This an academic article I wrote many years ago. I think it puts yoga nidra right next to many other scientific process used to improve life.
Yoga Nidra
Yoga nidra is a very ancient Indian tradition. It is explained as a state of mind between wakefulness and sleep that opened deep phases of the mind, suggesting a connection with the ancient tantric practice called nyasa. Yoga nidra is a much simplified version of tantric kriyas. It is the best known technique to induce complete physical, mental and emotional relaxation. It’s been proved through a series of studies done at Cherring Cross Medical School London. ‘It has further been proved that it is the safest, weakest and surest method to bring about altered state of consciousness in human beings’(Kamakhya Kumar 2006). He was awarded a PhD by Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam (president of India) for this work "Psycho-physiological Changes as Related to Yoga Nidra."
The Practice
Yoga nidra has about eight stages. It begins with gross to go on to the subtle. The mind loses interest in the static use of active sensorial cognition and it automatically introverts – thus deepening pratyahara.
Body Preparation: It begins to focus the mind, and instructions for shavasana or an alternative posture are given for comfort and alignment. Body Release: Consciously relaxing body parts and release of tensions.
Body Sensations: Awareness of the physical body through sense of touch.
Outside Sounds: The mind is directed to external sounds. After some time the mind loses interest and automatically becomes quiet. This method of calming the mind is called antar mauna.
Sound of Breath: listen to subtle sound of your own breath. Slowly the awareness, moves to the subtle.
This is the start of the process of pratyahara.(N. Saraswati 1996)
Done comprehensively until the whole body is experienced as one cohesive unit. This again deepens pratyahara because the body falls asleep while the awareness remains. The awareness is kept on the inhalation and exhalation of the breathing process. This promotes relaxation and increases concentration as well as having profound effects of subtle energetic levels. It awakens higher energies and directs them to every cell of the body.
Sanklpa
In Yoga nidra the mind assumes a very receptive phase. Your sankalpa remains private to you and is not to be shared with another person. Sankalpa is a resolve made during the practice. It consists of a clearly expressed idea, focusing on a goal. The choice of sankalpa is important. Sankalpa could be used to: Possibly to reform a habit, Improve the quality of life / living, Creating changes/ in our personality, Realising what you want to achieve in life and sankalpa can also be visualised. (http://bahiayoga.com/5-tips-on-how-to-choose-a-sankalpa/). So the sankalpa you make at the beginning of the practice is like sowing a seed, and the sankalpa at the end is like watering it.
The next Level
Yoga nidra is essential a simplified form of raja yoga. It is basically one of the pratyahara practices. In yoga nidra we can visualise mantras, yantras, prana, chakras, their letters, deities, the ishta devata or guru, and the deep-rooted samskaras can also be brought out to the conscious state. The practitioner can awaken a tiny point of awareness in that total unconsciousness and that is super consciousness or the state of samadhi. This happens in raja yoga too.
Benefits
Finally, Yoga Nidra has many benefits, because it releases stress and tension the whole personality is given the opportunity to transform from within. The outcome is a more relaxed and natural feeling of well- being. Yoga nidra has the potential to relax the entire body, increase knowledge, memory, creativity and to transform one's nature.
More specifically, Yoga Nidra is known to:
lower high blood pressure and cholesterol levels
strengthen immune system
increases defence against infectious disease
balance the autonomic nervous system
balance and strengthen the endocrine system
revitalise and recharge vital energy
aid insomnia, stress, anxiety, depression
enhance creativity
meditative and soothing
There is no way to practice Yoga Nidra incorrectly. Whatever your experience, it will still work – even if you fall asleep.
References
'Teaching of Swami Satyanada ' Volume 1, Satyananda Ashram Australia, 1981
Yoga Nidra ' Swami Stwananda Saraswati, 1976
Pratyahara by Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati 1996
Yoga nidra, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga_nidra
"A study on the impact on stress and anxiety through yoga nidra" Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge, Vol. 7 No 3 (Published through NISCAIR).
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