Yoga Nidra, known as “psychic sleep,” is a powerful technique derived from two Sanskrit words: Yoga, meaning union, oneness or one pointed awareness, and Nidra, meaning sleep.

The ancient Yogic and Tantric Texts, Sacred Scriptures, Puranas and Upanishads reference Yoga Nidra as a deep state of consciousness, whereby we are neither asleep nor awake. It is referred to as “Yogic” or “Psychic” Sleep because during the practice we feel as if we are asleep to outside the world, yet we rest in pure consciousness. We enter into a state where our awareness is outside of time and space and we become a witness to the nature of the egoic personality - clearing thoughts, emotions and memories from the subconscious and unconscious mind that limit us in our waking reality. Great sages have brought Yoga Nidra to the modern world and it continues to evolve as a healing modality to bring us closer to our true aligned and harmonious nature.

Studies have shown that Yoga Nidra helps to:

• Promote an integrated response from the Hypothalamus, Endocrine System and Pituitary Gland, engaging the Parasympathetic Nervous System “rest and digest” mode

• Release chronic stress, and the physical tensions and imbalances that stress causes

• Heal psychosomatic symptoms such as asthma, ulcers, hypertension, depression, anxiety

• Release limiting thought patterns and transform unhealthy habits and addictions

• Ease insomnia, with deeper, uninterrupted sleeps

• Balance the right and left hemispheres of the brain

• Balance hormones, stimulating melatonin and serotonin

• Reduce PTSD, chronic pain and chemical dependency

• Heighten awareness and focus

• Improve memory and enhance learning

• Relieve menstrual, pregnancy and delivery pain

• Foster feelings of peace, calm, clarity and vitality

Yoga Nidra is practiced laying down with the intent of focusing the mind while bringing complete relaxation to the body through the acts of hearing and feeling. It is a systematic method of moving attention through specific points in a series of steps, to induce deep physical, mental, and emotional relaxation with the consciousness functioning in a hypnagogic state.

In Yoga Nidra we withdrawal the senses systematically by signaling various parts of the body which are scientifically shown to be connected to specific parts of the brain. In bringing attention to these areas, we disengage these connections to the corresponding parts of the brain, with the auditory channel being the only sense organ to remain stimulated - keeping us in the borderline state between wakefulness and sleep.

In neuroscience, each brainwave state has a purpose and helps serve us in optimal mental functioning. The four distinct frequencies from wakefulness to deep sleep are as follows:

• BETA: normal waking state and active mental activity, the logical or critical mind, the memory of the five senses, calculation, speech, thought associated with maximal concentration, increased alertness, and visual acuity. Although Beta brain function is important for effective functioning in daily life, higher beta levels result in stress, and can zap our energy and reduce emotional awareness and creativity.

• ALPHA: deep relaxation, daydreaming or falling asleep. In Alpha, we begin to access the wealth of creativity that lies just below our consciousness. We can experience visions, creative inspiration, powerful ideas as well as rich and intense internal sensations.

• THETA: deep meditation and light, dreaming sleep. Theta waves are connected to our subconscious; they govern the part of the mind between the conscious and the unconscious. They contain suppressed fears and desires, memories and sensations, and have also been identified as the gateway to learning and memory.

• DELTA: utmost relaxation and deep sleep without dreams. This state is the realm of your unconscious mind–instincts, primitive drives and deeply buried experiences of earlier evolutionary stages. Repair and healing occur when the Delta state is activated.

During the practice, the right and left hemispheres of the brain have been shown (using EEG scans) to generate ALPHA and DELTA waves in synchrony and symmetrically, indicating possible beneficial application to a large variety of psychosomatic problems.

When we dream in sleep, the content and expression of dreams are related to the spontaneous build-up and release of psychic tension from the subconscious, as well as the expression of deeper instincts and drives from the unconscious. In Yoga Nidra, we access the subconscious and unconscious material, unlocking their contents so that we may release any heavy memories, emotions, and thought patterns, and integrate a lighter sense of self into consciousness.

Yoga Nidra is said to be a more efficient and effective form of psychic and physiological rest and rejuvenation than conventional sleep. It gives deep rest to the organs and systems of the body, enabling it to heal, repair and rejuvenate. A single hour of yoga nidra is said to be as restful as four hours of conventional sleep.

With repeated practice, a new circuitry is established and a heightened awareness from within becomes reflected in daily life.