Shaili.C is a Yoga Asana, Yoga Nidra teacher and an angel therapist who curates and leads guided self-care and moon circles.
Q. What is Yoga Nidra and how does it differ from traditional practices?
A. Yoga Nidra is a state of conscious sleep, where your body might drift into sleep but your awareness is not asleep. It is a method of inducing complete physical, mental & emotional relaxation, where one floats between sleep & wakefulness. This threshold state allows us to be in contact with the subconscious & unconscious dimensions of our mind. Traditional practices of yoga involve the manipulation of breath through static & dynamic movements. These traditional practices are done to take you through various energy points in all four directions with the purpose of cleansing & strengthening the vessel (our body) and bringing it to a state of balance. Yoga Nidra is the meditative aspect of the practice & induces a state of relaxation done in Savasana (corpse pose) with regularised breathing. It is a mindful shift turning inwards, away from outer experiences with the assistance of guided vocal visualization.
Q. What are the benefits of Yoga Nidra ?
A. It facilitates deep relaxation, a time to switch off & bring the mind to neutrality. If consciousness can be separated from external awareness & sleep, it becomes very powerful & can be applied in many ways, for example to develop the memory, increase knowledge and creativity or to transform one’s nature. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras talk about the 8 limbs of Yoga, one of which is Pratyahara – where the mind and mental awareness are dissociated from the sensory channels, a complete withdrawal of one’s senses. Yoga Nidra is a technique that takes one to this state.
Q. Can Yoga Nidra improve sleep quality and alleviate insomnia?
A. Yoga Nidra helps calm your sympathetic nervous system – the ‘fight or flight’ response of our nervous system and brings in a sense of deep relaxation creating the onset for quality sleep. It can relax you before bed, support deeper and more restorative sleep. If done regularly, studies have shown that it can help alleviate insomnia, improve depression & anxiety symptoms as well as reduce stress levels.
“Yoga Nidra is the safest pill for insomnia with zero side effects. 45 mins of Yoga Nidra = 4 hours of conventional sleep! Along with good sleep hygiene, a regular practice of Yoga Nidra can alleviate one’s sleep problems completely”- Shaili C
Instagram: @thc_thehealingcircle
