Soul Whispers
Shifting with Yoga NidraTransform with restful Yoga Nidra.
You don’t need to know anything about yoga or even how to meditate to experience the benefits of Yoga Nidra. This is a simple restorative meditation practice.
What is Yoga Nidra?
Yoga Nidra is the state of conscious deep sleep. This is a restorative form of guided meditation that facilitates entry into this state. It is where the mind remains conscious while the body experiences the effects of deep sleep. For most people, Yoga Nidra is practiced lying down, however, you can take any position that allows your body to feel comfortable and supported (this is important for those who experience pain).
Yoga Nidra is that moment where your busy mind surrenders and “falls” asleep each night, except that in Yoga Nidra, the mind stays aware and witnesses the body sleeping.
Yoga Nidra refers to the sleep of the yogis—conscious deep sleep.
40 Days of Yoga Nidra
Shifting through each Chakra
Day 1-3
Introduction
In Yoga Nidra we work with Sankalpa (intention or resolution). We enter and close the Yoga Nidra practice with our sankalpa. During these first 3 days, we will be using this restorative meditation practice. This is considered the “seed” of growth in the area of your life that is calling for attention.
Day 4-8
Root Chakra
We will focus on the Root Chakra. This is the base of all our basic needs, stability, and security. Mūlādhāra Chakra is comprised of whatever grounds you to stability in your life. This includes your basic needs such as food, water, shelter, safety, as well as your emotional needs of interconnection, and being fearless.
Day 9-13
Sacral Chakra
We will focus on the Sacral Chakra. The Svadhisthana chakra is the centre of emotions, feelings and stimulates pleasure. It plays an active role in our sexuality and expression of our sexual needs, desires, and creative energy. The primary function of this chakra is pleasure and overall enjoyment of life.
Day 14-18
Solar Plexus Chakra
We will focus on the Solar Plexus Chakra. Manipura chakra translates to, “city of jewels”. It acts as the center of personal power, self-esteem, and self-confidence. This chakra governs personality, ego, and identity, as well as personal freedom, choice, and authenticity.
Day 19-23
Heart Chakra
We will focus on the Heart Chakra. In this chakra Anahata means “unhurt, unstruck, and unbeaten”. It is associated with balance, calmness, and serenity.
Day 24-28
Throat Chakra
We will focus on the Throat Chakra. The Vishuddha is responsible for communication, self-expression (expression of thoughts, feelings, and ideas), the ability to speak your personal truth, and a healthy internal dialogue.
Day 29-33
Third Eye Chakra
We will focus on the Third Eye Chakra. In this chakra it is the center of intuition and foresight. Ajna Chakra is known as “the seat of intuition”. It translates as “perceive,” “beyond wisdom,” and “command”. It acts as the individual’s center of wisdom, conscience, and higher consciousness.
Day 34-38
Crown Chakra
We will focus on the Crown Chakra. Sahasrara Chakra is known as “the bridge to the cosmos”. It is the energy center of universal knowledge and spiritualism which connects you to the divine. It is the most spiritual in nature of all seven chakras.
Day 39-40
Integration
During this final phase, you will connect to your mind, body, heart, and soul. You will feel grounded, relaxed, and safe. You will notice a shift in your Vital Life Force and have the ability to let go of your stress bundles and have the wisdom to know which of those to release.
Benefits
Of Yoga Nidra
A Study in the International Journal of Yoga Therapy reported the following
In an 8-week study, the feasibility of offering weekly Yoga Nidra classes was studied. In this form of mindfulness meditation, it was used with military combat veterans. The participants reported reduced rage, anxiety, and emotional reactivity. And they also reported increased feelings of relaxation, peace, self-awareness, and self-efficacy, despite challenges with mental focus, intrusive memories, and other concerns.
No Experience Necessary
Yoga Nidra is a simple restorative meditation practice that is totally beginner-friendly. It isn’t necessary to know anything about yoga or to even know anything about how to meditate.
Yoga Nidra is an effective complementary therapy for stress-induced symptoms and conditions like insomnia or difficulty sleeping, anxiety, and PTSD.
And it’s simple enough to learn at all ages. Just lay down and listen, and the benefits begin!
Why Yoga Nidra
Rollie discovered Yoga Nidra a few years ago at the suggestion of a colleague. She felt that Yoga Nidra would be a great addition to the modalities that she offered at the time. She soon discovered that her stress levels quickly began to lower. This practice had such a profound impact on many of her clients that she began to offer Yoga Nidra virtually during another lockdown.
Stress is not something visually but it is something that you can feel in your entire body, mind and emotion. And when we leave stress untreated, it becomes the #1 contributor to disease.
There are many ways that we cope with stress rather than release it by watching too much TV, eating too much food, and some turn to other substances such as alcohol or drugs. All of these are temporary fixes that don’t do anything to help release tension or even address the root causes of your stress.
Yoga Nidra helps you reach a state of conscious rest that’s entered through restorative meditation practice. This state encourages the body and mind to release the effects of stress. It helps you unwind and restore the right to the core of your nervous system.
All you need to do is lay down on your back and listen. If laying down isn’t an option, you can enjoy the benefits of Yoga Nidra in whatever position makes you most comfortable. It’s really that simple.
NOT SURE IF THIS IS FOR YOU?
Sign up for a Virtual Yoga Nidra Class
How does Yoga Nidra Work?
It’s like setting the reset button. You enter into a state of deep conscious sleep. It allows you to unplug and unwind from all of the external stimuli. A common response to experiencing Yoga Nidra is feeling refreshed, like having woken up from a deep sleep.
Releasing deep holding stress patterns, allows us to shift the way we handle what life brings our way. The best part of how Yoga Nidra works is that you don’t need to know the “how” to do the practice to reap its benefits. Simply lay down and listen. Nothing gets any simpler than that.