what is yoga nidra?
yoga nidra
is an ancient yogic technique of creating a deep relaxation in the body and
mind. it systematically works on the body mind complex, gradually and positively
restructuring and reforming our personalities from within. the higher
involuntary centers of the brain are activated through this practice where the
brain is able to comprehend and assimilate complex information easily thereby
increasing our efficiency and capacity to unfold our creative genius. through
this powerful yogic practice awareness penetrates the levels of the conscious,
sub conscious and unconscious minds to dislodge certain deep rooted tendencies
that govern our behavior pattern on the conscious level, hence freeing us from
compulsive eating, talking, uncontrolled anger, anxiety and other psychological
problems. this practice opens the deeper levels of the mind enabling us to cure
many psychosomatic diseases such as asthma, hyper tension, heart diseases,
migraines, diabetes, digestive and skin disorders etc.
technique
yoga nidra
is performed in shavasana which is the best posture to induce complete
relaxation. consciousness is slowly withdrawn from the senses with the
exception of the sense of hearing and feeling. the hearing faculty is the
channel which keeps the link open with the brain and enables the consciousness
to travel deep into the layers of the mind. hence staying awake throughout the
practice is extremely important for a yoga nidra practitioner.
resolve or sankalpa
during the
beginning and end of the practice you will be invited to mentally repeat slowly
and clearly your personal resolve. a resolve is a powerful method for reshaping
your personality and changing the course of your life for the best. when the
seed of your resolve is sown into the tranquil bed of a receptive mind, the
consciousness gathers the powerful internal forces to convert your desire or
resolve into a reality. since this practice can change the course of your
destiny a resolve should be chosen with utmost care. a desire or resolve with
permanent long term benefits should be preferred over temporary short term
gains. attention must be given to the language of the resolve. a short, concise
and clearly worded resolve will easily penetrate into the sub conscious mind
and take root. a few examples of resolves are:
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i
will awaken my spiritual potential
锟?span
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i
will be more aware and efficient
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i
will achieve total health
rotation of consciousness
during this
aspect of the practice of yoga nidra, you will be asked to rapidly move your
aspect of the practice of yoga nidra, you will be asked to rapidly move your
awareness from one part of the body to the next. it is important to follow the
instructions without making any efforts to concentrate hard on them. any
attempt on concentration will obstruct the flow of consciousness. simply stay
awake and listen and follow the instructions. when the instructor asks you to
bring your awareness to the 锟絩ight hand thumb锟? repeat it mentally, think of
the right hand thumb without moving it and carry your awareness to the next
instruction. this is by no means a monotonous exercise but one in which the
mind is trained to fix the awareness on the inaccessible areas of the brain so
that involuntary control of the higher centers of the brain is established and
awareness is maintained even when the senses are withdrawn from external
stimulations.
visualization
this is
another important aspect of the practice where the student visualizes the
images given by the instructor. since the images used often have universal
significance and powerful associations, they bring the hidden contents of the
deep unconscious mind to the conscious level. the practice of visualization
deep unconscious mind to the conscious level. the practice of visualization
develops self-awareness and deeply relaxes the mind, by purging it of
disturbing or painful memories. it leads the mind to a high level of
concentration and meditation.
ending the practice
the
visualization practice is usually finished with an image that evokes profound
feelings of peace and calmness. this makes the unconscious mind very receptive
to positive thoughts and suggestions. at this point the practitioner is asked
to repeat their resolve. this direct order from the conscious mind to the
unconscious is the seed enabling one to radically change one锟絪 attitude,
behavior or destiny. finally the awareness is directed to flow to the body and
its surroundings. you are instructed to gently move the body and come up to a
seated position.