Yoga Nidra is a form of meditation we usually do lying down. When we are lying down it can be easier to access that ‘in between’ state between waking and sleeping. There are times when lying down is not possible or comfortable so then it can be done supported in a comfortable seated position.

Yoga Nidra literally means “Yogic Sleep” but it’s not about sleeping – it’s about exploring different states of consciousness so we can wake up. You could say this is the first paradox relating to Yoga Nidra. As in Yoga in general there are many paradoxes – when one statement is true but the opposite is also true. So Yogic Sleep is about awakening.

Yoga Nidra is a state that occupies the borderline between waking and sleeping (hypnagogia) – not fully awake or fully asleep. And here comes the second paradox, although it is a borderline state, at the same time it is a state in its own right. When we become able to stay in this place we can experience a new state of consciousness, and in this state of consciousness things change in the brain and the nervous system and we can rest deeply and connect to our creativity.

Like Yoga itself, Nidra is a process and a state. You can be in the “state of Yoga Nidra” which is a state of consciousness between waking and sleeping. It is also a set of techniques put together to help you get into that state and you can design a practice to suit different purposes from simple relaxation to getting to sleep at night to unlocking creativity.