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YOGA NIDRAT H E P OW E R O F YO G I C S L E E PT H EE B O O K

WHAT IS YOGA NIDRAYOGA NIDRA EBOOK 1TABLE OF CONTENTSWHAT IS YOGA NIDRAYOGA NIDRA AND SLEEPWHAT IS YOGA NIDRA?certain practices that lead to a deep state ofconscious sleep.To put it simply, yoga nidra is“the sleep of the yogi.”3THE BENEFITS4-6THE STAGES7-12WHAT IS IRESTYoga nidra involves the gradual implementation of1-213PREPARING WITH MOVEMENT14-19RESOURCES20-22

WHAT IS YOGA NIDRAYOGA NIDRA EBOOK 2Yoga nidra has grown in popularity due to its wideIn some styles, you will be asked merely to observerange of benefits and its ease of use. It’s accessibleyour thoughts, in others, to direct your thoughts asto anyone regardless of physical condition, andyou head toward a state of being that’s untouchedthere are many different styles to choose from. Ifby the stresses of life.you’re interested in a more traditional practice, youmight choose the yoga nidra style taught byWhen practicing yoga nidra, you will be focused onSwami Rama. Or if you’re interested in a morethe here and now, allowing your inner wisdom tosecular, Westernized approach,emerge and your stress to melt away. Awaken andyou might pick iRest.simultaneously relax your mind and bodywith yoga nidra.No matter what type you’re comfortable with, theyall have one thing in common—they’re done whileReading through this guide, you’ll learn why youlying down. Once lying down, you’ll be instructedshould begin your yoga nidra practice andto pass through stages of relaxation while keepinghow to get started.your mind awake and aware.Swami Rama showcased his mastery of yoga nidra at the Menninger Clinic by deliberately controlling his bodilyprocesses under laboratory conditions. In this study, he produced delta brain waves (the brain waves associated withdeep sleep) for 25 minutes while appearing to be asleep, but he could remember almost everything said around himduring that time. He also was able to purposefully stop his pulse for seventeen seconds.

YOGA NIDRA AND SLEEPYOGA NIDRA EBOOK 3YOGA NIDRA AND SLEEPYoga nidra and sleep are closely entwined. Byunderstanding the benefits of sleep, you’ll begin tounderstand how yoga nidra can impact your life.Sleep could be for restoration. We know sleepaccelerates wound healing and supportsthe immune system.Sleep must be useful. After all, the average humanspends 26 years of their lives sleeping. While all of ussleep, most of us have no idea why.Or it could be to support brain functioning. When we’resleep deprived, it’s difficult to process memories. Ourbrains are constantly sorting through memories and willprocess them differently depending on whatstage of sleep we’re in.William C. Dement, founder of Stanford University’sSleep Research Center, who researched sleep for 50years, was asked the reason why people sleep. Heanswered, "As far as I know, the only reason we need tosleep that is really, really solid is because we get sleepy."However, scientists do have a few theoriesabout why we sleep There may not be a current consensus on why we sleep,but we do know how sleep benefits us.Sleep helps our wounds to heal, improves memory,boosts the immune system, manages pain, and lowersstress. The same healing power is found in yoga nidra,with added benefits. When you’re practicing yoga nidra,your body will relax, but your mind will also be awakeand one-pointed as it is in meditation.Sleep is so important that all animals need to sleep. Yes, even fish! You might see fish swimming all through the day,but they’re actually sleeping sometimes. They can turn off one side of their brain to sleepwhile keeping the other side conscious.

YOGA NIDRA EBOOK 4THE BENEFITST H EBENEFITSO F YO G A N I D R A

YOGA NIDRA EBOOK 5THE BENEFITS 1-41 324PROBLEM SOLVINGSometimes the answers to our most pressingquestions are hidden in our unconscious.Yoga nidra gives us the gift of accessingburied thoughts and delivering them to theconscious mind.ACCESSIBILITYIt doesn’t matter what body typeIMPROVED MEMORYWhile their mind is engaged during yogic sleep,some yogis will play a recording of material they’dlike to learn. With yoga nidra, the mind will befully aware to absorb the teachings.THERAPYyou have or how old you are, yogaYoga nidra is being used tonidra can be done by anyone. All ittreat those suffering fromrequires is that you can lie downtrauma and addictions. It’sand be guided into a conscious yetused to calm, refresh, anddeep sleep.bring relief to those whomay otherwise be unableto relax.

