Relax your body and mind with yoga nidra

• May 6, 2024

Yoga nidra "technique that helps us to reach a state of sleep in full lucidity, that is, we are conscious but not asleep during exercise", however, it is a state of deep relaxation, which helps to induce sleep, ensures the yogi Marcia Hidalgo .

The teacher in Ashtanga Yoga He details that this type of yoga is practiced through the posture called savasana or posture of the corpse, which is generally done in active yoga types at the end of the class.

For this asana you must place a rug on the floor, lie on your back, with your head straight to the spine, feet separated and relaxed, arms apart from the body with the palms facing up.

The founder of We are Yoga explains that it is very important that the yoga nidra session is guided by a teacher or a recording, because it is integrated in the following stages.

1. Preparation and relaxation . Start with a few breaths to relax the mind and body to create a state of openness and be much more receptive and alert.

2. Purpose It is the sankalpa stage, that is, choose a purpose for your yoga nidra practice, it can be to generate more love, peace or something more specific that you want to work.

You must say it positively or affirmatively (avoid putting a no), for example, if you want to reduce insomnia you have to express "I want to sleep well" or "I sleep perfectly" and repeat it three times in your mind before beginning the next stage.

3. Walk your body. It is a way to make awareness of each part of your body. You start on one side, "for example on the right hand, relaxing the fingers, the palm of the hand and follow the arm, then change to the left and so on".

4. Respiratory awareness. You must count your breaths without disturbing the rhythm of natural breathing.

5. Opposite stations. In this you must identify if you are cold or hot, if you feel weight or lightness. It will help stimulate the brain to regulate its activity, developing a control over involuntary functions.

6. Observe the mental screen. This refers to the part of the forehead. Close your eyes so that the images appear in this area. Observe as if it were a movie screen. Do not get involved, you will only be an observer.

7. Emergence of images . You will notice how images appear as colors, points of light, natural things, to return and observe the mental screen consciously.

8. Repeat the purpose. You must repeat the purpose you chose at the beginning of the practice three times, without speaking and in a positive way.

9. Leave the practice. You must awaken each part of the body, allowing the fingers and toes to move quietly, without hastening the movements; after the legs and arms.

Yoga nidra can be performed daily, once a day. Even the best hours to practice it is in the morning because in the day the mind is completely relaxed.

It can also be practiced at night, when we finish our activities, the mind is tired and induce a deep and restful sleep, which is why it is very effective for cases of insomnia, says the yogi.

"It is recommended for anyone, the only contraindications are for people who have suffered epilepsy or who have had major psychotic outbreaks, but can actually practice it under the guidance of a professional, concludes the specialist.

Video Medicine: Healing the Body and Mind with Yoga Nidra (May 2024).