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Yoga Nidra: A Meditative Practice for Deep Relaxation and Healing
One of the most enjoyable parts of a yoga class comes when we rest in savasanathe corpse poseand realize deep serenity, a sense of effortless joy, and a glimpse into our true nature as unqualified presence. How is this so? Master teacher Richard Miller explains that this experience is a manifestation of yoga nidra, the meditative state of mind-body union at the heart of all yoga practice. A powerful integration of book and CD audio learning, Yoga Nidra is an ancient tantric yoga path that leads to inner freedom. Through accessible language appropriate for any level of practice, Miller takes us step-by-step through the traditional techniques of relaxation and meditation to help us move toward the realization of unqualified presencethe ultimate aim of yogaa goal unreachable through posture practice alone. Through his expert guidance, students will experience: Deep relaxation for relief from day-to-day stress The development of one-pointednessa key to spiritual awakening Healing from painful emotions, such as fear, grief, and anger More effective and energizing sleep, and much more.
136 pages, Paperback
First published November 28, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
October 22, 2021
(Warning: long and technical review)
I finished reading Richard Miller's book about yoga nidra last weekend while camping in southern Utah. I'd put the book aside because Miller delves into the concept of non-dualism and my brain wasn't able to wrap itself around such deep thinking at the time. I decided to pick it back up when I was in the backcountry, away from the concerns and distractions of daily life, and I'm glad I did.
Miller sees yoga nidra as a process for learning how to listen and welcome all that we are and all that life is, rather than just another strategy for self improvement. It's a process we engage in to heal from misperception, anxiety, and fear, into equanimity, stability, and love. Miller outlines a yoga nidra protocol that allows for this opening of awareness to occur. In summary, his protocol goes like this:
Assert an intention to give the practice your wholehearted attention (this sets the stage for your mind to remain focused and undistracted throughout the practice).
Locate heartfelt prayers that you hold about loved ones or yourself, stated in the present tense ("I am whole and healthy" as opposed to "I will be whole and healthy"). Once your prayers are acknowledged, you set them aside to be revisited at the end of the practice when you are in the state of complete openness and can experience your prayers as present-moment realities.
He then guides us through the koshas (sheaths).
A) Sensing the physical body
B) Awareness of breath and energy
C) Awareness of feelings & emotions
D) Awareness of thoughts, beliefs and images
E) Awareness of the body of joy
F) Awareness of the witness of ego-I
G) Awareness of changeless being
Miller's seven stages of yoga nidra help us take off and step away from each sheath or body of identification, the "outerwear of body, mind, and senses that we had misperceived as True Nature". Once there, we can touch into the truth of who we really are and we realize that every situation is paired with its perfect response of right action. "As we walk back through the sheaths, putting each sheath of identification back on, we no longer need to confuse who we are with these clothes that we are wearing made of body, mind, and senses." (p.77)
This is just a brief summary of Miller's book and his protocol for yoga nidra. His work is deep and expansive and it resonates with me deeply. I've experienced glimpses of what he writes about. Just this week, I was in the twilight state between waking and sleeping, and an insight came to me. It was something that I needed in order to solve a problem, but in my fully wakened state, I'd been too triggered emotionally to see a solution. In this twilight (yoga nidra) state, I wasn't attached to these emotions (monomaya kosha). Shedding the sheath of feeling and emotion allowed me to touch into the truth of who I really am, and right action became evident.
Namaste 🙏
I finished reading Richard Miller's book about yoga nidra last weekend while camping in southern Utah. I'd put the book aside because Miller delves into the concept of non-dualism and my brain wasn't able to wrap itself around such deep thinking at the time. I decided to pick it back up when I was in the backcountry, away from the concerns and distractions of daily life, and I'm glad I did.
Miller sees yoga nidra as a process for learning how to listen and welcome all that we are and all that life is, rather than just another strategy for self improvement. It's a process we engage in to heal from misperception, anxiety, and fear, into equanimity, stability, and love. Miller outlines a yoga nidra protocol that allows for this opening of awareness to occur. In summary, his protocol goes like this:
Assert an intention to give the practice your wholehearted attention (this sets the stage for your mind to remain focused and undistracted throughout the practice).
Locate heartfelt prayers that you hold about loved ones or yourself, stated in the present tense ("I am whole and healthy" as opposed to "I will be whole and healthy"). Once your prayers are acknowledged, you set them aside to be revisited at the end of the practice when you are in the state of complete openness and can experience your prayers as present-moment realities.
He then guides us through the koshas (sheaths).
