Yoga nidra, also known as 'yogic sleep' and 'psychic sleep', is a powerful technique originated from the Tantra Yoga tradition. Often associated with Swami Satyananda Saraswati who adapted and presented the technique in a systematic way in the 1960s, yoga nidra can be traced back to the 1st century AD when a potential mention can be found in the Manduka Upanishad written in the same period.
'Yoga nidra can manifest desires, clear our karmic debris and help achieve "moksha", also known as liberation or enlightenment.'
Yoga nidra is both a state and a practice that allows the practitioner to enter an altered state of consciousness between wakefulness and sleep where deep and complete physical, mental and emotional relaxation can occur. It is a therapeutic technique that heals the practitioner, expands the faculty of imagination, and bridges the realm of subconscious and superconscious. By withdrawing judgments and the ego’s attachments to the thoughts, sensations and feelings that emerge in the mind, yoga nidra can manifest desires, clear our karmic debris and help achieve 'moksha', also known as liberation or enlightenment.
As Swami Satyananda famously stated, 'a single hour of yoga nidra is as restful as four hours of conventional sleep' (2002). It is a deep relaxation of the nervous system that is suitable for people of all ages and backgrounds to heal, recharge and purify their bodies, minds and spirits.
Steps to Yoga Nidra
1. Shavasana (Corpse pose)
Lie down in a supine position with the back touching the floor and the face facing the ceiling (body must be supine in yoga nidra because the back muscles are engaged when sitting and standing. A prone position exerts pressure on the abdomen and can restrict breathing). Rest the arms with palms facing the ceiling beside the body. Rest the legs with the toes slightly turning to the sides. Close the eyes and keep breathing steadily. Descend into complete relaxation of each muscle group and the mind into shavasana (corpse pose).
You must lie down supine (facing the ceiling) in shavasana during yoga nidra. Prone positions press onto the core muscles and can restrict breathing. Seated positions engage the back muscles and should also be avoided.
2. Breath Awareness
Turn the awareness to the natural flow of the breath coming in and out of the abdomen, the lungs, the windpipe, and the nose. Do not exert force nor control the breath but let the breath move in its natural rhythm. As you breathe in, be aware that you are breathing in. As you breathe out, be aware that you are breathing out.
3. Sankalpa, or resolve
Gently remind yourself of the purpose of the practice. You may tell yourself silently in the mind that “I am here to learn yoga nidra', 'I am aware' or 'I am not sleeping' etc. You may also make a wish that is beneficial to your physical, mental and spiritual growth, such as 'I wish to be more calm and peaceful' and 'I wish to be happy'. Beware that the sankalpa should be wholesome to your growth and should not be one that clings to materialistic obsession. For instance, 'I wish to get a brand new car' is not a sankalpa that belongs to yoga nidra.
4. Rotation of Consciousness
Instead of confining the mind, allow the mind to move within a given boundary by bringing the focus to a specific body part. Start a body scan by turning the awareness to the right big toe and allow the mind to wander within the boundaries of the right big toe. Become aware of the sensations, feelings, shape, form and energy flowing within the right big toe. Then proceed to turn the focus to the left big toe, then the right shin, the left shin etc. Move the focus upward from the legs, lower abdomen, chest, arms, shoulders, neck, face to the crown of the head.
5. Feeling and Sensations
Become aware of the bodily, mental and emotional sensations and feelings. Do not exert force to suppress them but simply observe them as they come and go. If sensations and feelings are the passing clouds, then the innate peace and happiness of the mind are the deep blue sky. Any clouds and bouts of stormy weather are simply temporary visitors. Suspend judgments and attachment to the sensations, thoughts and feelings. Allow them to be just as they are with a non-attached and non-judgmental attitude like watching a movie and let them go (pratyahara).
6. Visualisation
Begin visualising the chakras in each of the seven energy centers along the spine. Start with visualising the muladhara chakra (root chakra) in a deep red color at the base of the spine at the perineum. Then proceed to visualise the swadhisthana chakra (sacral chakra) below the navel in the pelvic area in the color orange. Next, visualise the manipura (solar plexus) chakra above the navel in the color yellow. Proceed to visualise the anahata (heart) chakra in the center of the chest in the color green. Now visualise the vishudda (throat) chakra at the throat in the color blue. Continue to visualise the ajana (third eye) chakra between the two eyebrows in the color indigo. Lastly, visualise the sahasrara (crown) chakra at the top of the head in the color violet or white.
7. Breath Awareness
Return the awareness back to the breath, to each natural inhalation and exhalation without overt control nor exertion. Allow the breath to flow in and out of the body naturally.
