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Alvin Chan
Hong Kong
407 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 13 2006 : 02:55:12 AM
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Hi all,
A discussion and enquiry of rest/sleep here. A topic which I think worth disccussing and yet largely ignored. We discuss the yoga practices, asanas, diet much; it seems to be an assumption that sleep/rest will just be fine as long as we manage our life well: NOT IN MY CASE. And as I observe, not for many.
I am not conerning "spiritual practises" here( not the cultivation of conscious sleep intentionally, etc.) But for me the issue or a good rest has a far greater effects on my sense of well-being than my diets, physical exercises, etc. Therefore, for me (and I suspect, for a good portion of people) it is affecting my spiritual and daily life.
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There are some techniques I tried. I would like to share my own experiences with them, as well as asking for the opinions.
1. binaural beat technology
This is the first I've hit upon, about a year ago.
PROS:
No preparation needed, no concentration needed, easy to use: just put on your earphone when you go to sleep. Suitable when my mind are simply reluctant to "DO" anything.
CONS:
No improvement in sleep quality observed. Not very useful actually, but better than none. (I think I've use it for more than 70 times, with consistent "not much differences" in the following day. It helped me enter into sleep, though)
2. Progressive relaxation (with some "eastern" elements added)
Start this around 8 months ago, but only practised for around 30-40 nights, I guess.
PROS:
Some improvements in sleep quality observed, but not consistent. Have some strange, nice feeling of my body occasionally. (like the body no longer belongs to me, sense of expansions(rare), etc. The improvement in sleep quality occured on these occasions)
CONS:
A considerable amount of concentration are required to do the practice nicely without falling into sleep too quickily. (I've observed that the more thorough I felt the body before I enter into sleep, the better the quality of sleep.) But this is not always possible.
3. Yoga nidra (Satyananda's version)
Some consider it as a state(conscious sleep). But here I'm refering to the technique given by Satyananda, not the state of consciousness.
Come into this for around 6 months. Doing it occasionally now. I recorded it in my own voice and language and play it when I go to sleep.
PROS:
There has been a period (2-3 weeks) where this method works every night. During that period, I slept like a pig consistently by practising it. I never know sleep can be like this before. After getting up, I just felt I'm another person: great control over my life, high mental clarity, sport performance, very good mood, super-memory, etc....
CONS:
Since a traumatic event (which is still affecting me from time to time) occured in August, I lose my interest in doing it(and many of my responsibilities). The practice seems lose its high effectiveness when I did it, which further reduce my eagerness on it.
Also, the practices needs some commitment: it will only show its effects when I can stay awake throughout the practice. Yet physically one has to remain absolutely relaxed. I have observed that since the traumatic event, I seems to either fall into sleep during the practice, or are too tense at the area on my forehead. That may be the reasons for the lose of effectiveness.
Recently, I did it again. On Wednesday night I can remain awake and relax throughout it. After that I experienced again that wonderful DEEP sleep. Even though I was sometimes awake during that night, it's just like that my body is still sleeping, not belong to me. It is that kind of rest that I am looking for!! And in the morning, I can just jump up immediately! I've only slept for 5 hours, but it's better than the usually 9-10 hours I've got!
Yesterday, I did it again but failed: fall into sleep during the practice again. And no difference felt in this morning. Disappointed!
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I think this is an area worthing exploring. Everyone need to sleep, but some guys can sleep just for 4 hours and remain healthy and awake. I think "quality" is the key. We need not aim at sleeping less here. In July, when yoga nidra is effective everyday, I still slept for 9 hours a day. But the difference is the quality of life, not its length. Sense of well-being, memory, mental clarity, mood, all improved dramatically. (In fact I finished the part of my M.Phil research in those 3 weeks which would take me half a year now. No kidding, I don't like exaggeration)
Certainly yoga nidra by Satyananda need not be the only method for archieving that kind of sleep. But it's the most effective one I've seen so far.
