| Yoga-nidra is practiced in savasana (Corpus pose). This is the only asana that is indispensable for yoga-nidra.
Muscular tension and joint stiffness are great obstacles to yoga-nidra. For bringing about physical relaxation prior to yoga-nidra, it is advisable to do some asanas. The following asanas are recommended:
A. Beginners who have little practice of
asanas and those who cannot devote more time may do pranamuktasana.
Of course, savasana is unavoidable since this is the pose
in which yoga-nidra is practiced. It may be pointed out here
that our pranamuktasana is the pavanamuktasana of some yogis.
B. Advanced yoga-practitioners and those
who can spend more time may do the following asanas: |
C. A shorter alternative to series B is Surya-Namaskara.
It would loosen the joints and muscles and massage the internal
organs.
D. Another still shorter alternative is naukasana.
The practice of this asana three to five times provides a
general physical relaxation, which prepares the body for yoga-nidra.
After doing the asana and before the yoga-nidra, pranayama
should preferably be done. For getting the most benefits from
yoga-nidra, the flow of prana in the nadis should be free
and unimpeded.
One should sit in vajrasana and do ujjay pranayama
with so'ham (He is I) mantra-japa (ajapa japa). One should
think of the flow of prana in the vajra-nadi of the susumna.
During inhalation, the prana flows downward to the muladhara
while thinking of sah (so). During exhalation, the prana flows
upward while thinking of aham (ham). If this pranayama is
practiced in the vajrasana, any previous practice of vajrasana
in the asana series may be avoided.
Nadi-sodhana pranayama
with or without retention (kumbhaka-sahita or kumbhaka-rahita)
may be done as a better alternative to ujjayi pranayama. For
this purpose, padmasana or siddhasana may be the ideal asana.
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