It wasn’t until the birth of our third child that I first discovered Yoga Nidra.
I found that my sleep had been affected badly, and I wanted to remedy that.
Although it is not the goal of Yoga Nidra to induce regular sleep it certainly did the trick and, at the time, that was all I was concerned with.
I’d been a meditator for several years and was offered the chance of teaching a stress reduction course at a local Adult Education facility.
After looking more deeply into the depth of Yoga Nidra as a practice, I decided to introduce it to the students in my class.
It was a great success – and the feedback was very positive. So much so, that when I left the college, students asked if I would consider starting a private class – which I did.
After this, I also started facilitating Yoga Nidra at Yoga Studios in South East London.
In 2012 I also recorded a version of Yoga Nidra. It became very popular and received good feedback on the Insight Timer meditation app and other places. If you enter “Tim Rowe Yoga Nidra” in any search engine you can find it – or download it directly here:
https://archive.org/details/YogaNidra
I offer small online group sessions on a pay-what-you-can basis via Zoom or Jitsi which also include augmented aspects of Yoga Nidra:
Contact me for details: [email protected]
https://ko-fi.com/timrowe
https://paypal.me/tgrowe
zaps: [email protected]
Yoga Nidra, also known as “yogic sleep,” is a powerful relaxation technique derived from ancient yogic practices. It is a state of consciousness between waking and sleeping, typically induced by a guided meditation.
In a yoga nidra session, practitioners lie down in a comfortable position, usually savasana (corpse pose). A teacher or audio guide then leads them through several stages – typically:
- Setting an intention or resolve (sankalpa)
- Rotation of consciousness through different body parts
- Awareness of breath
- Sensing opposing feelings and emotions
- Return to awareness of the body
Throughout the practice, participants remain in a state of deep relaxation while maintaining awareness. This allows the body to enter a profoundly restful state, promoting physical, mental, and emotional healing.
Regular practice of Yoga Nidra has been associated with numerous benefits, including reduced stress and anxiety, improved sleep quality, enhanced creativity, and increased self-awareness. It’s often described as effortless meditation, making it accessible to people of all ages and fitness levels.
A typical session lasts between 30 to 45 minutes. Yoga Nidra can be practiced at any time of day, but many find it particularly beneficial before sleep or as a midday relaxation technique.