A) Sensing the physical body
B) Awareness of breath and energy
C) Awareness of feelings & emotions
D) Awareness of thoughts, beliefs and images
E) Awareness of the body of joy
F) Awareness of the witness of ego-I
G) Awareness of changeless being
Miller's seven stages of yoga nidra help us take off and step away from each sheath or body of identification, the "outerwear of body, mind, and senses that we had misperceived as True Nature". Once there, we can touch into the truth of who we really are and we realize that every situation is paired with its perfect response of right action. "As we walk back through the sheaths, putting each sheath of identification back on, we no longer need to confuse who we are with these clothes that we are wearing made of body, mind, and senses." (p.77)
This is just a brief summary of Miller's book and his protocol for yoga nidra. His work is deep and expansive and it resonates with me deeply. I've experienced glimpses of what he writes about. Just this week, I was in the twilight state between waking and sleeping, and an insight came to me. It was something that I needed in order to solve a problem, but in my fully wakened state, I'd been too triggered emotionally to see a solution. In this twilight (yoga nidra) state, I wasn't attached to these emotions (monomaya kosha). Shedding the sheath of feeling and emotion allowed me to touch into the truth of who I really am, and right action became evident.
Namaste 🙏
November 11, 2019
This was my second read-through of Richard Miller's introduction to Yoga Nidra in preparation for the upcoming iRest immersion in Kailua, HI this next month. It provides a wonderfully simple background and practice for the state of consciousness of we call Presence...I do enjoy and recommend his other resources, practices, research studies and website for a more in depth study, but this book is great for beginners!
"Trees, people, animals, mountains, planets, and stars appear different, but their source is ultimately one...."
"When subject and object dissolve, one into the other, only timeless Presence remains. Witnessing without a witness. Welcoming without a welcomer. Doing with a doer. No separation, anywhere."
Welcome yourself/myself/himself/herself to the wonderful world of Yoga Nidra...!
"Trees, people, animals, mountains, planets, and stars appear different, but their source is ultimately one...."
"When subject and object dissolve, one into the other, only timeless Presence remains. Witnessing without a witness. Welcoming without a welcomer. Doing with a doer. No separation, anywhere."
Welcome yourself/myself/himself/herself to the wonderful world of Yoga Nidra...!
September 22, 2022
Addendum: as with so many other “spiritual leaders, Miller has been exposed as a sexual predator. That behavior is always heinous, but particularly so when one’s professed expertise is leading people into highly vulnerable states.
Steer clear.
prerequisite reading for Total Yoga Nidra with Uma Dinsmore-Tuli next month
Not a good place to start for those unfamiliar with yoga nidra.
the practice takes time to evolve and he jumps into the deep end with both feet and no floatie.
For those of us with a history with yoga nidra, we don't need the "gee whiz yoga nidra fixes EVERYTHING" hard sell.
Steer clear.
prerequisite reading for Total Yoga Nidra with Uma Dinsmore-Tuli next month
Not a good place to start for those unfamiliar with yoga nidra.
the practice takes time to evolve and he jumps into the deep end with both feet and no floatie.
For those of us with a history with yoga nidra, we don't need the "gee whiz yoga nidra fixes EVERYTHING" hard sell.
June 8, 2019
Good book
Good book I don't understand why this review has tyo be so may words in length? Why not take me at my word and accept that finished the book and that is saying that it was goid enough to complete. I gave it five stars for God's sake, does this not confirm and or perfect what I thought the book merited ? I have enough on my plate and here you are rejecting a three word review: it is good.
Good book I don't understand why this review has tyo be so may words in length? Why not take me at my word and accept that finished the book and that is saying that it was goid enough to complete. I gave it five stars for God's sake, does this not confirm and or perfect what I thought the book merited ? I have enough on my plate and here you are rejecting a three word review: it is good.
February 21, 2012
This book started out very slow but by the end I loved it. It could have another title “How to Just Be.” I read the Kindle version and so was very frustrated that the author keeps referring to the CD that comes with the other versions. If you are going to buy this book make sure you also get the CD so you can do the practices along with the book.
June 24, 2020
I mainly practice Kriya Yoga (as brought to the West by Paramhansa Yogananda). However, yoga has many branches and I respect and love each tradition.
Yoga Nidra is profoundly healing, especially for trauma and the emotional body, but can also bring about much healing for the spiritual, mental and physical bodies.
It's absolutely worth your time.
Yoga Nidra is profoundly healing, especially for trauma and the emotional body, but can also bring about much healing for the spiritual, mental and physical bodies.
It's absolutely worth your time.
