Yoga nidra: deep (conscious) sleep, relax and rejuvinate

I’ve been doing yoga nidra meditations for a couple of years as part of my collection of healing practices. Lately I’ve been doing a lot more of it and it’s so deeply relaxing and healing I thought it was time I shared it. I have to say that even though I’ve been doing it for two years it’s only recently from a greater state of well-being that I’ve come to deeply appreciate the profundity of this practice.

Note: when I was in the midst of the worst of the psychiatric drug withdrawal syndrome (really for a couple of years) I could not listen to guided meditations of any sort. Please don’t assume if you cannot do something now you won’t be able to do it ever. Things change and it does get better. I put a lot of practices on the back burner for the day I might be able to utilize them. I still do that sometimes when I learn about something new. I think, hmmm, that doesn’t sound right right now, but it may be in the future and I take a mental note.

Yoga Nidra is an an ancient form of guided meditation that has been proven effective to reduce stress, tension, anxiety, sleeplessness and many other psychological disorders.

Yoga Nidra induces the mind to transition from the waking state, through the “hypogonic” state (between waking and dream), into dream and deep sleep states. This transition however is not done unconsciously. Using the tool of Yoga Nidra the transition is done with full consciousness and allows the practitioner to access layers of the subconscious mind will clarity and mindfulness. This allows for the release of many negative patterns in the mind to unravel and ultimately dissolve.

Yoga Nidra is deeply nourishing and an essential practice to help us slow down and unwind in the often fast paced modern world.

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You can download the above audio for free right here: UNWIND: yoga nidra

I also have these two which I’ve really enjoyed and can be purchased at amazon:

• Resting in Stillness: Integrative Restoration – iRest Yoga Nidra  — Richard Miller

and:

• Yoga Nidra  — Julie Rader  (just 99 cents as an audio download and my current favorite — (UPDATE: I just listened to the one I shared on the youtube and for beginners it’s really far better and it’s FREE)

I find a bit of variety to be a good thing and different tracks appeal more or less at different times.