Commentary, J Yoga Pract Ther Vol: 1 Issue: 1
Yoga Nidra to Release Emotional Pain
Davis SC*
E-RYT 200, RYT 500, C-IAYT, Registered Yoga Teacher, Yoga Alliance, 30909 Huntington Woods Parkway, Bay Village, Ohio, USA
*Corresponding Author : Simona C Davis
E-RYT 200, RYT 500, C-IAYT, Registered Yoga Teacher, Yoga Alliance, 30909 Huntington Woods Parkway, Bay Village, Ohio, USA
Tel: +1 440-823-4323
E-mail: redzin68@yahoo.com
Received: March 01, 2018 Accepted: March 14, 2018 Published: March 19, 2018
Citation: Davis SC (2018) Yoga Nidra to Release Emotional Pain. J Yoga Pract Ther 1:1.
Abstract
Emotional pain can be described as heartache that results from a painful experience, such as being hurt by loved one, as a result of their words or actions. It can occur from depression, anxiety, disappointment, fear or guilt, and tends to worsen when you replay and relive painful, traumatic events that occurred in the past. Emotional pain can become debilitating when it affects your mood, relationships, personal and professional life, and it occupies your mind constantly.
Keywords: Emotional pain; Yoga nidra; Depression
Background
People who suffer from emotional pain often find themselves unable to stop dwelling on past hurts and disappointments, and may struggle to let go of the painful memories. They may find themselves in a cycle of guilt and punishment - reliving the event over and over again in their minds. As a result, an individual may fall into depression. They may find themselves plagued with feelings of worthlessness or hopelessness.
Dealing directly with your emotions and acknowledging emotional pain is the first step to healing. The next step is to allow yourself time to heal and include a Yoga Nidra practice to release all negative emotions and regain control of your life.
Practicing yoga activates prana and helps move out all the blocked energy and negative emotions we store in every cell of the body. Yoga also calms our nervous system, alleviating stress and promoting rest and healing. This is compounded by the simple act of conscious breathing, which quiets mental restlessness. Stepping onto your mat and releasing all the emotional pain helps energetic stagnation and trapped emotions. Eliminating old toxic energies, opens up space for better positive energy to enter [1-5].
There are many ways that can help us achieve a more harmonious mental, emotional and physical state. One way is through the practice of Yoga Nidra. Yoga Nidra is a systematic structured method of self- inquiry, which brings about conscious physical, emotional self-awareness and relaxation. Yoga Nidra brings awareness of the internal subconscious and unconscious landscape where you give yourself instructions for desired changes that you wish to incorporate into your life. Yoga Nidra works at the subconscious level and you realize it when it becomes part of your waking life. Yoga Nidra has a profound impact on stress related disorders (such as emotional pain) by taking you into the alpha-theta state, where your brain rhythms drop into a peaceful, silent space. In this sacred space, the interactive mystical powers of Third Eye consciousness are spontaneously released, activating the pineal gland hormone, melatonin. For ages, yogis have regarded melatonin as “Amrita” (nectar of immortality).
In order to live from the heart, you need to let go of fear and protecting yourself from hurt and emotional pain. Living life with an open heart is being open to what is by welcoming each moment as it is. By practicing Yoga Nidra, you can approach challenges with a tender heart as you learn to approach life’s challenges with compassion and joy. Yoga Nidra has a soothing effect on the mind by freeing it from unresolved conflicts and tensions. Conflicts may be in the form of unresolved emotional and mental issues or even physical stabilities and disorders, therefore, Yoga Nidra is very effective on mental affirmations, and will power. It is a powerful therapeutic technique to overcome emotional pain. It is also a practice that allows us you to experience total physical and mental relaxation.
Anyone can practice Yoga Nidra, but it is contraindicated for imbalanced psychological states and clinical depression. However, a shorter practice of 10 minutes may be practiced by focusing on the body, keeping your eyes open and sitting upright instead of lying down. If you are new to Yoga Nidra, you can start with 20 minutes and gradually increase your practice to an hour. Practicing Yoga Nidra will help in:
1. Rediscovering your life of courage, strength and vitality
2. Receiving clarity as to why you close your heart in times of uncertainty and distress
3. Learning how to end resistance and struggle, let go, and return to equanimity
4. Empowering your affirmations and positive intentions
5. Releasing psychophysical trauma held in your body, and erasing habitual patterns
6. Increasing your ability to stay present and relaxed when in stressful situations
7. Rediscovering who you truly are and open yourself to the abundance of an awakened, meaningful life
To prepare for Yoga Nidra, wear comfortable loose clothes and remove jewelry and eyeglasses. You can either sit in a chair or lie down on the floor. The use of bolsters may aid in comfort if lying on the floor. Use a blanket to cover yourself with, as your body will cool down as it relaxes. Turn your palms upward, close your eyes (remain awake) and listen as you are guided through the following steps:
1. Preparation/Relaxation-getting comfortable and releasing any tension you may have in your body
2. Choosing your affirmation or ‘Sankalpa (a positive I AM statement or intention)
3. Rotation of consciousness, the process of bringing awareness to various parts of the body (Marma Points) aids in moving blocked energy from various (Nadis) energy pathways
4. Breath awareness-focusing the attention on the act of breathing completes physical relaxation and maintains awareness of breath at the nostril or of its passage through the navel and throat helps to withdraw the sense centers from their objects of sensations in “prathyahara”
5. Feelings and sensations-pairs of opposite feelings and emotions are experienced in effort to bring to memory the intense physical and emotional feelings; they are reexperienced and the erased. Relaxation at the emotional level and building up of strong will-power are the two major outcomes of this procedure.
6. Visualization-images are visualized mentally. The final stage of Yoga Nidra related to mental relaxation. The images and symbols are chosen for the visualization that have universal significance such as mountain, temple, etc.
7. Repeating your affirmation or ‘Sankalpa’
8. Experience of stillness and not allowing any thoughts to enter your mind and if they do, gently bring your awareness back to the present
9. Finish by bringing awareness back to your body and chanting a mantra or Ommmm….
Besides achieving deep relaxation, Yoga Nidra establishes the link between the conscious desires, the will power, the subconscious and the unconscious mind. When this happens, you reap limitless powerful benefits and feel in total control of all aspects of your life.
References
- Yoga Script (2016) Yoga nidra script.
- Native Remedies (2018) Emotional pain.
- Saraswati SS (2003) Yoga nidra. Yoga Publications Trust, Bihar, India.
- Winch G (2013) 5 Tips for recovering from emotional pain.
- Mohan (2015) Yoganidra. The Holistic Care.
