Yoga Nidra for Accelerated Learning

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Hello,

Although I?ve read and researched some promising things about Yoga Nidra, I?m still on the fence about whether to use it or not in order to increase the efficiency of learning new material for school, having come across only a few articles on the subject over the internet. However, if anyone here can vouch for its utility, I came up with a few questions below about the nature of this ancient technique. If anyone has experience with Yoga Nidra and can answer some of these questions, I?d be all the more grateful. Thank you all in advance! :smiley:

  1. How ?deep? do you have to go to make the desired impressions for learning?
  2. How will I know in my practice that I?ve reached ideal state of mind for making the desired impressions?
  3. Will I be able to absorb visual or auditory information (i.e. seen from a projector or heard through headphones?) while in Yoga Nidra?
  4. If I happen to fall asleep during Yoga Nidra when the information is being absorbed, will I still remember any of it?
  5. Does the subconscious actually register everything a person has experienced?
  6. How long does it normally take to become proficient enough at Yoga Nidra to the point where achieving the ideal state of mind happens in a matter of minutes?
  7. Is there any effort involved in being able to consciously recall the information that was absorbed subconsciously in Yoga Nidra?
  8. Is information that is learned in Yoga Nidra really retained for life?
  9. If I absorb information at high speeds in Yoga Nidra, will I be able to remember all of it clearly when in a waking state?
  10. Would the ability to learn in Yoga Nidra eliminate the need to develop a photographic memory?
  11. How is the information seen in a waking state once it has been learned in Yoga Nidra? Conceptually or word for word?
#2

Based on my understanding of Yoga Nidra which encompasses both study and teacher training as well as personal experience, I am not aware of learning functionality associate with Yoga Nidra.

Yoga Nidra requires a certain state of mind, a state with a certain nature to the waves of the brain. Therefore it cannot be self facilitated except by the most advanced and committed of practitioners. Learning is cognitive and cognition, it seems, would inhibit or prohibit nidra rather than facilitate it or be available once that state is achieved.

#3

Yoga Nidra has indeed been used by many swami’s for accelerative learning. I recall the story of a swami who used yoga didra to learn Spanish within a few hours, before he gave a speech in Spain at a conference. The principle is very similar to hypnosis, once you enter a certain state of consciousness or brainwave activity, you are more suggestible, absorbant and more creative.

Although yoga nidra is deceptively translated as yogic sleep, it is not in fact sleep. You remain awake and alert throughout the whole process.

To answer your questions:

  1. Very deep, and for this you will need to practice the technique a lot before you can achieive really deeps states
  2. You will experience a qualitative change in your consciousness, typically feeling heavy and immobile or light as a feather
  3. Auditory information, because your eyes should be closed in nidra
  4. Nope, because you are no longer in nidra
  5. Yes, but you cannot consciously recall all of it
  6. Loads of practice. It is like meditation, it takes a long time of dedicated practice before you get good at it
  7. If the story of the swami is true, he effortlessly could speak in Spanish after absorbing the information
  8. I guess, it is like learning to ride a bike. You will never forget it.
  9. Possibly
  10. Well, photographic memory is visual and nidra is auditory. However, I think progress in nidra may also have a positive impact on visual cognition as well.
  11. I don’t know
#4

SD,

I personally would be more interested in your direct experience with Yoga Nidra, if you are so inclined.

#5

Haha You sound like a candidate for some yoga nidra practice!! Enough with the questions my friend… one of the purposes of Yoga Nidra is to step back from that super active mental state and just be! I would not recommend practicing yoga nidra with any intent other than enjoying a meditative state of mind… imposing an outcome on a meditation practice will mean you will stay in that alert state constantly thinking “is it working yet? … its not working yet… I know its not… I’m thinking stuff… its definitely doesn’t work” Yoga nidra is not a technique… it is a state of being.

#6

Surya Deva,

Thanks for answering all of my questions, as oddly specific as they were! :stuck_out_tongue: You really have done a great service, as there isn?t a wealth of information about Yoga Nidra out there for the casual practitioner. I suspect because it?s normally done with the guidance of a teacher, but I figure that a Yoga Nidra CD will suffice for the time being.

InnerAthlete,

Although many of they may be anecdotal, I?ve read certain accounts where young children were brought to very deep states by Yoga Nidra, taught a broad range of information and were able to remember the bulk of the information afterward and graduate early. Even though they were guided by a teacher, it wouldn?t seem possible that they would be able to achieve such deep states if it was required of them to be a very advanced practitioner. Or even if the children were guided by live teachers, you could still be right: perhaps the teachers were extremely spiritually advanced and were able to facilitate that particular state of mind. I guess the only way to find out is to experiment for myself. Who knows, perhaps the ideal state of mind for learning doesn?t require as deep a state as one required for spiritual advancement.

Aumshanti,

Haha, perhaps I am in need of some Yoga Nidra practice. But, I just thought that it would be an interesting thing to pursue if I found that it was possible to drastically cut the time it takes to learn new material. And yes, perhaps I am being a little too egocentric if I am in such a rush to finish things. But, I just think it?s natural to pick the shorter path when you?re given the choice and use God?s gifts to their fullest extent, don?t you? Of course, I?ll try not to be so disappointed if I learn that I can?t pick the shorter path, after all. I?ll just have to make the best with what I have! :smiley:

#7

I hope it does wonderful things for you! :slight_smile: Enjoy the journey! of yoga nidra and of life!

