Yoga Nidra To Understand The Mind (YS 1.6)

In this Yoga Nidra practice inspired by Yoga Sutra 1.6, we explore the five movements of the mind: correct knowledge, misperception, imagination, sleep, and memory.

So often we feel overwhelmed by the mind because we do not know what kind of movement is happening within us. A thought arises. A memory returns. An imagined future appears. A misunderstanding takes shape. And before we know it, we are reacting.

This practice guides you into deep rest while helping you gently recognise the movements of the mind without judgment.

Listen when you feel caught in overthinking, emotional reactivity, confusion, or mental restlessness.

You are also warmly invited to join the Living the Yoga Sutras group here on Insight Timer, where we explore Patanjali’s teachings in a practical, reflective, and supportive way.

Recognise the movement.
Pause before believing it.
Rest in awareness.

Transcript

This practice is inspired by Yoga Sutra 1. 6 Pramana Vipadhyaya Vikalpa Nidrasnathaya Correct knowledge, Misperception, Imagination, Sleep and memory are the five movements of the mind. The mind knows, The mind understands, The mind imagines, The mind sleeps, The mind remembers. In this Yoga Nidra practice, You will be guided to rest deeply. And gently observe the five ways the mind moves. You do not need to fight the mind. You do not need to force your thoughts away. You do not need to analyze everything. Simply rest. Listen and allow awareness to become spacious enough to recognize this is knowing, This is misunderstanding, This is imagination. This is dullness and this is memory. And beneath all these movements, Awareness remains. Lie down in a comfortable position. Let the body settle onto the surface beneath you. Traditionally, Yoga Nidra is practiced lying on the back. With the legs slightly apart and the arms resting a little away from the sides of the body. Let the palms face upward if that feels natural. If you are doing the practice sitting down. Make sure your spine is straight. Your head well supported and you can rest your hands. On your knees or your thighs with your palms facing upward. Make any adjustments you need to. And once you have settled, Allow the eyes to close. Let the eyelids soften. Let the jaw loosen. Let the tongue vest. Let the shoulders become heavy. Bring awareness to your body. The whole body resting. The whole body supported. Perhaps the body feels relaxed. Perhaps there is restlessness. Perhaps there is comfort or discomfort. Heaviness or lightness, Whatever is present, Simply notice. This is GNOME. We now come to the Sankalpa. A short positive statement of inner intention. Whatever is your Sankalpa, Your intention, Your resolve, Repeat it three times. With attention, With sincerity, As though planting a seed in the deeper mind. Let the Sankalpa settle. There is nothing more to do with it now. We now begin the rotation of consciousness. Move awareness from one point to the next. Do not move the physical body. Simply hear the name of each part. And feel it inwardly. They mean a week. They mean a week. We start with the right hand. Right Hand Thumb 2nd finger 3rd finger 4th Fair. Bum of the hand. Back of the hand. This Lower arm. Elbow Upper arm. Shoulder armpit. Right side of the chest. Light Waste Right hip. Right Thigh Kneecap. Back up the knee. Gov. Shin Anchor Heal. Soul of the right foot. Top of the right foot. Right big toe. 2nd Toe Third, Fold. FIFTH The whole right side. The whole right side is known. Move to the left hand. Left Hand Thumb 2nd finger Third finger. Forward. Fifth. Balm of the hand. Back of the Hand Rest. Lower arm. Elbow Upper arm. Shoulder Ampe Left side of the chest. Left waist. Left hip. Left Thigh kneecap Back of the knee. Gall. Shin. Ankle Heal. Sole of the left foot. Top of the left foot. Left big toe 2nd Toe Thug. Forward. Fair. The whole left side. The whole left side is known. Now the back of the body. Back of the head. Back of the neck. Right Shoulder Blade Left shoulder blade. The whole upper back. Middle Back Lower back. Right buttock Left buttock. The whole spine. From the base of the spine to the back of the head. The entire back body. The back body is known. Now the front of the body. Top of the head. Fall ahead. Thy temple. Left temple. Light Eyebrow Left Eyebrow The Space Between the Eyebrows Light eye. Left Eye The right deal. Lefty-o Write G. Left cheek. Nose. Tip of the Nose Upper lip. Lower lip. Both lips together. Djinn Drought. Right Collarbone Left Collarbone Center of the chest. Right side of the chest. Left side of the chest. Upper abdomen. Navel Lower abdomen. Pelvis. The whole plant body. The whole front body is known. Now the whole right leg. The whole left leg. Both legs together. The whole right arm. The whole left arm. Both arms together. The whole back body. The whole front body. The head, The Face. The Truth. The chest, The abdomen. The pelvis, The whole body. The whole body still. Supported. Gnome The body is present. Sensation is present. The body is known. Awareness is here. Bring your attention to the natural breath. Notice the breath entering the nostrils. Notice the breath leaving the nostrils. Coolness as the breath enters. Soft warmth as the breath leaves. Feel the breath moving in the chest. The chest rises. The chest falls. Feel the breath moving in the abdomen. The abdomen rises. The abdomen falls. Each Breath Appears. Each breath passes. Each Breath. Is known. We now bring awareness to opposite experiences. There is no need to force anything. Simply allow each experience to arise gently in awareness. Awaken the feeling of