For the sleep deprived and the always messy person, yoga Nidra is the best yoga therapy programs. You have most likely heard someone say, “I don’t remember the last time I relaxed?” Their secret weapon is something lot more enjoyable and shockingly powerful than a snooze or introspection.

 

You lie flat on a mat, limbs free, a blanket tightly wrapped around you at first. The smooth, comforting voice of the instructor breaks the silence almost as if they were casting a spell. They walk you through a top-to–toe body scan, helping you to concentrate on regions you wouldn’t typically see—such as the space between your eyes or the backs of your knees. Odd, indeed? Still, your mind listens even if it veers off sometimes.

The “Sankalpa”—a sort of personal pledge or affirmation that speaks to one very deeply—comes next. Maybe not that one, but wouldn’t it be interesting if it were something like “I am serene,” “I heal,” or “Cheese will always taste fantastic”? Like seeds in rich soil, repeating Sankalpa helps plant it into your subconscious, therefore fostering development and change.

You float on clouds at times and other times stare at a starry sky as you go through dreamlike stages of awareness. You might believe you are awake, only to discover you are unintentionally nodding off. Your body rests in this wonderful area, but your mind stays conscious, silently observing.

Teachers show you how to lead people through this experience—how to combine words like pearls so your listeners may slip just under the surface without effort. Though you learn about brain waves, you need not worry—you do not need a degree in neuroscience. One advice that comes up constantly: avoid doing Yoga Nidra while full-stomach. And most certainly advise your housemates to wait to vacuum till you get back to the country of the living.

A few weeks of practice helps the lunchtime dip to feel less severe. Anxiety starts to wind through you like a light breeze. New thoughts appear; some students even discuss unusual dreams or flashes of understanding followed by bursts of laughing for no apparent cause at all.

Yoga Nidra is a skill not only a vacation from reality. Regular naps seem like a far-off memory once you have perfected it. The peace it brings about at your core makes you clearer and more rooted than a mountain stream on a cold morning. Who knew that just lying on the floor could be so revolutionary?