Why should I try Yoga Nidra?​

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Have you ever felt that the most enjoyable part of your yoga class was the relaxation at the end?

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If you’re nodding your head, how would it feel to experience that state for more than just a few minutes?

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This is where the practice of Yoga Nidra comes into its own. The term itself is literally translated as “Yoga Sleep” but could be interpreted as “sleep of the Yogis” or “sleep resulting from Yoga”. However, the name seems something of a misnomer as it not a sleeping state at all. The state you enter into during Yoga Nidra is a liminal one, you are neither fully awake nor fast asleep. It is sometimes known as a hypnagogic state, indicating its transitional nature between wakefulness and sleeping.

 

This state is one which is completely natural, one which you should be regularly entering but probably are not. Due to our obsession in Western society in being busy and productive, we have lost the ability to naturally zone out, daydream and rest.

 

If I were to ask you how you rest, what would you reply? For many people it will be by doing something, maybe going for a walk, or reading a book, watching the TV or having a glass of wine – really we need to “be” rather than “do” to truly rest.

 

When you enter the state of Yoga Nidra it can feel like you’ve come home, which in a sense you have as it is a natural, restful place to be. In this state of not doing anything, the true magic can often happen including insights and access to a more creative state of being.

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(Above is taken from an article I wrote which appeared in Yoga Magazine December 2023 edition and in the British Wheel of Yoga publication Spectrum in April 2024)