Clarity. A moment when you understood something. A moment when the mind was steady. A moment when you could see what was true. Feel clarity in the body. Perhaps there is openness. Steadiness. Lightness. Space. Clarity is present. Gladati is known. Release gladity. Now awaken the feeling of confusion. A moment when the mind was unclear. A moment when there were too many thoughts. A moment when you were not sure what was true. Feel confusion gently. Perhaps fogginess, Tightness, Restlessness, Scattered attention. Confusion is present. Confusion is known. The Lee's Confusion Awaken the feeling of imagination. The Mind Creating Images. Possibility. Future scenes, Stories that have not yet happened. Imagination is present. Imagination is known. Lee's Imagination. Now awaken the feeling of memory. The mind returning to something that has already happened. A remembered place, A remembered voice, A remembered feeling. Choose something simple. Something gentle. Memory is present. Memory is known. Release memory. Let all opposites dissolve. And imagine now that you are in a quiet inner space. The space is calm. Still. Softly lead. You are safe here. You are not here to fight the mind. You are here. To understand it. Before you are five lamps. Each lamp represents one movement of the mind. The first lamp is Brahmana. Correct knowing. The second is Vipadhyaya. Misperception The third lamp is Vikalpa, Imagination. The fourth is Nidra, Sleep or dullness. And the fifth lamp is Nidhi, Memory. You walk toward the first lamp. The Lamb of Pramana. Correct knowing. Clear seeing. Reliable understanding. Allow this lamp to glow gently. Recall a moment when you saw something clearly. Perhaps you understood what needed to be done. Or you recognize the truth. Or you listened carefully and received what was actually being said. They call a moment when you saw something clearly. Feel the quality of clear knowing. Not arrogance, Not certainty that closes the mind. But careful, Humble seeing. Silently say, This is clear knowing. Brahmana is known. Step back. Return to the quiet inner space. Now walk toward the second lamp. The lamp of Vipadhyaya, Misperception, Misunderstanding, Seeing something wrongly. Allow this lamp to glow. And recall gently a simple moment. When the mind misunderstood. Perhaps you assumed someone was upset. Or you believe the silence meant rejection. Or you felt criticized when someone was only giving feedback. Or you saw danger where there was only uncertainty. Do not judge yourself. Misperception is part of the mind's movement. Simply recognize its quality. And silently say, This is misperception. This may not be the whole truth. Vipadhyaya is known. Step back. Return to the quiet inner space. Now walk toward the third lamp. THE LAMP OF VIKALPA imagination, Conceptualization, The mind creating images, Words, Possibilities, Stories. Allow this lamp to glow. Notice how imagination can create beauty. A blend. A vision, A possibility, A new path. And notice how imagination can also create fear. Future conversations, Possible failures, Imagined rejection, Things that have not yet happened. Let a simple imagined scene appear. Something gentle enough to observe. And silently say, This is imagination. This is an image in the mind. Vikalpa is known. Step back. Return to the quiet inner space. Now walk toward the fourth lamp. The Lamp of Netra sleep, Dullness, Drifting, The absence of ordinary waking thoughts. Allow this lamp to glow softly. Notice any heaviness in the body. Any fogginess in the mind, Any desire to drift away, Any place where awareness becomes dim. There is no judgment. Rest is not wrong. Sleep is not wrong. The body needs rest. But even dullness can be known. Can be observed. Silently Say. This is dullness. Even this is known by awareness. Nidra is known. Step back. Return to the quiet inner space. And now walk toward the fifth lamp. The Lamb of Smriti. Memory, The mind returning to what has already happened. Allow this lamp to glow. Let a simple memory arise, Not the most painful memory, Not something overwhelming. Just a gentle memory. Place a sound, A face, A moment. Notice how memory appears. Perhaps as an image. A feeling. A bodily sensation, A sentence. Silently Say. This is Mammothy. This belongs to the past. Smirky is known. Step back. Return once more to the quiet inner space. The five lamps are before you. Ramana Vipadhyaya. Vikalpa Nidra Smriti correct knowing, Misperception, Imagination, Sleep. Memory. These are movements of the mind. The appeal. They change. They pass. They are known. And awareness remains. And bring your Sankalpa back into awareness, Your intention, Your resolve, The same one that you made at the beginning of the practice. And repeated silently three times. Feel the Sankalpa settling into the deeper mind. Let it become a quiet reminder in daily life. And bring your awareness to the body. Bring your awareness to the physical body. Feel the whole body on the surface that it is practicing Yoga Nidra on. The back of the head. The shoulders, The arms, Hands, Back. Pelvis, Feet, Legs, Notice the natural breadth. Become aware of the area around you. Make small movements with the fingers. With the tools. Stretch yourself if it feels right. Notice the quality of the mind. There may still be thoughts. There may still be emotions. There may still be memories, There may still be imagination and that is alright. The practice is not to destroy the mind. The practice is to understand. The Mind. Take one deep breath in. Let it go. And when you feel ready, You can open your eyes. The practice of Yoga Nidra is now complete. Adiom tat sat.