We are delighted to introduce one of our resident experts and good friend of the centre – Cobi Campbell
Cobi is a qualified Yoga teacher an avid fan and practitioner of Yoga Nidra.
Cobi first came to the healing centre as a child. Her mother used to attend regularly ( Mum is also a trained and expert healer) and from time to time Cobi would attend with her and receive healing herself.
Having seen first hand how beneficial energy healing can be she continued using the modality as part of her self care practice both during difficult times in her life and as a general maintenance tool.
So what is Yoga Nidra ?
Put simply it’s a guided practice to lull you into deep rest. Yoga Nidra is translated as Yogic Sleep or Sleep Meditation and is a highly restorative practice where you are guided into a state between sleep and waking. All you need to do is find a comfortable place to lie down, get cosy and let yourself be guided.
Like Yoga itself, Yoga Nidra is both a process and a state. You can be in the “state of Yoga Nidra” which is a state of consciousness between waking and sleeping. Yoga Nidra is also a set of techniques put together to help you get into that state. There are many different techniques in the Yoga Nidra “toolbox” so a practice can be for different purposes such as simple relaxation, getting to sleep at night and unlocking creativity.
In addition Yoga Nidra is a form of meditation we normally do lying down. When we are lying down it is easier to access that “in between” state we can experience between waking and sleeping. There are times when lying down is not possible or comfortable so then it can be done supported in a comfortable seated position.
How can Yoga Nidra support our self healing practice
Aside from being deeply relaxing, restorative and restful, scientific studies have shown that a 45-minute Yoga Nidra session is equivalent to three hours of sleep. During each session the body is said to maximise its ability to take in nutrients, regulate hormones and glucose levels, and boost immunity. By stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system (the “rest & digest system”), the mind quiets and your body begins to heal itself, naturally.
As a regular practice (many practitioners recommend a weekly session – initially under the guidance and support of a teacher)
Yoga Nidra can help with:
- Stress reduction and physical restoration
- Build immunity
- Improve sleep
- Psychological rest from internal chatter and external stimuli.
- Develop a more positive outlook on life
- Improving memory and concentration
- Depression, anxiety, post traumatic stress, insomnia, digestive complaints, hypertension, asthma, allergies
- May assist with pain relief
- Develops a capacity to respond to life rather than react.
In short Yoga Nidra is an empowering self-healing practice that assists us in restoring our health and wellbeing.
What to expect during a session
Yoga Nidra starts with the body placed in Savasana (a relaxed and comfortable lying down position you’ll be familiar with if you practice Yoga) The teacher will direct their students to move and rotate their awareness through the different parts of the body, relaxing each part in turn whilst remaining motionless. There is no right or wrong, you may fall asleep (this is ok) and you are likely to experience different things during each session.
It is often helpful to set an intention for the practice, especially if you feel the need to address certain aspects of your life. You might therefore come into the practice knowing what you would like to work on or you can simply relax and go with flow, seeing what comes up for you during each session. There are no hard and fast rules. You will find you have a space to explore what you need in the moment, as well as an opportunity to work on releasing any long-held emotions
The beauty of Yoga Nidra is that you are able to experience an emotion and come “face to face” with what you want to overcome, without “diving into it” completely—meaning without feeling the emotion so completely that you become overwhelmed.
So, now you know! Yoga Nidra is an accessible meditation practice that focuses on cultivating multiple levels of well-being. Practiced with consistency and awareness, you may likely discover that you can find a good amount of peace in a short period of time.
If you would like to find out more about Cobi check out her FB and Insta profiles
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/feelgoodyogawithcobi
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/feelgoodyogawithcobi/?hl=en