Birch says, while the intention of the practice is to stay awake-“yoga nidra” means conscious sleep-many students find it a cure for insomnia. Modern research shows it can help everything from headaches to PTSD. Yogis used it to purify the samskaras, or deep impressions that create our karma. Yoga nidra has roots in ancient texts like the Upanishads, but was revived in the mid-20th century by Swami Satyananda Saraswati who developed a systematic relaxation practice from tantric teachings. (Sign me up!)Īlso see Getting to Know You: The Five Koshas The Benefits of Yoga Nidra This is one reason she teaches it to veterans, as well as modern yogis craving calm in an overstressed world. Birch explains that while asana works on the physical body, or annamaya kosha, yoga nidra taps into the mind and causal fields, the manomaya and vijanamaya koshas, where deep-seated traumas often reside. This pioneer has been practicing yoga for 40 years and meditating for longer. It’s certainly a great way to ease into a meditation practice, a guided relaxation where we drop down into a quieter state.”
“It’s a way to get anchored in the present moment. “It’s restorative, it’s meditative, it’s transformational,” said Beryl Bender Birch during her yoga nidra workshop at Yoga Journal LIVE! San Diego last weekend. See also 10 Steps of Yoga Nidra What Is Yoga Nidra? If you’re like me, you’re wondering why you haven’t heard more about yoga nidra. This seemingly paradoxical yoga can help overcome trauma, anxiety and pain-even if you can’t (or don’t want to) get up and practice asana. It could train your focus on the tiniest part of your body and transport you into the cosmos. Imagine there’s a kind of yoga that can help you wake up but also fall asleep. Healing for everything from PTSD to the everyday headache, this systematic relaxation practice from tantric teachings brings ease to the very deepest layers of our being. If you’ve struggled with meditation but buy into its benefits, it’s time to try yoga nidra. Get full access to Outside Learn, our online education hub featuring in-depth yoga, fitness, & nutrition courses, when you