I still cannot stay awake and yet relaxed. To remain relax is easy: some asanas and/or progressive relaxation before yoga nidra is enough for that. But I can't remain awake unless I tense myself a bit. Can anyone give some hints/techniques on that?
I also want to buy more books from the Satyananda school on tantra techniques like this. (e.g. Antar Mouna) But I'm afraid they're not like to be as effective as yoga nidra. Otherwise, it would be much advertised.
Any comments/ techniques related to this are welcomed! |
Edited by - Alvin Chan on Jan 13 2006 08:23:14 AM |
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snake
United Kingdom
279 Posts |
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Frank-in-SanDiego
USA
363 Posts |
Posted - Jan 13 2006 : 6:43:13 PM
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Hari Om
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Hello Alvin (et.al)
FYI on night discussions we had a few months back:
http://www.aypsite.org/forum/topic....TOPIC_ID=382
May be worth a look???
Let noble thoughts come to us from every side - Rig-Veda, 1-89-i
Peace
Frank In San Diego
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Alvin Chan
Hong Kong
407 Posts |
Posted - Jan 13 2006 : 8:16:38 PM
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Thanks. That seems to be an approach different from Satyananda's. I always want to try this out (and a number of other yoga nidra CD on the market), but since I am not a native English speaker, it would be better for me to record it myself again, in my own language.
Some writers say that the language is not really important. And some even say you don't have to actually follow the instructions (of visualizations, body awareness, etc) BUt from my experience that's not true. There will be no results if your mind wanders while you listen to the script.
I am searching out for versions of Yoga nidra script which I can use to record in my own voice. Any idea of where I can get some? (other than Satyananda's)
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Alvin Chan
Hong Kong
407 Posts |
Posted - Jan 14 2006 : 06:48:32 AM
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Yes, I've read that thread already, Frank-in-SanDiego.
IN that thread, the emphasize seems to take night techniques as spiritual practices. If you take the practice of yoga nidra at times other than ordinary sleep, i.e., just as we do meditation, then it would take too much time. Together with meditation, you could spend 2 hours on the practices (assuming that you don't do much asanas), that would be too much for many people.
Secondly, if you insist on taking Yoga Nidra (conscious deep sleep) as a state to achieve during sleeping, than just as Yoganni said, you may end up with sleep depriviation.
What I mean here is: as busy people, we can take this practice more as an aid to our life and improve sleep quality. (rather than as YET another spiritual practice to eat up our daily life)
Doing it right before sleep will do just that. (provided that your bed is set up nicely, suitable both for yoga nidra and the subsequent REALLY sleep)
Some books also suggest doing it in the morning. BUt I didn't try. In my experience, the deep sleep all the night followed by the practice is worth seeking. Doing it in the morning will not bring out the same benefits.
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Some thoughts on yoga nidra:
Certain yoga nidra practices in the market involve some form of spinal breathing. This may be too much if we treat it as an aid to sleep?? I didn't try for that, though. I have only done Satyananda's first two practices in his book "Yoga Nidra". And they work well for improving sleep quality (except that now I cannot usually follow the practice throughout, as I've explained above, which makes it not effective.....) |
Edited by - Alvin Chan on Jan 14 2006 10:28:08 AM |
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Richard
United Kingdom
857 Posts |
Posted - Jan 14 2006 : 07:11:13 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Alvin Chan
Thanks. That seems to be an approach different from Satyananda's. I always want to try this out (and a number of other yoga nidra CD on the market), but since I am not a native English speaker, it would be better for me to record it myself again, in my own language.
Some writers say that the language is not really important. And some even say you don't have to actually follow the instructions (of visualizations, body awareness, etc) BUt from my experience that's not true. There will be no results if your mind wanders while you listen to the script.
I am searching out for versions of Yoga nidra script which I can use to record in my own voice. Any idea of where I can get some? (other than Satyananda's)
Hi there Alvin
I may be able to help here if you go to this site
http://pantheon.yale.edu/~bbl2/WinAural_readme.htm
You can download A FREE Binaural beat generator that is completely programmable and is set by default at the usual meditation frequency.
