Do you suffer from Anxiety, Stress, Sleep disorder, Truma, Pain, Depression, Mental Blocks, Lack Concentration and Focus?
If the answer is YES to anyone one of these, then Yoga Nidra could be for you?
Personally my first initial thoughts about Yoga Nidra were… Your basically just lying down and going to sleep for 20 - 30mins? Not really doing much just simply relaxing…
Well, my first thoughts where very wrong and not as open minded as I should have been to Yoga Nidra, (This was going back around 4 years ago when I just started to understand the concept of Yoga and Yoga Nidra)
So I practiced my first Yoga Nidra session when I was on my 200hr Yoga Teacher Training in Greece just over 4 years ago and wow what an experience it was. I absolutely loved it and the great balance it gave me from moving on my mat to relaxing my mind and body in a much deeper way. It was an experience like no other and everyone’s experience was very personal and very different (I think I may have cried at one point during a session as it let go of some of my most deepest worries and anxiety's)....
So what is meant by Yoga Nidra?
Well basically Yoga Nidra literally means ‘Yogic Sleep’. It is an ancient technique where the practitioner enters the deep states of conscious relaxation. It is systematic practice of moving awareness from our external world to the inner world. Bringing us into a deep sense of relaxation we become FREE from the concept around time, space and reason. When this happens, our brains waves slow down, reduce and the body goes into a healing state a relaxed state.
If you had a 1 hour Yoga Nidra Practice, is basically as amazing as 4 hours sleep.
In the words of Swami Satyananda:
“It is a state in which you are neither asleep nor awake. If you fall asleep, it is not Yoga Nidra. If you remain awake, then it is also not Yoga Nidra. If dreams overtake you, it is not Yoga Nidra. Yoga Nidra is a state in which there is awareness of the conscious, subconscious and unconscious fields of your mind all at one time. It is a perfect therapy. It removes all psychological abnormalities and sanskaras, and helps you to become your normal, natural self.”
So these are the benefits of practice Yoga Nidra:
Refreshes and rejuvenates the body
During Yoga Nidra your body lets go into a deep sense of relaxation. Regular practice of this helps the body to go into an even deeper state of healing and rejuvenation and the metabolism slows down and the hormonal function increases.
Meaning your body starts to repair itself and help within.
Reduces Stress and Anxiety
I personally suffer from anxiety daily and battle with it most days. I have learned to live with it and my personal yoga practice / meditation practice helps me to balance those feelings out and deal with things much better. However... that has changed slightly since practicing Yoga Nidra.
Stress and anxiety drain us mentally and physically while also having an effect on certain parts of the body which creates tension. With the regular practice of Yoga Nidra, slowly we began to become aware of our subconscious and the hidden issues. With the increased awareness we can release these issues and let them go.
Improves Concentration
This is something as humans can become a challenge especially when we all have so much going on in our lives and so many things to deal with on a daily basis work, life, children, cooking, house bills, family, friends and big one SOCIAL MEDIA ect… A lack of concentration is a major issue for most of us.
During Yoga Nidra we practice staying focused on the instructions of the teacher and move awaness to different parts of the body and sensations. It's ok at the start your mind will start to wonder but following instructions and coming back to the words being spoken helps contain this. With more regular practice this becomes very normal and we can stay with instructions longer and longer.
This is something that schools need to bring into the classroom so much more to help children improve concentration and practice with a focus in calmness.
Helps improve Autonomic Nervous System
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is responsible for various bodily functions like metabolism, healing, and growth. This system works involuntarily. We cannot activate or deactivate it.
During the practice of Yoga Nidra, we activate the parasympathetic nervous system. We train our subconscious to release stress and stay in a peaceful and observant state. That is why Yoga Nidra helps to rejuvenate the body.
With the regular practice of Yoga Nidra, you will be able to improve the overall ANS regulation and response.
These are also benefits with Yoga Nidra and help support with:
· Improved sleep quality and patterns
· Management of chronic pain
· Healing and navigating trauma
· Mental clarity
· Restoring and healing physical body
· Type 2 Diabetes
Conclusion of Yoga Nidra
Personally, if I was to talk about Yoga Nidra I would say it's a very powerful meditation practice that goes beyond meditation relaxation. It’s practiced by anyone who wants to connect to themselves and feel regeneration and refreshed it's a very powerful way of healing your body. You must go into the practice with an open mind and heart and expect your first experience to feel a little strange and unknown but to just let happen, happen. With time the more you practice the more benefits will arise and your body will soon start to need Yoga Nidra in your life.
So join me on Wednesday 25th August at 6pm – 6.30pm for a FREE Yoga Nidra session…
Book by this link - https://www.beyoubeyoga.co.uk/yoga-nidra-sessions
Make yourself as comfy as possible using blankets, cushions, bollsters, duvet, socks, eye pillows, Jumpers anything to help while your lying on the floor for long periods. However you can do Yoga Nidra sitting on a chair or lying in bed. Set the scene of pure bliss for your practice, light candles, burn essential oils, have a soft lighting around you and enjoy the amazing benefits of Yoga Nidra will offer you.
Thank you and I hope you have enjoyed reading a little more about the amazing benefits of what Yoga Nidra can do for you, there are also loads of articles and information online with evidence to prove the benefits of Yoga Nidra actually help and heal you.
What a great combination to offer your mind and body balancing it with Yoga and Meditation.
Namaste!
