Hello curious person
It's great to have you reading this to learn more about Yoga Nidra.
Yoga Nidra is a versatile practice which means it can be performed, from the student perspective, in many different ways. Fundamentally, Yoga Nidra is practiced by getting into a comfortable position. Your choice of comfortable position is where the options enter the practice.
There are many different ways in which you can get into a comfortable position. My first recommendation is to think about how you lay when you sleep - we all sleep and we all have a default sleeping position. This can be a great starting point when you are trying to discover how you perform Yoga Nidra. My main recommendations are: laying flat on your back in savasana, laying in constructive rest pose, laying on our side, laying on your front or finding a supported seated position. Interested in these options? Scroll past the end of the article to explore greater descriptions of these.
Once you have found your position though, this is where the practice continues. You lay and you listen to a person (like me) who will guide you through a script. I know this sounds really simple but it really is as simple as this. You stay in a comfortable position and just listen. There will be moments where you are paying attention and other moments where you're drifting away from the spoken words. All of the work that happens in Yoga Nidra is on the inside.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this (and don't forget there's more about resting positions below)
Sam
Savasana
Come down to the ground and lay flat on your back. Once you're settled laying on your back, bring your attention to the placement of your limbs and ensure your head is positioned comfortably. Finally, bring in cushion, pillows and blankets to keep you cosy and warm. You may enjoy taking a bolster/pillow under the back of your knees.
Constructive Rest Pose
Come down to the ground and lay in savasana. Once you're comfortable positioned, bend your legs and place the soles of your feet on the ground. Some people like to let their knees fall in towards each other so there's minimal effort when it comes to holding your legs. Once again, you can use cushions, pillows and blankets to keep you cosy and warm.
Laying on Your Side
Come down to the ground and lay in constructive rest pose. From here, roll over to one side and use an arm/cushion to support your head. You want to fill that space between the side of your head and the ground so you can feel supported. I'd recommend keeping the legs bent and you can place a small bolster, brick or block between your thighs. Don't forget your blanket for warmth.
Laying on Your Front
Come down to lay on the front of your body. You'll want to explore the position of your hands, arms and where you support your head. It may be that you stack your hands on top of each other and rest your chin or forehead on your hands. From there, maybe you want to bend one of the legs. It may be nice to place a blanket under your hips to avoid any discomfort from the boney points of your hips. Finally, grab that blanket and wrap yourself up.
Support Comfortable Seated Position
Bring yourself down to a comfortable seat. Remember, you'll want to be sat in a position where you can stay for the duration of the Yoga Nidra session/recording. I'd recommend sitting close to a wall or hard surface that you can lean back into. It can feel great to then use a bolster up against the supportive surface so you can lean back into something soft. This is a great position to take if you're suffering with a cold/allergies. Finally, grab your blanket (you'll probably want more than one) and wrap up warm.