If you then go to this site
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/windows
you can download a FREE editing programme with which you can record your own soundtrack on to it
I hope this can be of some help to you
Sleep tight
RICHARD |
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Frank-in-SanDiego
USA
363 Posts |
Posted - Jan 14 2006 : 2:02:17 PM
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Hari Om
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quote:
Originally posted by Alvin Chan
Secondly, if you insist on taking Yoga Nidra (conscious deep sleep) as a state to achieve during sleeping, than just as Yoganni said, you may end up with sleep depriviation.
What I mean here is: as busy people, we can take this practice more as an aid to our life and improve sleep quality. (rather than as YET another spiritual practice to eat up our daily life)
Hello Alvin,
A few of my observations... I don't insist you choose Yoga Nidra (((( )))) do as you see fit.
My experince, that I submitted on the 'Night Techniques' thread was that the experience was relaxing, yet to me did not groom transcending and being absorbed in SELF.
There are other techniques that are 'night specific' that I am an amateur at. Perhaps others in AYP can discuss other techniques. As of yet I have not read of any from any postings. Bottom line: Yoga Nidra --> good and relaxing, yet for ME, does not give the desired result ( of SELF referral). If others are gaining this I am happy for them and congratulate their success.
Peace,
Frank In San Diego
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Alvin Chan
Hong Kong
407 Posts |
Posted - Jan 15 2006 : 01:13:54 AM
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quote:
There are other techniques that are 'night specific' that I am an amateur at.
I am really interested in any techniques which will help relaxing and help inducing deep sleep. Frank, can you share some experiences on that? Just the name is enough, even if you didn't try it out.
Sorry if there's any misunderstanding. Again I think it's important to distinguish between "Yoga Nidra" as a state (deep conscious sleep) and "Yoga Nidra" as a kind of technique (adopted, say, by Satyananda/Swami Rama, etc) which are aimed at achieving the state. The technique is only a mean.
Most people will not be able to achieve the desired state by using the technique, at least not immeditately. And even if one do, there is a doubt whether the state is that important spiritually. I guess that's what you mean by " did not groom transcending and being absorbed in SELF."
But I find that as long as I am able to follow the practice, I would be gaining enough, both in terms of time and quality of life. (in stead of eating up time and energy) This in turns can affect the spiritual journey positively.
Or, is the result not that obvious for the others?
Thanks for the useful links, Richard. By the way, does anyone try combining the two techniques? I have been thinking about combining Yoga Nidra and binaural beat technology. I believe (without any proofs) that would give a wonderful result if the binaural beat is set "personally". And the "personal beat frequency" is best determined by some experiments on one's own brain wave while doing yoga nidra. (and then reproduce the appropriate beat frequency to "strength" that induced by yoga nidra, or supplements what's important but is lacking during yoga nidra practice) Without the equipments it would take a long time to try out the best combination. Of course it may be counterproductive if combine the two techniques, as the binaural beats may interfer with the "natural" brainwave induced in yoga nidra at a particular moment. (since the brain waves could be very different at different phases of yoga nidra) |
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Frank-in-SanDiego
USA
363 Posts |
Posted - Jan 15 2006 : 07:53:20 AM
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Hari Om
~~~~~~quote:
Originally posted by Alvin Chan
[quote]Just the name is enough, even if you didn't try it out.
Hello Alvin,
you are not going to like this answer - the name of the technique is called 'the night technique' - lots of help, eh?
Hense, my journey to ask others that may be proficient or have tried new techniques. One that people practice that is gayatri related is meditating at mid-night. Gayatri is suggested 4 times per day at the junction points and I have outlined this in a few posts on 'Gaps' and on 'Gayatri'.
Peace,
Frank In San Diego
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Deep sleep/Resting techniques
