By Denise Everheart | Updated on : December 16, 2020
So you want to know which is best for your mind and body- Yoga Nidra vs Meditation answers here!
So you have heard of or tried Yoga Nidra, or maybe started your meditation journey and you are wondering which is best for your mind and body? Here’s everything you need to know about Yoga Nidra vs meditation.
Yoga Nidra and meditation are both ancient and very popular techniques for mind and body relaxation. Both practices offer their unique benefits and also complement each other and help to enhance each other's effectiveness.
We all have limited time and may not be able to incorporate all the beautiful tools that yoga offers. So you may have a question, what should I practice Yoga Nidra or meditation? This is a genuine question and dilemma. So let’s understand both of these practices in detail. This may help you decide how you can incorporate one or both of these practices into your wellness routine. Definitely meditation is considered superior and much more rewarding practice while yoga nidra can actually help you prepare for your meditation practice.
Yoga Nidra
Yoga Nidra is a very vital practice within yoga. Generally it is done at the end of a yoga asana session. Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says, “It’s very important to include Yoga Nidra at the end of any asana sequence as the body and mind needs the time to assimilate the effects of the asanas.” It also helps to relieve any aches you may have due to intense stretching in asanas. It also prepares the body and mind for meditation after the yoga asana session. It can be practiced as part of your yoga routine or independently too.
The word Nidra translates as ‘sleep’. But Yoga Nidra isn’t really sleeping. Sometimes referred to as a Vedic body scan or powernap, Yoga Nidra uses the conscious mind to gently take your awareness to various body parts. This process of scanning the body from the feet to the top of the head gives deep relaxation in the form of ‘yogic’ sleep.
Imagine being in a deep state of rest similar to deep sleep, for a brief period of time, while also having conscious awareness present. Upon completion, you are refreshed and energized! Sounds like my kind of power nap!
Ideally, a Yoga Nidra session is led for you much like a guided meditation would be. Therefore many refer to it as yoga nidra meditation. In meditation, you let go of all your efforts, but when you practice yoga nidra, you use gentle attention and awareness to move through different parts of the body to mindfully relax them. This ‘Prathyahara’ (6th limb of yoga) like practice is providing an alternate ‘inner point of attraction’ for the senses to go inward and get ready for meditation. Generally yoga nidra is practiced lying down in shavasana, some also practice it in seated position to relax the body just before starting meditation practice.
It is also possible to do a ‘self-guided’ Yoga Nidra session once you are familiar with the process.
Not long ago I found myself feeling totally worn out but also needing to accomplish a lot more work before the end of the day. I decided to lie down on the sofa and do a self-guided Yoga Nidra session. I invited my teenage grandson to join me in this guided relaxation process. He declined but stayed in the room. Typically I would not speak the instructions out loud but since my grandson was there I did. At the end, I opened my eyes feeling refreshed and energized! My grandson greeted me with, “What was that!?!?” Even when sitting upright with eyes open, he felt the pull into deep relaxation!
If you’re looking for a quick way to refresh effortlessly, a Yoga Nidra practice is perfect for you!
Meditation
There are more types of meditation than you can count on two hands! The four most popular types are guided meditation, mindfulness, mantra-based, and breath-based. Let’s look at each to see which is better so you can choose.
Guided meditations are a great first step on your meditation journey, and the variety available is almost limitless! Here is a link to the top 22 online guided meditations for stress, anger, sleep, and more. Find a comfy spot, close your eyes, and let the recorded voice guide you into deep relaxation. Yoga Nidra is a type of guided meditation.
Mindfulness meditation is both a practice and a state of being — the experience of being open and aware in the present moment. The practice of mindfulness involves effort, while the state of being mindful is a result of effective meditation practice. If a natural state of mindfulness is your goal, you may want to try mantra-based or breath based meditation.
Mantra-based meditation was first popularized in the west in the late ’60s and early ’70s in the U.S. by the Beatles with Transcendental Meditation. Today people around the world have discovered Sahaj Samadhi Meditation. In Sanskrit (the ancient language of India) Sahaj means effortless, and Samadhi means a very deep state of meditation. One of the perks of this technique is you are self-reliant - no recorded guidance needed! The benefits of Sahaj Samadhi include deep inner peace, an increase in self-awareness, and being more resilient. In general, mantra-based meditation is great for improving your focus, clarity, and awareness. Choose this practice if you’re looking for greater awareness and deep rest for the body.
Breath-based meditations like SKY Breath Meditation use the power of your breath for deep, effortless meditation. SKY’s profound benefits include a 56% reduction in stress hormones, a significant decrease in clinical and non-clinical anxiety, increased peace of mind, greater mental focus, enhanced deep sleep, and increased joy! Over 100+ studies reveal even more benefits! If you are looking for all the benefits of a breath practice and meditation, this technique is for you!
Want to know more about SKY Breath Meditation? You’re in luck! The Art of Living is offering free breath and meditation sessions live and online with a trained instructor. During Beyond Breath you will learn an easy breathing technique and experience a wonderful guided meditation. You can also get answers to any questions you might have! Click below to select a date that works for you!
I really love my daily SKY and Sahaj practices! Sometimes I do Yoga Nidra after my SKY practice and sometimes when I need refueling in the middle of the day! I cannot imagine my life without any of these practices. With that said, I would strongly encourage you to learn SKY Breath Meditation- it is life transforming!
Denise Everheart is a freelance writer, breath meditation coach, party planner, and recipe designer. Follow her @everheartstudio4meditation and @celeplateyourlife on Instagram.
