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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]One of the neat things about yoga is its range: It can be very active. Think Ashtanga. Or it can put you in a state that looks like sleep. Enter yoga nidra. To be clear, you're not actually asleep when you practice yoga nidra. But of all yoga types, yoga nidra requires the least physical effort. At its core, yoga nidra is systematic relaxation, a guided meditation. The practice “steers you away from external stimuli and takes you inward,” says Julie Murphy, a longtime yoga teacher based in Delray Beach, Fla., who has studied yoga nidra extensively and has three yoga nidra albums to her name. “It combines deepest relaxation with alert awareness as you learn how to relax consciously, allowing the body to fall asleep while keeping the mind gently aware and awake.” Read on to find out more about yoga nidra, whose techniques date back to 1,000 B.C., according to Murphy.

What is Yoga Nidra?

Is yoga nidra meditation or yoga?

Er, it's kind of both. Physical yoga is supposed to be meditation in motion. Yoga nidra has pretty much no physical element except focused breathing, so it achieves meditation in stillness.

How does a typical yoga nidra session unfold?

Yoga nidra involves listening to and following the prompts of a guide, who might, for example, direct you to draw your attention to different parts of your body after setting an intention, or sankalpa. “As you enter into the liminal state of not-quite-asleep yet not-wide-awake, the intention you place in your mind is amplified and strengthened, and it remains with you after the meditation is complete,” Murphy explains.

How long is a yoga nidra session?

It takes most people at least 20 minutes to begin to calm the chatter in their mind when they meditate in any style. That makes a 45-minute session ideal, and it’s what Murphy prefers. But if you only have a couple minutes or want a small taste of yoga nidra, try “Take a Breath,” a two-minute practice from Murphy's album Purpose.

How is yoga nidra different from other types of meditation?

Murphy points to three distinct characteristics of yoga nidra: It's done lying down (but not in bed). It includes an intention statement (the sankalpa, mentioned earlier). And almost the entire experience is guided, “with not much in the way of silence,” Murphy notes. “The voice of the meditation guide becomes an anchor to return to when you notice your focus drifting away.” (Murphy has a mesmerizing voice and accent, by the way.)

What are the benefits of yoga nidra?

“The techniques can cultivate a sense of inner peace,” Murphy says. “With repetition, your thoughts, beliefs, emotions, habitual patterns and aspirational intentions are revealed. As you tap into your inner wisdom, the practice ultimately becomes a gateway to positive personal transformation. This happens thanks to the deliberate connection you make to your heartfelt intention, and the insights gained during this yogic dream state.” Also, as with other meditation styles, yoga nidra can reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep, enhance concentration and improve memory and mental clarity.

What are the biggest misconceptions about yoga nidra?

“Do yoga nidra to help you fall asleep,” Murphy says. “Because a direct translation of 'yoga nidra' is 'yogic sleep,' there’s a misconception that its purpose is to help you go to sleep. Yes, the mind does drift towards a sleep state, but it also maintains a level of relaxed awareness, where you receive the deeper benefits of the practice.” Many people do yoga nidra first thing in the morning to energize and motivate themselves for the day, or they do a short yoga nidra in the middle of the day in lieu of a power nap. “They might also do it to address a situation that’s calling for clarity,” Murphy says. “It’s so much more than just a relaxing meditation.”

Does yoga nidra require a guide, or can I do it on my own?

Most meditation styles are about finding your own private silence. And meditation is often something you want to be able to do on your own. Not yoga nidra. “There’s a reason that yoga nidra meditation is a guided practice: It helps you drop more easily into the conscious rest state of meditation,” Murphy says. “You’re simply listening, without 'trying to meditate.'” Still, it's possible to practice certain elements on your own — eventually. “Once you have an established practice and you’ve experienced several months of regular yoga nidra meditation, as well as having observed its effects on you, then you may want to try elements of the meditation on your own,” Murphy says. For example, you might do a self-guided body scan or draw your intention statement into other types of meditation.

I often fall asleep during yoga nidra. Should I?

“Please don't beat yourself up if you do fall asleep during yoga nidra,” Murphy says. “It just means you need more sleep! As you practice regularly, you’ll be able to train your mind to be more and more in that quieter aware-and-awake state.” And if you do want to use yoga nidra “as a bedtime story, there’s nothing wrong with that,” Murphy says. “Just know that you are choosing to do yoga nidra specifically for that purpose.” In this case, it's okay to do yoga nidra in bed. Be sure to set yourself up wherever you usually sleep, “and tell yourself that you're about to practice yoga nidra in order to fall asleep. Be specific about your intention for the yoga nidra practice,” Murphy advises. If you want to check out a self-paced session of yoga nidra for sleep, check out Murphy's track “Night Night.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_text_separator title="Featured Products" border_width="2"][vc_row_inner equal_height="yes" content_placement="middle" gap="35"][vc_column_inner width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="167318" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" css=".vc_custom_1686609962346{padding-right: 7% !important;padding-left: 7% !important;}" link="https://www.vitacost.com/plant-people-wondercalm-mushroom-gummies"][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="167316" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" css=".vc_custom_1686609977701{padding-right: 7% !important;padding-left: 7% !important;}" link="https://www.vitacost.com/gem-sleep-essentials-bites"][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="167317" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" css=".vc_custom_1686609993360{padding-right: 7% !important;padding-left: 7% !important;}" link="https://www.vitacost.com/peak-and-valley-balance-my-stress-adaptogen-capsules-30-day"][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]