YOGA NIDRA

Yoga nidra is a practice that can be done by anyone and at any age; in fact, all you need to do is lie down in a comfortable position.

Thanks to a guiding voice that leads the session, yoga nidra introduces a deep relaxation that leads to freeing oneself from internal tensions, helping to rediscover harmony and serenity.

It is a very influential practice on our well-being and regenerating which follows very specific phases which must be accompanied by an instructor.

1. How the first yoga nidra session typically happens (approximately 20-60 minutes long)

 Medical history

Since the linguistic difference (I am Italian!) could create misunderstandings, before the meeting I kindly ask you to fill out and send me the medical history QUESTIONNAIRE. The anamnesis is a collection of useful and necessary information for the therapist to get to know the client and better understand his challenges and desires.

Together, after a careful evaluation, the objectives to be achieved are established.

      Introduction to completing the medical history questionnaire

The purpose of the collection is, solely and exclusively, to recommend the most suitable therapeutic paths and remedies.

Each question, except where expressly stated, refers to average habits over a period of time that must not exceed three months.

The medical history has no diagnostic value.

At the end of the questionnaire you will find a space where you can add details or information that you consider important, relating to the topics considered.

The correct completion of the questionnaire is your responsibility and any omission or error, especially regarding the mandatory questions, could compromise the success of the therapeutic process.

Before proceeding with completing the questionnaire, I kindly ask you to read and sign the INFORMED CONSENT, where you declare that you are at least 18 years old and which shows that I am a naturopath and that the data collected will not be disclosed in any way.

N.B. THE QUESTIONNAIRE IS COMPOSED OF ESSENTIAL AND OPTIONAL QUESTIONS (HIGHLIGHTED IN PURPLE). THE ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS ARE USED TO ADVISE THE MOST SUITABLE THERAPEUTIC PATHS AND REMEDIES IN THE PRESENT TIME. THE OPTIONAL QUESTIONS HELP THE THERAPIST TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT IN WHICH THE DISCOMFORT OR THE REQUEST TO IMPLEMENT THEIR WELL-BEING IS PLACED.

2. How to practice yoga nidra

Yoga nidra is practiced lying on a mat or on a bed, usually in the shavasana position, with eyes closed. To maintain the state of consciousness between sleep and wakefulness for as long as possible and achieve deep relaxation, it is important to go through all the phases of the technique developed by the master Swami Satyananda Saraswati, following the voice of the instructor who guides the session .

Below is a brief description of the most salient phases of yoga nidra:

• initial relaxation, perception of the environment around you and natural breathing;
• awareness of the parts of the body that touch the surface on which one is lying;
• sankalpa (it is an intention, a purpose, a purpose made explicit with will and determination. It is formulated at the beginning and at the end of the practice);
• body scan (in this phase the guiding voice accompanies the practitioners' attention to the different parts of the body following a particular order, which reflects that present in the cerebral cortex. It is important not to concentrate, but to let the attention flow to the different parts of the body named , perceiving them without making any movement. It is in this phase that relaxation becomes very deep, sometimes to the point of making you fall asleep, especially the first few times. Although the aim is to be able to consciously experience the state that precedes sleep, there is no need to worry, the ear still remains connected to the outside and will benefit from it);
• awakening of opposite sensations (in this moment we try to awaken as vividly as possible totally opposite sensations, such as heat and cold, lightness and heaviness, pleasure and pain. This is to harmonize the hemispheres of the brain and release the emotional tensions);
• deep breathing;
• visualization (the guiding voice evokes a scenario capable of sending symbolic messages to the subconscious. The visualizations often lead to meditative states which, effortlessly, letting the images that arrive flow, help to release emotional tensions);
• repetition of sankalpa;
• conclusion: conscious breathing, reconnection with the parts of the body that touch the surface on which you are lying, attention to the environment around you, light body movements and opening your eyes.

Each session lasts between 20 and 40/50 minutes.

3. When it is useful to practice yoga nidra

As a gentle method with no side effects, it is complementary to medical therapies of all kinds, integrating and supporting people from a physical and psycho-emotional point of view, even in the presence of particularly invasive and important pathologies.

Very useful as a prevention practice, below are some of the main benefits of yoga nidra:

• release of muscular, emotional and mental tension;
• improved stress management;
• reduction of anxiety;
• improvement of memory and cognitive and learning abilities;
• progressive increase in self-confidence;
• awakening of vitality, creativity and one's intuitive powers to access inner resources;
• strengthening positive intentions through sankalpa (purpose);
• removal of unwanted habits and thoughts;
• gradual restructuring of the personality thanks to the elimination of samskaras (traces imprinted within us by our experiences).

4. How much to practice yoga nidra

Since the aim of the practice is to reach a state of deep relaxation, it is better to perform yoga nidra by choosing to dedicate exclusive time to it; whether it is practiced together with the instructor in individual sessions or sessions composed of a few people or at home, with the support of a guiding voice, the important thing is to remember that everything we do for ourselves will be returned to us in terms of well-being and vitality.

The advice is to introduce Yoga Nidra into your daily routine; however, even by practicing it once or a few times a week, it is possible to experience positive changes.