What Is Yoga Nidra? Is It Yoga?

Hi,

My name is Natalie and I am a Yoga Nidra teacher here to give you a short and sweet overview on the practice of Yoga Nidra.

So my favorite way that I've heard it described is yoga nidra is the path from the waking world into the world of sleep.

So it takes you on this really beautiful and creative,

Intentional journey into deep rest.

The practice itself has been shown to help reduce stress,

Anxiety.

Insomnia symptoms,

And as well,

It can be a really amazing nervous system reset in a short-term sense as well as for the long-term if practiced regularly.

So the words themselves,

Yoga means union in Sanskrit and nidra is broken into two words,

Sanskrit words as well.

Ni means an empty void and tru means a peaceful mental stillness.

And so together we get yoga nidra,

Which can be described in short as a meditative rest or a meditative sleep.

The practice itself has a few very important and key components.

A yoga nidra practice will always have a sankalpa,

Which means a heart's intention or a heart's vow.

So we'll start each practice with that intention.

And if you'd like to learn more about Sankalpa,

I have a separate video that dives into it a bit more.

The other key component are the five koshas.

So they're the five layers of consciousness that we move through from awareness of our physical body.

And we move through the different layers.

And this is how we move into the really deep state of subtle rest of subtle awareness.

So I also have a separate video on the koshas that dives into it.

And I also have a course available that really takes a deep dive into the koshas.

So please check those out if you're interested.

Lastly,

Many people ask,

Is it yoga?

Is it the same as yoga?

So,

It kind of depends on how you're looking at yoga because if you're looking at it through a modern day lens where we see a lot of yoga classes that are mainly physical postures,

Then the two practices would look completely different because yoga nidra is done lying down.

It's a restful practice and it's more of a practice of the mind and the inner consciousness.

So it's the inside and it's not physical other than finding physical rest and moving through a body scan.

However,

If you're looking at it it through a traditional lens,

The practice of yoga is a very deeply meditative practice and the postures are more of a modern addition.

And so if we're looking at it through that traditional lens,

Then yoga is very similar to yoga nidra.

So if you have any other questions,

Let me know.

May you find sleep,

May you find peace in the practice.

Please check out my Yoga Nidras on Insight Timer and I hope you find peace,

Find rest.