What is Yoga Nidra?
Posted by Armand
Yoga Nidra (Sanskrit for Yogic Sleep) is a powerful technique from the tantric Yoga tradition. It creates an altered state of consciousness allowing the practitioner to enter the realm of subconscious and manifest effective and seemingly magical changes in their life. Yoga Nidra is a part of the Pratyahara limb of Raja Yoga, one of the eight limbs of yoga; the well known codification system of the Yogic practices by Patanjali (an Indian sage who lived around 200 B.C.) Pratyahara deals with the withdrawal of the senses and the influences of the mind which do not serve us on the path of enlightenment and liberation.
The Yoga Nidra method is so inherently powerful that it has been kept secret for millennia until the 1960’s when it was reintroduced to western students by Parmahansa Satyananda Saraswati founder of the Bihar School of Yoga.
The most easily observable effect of this practice is the extremely deep relaxation of your nervous system. Yoga Nidra has been clinically shown to be one of the most powerful methods available to achieve this state without the use of chemical agents.
The specific guided sequence of the physical relaxation points in Yoga Nidra, developed by the ancient yogis, parallels the exact sequence of the brain centres as shown by findings of recent neuro-medical research into the nature and structure of the brain. Once you reach the deepest state of physical and mental relaxation the mind becomes receptive to new concepts. By reaching this stage through the specific sequence of mind-activating visualizations, you will access the subconscious and have the opportunity to effectively implant an affirmation of your choice. With diligent Yoga Nidra practice, these desired changes will manifest in your life. This is truly the magical aspect of this ancient art and science.
The 3 distinct aspects to the Yoga Nidra practice:
1) A systematic method of inducing complete mental, physical and
emotional relaxation while maintaining awareness at deeper levels.
2) A way to manifest any desire, be it physical, mental or spiritual.
3) Amethod of altering karma and finding Moksha (Liberation).
The 8 distinct stages of the Yoga Nidra Practice:
1) Internalization / Relaxation – preliminary preparation of the body.
2) Affirmation ( Sankalpa) – A personal goal previously decided upon is declared silently.
3) Rotation of Consciousness – the consciousness is taken on a tour of the whole body in a structured fashion.
4) Respiration awareness – a period of awareness of the breath at special positions in the body.
5) Manifestations of Opposites – pairs of feelings and emotions are experienced.
6) Creative Visualization – Various Archetypal images are visualized mentally.
7) Affirmation (Sankalpa) is repeated and, now in a highly suggestible state of conciousness, is programmed into the subconscious mind.
8.) Externalization / Return to Full Awareness – a careful and gradual return to a normal state.
Many people in the East and the West are attracted to Yoga Practices, for they think they can find solution to every problem therein; be it physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. Much importance is attached to relaxation techniques that one thinks might help a person in easing the tension caused due to chronic stressful life style. Yoga Nidra is one such wonderful technique, not only for physical or mental relaxation but also for preparing the mind for spiritual discipline. It concerns mainly with pratyahara (withdrawing senses form sense-objects) and dharana (concentration).
It is to be understood that ordinary sleep is not relaxation, for tensions cannot always be resolved completely in ordinary sleep. Yoga Nidra is qualitatively different relaxation. It is a ’sleep’ where all the burdens are thrown off to attain more blissful state of awareness, a relaxation much more intense than ordinary sleep.
As Swami Satyananda Saraswati (Preface to “Yoga Nidra”, 1982, Bihar School of Yoga, Monghyr, Bihar, India) says:
‘When awareness is separate and distinct from vrittis – mental modifications, when waking, dream, and deep sleep pass like clouds, yet awareness of Atman remains, that is the experience of total relaxation. That is why, in Tantra, Yoga Nidra is said to be the doorway to samadhi!’
Neuro-physiologic Basis
There is no question about the close relation between the body and the brain. Various centers in the brain control, modify, and affect our bodily functions. In fact, there is a center in the brain for every act, whether willful or reflex, physical or mental. Experimental data have identified many such specific centers. Stimulation of these centers leads to appropriate actions, be they motor or sensory, secretary or emotive, affective or cognitive. Thus we have a holographic representation of the body on the brain.
To put the thing more concretely, it is proved that the left half of the body is represented in right half of the brain and vice-a-versa. As far as the muscular actions are concerned, the representation is in an ‘upside down manner’ in motor area of pre-central gurus. Thus, at the top of this part of brain the lowest portion of our body -foot- is represented. Then comes ankle, leg (calf), knee, thigh, hip, trunk, shoulder, arm, elbow, wrist, palm, fingers, thumb, then neck, jaw, face, eyes, ears, tongue, taste, swallowing, etc. The same thing is applicable for sensations. Stimulation of brain centers of sensory cortex evokes sensations in the opposite half of the body.
