Yoga Nidra The Power of Rest

Yoga Nidrā literally means ‘yogic sleep’. It is a liminal, effortlessly meditative state of awareness, naturally arising in states of deep, conscious rest.

This online course is a guided, embodied exploration of the ancient histories, contemporary applications, and philosophical frameworks of yoga nidrā. Originating in South Asia, the practice of yoga nidrā has been refined and adapted into different but related methods, all of which are intended to induce the naturally-arising state of yoga nidrā, empowering practitioners to navigate their own states of consciousness into states of easeful being, restoring rhythmic cycles of well-being and intuitive insight.

In a global journey of rematriation, we respectfully encounter relatives of yoga nidrā amongst Indigenous rituals of conscious sleep, dream and trance in all continents. This is a decolonial adventure in untold histories of yoga nidrā, buried deep in the primal nervous-system reset that we can all recognise through the experience of yoga nidrā.

Designed by Dr Uma Dinsmore-Tuli, with contributions from Nirlipta Tuli (co-founders of the Yoga Nidra Network and co-authors of Nidrā Shakti, The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Yoga Nidrā, and Yoga Nidrā Made Easy) the course weaves ancient histories into the fabric of contemporary practice.

Both experiential and historical, it reviews recent scientific research and therapeutic applications of yoga nidrā, whilst also providing you with exquisite personal encounters with the experience of Total Yoga Nidrā. The context here is decolonial, liberating the ancient origins of experiences of yoga nidrā from recent appropriations and extractive methods of control, standardisation and limitation.

If you have never experienced yoga nidrā before, this course is the perfect introduction to its many facets. For people already familiar with yoga nidrā, and for regular teachers and practitioners, this module offers a refreshing, well-researched and decolonial perspective on its pre-history, context and application.

The modules share previously untold ancient and modern histories, and include illustrations and research recently published in Nidrā Shakti: The Power of Rest, an Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Yoga Nidrā (2024).

By the end of this course, you’ll have explored diverse methods and the philosophy of yoga nidrā, deepened your understanding through scientific insight, and experienced its powerful, ancient roots as a primal nervous system reset. This is yoga nidrā: the heart of awareness and the state of restful being.