If you think yoga is a single practice, think again. It is a collection of ancient Eastern practices that come in a variety of shapes and forms. For example, hatha yoga is the traditional form that most people think of when the topic comes up. Another well-known form is vinyasa yoga. But consider yoga nidra. It is a lesser-known form but one that is tied intrinsically to sleep.
Scott Moore, a well-known yoga nidra expert and international yoga educator, explains that ‘nidra’ is a Sanskrit word that means ‘sleep’. Yoga nidra is sometimes called ‘yogic sleep’ for that very reason. A key component of this form of yoga is organized, layered awareness.
Yoga and Self-Awareness
A key component in all forms of yoga is self-awareness. But in yoga nidra, it’s taken to a whole new level. Yoga nidra emphasizes an organized and layered awareness that is essentially a systematic exploration of what practitioners refer to as the ‘five koshas’.
These five koshas are said to be different layers of being. They can be progressively accessed during a yoga nidra session. Participants are guided through each level of consciousness with the help of a guide like Moore. Here are the five koshas:
- Physical (Annamaya) – Brings awareness to different parts of the physical body.
- Energy (Pranamaya) – Directs attention to energy flow, via breath awareness.
- Mental/Emotional (Manomaya) – Observes thoughts and emotions.
- Wisdom (Vijnanamaya) – Visualizes to tap into deeper wisdom.
- Bliss (Anandamaya) – A state of pure awareness or bliss.
It is believed that by exploring these five layers of awareness, a person can truly get in touch with the core of his or her inner being. And once in that place, a greater understanding of one’s thoughts, emotions and beliefs is possible.
The Practical Applications
If you’re not into yoga or similar practices, you might be wondering why any of this matters. Why do people invest their time, money, and resources in pursuing things like yoga nidra? It turns out there are practical applications.
For starters, Moore leans into yoga nidra to help people improve their sleep. Yoga nidra heavily emphasizes a deep state of relaxation that ostensibly has a direct impact on how quickly people fall asleep and how well they stay sleeping throughout the night.
The meditation associated with yoga nidra can also be leveraged in a mentorship scenario. And in fact, mentorship is another service that Moore offers, primarily to yoga teachers and conscious entrepreneurs. But even for the average people we meet on the street every day, Moore says yoga nidra can:
- Help them accomplish whatever they desire.
- Identify and reduce their self-limiting beliefs.
- Help them heal from physical, emotional, and mental trauma.
- Help them identify and understand innate gifts.
- Make them more tolerant of others.
- Make them more tolerated by others.
- Help improve their careers.
According to practitioners, it’s really about connecting with one’s inner self to explore and release all of the potential within. It may sound like a lot of hocus-pocus to some, but there are plenty of yoga practitioners who swear by it.
The Desire for a Better World
I am certainly no expert in yoga nidra. In fact, I know very little about it. But it seems to me that yoga nidra, and its five layers of consciousness, play into that universal desire for a better world. If practicing yoga helps you feel better about yourself and the world around you, that’s great. Maybe by exploring your own levels of consciousness you can change how you live in this world and interact with those around you.