YOGA NIDRA EBOOK 65768THE BENEFITS 5-8EASE OF USEEven if you fall asleep, there’sCREATIVITYno way you can do yoga nidraSome of the greatest works ofwrong. In fact, yoga nidra canart have been inspired by thehelp insomniacs get their neededunconscious mind. Yoga nidrarest. It’s as easy as allowing theallows us to tap into thatnatural stages of relaxation tocreative center and pull it intotake over.the conscious world.HEALINGThe relaxing aspects ofyoga nidra can strengthenyour immune system andreduce stress. 1 Decreasingstress leads to betteroverall health. 21UNDERSTANDINGSwami Rama taught that yoga nidrasupports and strengthens meditation. Notonly does yoga nidra help you understandyourself better, but it also helps youunderstand your meditative practicebetter as well.Segerstrom, Suzanne C., and Gregory E. Miller. “Psychological Stress and the Human Immune System: A Meta-Analytic Study of30 Years of Inquiry.” Psychological Bulletin 130.4 (2004): 601–630. PMC. Web. 6 Feb. 2017.2Schneiderman, Neil, Gail Ironson, and Scott D. Siegel. “Stress and Health: Psychological, Behavioral, and BiologicalDeterminants.” Annual Review of Clinical Psychology 1 (2005): 607–628. PMC. Web. 6 Feb. 2017.

YOGA NIDRA EBOOK 7THE STAGEST H ESTAGESO F YO G A N I D R A

YOGA NIDRA EBOOK 8ABOUT THE STAGESABOUT THE STAGESO F YO G A N I D R AWestern thought emphasizes three human states:This intention should be set in the present and bephysical, mental, and energetic. Traditionally, yogastated as a positive affirmation, no matter if it is truenidra emphasizes seven sheaths (or Sanskrit: kosha,right now or something you are hoping for in themeaning body) with a stage focusing on each.future. For example, rather than saying, “I want to bemore compassionate,” your intention might beDuring your yoga nidra practice, you’ll pass through“Compassion is my true nature” or “I am compassionone sheath to the next, awakening your inner wisdomitself.” Focus on the now.and discarding unnecessary stress as you’re guidedto your natural state of happiness (sahaj), aThen, you can move along through each stage listedchangeless part of yourself.on the following pages.Before yoga nidra, our minds are pointed in allThese stages will give you an understanding of thedirections. We’re distracted by our surroundings,practice, but to fully immerse yourself in theinstead of focusing our awareness. As you begin yourexperience, especially if this is your first time, youpractice, you should set an intention.should use guided audio or a teacher. Recommendedresources can be found at the end of this guide.

YOGA NIDRA EBOOK 9THE STAGES 1-21PHYSICAL BODY23Annamaya Kosha AWARENESS OF SENSATION3In this stage, observe the sensations of the physical body. Listen tofeedback from your body and become more aware as you send yourfocus first to the head, then to the shoulders, arms, and down to thefeet. Become aware of your body resting on the ground and allow allsensations to emerge without impression or repression.ENERGY BODYPranamaya Kosha AWARENESS OF BREATH & ENERGYYour focus will become more subtle as you move through eachstage. In the energy body stage, you’ll count during each breath.When distracted, recount, until your mind becomes attuned to thebreath, the lifeforce of the body.Miller, Richard. Yoga Nidra: A Meditative Practice for Deep Relaxation and Healing. Boulder:Sounds True, 2005. 38. Print.

