I’m not sure about you, but I sometimes find myself completely spent by the end of the day. And by spent, I mean my energy reserves have been utterly depleted. And that could be physical energy, mental energy, emotional energy or some combination. The cupboard is bare, because sometimes I didn’t notice that I was down to the last can of beans.
Now, quite often, those energies are spent on very meaningful, productive or pleasant–sometimes even joyful–pursuits. A vigorous long hike. Spending time supporting a friend who is experiencing a challenging situation. Volunteering. Entertaining family for the weekend. Even something as engaging and stimulating as going on holiday can simultaneously fill and drain the reserves.
And then there are forces that deplete energy that are not meaningful or pleasant. At all. Getting stuck in traffic delays. Over-scheduling activities. Navigating an illness. Sometimes just reading the news. Fretting or worrying. People who experience depression often speak of being physically spent.
The ancient yogis called energy Prana, or life force. They believed that Prana circulated throughout the universe and animated all things. And, according to them, bringing that universal life-force into our beings–building and maintaining life-force inside of us–was a key to enlightenment. These yogis discovered this by their personal experiences. If the universe is made of life force, the cultivation of Prana brings us closer to transcendence and communion with our universe.
Prana can be cultivated in various ways. Pranayama–or modulation of prana through breathing techniques–is one such way. Acting well in the world is another; being in harmony with the world builds Prana. And preserving the Prana that you have built is also important. And the preservation of Prana is one of the key benefits of Yoga Nidra.
Yoga Nidra is often referred to as deep yogic sleep or yogic rest. Scholars know there are references to Nidra in the ancient texts, but like many of those texts, the meanings can be opaque or challenging to comprehend. Many scholars agree, though, that in a state that exists between awareness and sleep, a communion with the Divine can occur. So, in some ways, Nidra is meant to be a spiritual practice. Additionally, and importantly, the ancients refer to the “dissolving of fatigue” during a Nidra, which brings us back to Prana and rejuvenation.
Hundreds of contemporary research studies–never mind our own own common sense and lived experiences–have shown that rest is critical for physical, mental and emotional health. In deep rest, healing at a cellular level occurs. The body rids itself of metabolic waste during deep rest. Hormones which cause stress (as well as aid in action and activity) diminish and hormones which promote healing increase. Damage can repair and wounds can heal when we rest. So, we know that rest is critical for replenishing the cupboard, so to speak.
While many folks frequently fall asleep in Nidra, and that is perfectly fine and normal, usually the practice is led so that the participant is guided into a state of deep physical awareness and then relaxation, and the mind is kept quietly yet actively engaged in thoughts that cultivate engagement with deep peace. A state of being–right between full engagement with the world and unconsciously sleep–is what we are after. The techniques can vary; other than lying in a corpse pose, the ancients provide no step-by-step instructions. Rather, traditions and techniques have evolved over time, and have proven deeply satisfying for practitioners around the world.
Yoga Nidra not only preserves life force or Prana; it cultivates Prana. It restocks the cupboard and makes sure there are always at least a few cans of beans at the back. Like with all yoga practices, regular engagement with the techniques yield results both more subtle and more profound over time. Some folks report feelings of peace and rejuvenation immediately after a Nidra practice, while others say they sleep more soundly or find a sense of equilibrium the next day. Others note that they feel happier or more grounded. I have personally never heard of anyone having a negative experience in Nidra, though I can’t ever promise such a thing; yet all the folks I know who practice it are enthusiastic about it.
You can join us live on Thursdays at 5:00 pm in the Dynamic Gentle Yogis online platform for Yoga Nidra, or access it in the video library when it suits you (some folks like practicing right before bedtime). If you enjoy our All Yoga Membership, Nidra is already included. If you don’t have that membership, you can feel good about your donation-based access to the practice–all proceeds go to our Shared Abundance Fund so that others can stock their cupboard as well.
