Genevieve McMullen

Why Yoga Nidra should be your New Go-To Meditation Practice

ARTICLE GENEVIEVE McMULLEN

Find balance with the perfect combination of mindfulness, relaxation and self-realisation.

It’s no secret that to reap the benefits of meditation and to see the results of continued practice come to fruition, you need to be consistent.

I tried my hand at meditation during my final year of high school, hoping it would relieve some of the pressures that come with such a stressful environment. Being a teenager with little knowledge of meditation, my understanding lay somewhere between thinking it was only for bald men in robes or meant I had to run away and join a hippie commune.

It wasn’t until my Grandma handed me a grainy recording of a Yoga Nidra practice on a battered cassette tape that I was hooked and have been practising for almost 10 years.

So what is Yoga Nidra and what are the benefits?

Yoga Nidra is a meditative practice that is done in a quiet room, lying down in savasana, void of distractions. It focuses on turning attention inwards and rotating consciousness throughout the body.

Led by a practitioner, the participant is guided through a series of mantras as well as breathing and awareness exercises. All that is needed is to follow the instructions given. Practices range anywhere from 15 minutes to a longer 45 minutes and are fantastic for all age ranges.

Yoga Nidra is a combination of the two Sanskrit words Yoga ‘union’ and Nidra ‘sleep’ that was born in the spiritual movement of the 70s. Adapted by Swami Satyananda Saraswati, its techniques are derived from the tantras (Hindu and Buddhist scriptures).

Funnily enough, the golden rule in Yoga Nidra is that you should not, under any circumstances, fall asleep during the practice. Relaxation and healing begin in the transitional period between waking and sleep, all while remaining conscious.

Yoga Nidra’s power lies in the ability of the mind and body to deeply relax, receiving intuitions from the unconscious mind, connecting with your true self and combating the negatives of our modern minds to find enlightenment.

You begin by stating your Sankalpa, or resolve, a short clear phrase repeated each time you practise, aimed at unlocking your innermost desires and potential.

Traditionally meditation is used to calm the mind or block thoughts. Yoga Nidra differs from this as it focuses on finding true self and purpose. Your physical awareness, mental awareness and spiritual awareness is actively working through the layers of energy in the mind.

If you dedicate yourself to practising Yoga Nidra regularly, keep an open mind and are genuinely interested in understanding the method behind the meditation, you will gradually find: • Mental clarity • Decreased anxiety • Reduced stress • Regular and improved sleeping patterns • Release of emotional and physical tensions • Self-awareness and realisation • Sense of inner peace • Focused direction

I want to highlight the word practise. Like anything in life, benefits won’t come from doing something sporadically, just like you don’t walk out of the gym for the first time sprouting a six pack or pick up the piano and be able to play with the flair of Chopin.

Yoga Nidra takes dedicated practice, and by working at it, even when you would rather scroll mindlessly on Instagram, you will reap the benefits and improve your general wellbeing, find self-satisfaction and be genuinely glad you started this meditative journey.

Roll out your yoga mat and for the love of the higher being you believe in, lock the kids and the dog out of the room.

Head over to Youtube to find some great guided practices – just type Yoga Nidra into the search.

Genevieve writes via her blog on Medium about a range of personal development topics including Yoga Nidra, a wellness meditation practice that she’s been practising for over 10 years and would love to share with readers as it’s great for beginners and anyone looking for a relaxing guided mediation. https://medium.com/@Eve_McMullen