are curious how they could feel so different since they can’t say for sure if they even stayed awake for the practice. Despite the refreshing nature of the practice, it is not a substitute for sleep; our bodies need rest and if yours is not getting enough you might fall asleep during yoga nidra. Whether we fall asleep or remain aware and awake during the practice we usually feel recharged and refreshed afterwards which probably explains some of the claim’s origins.

In the end, yoga nidra, like all meditation and mindfulness practices is experiential and all the reading in the world will not give you even a vague sense of how you will experience it. There are rich rewards for this feel-good meditation technique and they are well worth the time to explore. Your experience of it will be totally unique so my descriptions can only serve to pique your curiosity. Please visit a yoga nidra class in your area or download a one of our yoga nidra podcasts and try it out right now.