Yoga Nidra (Yogic or psychic sleep)

Yoga Nidra (Yogic or psychic sleep)
 
Turning on the tv, taking alcohol and tranquillizers provide limited respite from gross tensions. It does not bring deep relaxation. It is deeper perception of one’s inner being that leads to deep and lasting relaxation. In yoga, relaxation is clearly defined as a state in which there is freedom from physical, emotional and mental tension. It speeds up learning process and memorizing the rules and facts of language, maths, science and so forth. It awakens innate inner intelligence.
 
In Sanskrit nidra means sleep. Nidra is unconscious sleep. Yoga Nidra is conscious sleep. In yoga nidra, there is loss of awareness of the outer world but awareness of the inner world is retained. In nidra there is loss of both outer and inner world. It is said that one hour of yoga nidra is equal to four hours of normal sleep.
 
Yoga nidra or yogic sleep induces deep relaxation in the whole of the body including muscles, nerves and various organs. It also helps in eradicating deep rooted psychological complexes, neuroses, inhibitions etc., in removing a vast number of ailments mainly mental such as high BP. Regular practice slowly clean and polish the mind. It releases fears, anger, jealousy and emotions that cause tension. Real relaxation comes only when one achieves a state of what can be called spiritual awareness.
 
Scientific tests have detected several physiological changes which occur in the body during yoga nidra – profound reduction in the heart beat, measurable decrease in the brain wave patterns (mainly from beta to alpha -associated with relaxation), dampening down of the sympathetic activities of the body (generally associated with stress, fear, and overactivity of body-mind), measurable reduction in the lactate level in the body etc.
 
Yoga nidra is method of exploring the different layers of the mind (conscious / sthula / gross mind, subconscious / sukshma / subtle mind, unconscious / karana / casual mind and truiya state). It recharges physical, pranic & mental levels, in improving both absorption & retention of information from outside as well as inside, in improving intelligence, in opening up the potential of the mind and also awakening the faculty of intuition.
 
Sleepless sleep is highest state of yoga nidra where one balances between introversion and extroversion. This is the path of sushumna and corresponds to the awakening of the kundalini. It is the method of ridding the mind of chronic tension, and of inducing inner knowledge and meditation. It nulls the rational thought processes and brings inner peace. It harmonizes pranic flow.

Medical Benefits:
The technique can be used to treat various ailments – asthma, diabetes, headache, migraine, neuro-physical disturbances such as neurasthenia, peptic & duodenal ulcers, hypertension, rheumatism, cancer, hormonal imbalance, sexual problems, mental illness such as schizophrenia, melancholia, neurosis, psychosomatic diseases etc. 
 
Process & Stages of Yoga Nidra:
Yoga nidra has nine stages which are sequential. the instructions on the successive stages can be by direct words of teacher, electronically or self-mental commands. The instructions should be sufficiently fast and capture the attention of the practitioner and prevent distractions. During the practice, there will be fluctuation between periods of awareness and unawareness. Gradually, external perception is dimmed but inner awareness is maintained.
 
Yoga nidra can be done in shavasana (corpse pose) on the flat level ground with eyes closed. The practice of yoga nidra should be done in comfortable clothing, in a quiet, dark & freshly ventilated room and at the time of one feel physically and / or mentally tired. But not after meals. The nine stages are as under:

1. Preliminary adjustment of the body
2. Preliminary relaxation of the physical body
3. Preliminary relaxation of the mind (Breath awareness)
4. Sankalpa (resolve)
5. Rotation of awareness throughout the different parts of the body
6. Visualization
7.  Reflection and symbol awareness
8.  Sankalpa
9. Return to external awareness

 

1. Preliminary adjustment of the body - Before yoga nidra, do body loosening asanas such as Naukasana, surya namaskar etc. then lie flat in shavasana. Then make the body comfortable, close the eyes & keep the eyes closed throughout the practice, place the arms beside the body with the palms upwards and start the process mentally only.
2. Preliminary relaxation of the physical body – Be aware of the whole body, visualize the body, feel heaviness in the whole body, to start with feel heaviness in the right leg, left leg, abdomen, chest, right arm, left arm, face, head, repeat the process 2-3 times. Imagine that the body is immersed in the space and sinking like a falling leaf. Be aware this feeling.
3. Preliminary relaxation of the mind (breathe awareness) – be aware of natural rhythmical breathing in and then out, count breathing up to 20. Now, let the breathing become slow and deep. Be aware of the whole body. With each inhalation, feel that the body is expanding; every cell, every organ, every part of body expands and with each exhalation, feel the whole-body contracts, all organs, muscles, cells of the body contract. Carry on in this manner for a few minutes. Then after sometime, feel with each exhalation that the whole body completely relaxes.
4. Sankalpa (resolve) – the sankalpa is a short mental statement which is impressed on the subconscious mind to change once lifestyle, achieving ambitions and of removing negative blocks and mental conflicts. At first the sankalpa is merely a conscious resolve, but eventually it becomes a very powerful subconscious force. This deeper force eventually manifest itself again at a conscious level and bring changes in the personality and life. The sankalpa should be one, clear and repeated regularly with sincerity. Sankalpa should be repeated at the beginning and end of the practice. 
5. Rotation of awareness throughout the different parts of the body – One should feel the perception of each physical centre and mentally pronounce the name of that part of the body – right hand, then right hand thumb, second finger, third finger, fourth, fifth, all fingers together, palm, back of the right hand, wrist, elbow, right shoulder, armpit, right side of the waist, right buttock, right thigh, knee, calf, ankle, heel, sole, top of the right toot, big toe, second toe, third, fourth, fifth, all the toe together, then left side likewise, then back, face & its each part, whole body. He should move the awareness from one part of body to the next or one centre to the next and mentally touch each part with the mantra Aum. The rotation should not be excessively fast or slow. There are various circuits through which the awareness can be rotated. Rotation can be 2 -3 times. Body should remain still throughout the practice.
6. Visualization – visualization of various objects (such religious symbols or nature’s scenes such as walking along the beach) one after another in rapid succession or in the form of story. Or visualization of location of various chakras sequentially (many rounds); now visualise the symbols of each chakra; then try fix the attention at the eyebrow centre and synchronize the “Om” mantra with the pulse beat, feel that ‘om’ is emanating in all directions, everything is immersed in ‘om’, imagine that the whole universe is enclosed in your own being.
7. Reflection – At this stage, mind is very receptive and one-pointed. This is good time for reflection and enquiry, the practice of jnana yoga. One can also focus on the favourite deity or psychic symbol.
8. Sankalpa – please repeat the sankalpa.
9. Return to normal awareness – The ending of the process should be gradual so that mind fully adjust to the surrounding. Keep the eyes closed. Slowly move the hands and feet. Be aware of the external sounds.before opening the eyes, say “Hari Aum Tat Sat”. This is the end of yoga nidra.

 
The awakening and intensification of feelings is an integral part of the practice. Its purpose is to help induce deeper states of relaxation and to awaken and perhaps relieve emotional knots in the mind as a means to their removal. The six main types of feelings used in the practice are: heaviness, lightness, heat, cold, pain and pleasure. In this practice, one can develop the above sensations and eliminate at will. One can also bring vivid pain experienced in past and throw it out of mind. Emotions such as jealousy, anger, fear, and so on can also be awakened by remembering the past experiences. These are powerful in cleaning the mind of accumulated tensions. One more stage – intensification of feeling, can be added before sage of visualization. In this sage, one should create the above feelings from best of the abilities. Create the intense feeling, feel it in the body and relive it.
 
Reference: A systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya – by Swami Satyananda Saraswati