What is Yoga Nidra (Integrative Restoration)?
Yoga Nidra is a guided form of meditation that provides one of the easiest paths to a deep meditation. You can think of Yoga Nidra as a 'filing system' for your thoughts that leads you into a peaceful, relaxed state. The practice is perfect for both total beginners to meditation as well as advanced practitioners.
If you've tried other forms of meditation and have found yourself battling with your thoughts for the entire duration of the practice, Yoga Nidra may be perfect for you. Because of the gentle guidance throughout the meditation, thoughts are given a constructive context to naturally unfold and dissolve when they are ready.
The most common uses of the CD are to help with Insomnia, Chronic Pain, Depression, Stress Management, Anxiety... as well as many other symptoms related to Trauma and PTSD. Recent research has found that 20 minutes of Yoga Nidra meditation is equivalent to 2 hours of sleep in terms of how it affects the brain!
How do I use the CD?
Each CD contains 2 guided meditations, a short (25 minute) and a long (42 minute) version. It is best to practice while lying down in a quiet place where you will not be disturbed for the duration of the practice (Remember to turn off your cell phone!). Depending upon the quantity of time you have, select the short or the long version. Close your eyes and allow yourself to be guided through the experience. Whatever you experience during the practice is absolutely perfect. You will also notice that your meditative experience changes over time. Some days you may feel conscious of everything being said, while other days you hear the sound of the voice, but are in another 'space.' Other days you may fall completely asleep. Whatever happens is PERFECT! Even if you fall asleep, the meditation will keep working on subconscious levels... many people in fact use the CD as a way to fall asleep! Just allow your experience to unfold naturally.
You may notice that your experience differs depending upon what time of the day you are practicing. Many people like to practice in the morning to start the day with a calm, lucid mind. Others like to use it in lieu of a 'power nap' or cup of coffee around 3 in the afternoon to feel refreshed for the remainder of the day. If you are someone who has trouble falling asleep at night, try practicing the CD right before you go to sleep while lying in bed. If you wake up in the middle of the night, do the meditation again. Many people find that after a few weeks, they begin to fall asleep within minutes at the start of the CD and stay asleep for longer periods of time, even the whole night! Lots of war veterans who hadn't slept properly since the war (even the Vietnam war!) find themselves sleeping through the night within a month. Give it a try!