In Yoga Nidra the conscious and subconscious mind is constantly moving between the two states. The mind is receptive during this state and the mind can be trained to be able to accomplish anything while in this fluctionion between these two parts of the mind. The unconscious mind is more receptive to intuitive thoughts the more relaxed the participant is. While in this state of mind the participant is disconnected from all of their senses except for the sense of sound. They are in a state between deep sleep and being completely awake and aware. Whatever images or ideas enter the mind during this state will remain there.

Hypnosis is typically performed by a therapist who controls the mind and the will of the client. The client is in their subconscious mind and is not aware of what the therapist is saying to them and all of their senses become inactivated. The patient is in a dream-like state and they are not the ones in control of the experience or how they respond to the information that is being provided to them. In Yoga Nidra the practitioner follows the instructions of the teacher's voice but is not at the mercy and control of the teacher. Instead, it is up to the practitioner to create their own experience and results.

The mind is in a state far beyond the hypnotic state in Yoga Nidra. However, when the mind begins to dissociate from the senses, it does pass through the hypnotic state. In Yoga Nidra the mind stays aware where in hypnosis there is no awareness. The brain in Yoga Nidra moves past where personality is stored and the brain becomes impressionable and receptive to new ideas, repatterning of behaviors, beliefs, and in this state even new languages can be learned. It is for this reason that the participant is instructed throughout the practice to not allow themselves to fall asleep. When the brain can remain in that state between deep sleep and being completely awake and aware, it receives stimuli at a different frequency and develops a different type of awareness than what the brain can accomplish in any other state.

In this state we are restructuring and reforming the personality from within.

At the beginning of a Yoga Nidra session the practitioner is asked to state their Sankalpa (translated Resolve in English). Sankalpa means life mission or purpose. If the practitioner does not know yet what their Sankalpa is, they should ask that it be revealed to them during their Yoga Nidra practice. A Sankalpa should not be stated until the practitioner is certain or as certain as they can be of what their purpose is.

At the beginning of the Yoga Nidra practice the practitioner is asked to state their Sankalpa 3 times in a clear, short, and emotion felt statement. The practitioner is asked to state their Sankalpa again, 3 times, the same way that they said it at the beginning of their practice in order to irrigate the soil of the mind the seed has been planted in. Over time the Sankalpa will take root and will start to manifest in the practitioner's life. This is why it is so important not to state a Sankalpa until the practitioner is sure or as certain as they can be of what their life mission/purpose is.

I will go deeper into Sankalpa in other blogs and newsletters but for now, I hope I have piqued your curiosity and you will want to give Yoga Nidra a try. Classes are run on a donation basis so come check one out and see for yourself what this practice can do for you and your life!