Emily Bowman
LPC, CACIII
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overview of yoga nidra
If you've never heard of Yoga Nidra (also called Non-Sleep Deep Rest), I encourage you to read through the information on this page, and experience it for yourself by engaging in one of the recorded practices you can find on the yoga nidra practices page.
Explore and enjoy, and please reach out to me if you are interested in learning about any of this in more depth and/or if you want to explore ideas for developing a regular practice.
what is yoga nidra?
Yoga Nidra (also called Yogic Sleep and Non-Sleep Deep Rest ) is both a technique and a unique state of consciousness. It is derived from practices and sacred texts from ancient India, and has been interpreted and revised by practitioners throughout the world over the past several hundred years. The technique of Yoga Nidra is a multi-step process (different lineages have slightly different steps) to arrive at the state of Yoga Nidra, in which the body is in a deep state of sleep but the mind remains awake and aware. In this unique state, positive changes in body, mind, and spirit can occur on many levels more rapidly and efficiently than it can in any other state, and rest deficits can be restored. Many people use Yoga Nidra for rest and relaxation, but when practiced consistently, it can also lead to nervous system repair, changes in brain structure and cognitive functioning, subconscious reprogramming, improvements in mental health, and so much more.
how do you practice yoga nidra?
​Yoga Nidra is a guided process in which all you have to do to practice is lie on the floor, the couch, your bed, etc., in a comfortable position, using any pillows, blankets, eye coverings, or other props you might want, and follow the guidance of a teacher who may be guiding you in-person or through a recording. It is similar to meditation, but requires less effort than meditation since you are lying down and simply following cues. The different steps of Yoga Nidra are designed to help you drop out of the thinking mind and move through the different layers of yourself and different brain wave states until you land in an effortless state of simply being, in which your mind is alert and your body is in its deepest state of rest. It is not uncommon to fall completely asleep during Yoga Nidra, and, in fact, many people use it as a technique for falling asleep at night. Most of us are severely under-rested, and falling asleep could mean that your body and mind are exhausted and need deep rest. Remaining fully awake and aware during Yoga Nidra is possible when you are well rested and/or when you have been practicing on a regular basis for several weeks or months, and the beauty of Yoga Nidra is that there is no right or wrong way to do it; there is only the way that is most true for you in any given practice on any given day.
sankalpa
Many Yoga Nidra traditions incorporate a sankalpa, or intention, into the practice. Sankalpa is a Sanskrit word that basically means a vow or heartfelt desire, and can be interpreted as an awareness of and a commitment to a heartfelt resolve that leads you to the best version of you and guides your life in some way. It is typically a short phrase stated in the present tense using language that reflects what you want instead of what you don’t want (i.e., “I remain fully present” vs “I want to stop being distracted”, or “I make choices that improve my health” vs “I don’t eat junk food”). You might work with a Primary Sankalpa that connects you to your calling or purpose and guides the big picture course of your life, or you might work with a Secondary Sankalpa, which is an intention that connects to something more immediate that feels unhelpful and that you want to work on shifting. You can also simply work with any intention that arises during the practice, as it often does when you get quiet and still enough to recognize what you are feeling and needing, and it is also perfectly fine to not use any sort of intention during your practice. The use of Sankalpa can be a powerful tool for making significant and sustainable shifts in the ways in which you show up in your work and your relationships, and can enhance your sense of purpose and alignment with who you really are. If this is something you’re wanting to work with, I have several tools that can help you access and formulate specific intentions, and I would love to help you explore this in more depth.
here are a few videos that explain these concepts more fully...