Yoga Nidra (Deep Relaxation) – the practice

In an earlier article, I introduced the concepts and benefits of Yoga Nidra. In today’s post, I would like to present the Yoga Nidra practice.

As mentioned in my earlier post, practice of yoga nidra is an integral part of every yoga class that I teach. It is usually practiced after the asana (physical postures) part of the session has been completed.

Yoga nidra is best practiced under the guidance of a teacher. The teacher usually goes through a fixed routine that the student gets used to over a period of time. When the student hears the same voice and the same routine for each yoga nidra session, the body and mind learn to get into natural states of deep relaxation.

If you do not have access to a yoga teacher, or would like to practice it at home as a part of your home routine, you may like to use a recorded version of your teacher’s instructions. Please contact me if you would like to use the recorded version of the yoga nidra sequence that I follow. I’d be happy to share the audio file with you.

The routine consists of first tightening and tensing up different parts of the body, one at a time. Then follows a sequence wherein we progressively relax every part of the body while scanning the body from toes to head in a sequential manner. The practice concludes by gradually bringing the body back to breath awareness, then body awareness and finally gently stretching to wake up the body into full awareness.

Step-by-step

Tensing the body

Before we begin the relaxation routine, we go through a routine where every muscle in the body is tightened and tensed up. Tensing various parts of the body offers these benefits:

• When you tense individual muscles, it deepens your awareness of these muscles. You can use this enhanced awareness to deepen the feeling of relaxation.
• When the muscles are tight and tense, they tend to relax better (they need it!).

Option 1: Sequential tensing

• Bring the feet together. Keeping the legs straight, lift the feet about six inches above the ground.
• Point the toes away and tighten the ankles, calf muscles, knees and knee caps, top and back of the thighs. Try to squeeze and tighten both the legs and then drop them to the floor. Let the legs relax.
• Bring the arms alongside the body. Keeping the arms straight, lift the hands about six inches above the floor. Stretch the fingers wide and tight and then make a tight fist with the two hands. Repeat the cycle of opening the palms and making a fist about five times. Finally with the fists tight, rotate the wrists in one direction a few times; then reverse the direction of rotation of the wrists and do a few rotations. Now try to tighten the whole arm and then let the arms drop to the floor.
• Next, squeeze the buttocks real tight and lift them up about an inch or two. Lower the buttocks and repeat the squeeze one more time. Finally allow the buttocks to rest on the floor.
• Keeping the arms on the floor, alongside the body, try to slide the hands towards your feet; then release and bring the arm back.
• Next, try to slide the shoulders back toward the ears; then release the arm back.
• Next, take a deep inhalation, using the diaphragm consciously, fill the belly up like a big balloon. Take in as much air as you can and then hold the breath for about 6-7 seconds. Now let all the air out through the mouth.
• Repeat the above, this time bringing all the air into the middle of the chest, expanding the chest and the ribcage sideways. Again, take in as much air as you can, hold the breath for 6-7 seconds, then let all the air out through the mouth.
• Now lift the feet and the head about 8 inches above the floor; this is called the half boat position. If this is not a comfortable position for you, you may keep the head on the floor, or the feet on the floor or both down.
• Point the toes away from you, open the mouth and extend the tongue all the way out, curling it down toward the chin. Try to tense and tighten all the facial and the neck muscles; pull the hands and shoulders away from you; squeeze the buttocks tight; thighs tight; knees and knee caps tight; ankles tight and finally try to squeeze and tighten the entire body – every limb and muscle in the body.
• Finally, let go and allow the body to rest back on the floor.

Option 2: Quick tensing of the body

In this sequence, we shorten the above tensing routine.

• Lift the feet and the head about 8 inches above the floor; this is called the half boat position. If this is not a comfortable position for you, you may keep the head on the floor, or the feet on the floor or both down.
• Point the toes away from you, keeping the legs straight and tight. Stretch the fingers wide and tight and then make a tight fist with the two hands. Repeat the cycle of opening the palms and making a fist about five times. Finally with the fists tight, rotate the wrists in one direction a few times; then reverse the direction of rotation of the wrists and do a few rotations. Keep the arms straight and fists tight.
• Open the mouth and extend the tongue all the way out, curling it down toward the chin. Try to tense and tighten all the facial and the neck muscles; pull the hands and shoulders away from you; squeeze the buttocks tight; thighs tight; knees and knee caps tight; ankles tight and finally try to squeeze and tighten the entire body – every limb and muscle in the body.
• Finally, let go and allow the body to rest back on the floor.

Relaxation routine

• After tensing the body up, lie down on your back in Shavasana (please review part 1 of this article for more asana options).
• Make any adjustments to the body so the body finds its own naturally relaxed position. You may like to spread the feet apart, almost to the width of the mat; keep the hands slightly away from the body with the palms preferably facing up; head in the center with the eyes closed. We’ll go through a routine where we bring awareness to individual parts of the body, one at a time. If you perceive any tightness or fatigue anywhere in the body, mentally sending a wave of relaxation and letting go and loosening up so the body feels totally relaxed.
• Start with bringing awareness to the toes. Relax the toes, soles of the feet and the heels. Relax the ankles, calf muscles, shins. Relax the knees and the knee caps, thighs. Relax the pelvic area, and the abdominal muscles. Now visualize and relax the internal organs of the body – heart, lungs, kidneys, liver and the pancreas. Relax the rib-cage, chest, shoulder blades and the collar bones.
• Shift the awareness to the hands and relax the fingers, palms and the wrists. Relax the forearms, elbows, upper arms and the shoulders.
• Relax the buttocks, entire length of the spine, muscles in the lower back, middle back and the upper back. Relax the neck muscles.
• Now we’ll relax all the facial muscles – cheeks, chin, lips, jaws, tongue, teeth, nose, eyes and the eyebrows, forehead, top and back of the head.
• At this point, every muscle and limb, the whole body, feels totally relaxed with no sign of tightness or fatigue. Try to become aware of all the points of contact between the body and the floor. At the same time become aware of the heaviness that every limb feels on the floor. With this awareness, allow the body to gently sink into the floor under its own heaviness.
• Bring your awareness to the breath now and begin to watch the flow of breath at the tip of the nose for the next few breaths.
• At this point the body may begin to feel a sense of lightness – as if the body is floating in air.
• As the body at this point is relaxed, and the mind if calm, we use this moment to set an intention for us – called a Sankalpa (resolve) – a positive affirmation about any change that you bring about in life, short term or long term, and repeat the sankalpa three times in the mind.
• Now, with the body relaxed and mind at peace, enjoy this very relaxed and peaceful states of the body and the mind for the next few minutes (usually four to five minutes).
• Slowly bring your awareness to the breathing and begin to breather slightly deeper breaths. Bring your awareness to the body, becoming aware of any feelings or sensations in the body. Gradually, to wake the body up, begin to stretch the fingers, curl the toes, stretch and hands and feet, arms and legs and try to stretch the arms overhead, giving a nice stretch to the whole body. Now roll to one side for a few breaths. Slowly come up to a sitting position, opening the eyes softly when you are comfortably seated.

This completes the yoga nidra routine.