A night of complete rest, where everything in you is finally, fully, left in peace. Nothing is stirred, nothing confronted — you simply lie still, stay warm, and listen.
Yoga Nidra is the science of conscious deep rest — the body sleeps, awareness stays lit, and you do nothing but lie still and listen. This practice moves through the classic sequence: settling and a resolve (sankalpa), a rotation of awareness through the whole body part by part, the soft tide of the breath at the heart, and the gentle pairs of opposites — heaviness and lightness, coolness and warmth, restlessness and peace. It closes in a still, golden room that is wholly your own: the door and window open to a kind night, a steady lamp that no draught reaches, an instrument resting whole on the wall with its strings quiet and no hand upon them, a compass needle at rest at centre, and the wide star-filled night holding it all.
This practice is for:
🌙 deep, restorative rest that eases an overloaded nervous system
🌙 releasing tension held through a long or difficult day
🌙 a feeling of safety, wholeness, and quiet that stays with you into sleep
BEFORE YOU BEGIN — please READ this carefully.
Position. The practice is performed in shavasana (bliss pose), lying flat on your back. You will receive the most benefit from this position. If you tend to fall asleep during meditation, you may sit upright instead — but shavasana is preferred whenever possible. You may practise lying on a yoga mat with a blanket beneath you, on a rug on the floor, or in your bed. If your lower back is sensitive, prop with soft padding underneath. If your knees ache, place a cushion or bolster under the back of the knees — this releases the lower spine.
Hands rest beside the body, palms facing up, not touching the body — there should be a small space at each armpit so the chest can breathe freely.
Feet rest comfortably apart, allowed to flop open to the sides — do not hold them upright.
Cover yourself with a blanket. The body temperature drops during deep relaxation, and warmth is part of the safety the practice creates.
Safety. This is a sacred and vulnerable state. No one should intrude, disturb, or touch your body while you are in the practice. Choose a time and place where you will not be interrupted. Turn off notifications. Close the door. The depth of what arises depends on the depth of safety you provide for yourself.
For trauma practitioners: if at any point the practice becomes overwhelming, open your eyes, look around the room, feel the floor beneath you. You can always return to externalised awareness. The practice will be here when you are ready.
At the end of the practice, do not rise quickly. Externalise gradually and FULLY. Reconnect with each of your senses. Take a few deeper breaths. Move the body lightly — circle wrists and ankles, roll the shoulders — before you stand. This grounding is part of the practice.
About Matri
Matri is an instructor of Rāja yoga and yogic psychology, working at the meeting point of ancient inner science and modern neuroscience.
🌿 Go deeper — articles, courses, and a focused community for sustained learning, with no ads: https://ecology.yoga · for private training with Matri: https://matri.au
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This is education in Rāja yoga, not medical or crisis care — it complements professional support, never replaces it. If you are in crisis, please contact a qualified professional or your local emergency services.
