Yoga Nidra
Notes from A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya by Swami Satyananda Saraswati
Pg 922 Tension as a Cause of Illness
“Many ailments are caused by deep-rooted subconscious tensions.
This is especially true in the modern, competitive, industrial world. Vast numbers of people suffer from heart diseases, cancer, diabetes, ulcers, asthma, skin diseases and more. The basic cause is mental tension. That is, they are psychosomatic.
The physical body is composed of a number of interrelated systems. These include the involuntary functions of the body such as the digestive, respiratory and glandular systems. These are all directly under the control of the subconscious mind acting through the brain.
When the mind is calm and harmonious, the physical organs will also function efficiently. With mental tension, there are corresponding negative repercussions in the body.
Normally, the muscles of the body receive a continuous influx of weak nerve impulses. This maintains muscle tone; that is, the muscles are kept in healthy condition. Every disturbance and conflict in the mind has its corresponding effect on the nervous system and brain.
Excessive disturbance interferes with the tonic rhythm of the muscles. Instead of being mildly stimulated by weak nerve impulses, the muscles are over activated without a corresponding physical need and activity. Continuous mental tension leads to muscular fatigue. The result is a continual drain of energy from the Body and eventually chronic fatigue. This leaves the body weak and vulnerable to the onslaught of disease.
There are further repercussions: the involuntary systems of the body have to work harder to meet the energy demands of the overactivated muscles. The digestive, respiratory and circulatory systems have to work harder to provide more energy. The whole body functions more vigorously at a higher rate. Extra demand is placed on the internal organs such as the heart, lungs, intestines and so on. They are required to function above their normal level for protracted periods of time. Eventually, they fatigue, become less efficient and the general health of the body declines. Often there is a breakdown in one or more of these organs, leading to ailments such as arthritis, coronary problems, constipation, asthma and so on.
The endocrine system also suffers from protracted mental tension. In our body, we have an instinctive mechanism which prepares the body for maximum alertness and efficiency during emergency situations; it is often called the “fight or flight mechanism”. This mechanism is a part of the endocrine system. When we make an emotional response, a chemical called adrenaline is automatically injected into the bloodstream from the adrenal glands. The adrenaline causes contraction of the muscles of the main limbs, stops or reduces the digestive processes and so forth.
This reaction is intended for use only in emergencies, but the stressful, competitive modern way of life makes many people regard almost every situation as a crisis. It might be fear of the boss, of loss of respect in the eyes of friends, fear of not being able to pay the bills, fear of one’s wife or husband passing and so forth. Under these circumstances, an individual is always tense, liable to sudden fluctuation of mod and in an almost continual state of dissatisfaction. This leads to a vicious circle, since adrenaline is constantly pumped into the bloodstream, maintaining a high state of physical and mental tension.
The whole endocrine system is forced to function at a higher level to cope with the corresponding high functioning level of the body. This can eventually lead to a breakdown in a part of the endocrine system, resulting in common ailments such as diabetes, sterility, etc. Moreover, as the body weakens through tension, it becomes more vulnerable to attack by bacterial diseases.
Mental tension brings many profound changes in the body. The important question is, How can this tension be removed or prevented?
Many people use tranquilizers: sleeping pills or anti anxiety medication. But tranquilizers further interfere with the normal functioning of the body. They may bring temporary peace of mind, but can also produce negative side effects. Moreover, tranquilizers cannot remove the root cause of the tension; they can only treat the symptoms. They do not bring permanent relief.
We believe that the the best method of reducing tension and thereby eliminating various diseases is the practice of yoga, in particular yoga nidra. We regard yoga nidra as a yogic tranquilizer. It is a natural method of relaxing the mind and body, and in doing so, combating disease.
What relaxation is not.
Few people are aware of the real meaning of relaxation. This is obvious if we consider some of the methods that modern man adopts to remove tension. As examples, we can give television, social media, alcohol and tranquilizers (Vicodin, anti-anxiety medication, sleeping pills, excessive use of cannabis). The answer is that they bring a limited respite from gross tensions while causing harm (and thereby further tensions) in other ways.
It may be pleasant to finish a hard day’s work by turning on the television with a couple of glasses of wine, but it does not bring deep relaxation. The mind is bombarded with images which tend to bring more inner chaos with tv. Television does bring some relaxation by providing escapism—or, perhaps, if the programs are sufficiently boring, by lulling the viewer off to sleep. Alcohol and sleeping pills can bring alleviation of tension, but not deep relaxation.
It is deeper perception of one’s inner being that leads to deep and lasting relaxation.
Many people say that they are relaxed most of the time. For some, this may be true, but individuals are constantly tense, though they are not aware of it. And often, communal distraction and addiction to the world of external phenomena create escapism from the tension that is just under the surface.
This can be confirmed by observation. Vast numbers of people habitually bite their nails, scratch their heads, stroke their chins, tightly grasp their pens, or have incessantly shaking legs. Others may chain-smoke cigarettes, talk compulsively about nothing, move about restlessly and display constant irritability. Many of these actions are done unconsciously, but they all indicate chronic tension.
Relaxation seems so easy; you simply lie in a comfortable position, close the eyes and go to sleep; or perhaps have a smoke or a drink, go to the movies, read a novel, switch on the television, take a sleeping pill. These methods have their place; without them, many people would explode with accumulated chronic tension. But they only bring temporary relief from that tension. Relaxation is a topic many people talk about but few know its true meaning.
Relaxation and Yoga Nidra
In yoga, relaxation is clearly defined as a state in which there is freedom from physical, emotional and mental tension.
