Experience Yoga Nidra: Guided Deep Relaxation (Remastered)

Having been a fan of yoga nidra for some years now since being introduced to it on a yoga teaching training course I have a small collection of CDs to choose from with a range of narrators and themes. This particular CD was recommended by my tutor at the time and is one of my old favourites. I played it nightly at one point and it soothed me into deep relaxation and afterwards a calm night's sleep. It took some time to get used to the narrator's voice which initially I found irritating especially the way he pronounced 'mouse' as 'mouth' but eventually he became a familiar sound before I went to sleep at night. And the effects were astounding in terms of relaxation but there is also another side to yoga nidra. See the third paragraph below.There are two yoga nidras on this CD - a short one of about 15 mins and a longer one of about 45 mins with a short burst of instrumental music in-between (which I was always asleep to!). Each yoga nidra script is accompanied by gentle music and sounds and the narrator talks you through a body scan to relax the body, a guided visualisation and takes you through the chakras.Regular use of yoga nidra helped me to get through a very sticky period in my life however, I will say that perhaps overuse exacerbated things at times which meant that the subconscious mind was being stirred up and the poisons allowed to emerge and perhaps not pass as quickly as one would like. So a note of caution here. If there is much submerged 'stuff' that you have to upload and dispose of then don't do yoga nidra every night as I did. It can be quite devastating and have consequences that you might regret. But don't let that put you off - just ration it to a couple of nights a week and choose a more neutral body scan sequence like that by John Kabat-Zinn that is more likely to invite relaxation rather than stir up the subconscious in a violent way.It is all a matter of moderation and finding the right narrator and content! So do do some research before you make a choice or try out a few. There is a yoga nidra sequence and a different voice for all seasons!Enjoy this CD but remember the caution!

The reviewer who states that this is not genuine yoga nidra is seriously misinformed. The text that Janakananda uses is actually from Swami Satyananda Saraswati's original work on the subject!!! (Satyananda is responsible for innovating the technique from an amalgamation of practices from ancient tantric texts in the middle of the last century. His book is cheap, called "Yoga Nidra" and available from Amazon if you wish to check the authenticity of the text used on the CD)At no time does Satyananda recommend focusing on the heart chakra for a protracted period - this is only done with Ajna chakra.There are very sound reasons for this which the reviewer would know if he were as knowledgable as he would like to think he is.I have only given 4 stars because, given the amount of variety available in yoga nidra texts (Satyananda provides 5 texts but each has alternative pieces appended, putting the total possible from his book alone into double figures)it is well nigh impossible to record one that will suit everybody. In this text I don't like the way the chakras are treated, but it may be a way that's ideal for you. Even so, I have used this GENUINE yoga nidra text to good effect many times, and I'm sure that it will serve as an excellent introduction to the subject for anyone who simply wants to experience very deep relaxation (EEG readings show brainwaves associated with deep sleep exhibited by yoga nidra practitioners who are wide awake!)or the serious yoga/tantra student looking to extend their practice.Swami Rama (mentioned in the negative review) was an advanced yogi who probably developed his own form of yoga nidra to suit his own needs, as most people will who wish to gain the full benefit of the practice. Until we are as accomplished as him we are better sticking with the instructions of the original master.

As I'm as supple as the average ironing board, I've been going regularly to yoga classes for several years now. I'd unreservedly recommend yoga (properly taught) to anyone, in particular because of the calmness and peace that is experienced during the final relaxation pose. This will sound pretentious if you haven't done yoga, but I'll bet everyone who's looking at Yoga Nidra CDs knows what I mean. I bought this CD to try to to recreate that calm peaceful stste at home whenever I wanted it.As the product description and other reviewers have explained, there's a short and a long exercise. The short one is fine - not as good as Savasana guided by a teacher you trust and respect, but definitely relaxing, and something I'm going to continue with. The longer one's more problematical. To begin with, I've sometimes got cramp just from staying in the same position for a long time. Secondly, as I'm not a Hindhu, and I'm unaware of any empirical evidence of the physiological existence of Chakra, I find it hard to remain relaxed during the long period in which they are discussed. It's childish I know, but I find myself wanting to argue with the Swami. Finally, part of the exercise is to visualise being in a forest, seeing the sunshine dappling through the trees etc etc, until you reach a part of the journey where you're meant to visualise meeting a bear. If I ever did meet a bear in a forest, the adrenalin tap would open at full flow and I'd post my fastest half-marathon time for a couple of decades. Again, not that conducive to relaxation. No doubt people more spiritual and emotionally mature won't be distracted in the same way, but perhaps it's worth remembering that what one person accepts, another may not, and something may be acceptable when said by a familiar and trusted teacher but not by a voice on a CD. So, I'll persevere with the longer, deeper exercise and hope these irritations cease to distract.

This product is excellent for relaxation and feeling balanced absolutely loved the guide and info... Just love it. The voice of the teacher perfect. Totally Happy