Yoga Nidra: Your Sleep Solution

What exactly is Yoga Nidra? Yoga Nidra is both a systematic meditation, as well as a state of being. In this first lesson, discover why these ancient methods work, and how can you apply the techniques during modern times, to encourage peaceful sleep. You’ll also learn 5 easy guidelines on how to follow this “conscious sleep” sequence, to receive the full benefits of the practice.

For a deeper understanding of how powerful Yoga Nidra can be, you’ll learn of its ancient origins in India and how it was then simplified to be accessible for all. You’ll also experience the first two steps of the classic sequence, which includes the awareness of sound. This technique is used as a form of mindfulness, beginning to build a relaxed awareness of the present moment.

One of the most relaxing steps of the Deep Sleep Yoga Nidra sequence is the Body Scan, where you are guided on a journey of awareness, sensing areas of the body with a non-judgmental, internal attention. In today's lesson, you will learn how to follow the body scan and how to apply this useful relaxation technique on your own to promote deep sleep.

The next step of the Deep Sleep Yoga Nidra sequence is Awareness of Breath, focusing on the natural rhythm of your breathing. Learn easy ways of using the breath as an anchor for moving deeper into the stillness of the meditation experience. Each step of the sequence prepares you for the next stage of Yoga Nidra, immersing you more and more into the peaceful, deepest part of your being.

Intention is perhaps the most powerful component of the Yoga Nidra sequence. In today's lesson, you will learn the essence of creating an “intention statement”, with examples of how to condense your aspirations and hopes into one, all-encompassing sentence. Come to understand how the repetition of your personal statement can alter the way you think and act, as you discover how intention is an integral part of Deep Sleep Yoga Nidra.

Today, we expand on the previous lesson, understanding more about the positive impact of using intention during meditation and how the positive effects remain with you after the meditation is complete. You’ll learn practical tips on how to fine tune, cultivate, and empower your personal intention, deep within the layers of the subconscious mind, even if it seems unachievable today.

It’s time to dive deeper into the awareness of the breathing, as you learn how to sense the breath in different ways, experiencing which methods work best for you. This stage of Deep Sleep Yoga Nidra invites you to imagine or perceive your breath as your life force; like a flow of energy moving through the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual body, carrying you into a profound state of relaxation and ease.

We explore using sensory perception (heavy and light, hot and cold) to practice how to be in a steady state of balance, no matter what the circumstances are. We also introduce visualization and you’ll discover how this becomes easily accessible when you stop trying hard to “see” an image. When you can’t sleep because something is bothering you, these effective techniques help free the mind from the fixation of thoughts, so you can you drift off into a peaceful sleep.

The mind is full of conversations, tasks, concerns, information, most of which does not need to follow you into your sleeping state. Today you’ll learn how to declutter the mind in preparation for peaceful sleep, using Review of the Day as part of a Yoga Nidra meditation. Discover how you can clear some of the input and stimuli of the day, so that your sleep can be more restful, leaving you refreshed when you wake up.

In our last lesson together, we expand on the concept of Greater Awareness and the comfort of connecting to your natural state of joy and inner calm. Then we bring all the Deep Sleep Yoga Nidra steps together. The aim is for you to personalize the many layers of this powerful meditation system so you can access deep and restful sleep. My hope is that you will look forward to repeating it often, and that you experience profound rest when you need it most.