Yoga Nidra – Wat it is and wat it is not
Sometime in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s, the still young Swami Satyananda “fell asleep” while mantras unknown to him were chanted in the background. When he woke up and the mantras were chanted again. A yogi explained to Swami Satyananda that his subtle body had heard the mantras. Yoga Nidra originated here.
Yoga Nidra literally means yoga sleep. It is an ancient technique in which the practitioner goes into a deep state of relaxation and a method of shifting consciousness from our external world to the inner world. The biggest difference with yoga as we know it is that you do not do physical exercises. And, don’t let the word sleep fool you either, because you aren’t supposed to actually fall asleep. The similarity with sleep is that you enter a deep dreamless state where consciousness is still active. Through this deep relaxation, the brain creates the same brain waves as with a deep sleep, giving the body the opportunity to release muscle tension and break through blockages.
What is Yoga Nidra not?
Yoga Nidra is not only relaxation. This term is now regularly used for any method that provides relaxation. While the practice of Yoga Nidra provides deep relaxation, it is not just a relaxation method. Yoga Nidra is also a specific state of internal consciousness. It is a conscious experience of dreamless, deep sleep where a person connects themselves to the inner world and disconnects from the outside world.
It’s not just a guided visualization. Although there is guidance while practicing Yoga Nidra, the way of guidance is different from the general forms of visualization. Guided visualizations usually help activate and become aware of our senses and therefore move consciousness outward. A guided meditation is certainly different from a guided yoga nidra.
Yoga Nidra is not a state of dreams. While dreaming, the senses and the mental process are still fully active. In the actual state of Yoga Nidra, mental processes stop, our senses rest, and the mind becomes clear and calm.
Yoga Nidra versus Shavasana (final relaxation during yoga class)
Shavasana is a resting yoga position where the physical body and mind are meant to be still, and the breathing is effortless and gentle. “Shav” literally means “dead body” or “corpse” and the pose is therefore Corpse Pose. This complete silence brings deep relaxation for body and mind. Corpse Pose looks like an easy pose, but many practitioners find it particularly challenging because they have to release control of the body parts, which can slow down breathing and calm the mind.
Shavasana is generally practiced for a duration of 1 to 10 minutes. It is normal for people to doze off in longer Shavasana, for example in a longer final relaxation after practicing asana. But the idea is to just calm the mind, breath, and senses as if in a dead state.
During a Yoga Nidra the student / client is guided to lie down comfortably. This can be a supported supine position, but also a resting position on the side and sometimes even a chair. The teacher guides the student / client by means of a specific script
So, to recap; Shavasana is a yoga asana, a posture. Yoga Nidra is a state of consciousness, in between sleeping and awake. It is complete relaxation of the body while keeping the mind awake. Proper use of Shavasana can enable one to experience Yoga Nidra, but they are two independent concepts. Shavasana is not required for Yoga Nidra, and the practice of Shavasana does not imply that one will experience Yoga Nidra.
Yoga Nidra versus Hypnosis
With both Yoga Nidra and hypnosis the body is deeply relaxed and the subconscious mind is very active. But these are the only similarities.
Since both Yoga Nidra and hypnosis can be used to affect the mind, many people think that Yoga Nidra is a form of hypnosis. But both the practice and the goal are very different. Although they both start with the guided relaxation, Yoga Nidra continues in one direction and hypnosis in the other. But it is true that when the senses and mind calm down, you can go through a hypnotic state. Staying on top of the ongoing process can help you bypass that condition.
During Yoga Nidra, the mind is still active and can take control at any time, while and in hypnosis, consciousness is often suppressed and you may have no memory of what you have experienced.
In Yoga Nidra the role of the teacher is to guide you and bring you into a state of deep awareness. In hypnosis, the therapist often takes control of the conscious mind to explore your subconscious mind.
Yoga Nidra versus relaxation
We can relax in various ways in daily life. For example by reading a book, watching a movie, listening to music or doing something else that makes us happy. This can all feel like relaxation, but the activities are outward looking and require you to do something.
Good relaxation is when the body, mind and five senses rest. For example, during a deep sleep (dreamless sleep) we are relaxing. In deep sleep, body, mind and senses are completely relaxed. Relaxation is very necessary, because only with relaxation the body heals, repairs and grows. But here the consciousness fades. Therefore, we don’t know what happened while we slept.
Yoga Nidra starts with relaxation, but goes much further. At Yoga Nidra relaxation of body, mind and senses is very important, but that is not the ultimate goal. In Yoga Nidra, consciousness is active and in an observational state. Even though the brain enters a deep state of relaxation, you observe the body, mind and senses.
During Yoga Nidra the body enters a state of deep relaxation. Regular exercise helps the body go into an even deeper state of healing and rejuvenation. During this exercise, body functions become minimal, metabolism slows down and hormonal function increases. Hence, the body is given the opportunity to initiate the repair activity and expel the toxins from the system.
This causes the body to start to conserve energy. This process removes fatigue and rejuvenates the brain. After the session you will feel fresh and energetic because you have slept for many hours.
Reduces stress
Negative stress is a standard in life for most people. Even those who claim to be stress-free simply don’t know what it feels like to be completely relaxed. You might even wonder if humanity knows what complete relaxation feels like in everyday life. When unhealthy stress is not controlled, physical and mental illnesses develop. These are also called psychosomatic illnesses. Chronic stress causes fatigue and lack of clarity that prevents us from functioning fully and making the best choices. With the regular practice of Nidra we can gradually become aware of our subconscious mind and any hidden problems and through the deep relaxation we can release stress much better.
Improves concentration
Concentration and focus are very important things and at the same time sometimes very difficult. If you have busy days and especially when there is also stress, you notice that the concentration weakens and focusing on what is important becomes more difficult.
During Yoga Nidra we practice to stay focused on the teacher’s instructions and to shift awareness to the different body parts and sensations. At first the mind wanders, but when we try to follow the instructions, we keep bringing the mind back to the practice. Slowly, with regular practice, we can stick with the instructions longer and longer and the mind begins to distract us less and less.
Improves memory
If you have been practicing Yoga Nidra for a while, the stress reduced and the concentration improved, you get space in the head again. This automatically improves memory. You can remember less if your head is too full due to all kinds of worries and thoughts. The efficiency of the subconscious mind increases and it begins to absorb and retain information more efficiently.
Normally we only use the left hemisphere of the brain to learn. However, regular practice of Yoga Nidra also stimulates the functioning of the right hemisphere. This, in turn, helps in better storing the information.
Improves ANS response
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is responsible for various bodily functions such as metabolism, healing and growth. This system works involuntarily. We cannot activate or deactivate it. There are two subsystems of ANS: the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system.
The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) provides energy and resources to our muscles and heart. It is triggered during physical or mental stressful activities. These activities range from exercising, running, arguing, fighting, worrying, or any other activity that stresses us. The main purpose of this subsystem is to help us deal with stress.
The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) provides energy and resources to the brain and internal organs such as the liver, kidneys, intestines, etc. It is activated during quiet and peaceful periods. The purpose of this subsystem is to give the body the means to heal, grow, and grow
