Yoga Nidra
Yoga
Swami Satyananda Saraswati
Yoga Nidra by Swami Satyananda Saraswati (Bihar School of Yoga, 1976)
Yoga Nidra, literally "yogic sleep," is a practice of guided conscious relaxation that brings the practitioner to the threshold between waking and sleep -- a state of profound receptivity. While it has ancient Tantric roots, its modern structured form was developed by Swami Satyananda Saraswati and documented in his 1976 text.
Swami Satyananda Saraswati (1923-2009) founded the Bihar School of Yoga in Munger, India in 1963 and systematized Yoga Nidra from ancient Tantric sources. The Bihar School remains one of the most influential centers for classical yoga teaching in the world.
Tips
- Falling asleep is the most common challenge. Practice when rested rather than exhausted. - The goal is to remain at the boundary between waking and sleep without crossing into either. This state of conscious withdrawal is called pratyahara in yoga. - Satyananda taught that even 20 minutes of Yoga Nidra can provide the equivalent of several hours of ordinary sleep.