What is Yoga Nidra?
There’s a good chance that if you’re reading this, you already know a little bit about yoga nidra. Before we dig into how yoga nidra works from scientific and ontological angles, let’s take a moment to clarify what yoga nidra actually is.
Yoga nidra is a meditative, breath-based deep relaxation practice. It could be described as a way to quiet the mind and unload its burdens through states of aware rest. Mere minutes of yoga nidra has restorative and replenishing effects similar to those of sleep. In this practice, we are able to relieve stress by targeting its primary source: our minds. Yoga nidra allows us to reach subtler states of being where we can access and exercise freedom of choice more readily. When we engage with this technique, the choice to respond or ignore our thoughts rather than being controlled or wrapped up in them is available to us.
Let’s be frank: modern life is complicated. Technology, global health crises, and...