योग निद्रा
Yoga Nidra — Yogic Sleep
nidrā = sleep — the sleep of the yogis, awake inside rest
Lie down, stay awake, and let attention walk slowly through the whole body.
In the simplest words
Lie down like you're going to sleep, but keep a tiny light of "awake" on inside. Then say hello to each part of your body one by one — thumb, fingers, hand, arm — all the way to your toes. Your body gets so relaxed it feels like floating.
What it is
Yoga nidra is rest practised as meditation: you lie in shavasana and walk your attention through the body part by part — right thumb, second finger, palm, wrist — in a fixed order, staying on the border between waking and sleep. The rotation gives the mind exactly one small thing to do, and the body, no longer supervised, lets go completely. The method as commonly practised today was systematised by Swami Satyananda of the Bihar School from older tantric nyasa practices (placing awareness on the body's parts in sequence). Traditionally it is guided by a live voice; practising from memory, as this page teaches, is the self-guided form.
Where it comes from: Tantric nyasa tradition, systematised as yoga nidra by Swami Satyananda Saraswati (Bihar School of Yoga, 1960s).
Before you practise — health first
Safe for nearly everyone. With significant depression, trauma or dissociation, long inward practices can occasionally feel unmooring — keep sessions short, eyes half-open if needed, and work with a professional you trust. Never practise anywhere falling asleep would be unsafe.
How to practise
Lie on your back (shavasana), arms a little away from the body, palms up, eyes closed. Cover yourself — the body cools as it stills.
Make a quiet inner promise: "I will remain awake."
Feel the whole body at once — heavy, warm, resting on the floor.
Rotate attention through the right side: thumb, each finger, palm, wrist, elbow, shoulder, armpit, waist, hip, thigh, knee, calf, ankle, heel, sole, each toe.
Repeat on the left side, then the back of the body, the front, and the head and face, ending at the space between the eyebrows.
Rest a while in whole-body awareness, watching the natural breath.
To finish, deepen the breath, wiggle fingers and toes, roll to the right side, and sit up slowly.
Practise now
Practice timer
Finished sessions are added to your sadhana log — stored only on this device.
When & how long
15–30 minutes, afternoon or before sleep — never while driving. Falling asleep sometimes is normal and no failure; the border is the practice.
What it is kept for
Deep rest when sleep is short; unwinding an over-worked mind; the tradition also plants a short sankalpa (resolve) in this state, where it is said to take root.