Yoga Nidra Practice
In Yoga Nidra exactly opposite process is used to make the brain centers active by focusing awareness on the parts of the body in a definite sequence. Thus, the person tries to stimulate various parts of the brain by focusing the awareness on the corresponding parts of the body. By awareness is meant ‘attitude of witness’ towards physical or mental actions of the body.
The Technique
Yoga Nidra usually takes from twenty to forty five minutes to complete. The procedure is carried out by first doing a few asanas -practicing a few postures. Then the person lies on his or her back in totally relaxed posture (shivasana -posture simulating dead body). Eyes are lightly closed, arms are kept with palms facing upwards, breathing is natural and quiet.
Resolve or sankalpa
Before the rotation of awareness the practitioner should make a positive resolve about a particular aim in life. The wordings should be clear and precise. The traditional approach when disciples commited their lives to study with a teacher was not to use the power inherent in this practice to manifest trivial things which would only satisfy the ego, but rather aim for “higher” goals realting to spiritual growth and enlightenment. The traditional yoga nidra affirmation (resolve) of the sadhakas (adepts) was:
“I am awakening the kundalini energy which is coiled like a snake at the base of my spine”
A few other examples of traditional resolves:
a) I awaken my spiritual potential,
b) I am successful in my all undertakings,
c) I achieve total health
d) I am a positive help in spiritual progress of others, etc.
For a detailed description of the effective formulation of a resolve please click here.
1. Rotation of Consciousness
Then the rotation of consciousness begins. The person has to just visualize the part of the body mentioned by the instructor; it can be a teacher or a tape-recorder. The student must not move any part of his body. Quickly corresponding with the instructions, he or she has to shift his or her awareness from one part to the next. The aspirant should not imagine the next part before the instructor mentions it. The whole process should be a pleasure and not a burden. There should not be any anxiety or expectation.
The usual pattern is to start focusing awareness in the following sequence:
First on the right side: The thumb, fingers (one by one), palm of the hand, then the wrist, the forearm, the elbow, arm, shoulder, right side of the back, hip, thigh, knee, leg, ankle, foot, great toe, other toes of the right foot.
The same sequence is repeated for the left side.
Then awareness is focused on the proximity of the body with the carpet (ground). Back of the head, shoulders, back and spine, thighs, heel. Next the front of the body-surface is brought in to awareness. Face, brow, eyes, nose, lips, mouth, ears, chin, neck, chest, abdomen.
2. Awareness of the breathing
After rotation of the consciousness in such a sequence, focusing the attention on the act of breathing completes physical relaxation. One simply maintains awareness of breath, either at the nostril or of its passage through the navel and throat. It is claimed that the process, in addition to concentration of mind, assists in “pratyahara” – withdrawing the sense centers from their objects of sensations.
3. Feelings and Emotions
Next comes relaxation at the level of feelings and emotions. Attempt is made to bring to memory the intense physical and emotional feelings; they are re-experienced or re-lived and then effaced. Usually this is practiced with pairs of two opposite feelings like hot and cold, lightness and heaviness, pain and pleasure, joy and sorrow, etc. Relaxation at the emotional level and building up of strong will-power are the two major outcome of this procedure.
4. Visualization
The final stage of yoga nidra relates to mental relaxation. The aspirant tries to visualize the objects as described by the instructor.
Usually such images and symbols are chosen are archetypal, meaning that have universal significance. To quote a few:
A mountain, river, the sun, ocean, temple, fire, saint, animal forms, etc.
If you are interested in finding out more about the universal archtypal images please investigate the writings of Joseph Campbell, particularly “The Power of Myth” and “A hero with a thousand faces”
The practice helps to develop self-awareness and helps in concentration – dharana. Rarely, even meditation -dhyanaa- may be the natural outcome.
5. Ending the practice
Once again the resolve or sankalpa is intently thought of or even visualized. Thus, consciously one tries to direct the unconscious mind onto the predetermined goal in life. This time the unconscious is very receptive and therefore will accept the suggestion from the conscious mind more readily. It is claimed that in due course of time, depending upon the sincerity and regularity of the sadhana, the resolve bears fruit in sadhaka’s life.
Benefits
· Everyone can practice. Even beginners who are stiff.
· Physical stresses and tensions are removed.
· Mental stresses and unwanted impressions are removed.
· Emotional balance is restored.
· The unconscious is focused on a personal goal so that it can be achieved more easily.
· Advanced practitioners can achieve a state of self-realization in Yoga Nidra.
Yoga Nidra helps in restoring mental, emotional, and physical health by way of relaxation, and makes the mind more conducive to pratyahara -withdrawing senses from their objects, dharana -concentration, and meditation. Such a practice helps harmonize two hemispheres of the brain and the two aspects of autonomous nervous system ( sympathetic and parasympathetic). The impressions in the subconscious are brought to surface, experienced and removed. Thus, the fixation of awareness on the body is replaced with the awareness linked to subtler aspects of prana (the life force) and spiritual dimensions allowing for maximizing of the pure yet unmanifested potential within.