Practices such as yoga nidra are designed to systematically soothe away tensions at all three of these levels. Yoga Nidra induces deep relaxation of the whole physical body. The muscles, nerves, heart, respiratory system, circulatory system, the ligaments, the brain, the eyes, the abdomen, the forehead, the kidneys...the whole body is systematically relaxed.
Next, yoga nidra gradually releases emotional tensions that are embedded in the mind. This does not happen overnight, but takes time and regular practice of yoga nidra combined with other forms of yoga and self study. It releases fears, anger, jealousy and other emotions that cause tension. All the emotions are brought to the surface to conscious perception and then discarded. They seem to evaporate, cease to cause inner turmoil and cease to have negative influences in one’s life. The more that they are removed, the more one relaxes, not only during yoga nidra practice, but in everyday life.
Yoga nidra tackles mental tension, which can be regarded as those aspects of the mind that are based on ignorance and wrong thinking. We are conditioned by the circumstances of life. These produce tension. yoga nidra slowly helps whittle away false thinking and ignorance. We gain deeper insight into our own being and the nature of existence. We start to plummet into the depths, or rise to the heights of the mind. The tensions of ignorance are gradually removed. This leads to greater and greater degrees of permanent relaxation.
Real relaxation comes only when you achieve a state of what can be called spiritual awareness. One sees a background and order behind all things, and begins to flow with the stream of life. Once ceases to worry. This is real relaxation. It comes through the practice of yoga in general, aided by yoga nidra.
Necessity of a good sleep.
Any machine which works continuously throughout the day without rest comes heated. The body is also a machine. Sleep is a cooling device.
Sleep recharges the batteries of the body which have been discharging energy during the whole waking state. Energy expended in one’s daily work is recouped. A good sleep is necessary for the whole organism. The metabolic functions are revitalized, energy levels are restored and the mind-body is allowed to rest. Sleep is essential for optimal health.
A good sleep leads to a vast increase in both physical vitality and mental concentration. One is able to do twice as much work in half the time. Moreover, the work will be far better.
Sleep should be, and generally is, a simple process. But for humans in this busy modern world, it often is not the case. Many spend hours trying to sleep, and when they do sleep, they are racked with tension, tossing and turning. The mind remains full of anxieties and disturbances. The body and mind are not rested. Many people wake up feeling more tired than before sleep.
One third of our life should be spent in sleep. Deprivation of sleep can lead to psychosis, hallucination and disorientation, as well as psychosomatic disorders. It is possible to learn the art of sleeping. One method is to use yoga nidra.
Yoga Nidra and Sleep
It’s generally advised not to sleep in yoga nidra. If, however, you have trouble sleeping, there is no reason why you shouldn’t practice yoga nidra before sleep as a means of inducing it. If you cannot sleep then any method of inducing sleep is justified. And, there is no better method than yoga nidra.
So, you can break the rules in that case. Just don’t go in thinking, “I’m going to have the greatest night sleep because I did yoga nidra,” or you’ll probably find you won’t sleep as you planned. Your intent will defeat the objective.
It’s always better to do yoga nidra with the aim of not sleeping. If you are tired and have not had good sleep for some time, however, then sleep will quickly overwhelm you.
The factors that favor sleep are those that minimize sensory stimulation. These are: darkness, silence, muscular relaxation & a comfortable temperature.
Scientific tests have shown that sleep occurs in the following sequence, stage by stage:
Relaxation of the large muscles, legs, arms, etc.
Relaxation of the smaller muscles such as those which control hands, fingers, toes, etc.
Relaxation of the smallest muscles in the lips, brows, eyelids, and so on.
Cutting off sense of smell, touch, etc.
Yoga nidra is specifically designed to systematically induce these stages in the above order conducive to sleep. Moreover, it effectively smoothes away mental tension. It is therefore not surprising that it can bring deep sleep, even to those who suffer from chronic insomnia.
Yoga nidra is an ideal practice not only for those who are absolutely tired but cannot sleep, but also those who are tired of taking too much sleep. It helps bring balance between the two extremes of too much sleep (excessive tamas) and not enough sleep (excessive Rajas).
Difference Between Sleep & Yoga Nidra
There is a vast difference between the state of sleep and the state of yoga nidra. In Sanskrit, nidra means sleep. In nidra, there is a loss of awareness in both the inner and outer world. In yoga nidra, there is loss of awareness of the outer world, but awareness of the inner world is retained. This is a profound difference. Nidra is unconscious sleep and yoga nidra is conscious sleep.
There is also a great difference in the results. Yoga nidra gives maximum relaxation to the mind and body in the minimum time. It is said that one hour of yoga nidra is equal to four hours of normal sleep. After a successful yoga nidra practice there is often a feeling that sleep has not occurred.
The awakening and intensification of feelings is an integral part of the yoga nidra practice. Its purpose is to help induce deeper states of relaxation and to awaken and perhaps relieve emotional knots in the mind as a means of their removal. The six main feelings used in yoga nidra are: heaviness, lightness, heat, cold, pain and pleasure.
These are suggested by the instructor during the practice. You must try to clearly feel the sensations associated with the above, either in different parts of the body or one part in particular. For example, you can develop the sensation of heat in the legs and then eliminate it at will. Or you can try to remember a vivid pain and then relieve it. You must bring it from past to present and then throw it out of the mind. You create coldness and then remove it. This can easily release emotional tensions from the psyche, ones that have been locked in the
subconscious mind. Feelings such as heaviness and heat are especially helpful in inducing physical relaxation of the body as a preliminary to deeper states.
Emotions such as jealousy, anger, fear and so on, can also be awakened by remembering past experiences. These in particular are helpful in clearing the mind of accumulated tensions.
