Understanding Yoga Nidra
Yoga Nidra is the yogic practice of lying down and meditating. It is an ancient practice that has been practised for centuries. It is a step-by-step process involving the body, mind and breathwork leading to deep relaxation. Yoga Nidra allows you to delve deeper into the various realms of your consciousness while oscillating between states of wakefulness and sleeping. If you’ve been struggling to meditate, this method might be for you because it allows you to enter a deep meditative state with great ease from the first time you practise. However, because it is such an effortless way to meditate, many people underestimate its power and carry many misconceptions about it. Below, we’ll bust some of these myths of yoga.
Explore this guided meditation for deep relaxation with Saqib Rizvi on SoulSensei.
Myth 1: Yoga Nidra is Just a Nap
One of the biggest misconceptions about yoga is that yoga nidra is sleeping. That’s not true. Even though it might make you feel relaxed and sleepy as you lie down, it’s much more than that. Unlike sleeping, this practice is done with conscious awareness. You are expected to concentrate on your breathing, sensations in your body and your emotions. Through this, it can help you process heavy emotions like stress, anxiety and grief that you might’ve subconsciously stored in your body.
Myth 2: Yoga Nidra is Only for Advanced Yogis
Another one of yoga misconceptions is that yoga nidra is an advanced-level practice. In reality, it can be practised by anyone willing to focus. Doing yoga nidra doesn’t require any prior experience or knowledge about yoga. It is a gentle practice that can be exercised by beginners and individuals of all ages. Since it is a guided meditation and you’ll always have an instructor taking you through it, Yoga Nidra is accessible to anyone and everyone.
Myth 3: Yoga Nidra Makes You Lazy
The opposite is true about this myth. The benefit of Yoga Nidra is that it helps you get rid of fatigue in your body increasing your energy levels. You are more likely to leave this practice feeling refreshed and energised than lethargic. Additionally, it is also proven to increase productivity, concentration, attention, memory and focus.
Myth 4: Yoga Nidra is a Religious Practice
This is one of the most common myths of yoga. While Yoga Nidra does have its roots in ancient Indian scriptures, it is far from a religious practice. It is backed by science and researchers have found it beneficial for many ailments. Practising yoga nidra can reduce inflammation in your body and help with diabetes. It can also help regulate your sleep cycle, reduce the effects of PTSD, release stress and trauma and alleviate anxiety.
Myth 5: Yoga Nidra is Not Effective for Stress Relief
Studies have shown that Yoga Nidra helps reduce cortisol levels in your body. It also triggers a relaxation response in your body, which reduces the effects of stress and promotes calm. Because this practice promotes better sleep, you are more likely to have regulated emotions, which also means lesser stress. Considering all of the above factors, it is safe to say that this is one of those misconceptions about yoga that can be easily debunked.
Myth 6: You Have to Be in Perfect Physical Condition
Just because the word Yoga Nidra has the word Yoga in it, it doesn’t mean that it requires complex physical postures. Yoga Nidra can be practised by anyone with any level of physical fitness. That’s the beauty of this practice. You can do it lying down or in a chair.
Myth 7: Yoga Nidra is Only for Sleep Issues
While Yoga Nidra does fix sleep issues, that’s not the only benefit of this practice. Yoga Nidra can be used to reduce stress, alleviate anxiety, increase calm and relaxation, and improve focus and concentration among many other goals.
Myth 8: Yoga Nidra Requires a Long-Time Commitment
One of the most common yoga misconceptions is that this practice requires a long-time commitment but it doesn’t. Even with one short session, you can experience deep relaxation and other benefits of the practice. You can do it anywhere, anytime making it easy to fit into your busy schedule. And you don’t need any prior experience with meditation to do Yoga Nidra.
Conclusion
Yoga Nidra is a yogic practice to lie down and meditate. There are many benefits of this practice, like stress relief, lower anxiety, increased focus and energy, emotional release and more. However, due to its easy technique, there are many myths of yoga. Some common ones are that it’s like taking a nap, it requires long-time commitment, it only fixes sleep issues, and it is a religious practice. But in reality, none of them are true. Above, we’ve debunked each of these myths. Learn more about how to practise Yoga Nidra from experts on SoulSensei.
Sources
Nollapelli – Six beliefs about yoga nidra debunked.
Kamini Desai – Exposing the myths of yoga nidra.
