Why yoga nidra is the mindfulness practice we all need in Singapore
Lay down, relax, and let your stress subside with a dose of meditative yoga
Text: Jo
When it comes to yoga, the different types of practice available are endless and some are better known than others. You’ve likely breathed deeply through hatha yoga, worn yourself out with ashtanga yoga, and stretched out sore muscles in yin yoga. Some styles appear faddy and weird (we’re talking about you, goat yoga) others have been taking place for decades yet are only just emerging now as needs and demands change. And yoga nidra is the practice we all need in Singapore right now.
This yogic practice has been gaining favour as a form of stillness and mindfulness meditation for a while, and thanks to today’s crazy times, it’s now getting more popular than ever. Because yoga nidra is most often taught lying down, it’s especially appealing to those who feel intimidated by tricksy yoga postures or are put off by traditional seated meditation.
Camilla Knight, co-founder of Simply Pause Retreats, and a yoga teacher who teaches at Singapore’s The Body Temple and with private clients, talks to The Soothe about yoga nidra, its mental benefits such as better sleep, and how it can work as a mindfulness practice for those seeking everyday wellbeing.
What exactly is yoga nidra?
Yoga Nidra translates literally as “yoga sleep”. It’s a powerful technique in which you learn to relax consciously. It’s believed that for true relaxation you must still remain aware — it may appear that you’re asleep, but your consciousness is functioning at a deeper level of awareness — this is the meditative state you can hope to achieve through yoga nidra. You’re somewhere between waking and sleep, which is the ideal state for learning and receiving intuition from the unconscious mind. (It is said to be the state for artistic and poetic discoveries and scientific discoveries).
Where did it originate from?
Interestingly, it was developed in 1940 by Swami Satyananda who was working as a night guard at the ashram of his guru, Swami Sivananda. One day he heard a chant and it was familiar to him although he could not recall where he had heard it. His guru explained that his subtle body had heard the chant from the 4am yogis in the ashram during his sleep.
From this, Swami Satyananda realised that knowledge can be gained without a sensory medium and sleep is not a total state of unconsciousness, therefore it is possible to train the mind during sleep. For this reason, yoga nidra can be a great practice for setting intentions and affirmations so they become embedded deep in the subconscious.
What are some of the fundamentals in a yoga nidra session? How is it different to yin yoga?
In yoga nidra, you do not move any part of your body. In a class, the teacher calls out each body part, and the participant takes their awareness to it but does not move it. It works almost like someone going into a large building at night and going into each room to turn off the lights allowing the 'system' to rest. You just listen; your mind goes to the body part that is switched on, then it’s switched off again.
Yin is different from nidra as it requires the body to move into specific shapes, targeting body parts that tend to hold tension (around shoulders, hips, lower back and hamstrings).
How does yoga nidra alleviate anxiety and help with sleep?
We live in a world where, if we want to be, we can be constantly switched 'on'. As such, we are not giving ourselves enough time to simply pause, be still or take stock. I often compare this to pressure building up in a pumped tyre: if you keep pumping and filling up the tyre it eventually bursts.
We need to let the air out occasionally to allow our over-stimulated nervous systems to switch from the fight or flight mode (sympathetic nervous system) to the state of rest, repair and digest (parasympathetic).Anxiety, insomnia and digestive disorders are all the products of an over stimulated mind and body. Yoga nidra acts quickly to slow everything down resulting in a sense of calm, deep sleep and most importantly, healing.
What are the other life changing benefits of this practice?
If you follow a regular practice you might start to see negative thought patterns change and dreams come to fruition. Relationships might improve as you become more aware and intuitive to how you react and respond to people.
When’s the best time of day to practice yoga nidra?
Ideally at night as it does leave you feeling sleepy. Many of my online clients find themselves asleep on the floor after class has ended! Lying on your back on a yoga mat is preferable, with a bolster or pillow underneath your knees and a small pillow underneath your head. It's really important to feel warm, even opting for socks as your body temperature drops when you lie still.
I highly recommend loosening any tight clothing, taking off belts, hair ties and watches, and draping yourself in a warm blanket. Turn your phone off and place it far away from your body. It's nice to have candles or incense and playlists, but some prefer silence as this powerful practice takes you over.
Discover more about Camilla’s work and her bespoke yoga retreats around Asia and in Singapore at Simply Pause Retreats. Camilla is taking part in The Soothe School: Self Love Edition in February. Click here for further details
