Everyone talks about sleep. How important it is for us and if one does not sleep well, then one will succumb to many diseases, which I am not going to name.
Let me share some quotes with you first, before I write more.
A well spent day brings happy sleep. – Leonardo da Vinci
Good night, sweet prince, and flight of angels sing thee to thy rest. – William Shakespeare
Before you sleep read something that is exquisite and worth remembering. – Desiderius Erasmus
Swami Satyananda looked upon sleep as a biological function and not as the ultimate goal of life. He taught that standard sleep is largely unconscious, whereas Yoga aims to maintain conscious awareness during rest, bridging the gap between waking and deep sleep.
He said Yoga Nidra, which is his legacy to all of us is a systematic guided meditation where the body appears to be asleep, but the mind remains fully alert. It acts as a profound state of deep relaxation that accesses the subconscious mind. He further said that 45 minutes of Yoga Nidra would be restorative and effective as several hours of regular, unconscious sleep.
So how should we handle our sleep routine
One has to cease engaging with one’s thoughts, because then the thoughts trigger more thoughts. They are ready to lead one on a journey, which is not necessarily of one’s choice. So, disengagement with them is only possible by being engaged in a neutral activity. Counting one’s breath backwards is a neutral activity.
One’s attention is on one’s breath and then one is concentrating on the counting. There is no scope for thoughts to creep in. One has to count one’s breath backwards without making errors and then chanting with breath awareness. Practicing Samvrit Pranayama (4 in, 4 pause, 4 exhale, 4 pause), is a very effective method. This whole practice balances our prana and then we are refreshed and rested.
Of course, Yoga Nidra is wonderful and one has to be very disciplined in learning the technique. And when you do, you will find that you have a priceless gift from my Guru.
Aim Hrim Klim