8. Sankalpa, or Resolve
Remind yourself of your intention and purpose of practising yoga nidra again. You may repeat the wish you made earlier in the first sankalpa so that the wish can be reaffirmed, like a seed sowed in the first sankalpa now irrigated with optimism, faith and dedication.
9. External Awareness Ending the Practice
Bring the awareness back to the external surrounding, the sounds, the temperature, objects and people in the room. Slowly come out of shavasana by gently rolling the feet and legs, moving the fingers one by one, moving the arms, the upper body, the abdomen, and the lower body. Roll the body to one side and sit up to a cross-legged position. You may end the practice with some ujjayi breathing and 'Aum' chanting.
Yoga Nidra for Various Mental Ailments
Yoga nidra completely relaxes, recharges and purifies the nervous system, the body and the mind. Not only can it lessen physical symptoms of mental ailments such as headaches and bodily tensions, but it can also mitigate stress, insomnia, torpor, and negative thinking. Here are some mental ailments yoga nidra can effectively relieve.
1. Depression
According to the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong, depression is a mental health condition where the individual experiences five or more of the following symptoms nearly every day for at least two weeks.
· A depressed mood
· Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
· Change of appetite (over-eating or under-eating)
· Sleeping troubles (over-sleeping or insomnia)
· Increased fatigue
· Slow movement and speech
· Feeling worthless or guilty
· Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
· Thinking about death a lot or of suicide
Yoga nidra can help relieve symptoms of depression by completely relaxing the nervous system. In the sankalpa session, yoga nidra reconditions the mind and ushers into it more clarity, simplicity and positivity. Research has shown that yoga nidra increases our alpha brain waves (Gurmeet Singh and Jitender Singh, 2010). Alpha brain waves are signified by deep relaxation which can also relieve symptoms of depression. The observation of feelings and sensations involved in the technique also encourages pratyahara, the withdrawal of judgments and the ego’s attachments to the senses so that those who suffer from depression can be less affected by the physical, emotional and mental ailments caused by the disorder.
According to the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong, anxiety problems are more severe and longer lasting periods of anxiety and stress that interfere with the person’s work, other activities and relationships. Various research reports have shown that yoga nidra by bringing complete mental and physical relaxation can effectively reduce stress, increase stress resistance and prevent stress-related diseases (Carrington et al, 1980). In other words, yoga nidra not only helps relieve anxiety disorders but can also prevent the onset of anxiety problems for all individuals. Matthew (1981) also found out that yoga nidra is a successful therapy for both recent and long-standing psychological disturbances of all kinds, especially high anxiety levels and neurotic behavior patterns.
3. Substance Use Problems
According to the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong, a substance use disorder occurs when the substance is often taken in larger amounts or for a longer period of time than intended. There is continued use despite knowing that there are mental and physical health problems caused by the substance and there are withdrawal symptoms. Examples of substance use problems include alcohol abuse and drug abuse. According to Ravinder Puri, researches have shown that yoga nidra can serve as a therapeutic technique to cure psychological disorders including depression, anxiety, insomnia and drug abuse. Yoga nidra calms the mind by inducing physical and mental relaxation and “clearing the nerve pathways to the brain” (Puri, 2015). In addition, the technique awakens creativity as solutions to problems can manifest in the deep subconsious and unconscious relaxation states. In this way, yoga nidra can help relieve and prevent substance abuse problems as people can find the relaxation and creativity they need in yoga nidra and rely less on abusing external substances.
Works Cited
Anahata Yoga. 200-hours Yoga Teacher Training Certificate Course Manual.
Carrington, P., Collings, G., Benson, H. “The use of meditation-relaxation techniques for the management of stress in a working population”. Journal of Occupational and Environental Medicine, 22(4): 221-231, 1980.
Matthew, R.J. “Anxiety and Platelet MAO Levels After Relaxation Training”, American Journal of Psychiatry, 138(3): 371-373, 1981.
Mental Health First Aid Manual (Hong Kong 3rd Edition), ed. by Prudence Wong Yuk Kwai, Echo Tsang Mei, Esther Yeung Hoi Kiu. The Mental Health Association of Hong Kong, 2019.
Puri, Ravinder. Positive Effects of Yoga-Nidra on Different Aspects of Mental Health. no. 1, 2015.
Saraswati, Satyananda. Yoga Nidra. 6th ed., Yoga Publications Trust, 2002.
Singh, Gurmeet, and Jitender Singh. "Yoga Nidra: a Deep Mental Relaxation Approach." British Journal of Sports Medicine, vol. 44, no. Suppl 1, 2010, pp. 71-72.
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