Normalise Rest: The magic of Yoga Nidra + learning the art of rest

When I first experienced a Yoga Nidra guided meditation, I didn’t know that it was Yoga Nidra…I do know, that I had gone to a yoga space I didn’t know, after moving from the city to Margaret River, a little country town in Western Australia (known to attract, surfers, wine buffs and hippies) and I was in desperate need of some gentle movement and most importantly a deeply restful and quiet meditation.

Getting any quiet at home was tough with 3 little ones and (unbeknownst to us at the time) number 4 on the way. Plus, the unpacked boxes would burn holes into my guilty soul if I just left them there unattended, if I dared to stop, drop and yoga!

So, in desperate need of some quiet, I found a studio in our town listed in the local newspaper (yep, no judgment please….it was 2004 and dial up took way too long in our little country town, much faster to flick to the ad section of the newspaper 😉)

I needed to find a place fast.

I got my girls, bathed and pyjamas on by 4.30pm and ran out the door the minute my husband got home from work!

I arrived at the yoga space all awkward and not knowing where anything was but so glad to be there.

As the movement part of practice neared the end, my mind wandered to day dreaming about the peace and quiet savasana would bring but I was also a bit worried it would be a guided meditation!

I did like guided meditations but I was craving peace, rest, restoration - everything I associated with zero noise aka ‘Please, please do not do a guided meditation whilst I’m in savasana!’

So there I was, a stranger in a new town, in a new yoga space, with all my expectations of what I needed to feel rested, to feel restored.

The yoga teacher skilfully guided us into savasana and then the bloody teacher starts with her talky talk, and in my head I scream ‘Boooo! 🤦‍♀️ I don’t need this, I need quiet - ugh!’

But, because I’m me and I felt bad for silently ‘Booing’ this lovely teacher in my head, I decide to tune in and just allow myself to experience the experience…I mean I’m here so I may as well just open up to what comes and lean in.

And OH MY GOODNESS!

‘What magic was that?’ I asked the lovely yoga teacher (who I now felt even worse about booing in my head) after class.

‘That magic [insert pause for dramatic effect] is Yoga Nidra’ she said with a cheeky, knowing smile…much they way I imagine I must smile all cheeky and knowing now when I am asked the same question.😊

That first Yoga Nidra experience really was magic.

Up until that point in time I was a big advocate for silent meditations, and yep, I do still love a silent practice but I can hand on heart tell you that a Yoga Nidra practice is now my favourite kind of meditation, both in my own personal practice and to guide you through.

So what is Yoga Nidra?

The word ‘Nidra’ is a Sanskrit word that translates to ‘sleep’. It is a guided meditation practice that induces deep relaxation while maintaining a state of consciousness.

Commonly practiced in savasana (corpse pose), or any other comfortable position for your body, whilst you are guided through a series of instructions.

The practice often includes breath work, the setting of a sankalpa (a short positive intention), a body scan or rotation of consciousness and visualisations.

During the rotation of consciousness, you are guided to mentally move your awareness to specific parts of the body, noticing sensations, emotions, or images which helps to cultivate a deep sense of inner awareness and mindfulness.

Throughout the practice, you remain in a state between wakefulness and sleep, known as the ‘hypnagogic state.’ (fun to say ☺️) It is here where that magic I mentioned earlier lies. The hypnagogic state allows for deep healing and rejuvenation, in both mind and body and this healing is carried with you beyond the practice, into every day life.

Yoga nidra brings with it many benefits, such as stress reduction, improved sleep quality, enhanced creativity, increased self-awareness, and a greater sense of inner peace and well-being.

The beauty of this practice is that it is accessible to everyone regardless of age, fitness level, or prior experience with yoga.

And it can be practiced just about anywhere, apart from whilst you’re driving a vehicle or operating machinery of course 🤷‍♀️ Just make sure you are somewhere safe and comfortable before you begin.

If you’d like to give this practice a try, head to insight timer, a free online meditation app to explore the many free yoga nidra practices on offer. There are loads of fabulous teachers offering Yoga Nidra meditations on insight timer including yours truly 😉

You’ll find a link to free meditations on the home page of glimmeryoga.com website…The Yoga Nidra inspired practice for sleep is a great place to start.

I hope you find some magic here too.

Much magic to you 🌙

Kerry x.