Aum Shanti Aum
www.wix.com/aumshanti/yoga

#8

Abikau93 said:
Although many of they may be anecdotal, I’ve read certain accounts where young children were brought to very deep states by Yoga Nidra, taught a broad range of information and were able to remember the bulk of the information afterward and graduate early. Even though they were guided by a teacher, it wouldn’t seem possible that they would be able to achieve such deep states if it was required of them to be a very advanced practitioner. Or even if the children were guided by live teachers, you could still be right: perhaps the teachers were extremely spiritually advanced and were able to facilitate that particular state of mind. I guess the only way to find out is to experiment for myself. Who knows, perhaps the ideal state of mind for learning doesn’t require as deep a state as one required for spiritual advancement.
I’m not sure I understand your sentence structure, sorry.
Any student will a willingness and desire can be guided by an appropriate, skilled teacher into a state of Yoga Nidra. The “average” person cannot guide themselves to this state. However, there may be some living in a cave, practicing for hour each day that can guide themselves into a true nidra - and back out.

#9

InnerAthlete,

I apologize; my sentence structure can become quite broken when I?m trying to explain a lot in a few sentences. Anyways, I was just saying how you probably have a point about Yoga Nidra being inaccessible to most that try to self-facilitate the state. After all, I only have anecdotal stories to support my case, rather than evidence from my own experience. I?m probably going to end up doing further investigation, either in the form of conducting more research or finding a suitable teacher. Your input has been most helpful, though! :smiley:

#10

My experience with yoga is quite limited, however I have been pursuing information on learning for the better part of my life. I know that listening to binaural beats, or other music can put you in a trance like state, which can improve your learning capabilities.

It only makes sense that using yoga to calm the mind and steady the breathing would create a similar effect. I’m going to keep reading about this.

#11

[QUOTE=abikau93;39986]Hello,

Although I?ve read and researched some promising things about Yoga Nidra, I?m still on the fence about whether to use it or not in order to increase the efficiency of learning new material for school, having come across only a few articles on the subject over the internet. However, if anyone here can vouch for its utility, I came up with a few questions below about the nature of this ancient technique. If anyone has experience with Yoga Nidra and can answer some of these questions, I?d be all the more grateful. Thank you all in advance! :smiley:

  1. How ?deep? do you have to go to make the desired impressions for learning?
  2. How will I know in my practice that I?ve reached ideal state of mind for making the desired impressions?
  3. Will I be able to absorb visual or auditory information (i.e. seen from a projector or heard through headphones?) while in Yoga Nidra?
  4. If I happen to fall asleep during Yoga Nidra when the information is being absorbed, will I still remember any of it?
  5. Does the subconscious actually register everything a person has experienced?
  6. How long does it normally take to become proficient enough at Yoga Nidra to the point where achieving the ideal state of mind happens in a matter of minutes?
  7. Is there any effort involved in being able to consciously recall the information that was absorbed subconsciously in Yoga Nidra?
  8. Is information that is learned in Yoga Nidra really retained for life?
  9. If I absorb information at high speeds in Yoga Nidra, will I be able to remember all of it clearly when in a waking state?
  10. Would the ability to learn in Yoga Nidra eliminate the need to develop a photographic memory?
  11. How is the information seen in a waking state once it has been learned in Yoga Nidra? Conceptually or word for word?[/QUOTE]

As long as my experience with so called yoga nidra.
I do it every day two times. After afternoon and just before sleep.
After afternoon one I feel very fresh and yes it helps to digest new information. I feel like I’ve erased all unnecessary information from my mind.

Some yoga nidra practices are trance-like states, where you can accept information or any other hypnotic-like suggestions on very deep level and of course remember it. For me it was never word-to word, just conceptually. I do not think yoga nidra works with the “memory” as we know it.

I can tell that suggestions are very strong. I bealive that they can remain for life. We used sort of “yoga nidra” to treat panic attacks and drug addiction.

#12

[QUOTE=AumshantiAum;40091]Haha You sound like a candidate for some yoga nidra practice!! Enough with the questions my friend… one of the purposes of Yoga Nidra is to step back from that super active mental state and just be! I would not recommend practicing yoga nidra with any intent other than enjoying a meditative state of mind… imposing an outcome on a meditation practice will mean you will stay in that alert state constantly thinking “is it working yet? … its not working yet… I know its not… I’m thinking stuff… its definitely doesn’t work” Yoga nidra is not a technique… it is a state of being.[/QUOTE]

I would say that yoga nidra and meditation are not the same.

In my personal experience yoga nidra is ultimately a trance-like state of mind and meditation is much more mindful technique.

Yoga nidra can be performed by professional with group of people and it has a multiple application in psychotherapy (not physiology) and other fields.

But your are right these two are related and meditation could be the door into the medical trance.

#13

This is my own personal opinion about your question.

I believe yoga nidra is meant to induce deep relaxation. Period. Not to retain/absorb knowledge. Yoga Nidra goes beyond the waking state, beyond the dream state into a sleepless sleep. It is highly meditative. I can produce unequaled relaxation and calm. Yogi’s have used it for years to balance the energies and get by with little sleep. If you use it to reduce stress and induce a calm state, then I believe it could help with your studies. Stress clutters the mind. When the mind is cluttered and has much chatter, one cannot truly relax,calm and still the mind. Yoga Nidra can reduce stress overall by inducing a more relaxed state. Once again this is my opinion.

#14

Englandrm,

?I have been pursuing information on learning for the better part of my life.

Haha, I know what that?s like! Ever since I had come across material and courses relating to things like photographic memory and photoreading, I?ve always been on a fervent search to find unbiased testimonials that would compel me to at least give the techniques a try. And these seem very hard to come by unless you personally ask someone.

I know that listening to binaural beats, or other music can put you in a trance like state, which can improve your learning capabilities.

I have also read into this, but I?m not sure if they would put me in the state of mind that Yoga Nidra does, as I?ve heard that it is distinct from techniques like hypnosis, which, instead of keeping you conscious like in Yoga Nidra, actually involves sensory shutdown. Of course, it might be hard to distinguish the subtleties if you haven?t properly experienced both. Perhaps that is why those subliminal sleep tapes usually aren?t effective? After all, Yoga Nidra transcends the sleep state, so perhaps that?s what attributes to its success.

It only makes sense that using yoga to calm the mind and steady the breathing would create a similar effect. I’m going to keep reading about this.

Yes! It would be interesting to note what you find. I hope your search yields what you were looking for! :wink:

CityMonk,

Thank you for sharing your experience and the valuable information you have on Yoga Nidra! But, if you don?t mind, could you answer a few questions that you raised?

  1. Have you intentionally tried learning new material in Yoga Nidra?
  2. How long did it take you to master Yoga Nidra to the point where you could absorb new information easily?
  3. How did you go about absorbing the material? For instance, did you have a learning tape that you listened to after your Yoga Nidra session?
  4. Did you find that you saved time you would have spent learning the material normally?

Sorry if I?m getting ahead of myself here, but if you can answer any of those questions, I?d greatly appreciate it! :slight_smile:

LotusGirl,

Do you mean to say that using Yoga Nidra to learn faster is an affront to its major guiding principles or that it isn?t as efficient as utilizing the waves of relaxation that it naturally brings? I suppose the relaxation that Yoga Nidra provides could help me in my studies, but this resulting state of mind wouldn?t be as predictable or controllable as one I could self-facilitate at a certain point in time. However, I suppose the amount of time required to properly learn Yoga Nidra could very well make the process itself very unpredictable and uncontrollable. Although your opinion does differ from mine, I would definitely call it food for thought! :smiley:

#15

[QUOTE=abikau93;40468]

CityMonk,

Thank you for sharing your experience and the valuable information you have on Yoga Nidra! But, if you don?t mind, could you answer a few questions that you raised?

  1. Have you intentionally tried learning new material in Yoga Nidra?
  2. How long did it take you to master Yoga Nidra to the point where you could absorb new information easily?
  3. How did you go about absorbing the material? For instance, did you have a learning tape that you listened to after your Yoga Nidra session?
  4. Did you find that you saved time you would have spent learning the material normally?

Sorry if I?m getting ahead of myself here, but if you can answer any of those questions, I?d greatly appreciate it! :slight_smile:

[/QUOTE]

Thank you for your doubts:)! Doubts are good and bring more light on the subject.

I have worked with positive suggesting only, but I assume that any other information would works the same. Sure, it must be supported with “awake” repetition. If we a re speaking here about one-time multipple choice

  1. I have not used yoga nidra for this purpose. But I’m very positive that if applied correctly it will work.
  2. One session for some… never for the others.
  3. While in the changed state I would think…
  4. Good point:) Maybe, but some people (with learning disorders) that would be the only way? If we a re speaking here about one-time 30 question college multipple choice test, of course this does not worth it. If we are talking about 4 days long CPA examination…then yoga-nidra like practice would make since, since this info is something to remember for the entire life.
#16

CityMonk,

Thank you for the reply! Sorry this post was almost two months after yours, but I haven’t checked the forums recently. Enjoy the rest of the holiday season, whatever you celebrate!

#17

My personal experience is very special one for me. While listening to the video i rested in shavasana . As the guru stated to relax body parts and organ one by one…i slowly went into a bliss full state…where as an Atma( soul) i felt my body. Very difficult to tell in words but it was then i realized the philosophy " If you let the manufacturer soul/God/Allah/Jesus/Supreme power/Shiva repair the body that has been given to your Soul ,you become the master of your body and mind ". I am still working being one with supreme power during meditation but experiences like this gives me an Unshakable and most required virtue - Faith

#18

Abicau,

To have glimpse of yoga nidra first go for facilitated guidance. My experience says that if your awareness is properly developed because of yoga practice then you can really feel what is happening otherwise you will not realize what has happened except deep relaxation. It is all about sensitivity of your awareness.

#19

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