Yin + Yoga Nidra Benefits
There’s a powerful sense of calm at the yoga studio tonight. Gentle music plays while students breathe softly, inhaling the soothing scent of lavender from their eye pillows and floating deeper into relaxation and healing. This is the scene at the end of a recent Yin + Yoga Nidra event at Island Power Yoga. During this event, students were guided through a gentle yin sequence designed to stretch the body and relax the nervous system. Yin Yoga was followed by Yoga Nidra Meditation, which encourages the body to access deep, healing relaxation. If you are unfamiliar with these practices, keep reading to discover the benefits of each and why combining the two creates a powerful healing experience.
Yin Yoga is a slower-paced practice that stretches the muscles and connective tissues. Students hold yin shapes while supported with yoga props and use gravity to open up the body over time. In addition to gently stretching the body, Yin Yoga is great for improved circulation, stress relief, and a healthier connection with one’s body. Over time, a consistent yin practice can also improve joint mobility and help to balance one’s internal organs. Yin is a great introduction to yoga because it is slower moving, which gives newer practitioners time to set up and explore each shape.
Here are three yin shapes that can help to relax your nervous system before Yoga Nidra. Try holding each shape for 3-5 minutes:
Half frog pose: This gentle hip opener is incredibly grounding and soothing. It can also help to release your lower back. Make sure to practice both sides of this pose.
Reclined butterfly: This supine shape opens your hips and your heart. Place blocks or blankets under your knees for support.
Legs up the wall: You can practice this shape against the wall, or with your legs extended in the air. Legs up the wall is great care for your feet and legs, it is also very soothing to your nervous system.
Yoga Nidra is a guided meditation practice that accesses alpha brain waves, which are what we experience in the state between sleep and wakefulness. It allows one to gain the benefits of deep rest while being awake. Yoga Nidra is also great for healing trauma, improving confidence, and reducing anxiety. An extended yoga nidra practice can help heal both chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder; it can also help ease insomnia. Yoga Nidra is a very accessible practice: all you need is a quiet place to rest and an instructor or recording. You can try a FREE Yoga Nidra Meditation
At Island Power Yoga, we combine these two healing modalities into one powerful event. The Yin Yoga practice physically stretches the body so that it can comfortably rest in stillness for the yoga nidra meditation. It also calms the nervous system so that students can drop into a meditative state more quickly and fully, allowing for deeper healing. We hold these events, along with a variety of workshops, trainings, and special events, throughout the year to offer our members and the community a variety of healing modalities. Check out our schedule for the next Yin + Yoga Nidra offering!
Jamie Kuttenkuler is a trauma-informed yoga instructor and holistic healer. You can find out more about her background and offerings at www.jamiekuttenkuler.com