September 23, 2017
This was a very complete little book about yoga nidra. At times what the author was saying was very clear to me and other times I had difficulty grasping it. I think, perhaps, the author assumes that the reader is already well along the path to understanding the big picture of yoga nidra. Without my background as a yoga teacher, I know I would have been lost in some parts of the book. However, I did enjoy it and am excited to work with this practice. I have already seen a huge shift in my outlook on life and my ability to remain in a state of "contentment" while drama is raging around me.
January 7, 2019
The book gets a 3, the accompanying CD raises the rating to a 4. I found the text to be very philosophical and full of tautologies. For such an embodied practice, the discussion is highly intellectualized. I’m going to try reading Chapter 2: The Practice of Yoga Nidra section by section alongside the corresponding audio sections and see what that yields.
Read
March 25, 2022It is the first relaxation practice that welcomes things just as they are. Don’t have to make anything happen, change anything- just observe your body’s sensations in a safe place that you imagined or that you remember from your own life experience. And then you work with opposites - hot and cold, tight and relaxed, anger and peace. It is fantastic.
March 24, 2022
Richard Miller explains clearly and completely how the practice of Yoga Nidra can have a profound effect on one's health and wellbeing. This book helps take that practice to an even deeper level of awareness and the connection with all.
August 13, 2017
A very popular approach to yoga nidra, but worth trying. Richard Miller has very soothing voice.
January 28, 2021
It was good. I wish it had included some written practices
March 9, 2021
Très bon basique pour une introduction au Yoga Nidra.
September 27, 2021
I read this book years ago but wanted to come here and review it! It is so well worth a read. Yoga nidra is an incredible practice.
October 19, 2021
Very easy to read and understand. Nice progressive steps and stages going through the Pancha Maya Kosha Model and helping us realize we are all part of everything and we are vast spaciousness.
July 30, 2025
This book is amazing. Its an easy ready and really explains the heart of Yoga Nidra. Im going to read it again:)
June 6, 2022
Miller's knowledge is very deep but i think private lessons are needed to experience the power of this practice
February 2, 2025
I haven't listened to the CD yet, so I may update this review. I ended up getting this book because I saw an issue of Yoga Journal that talked about dealing with anxiety, so I bought it, and Yoga Nidra was mentioned, with this book (and maybe one or two others) recommended. I haven't added this to my practice yet, but I hope to soon. I could definitely use it. It's definitely pretty interesting.
July 4, 2015
I erred on the low side. It's not as low as average but as a teacher it didn't give me the practicalities that I need to begin to start using yoga nidra in my classes.
If you are loooking for a book to help you begin a personal practice of yoga nidra this is spot on. The CD is great and there are links to download a few more yoga nidra practices.
If you are loooking for a book to help you begin a personal practice of yoga nidra this is spot on. The CD is great and there are links to download a few more yoga nidra practices.
January 20, 2012
My yoga instructor has quoted from this book the first two weeks of yoga class. Each time, I wanted to tell her - "slow down! Let us absorb these thoughts. It is a lot to take in." I was delighted when my brother gifted me with the book this week.
Read
June 12, 2011The bulk of the book are 5 yoga themes: transcendence, crea...tion, love for all beings, tantra and service. I like the poetry collection a lot and I really found their savasanas for each section to be amazing. I'll definitely be using this book in my classes.
April 24, 2012
Yoga Nidra is a form of meditation that you do in stillness, not the poses that usually come to mind with the word yoga. Reading Eastern philosophy late at night was a bit mind bending, but I like Yoga Nidra's focus on acceptance and look forward to practicing with the CD.
August 24, 2014
This is one of the most powerfully life changing practices I have ever done. Yoga Nidra is a practice in which you put your body into a "sleep" state and work on deep emotional issues and / or truamatic experiences and / or limiting beliefs. Must be experienced to understand.
December 14, 2018
Great Meditation technique that I still use. Teaches you to focus on your breathing, or on on particular part of your body at a time, which in turn clears your mind of thoughts. I got the book and the CD that came with it with the guided mediation. Love it!
June 19, 2013
A lot of the claims seem pretty far out there. Hoping the CD is a bit less woo-woo....
September 3, 2013
Great for calming the mind and body and being okay with whatever state I am in. I particularly like the balancing of opposites, noticing how thoughts affect the body.
February 9, 2015
This book can't do justice to Richard's work but it's a good enough place to start!
February 27, 2015
Worth every penny. Clear method, nice voice, great practice.
July 9, 2015
I have a much better understanding of what Yoga Nidra is after reading Richard's book and practicing with the enclosed CD. This system allows the true practice of yoga to shine through.
August 24, 2015
The book is a bit esoteric but still useful. The accompanying c.d. is fantastic for meditation and relaxation.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews