Notes on Nidra

Yoga nidra is a guided meditation that follows a specific pattern, which encourages and allows your body, mind, and spirit to relax, restore, and renew at a profound level that is difficult to achieve otherwise, even through the most restful sleep. Some research indicates that a single yoga nidra practice can provide restorative benefits equal to four hours of sleep. You may already be familiar with how the meditation works: Once you’re settled into a position of lying comfortably stretched out on your back on a soft but supportive surface, eyes closed, in a relaxed but aware state, I will talk you through 45 minutes to one hour of meditative focus. Yoga nidra starts with setting your intention for the day’s practice, then proceeds through a whole-body scan, where—according to the constant, specific prompts and guidance I will offer you—you rotate your focus and consciousness into and out of every part of your body. You will practice mindful breathing, carefully measuring and counting your inhalations and exhalations. I will continue to lead you through a practice of imagining and welcoming a set of opposite attributes, using clear visualizations and perhaps some symbols to support you. Our yoga nidra together may involve a story, if a story further strengthens the nidra’s theme. From this place of deep relaxation, you will begin to bring your awareness back to your whole self, then to your body, then to your intention, and finally to moving forward in the rest of your day and life. Here at Enchanted Rock Studios, we consider guiding you through a nidra to be a sacred process, one that we are honored and humbled to share with you.