YOGA NIDRA EBOOK 10THE STAGES 3-434EMOTIONAL BODYManomaya Kosha AWARENESS OF FEELINGS & EMOTIONDeep emotions will arise as you let the body relax. Allow these emotions towash over you while keeping yourself focused on each feeling, withoutjudgment. Then, open yourself to experiencing opposite emotions likehappiness and sadness. Contemplate how one value would not existwithout the other, how each helps define the other’s meaning.BODY OF INTELLECTVijnanamaya Kosha AWARENESS OF THOUGHTS, BELIEFS & IMAGESNaturally, as you embrace opposites, images and thoughts will sprout into yourconsciousness. As in the emotional body, these images might be opposites. Thesecould be thoughts that are part of your larger belief systems or new thoughts orbeliefs that you’ve never imagined before. This is all okay, and all are welcome.

YOGA NIDRA EBOOK 11THE STAGES 5-65BODY OF JOYAnandamaya Kosha AWARENESS OF DESIRE, PLEASURE &JOYWelcoming opposites will eventually lead to joy. You’ll learn that joy isnot dependent on anything. It’s a natural state of being that becomesexposed with pinpoint precision in yoga nidra. When pleasureemerges, focus on it and contemplate how this is your natural stateof being once all of life’s daily distractions have been removed.6BODY OF EGO/IAsmitamaya Kosha AWARENESS OF THEEGOIn this state, you’ll turn your awareness outside of yourself.You’ll have a unique perspective without the ego’s influence.Existential contemplations—for example, of the nature ofbeing—appear in this stage. Here, you’ll investigatewhat “I” truly means.

YOGA NIDRA EBOOK 12THE STAGES 77NATURAL STATESahaj AWARENESS OF THECHANGELESS BEINGThis is the final state. The changeless Being awakens inside of you, and youobserve Being as something expressed throughout all life. Richard Miller, in hisbook Yoga Nidra, wrote, “Awakening from the dream of ‘me’ reveals thateverything is an expression of nondual Being. Just as the facets of a diamondare not separate from the diamond, everything we see, touch, taste, hear, smell,and think is a facet of Unity.”

YOGA NIDRA EBOOK 13WHAT IS IRESTWHAT IS iRESTiRest is a powerful style of yoganidra that takes a more secular,Westernized approach. iRest wascreated by Richard Miller, PhD, aclinical psychologist, author,researcher, and yogic scholar.Since it is being used to treatsoldiers suffering from PTSD, thestripping of all religious-soundingterms was necessary to conform tomilitary standards. In 2010, the USArmy Surgeon General and theDefense Centers of Excellenceendorsed iRest as a complementaryand alternative medicine.Even if you’re not suffering fromtrauma, you can benefit from iRest.It’s being used in hospitals andschools and is useful to anyoneinterested in their personaldevelopment and well-being. MollyBirkholm, a teacher of iRest, calls it apractice of “profound welcoming”and “a gentle guide through theprocess of being human.”iRest is about uncovering the deep,untouched space of wholeness andstillness within. This part of youdoesn’t need to be created—it’salready there, a place untouched bythe stresses of life. Uncovering thispiece of yourself isn’t difficult. YouriRest teacher can guide you there.Like traditional forms of yoga nidra,iRest has stages that you’ll passthrough as an inner, unchanging partof yourself emerges.LEARN MORE WITH THEiREST YOGA NIDRAGUIDED MEDITATIONwith Molly BirkholmIncluded in the workshop is a 45-minuteguided yoga nidra to help you with your practice.ALL WORKSHOPS ARE FREE WITH AYoga International Digital Membership

PREPARING WITH MOVEMENTYOGA NIDRA EBOOK 14P R E PA R I N G W I T HGENTLE MOVEMENTThese simple movements will help you relax before you attemptyour yoga nidra practice. All steps should be done gently,without tensing harshly.

YOGA NIDRA EBOOK 15PREPARING WITH MOVEMENT 1-2112Stand with feet hip-width apart,make fists, and swing your armsforward and back.2Keep swinging your arms, butnow also bend the elbows whenswinging back, like you arepunching the air.