Daily life is stressful. It is also busy, demanding, and constant. Some people find relief by practicing yoga nidra, a form of yoga that emphasizes a state of consciousness somewhere between waking and sleeping. You can try it by utilizing one of many different yoga nidra apps found in the most popular app stores.
What is a yoga nidra app? More importantly, what does it do? A yoga nidra app is pretty much an electronic guide that sits in your pocket or purse. It is available 24/7, so you can enjoy a guided experience even when you do not have access to a human guide.
An Explanation of Yoga Nidra
Yoga is an eastern practice that comes in many forms. Yoga nidra is often referred to as ‘yogic sleep’ because it taps into that part of the consciousness that facilitates restful sleep. The word ‘nidra’ actually means ‘sleep’.
Scott Moore, an international yoga educator and consciousness entrepreneur, says the traditional yoga nidra is often led by a guide. By listening to the guide’s voice, students can home in on their own meditation experiences to achieve deep relaxation. Guided yoga nidra can be immensely helpful in learning how to relax, distress, and focus.
That is all well and good, but how many of us have 30-60 minutes to devote to daily yoga nidra with a professional guide? I would say very few. Enter the yoga nidra app.
What It Is and What It Does
Like the many forms of yoga itself, a yoga nidra app can take on many forms. The apps come in all flavors, so to speak. They are all designed to act as digital guides that help regular folks take advantage of yoga nidra without having to attend a formal session.
Each app offers its own features and reference material. Therefore, it’s impossible for me to provide details in this post. But here is a basic rundown of a typical app’s guidance:
- Preparation – A yoga app typically begins a guided session by instructing the user to find a comfortable position. Lying down is a common option.
- Intention – The guided process moves on to intention next. The user is prompted to establish a goal for the current session.
- Body Scan – Body scanning is the practice of relaxing different parts of the body. Most apps guide users through each step and body park.
- Breathing – Controlled breathing is a big part of yoga nidra. Apps encourage users to become more aware of their breathing by focusing on both inhaling and exhaling.
- Body Consciousness – A paid yoga nidra guide would instruct students to be more aware of specific parts of the body, in sequence. An app can guide the user through the same process.
- Visualization – Yoga nidra apps also encourage users to visualize peaceful settings that facilitate relaxed sensory experiences.
As a guided session begins to draw to a close, an app may encourage a user to restate the original goal or intention. At that point, the app slowly brings the user back to a normal state of consciousness and awareness.
It might be difficult to grasp all of this if you have never experienced yoga nidra before. Yoga nidra is generally considered a safe practice rooted only in relaxation and self-awareness. Go ahead and give it a try.
As for the yoga nidra app, it takes the place of a professional guide on those days when you cannot take time for a normal, guided session. An app is not a complete substitute for a traditional guide, but it can be very helpful between guided sessions.