Product Description

Two genuine relaxation methods from the Nyasa Tantra, 20 minutes and 45 minutes - and a piece of music.
20 page information booklet included.

Swami Janakananda guides you into a deep relaxation of body and mind. He also uses the tantric mantras and visual symbols to awaken and harmonize the chakras. With a background of nature sounds and music. Roop Verma, on sitar, is the first musician to record the chakras' ancient music symbols.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #122456 in Books
• Published on: 1996-12-31
• Format: Audiobook
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Audio CD
• 1 pages

From the Author
Relaxation is a state. It is best achieved by using a technique that triggers it. During relaxation the blood pressure is normalized, the immune system is strengthened and the brain relaxes. All the organs and senses of the body are rested in a way that sleep seldom provides. Thus the senses are sharpened and you feel invigorated afterwards.

During Yoga Nidra the relaxation is constantly deepened while you follow the instructions and devote yourself to the experience.

The body starts to relax and the mind follows. When the mind relaxes, the relaxation of the body is further deepened. This interaction between body, mind, emotions and psychic energy, is fundamental to yoga. It is a process that is brought about by Yoga Nidra. The Yoga Nidra technique is constructed in such a way that it constantly maintains and develops the relaxation process at all levels of consciousness.

The more familiar you become with Yoga Nidra, the easier it is to relax. As you come to know harmony, you are soon able to recall it instantly, when you need it – in the middle of daily activities.

Yoga Nidra is much more than a deep relaxation, it is a total experience that touches and awakens all parts of your being

– And all you do is to lie completely still on your back with closed eyes, and follow the instructions.

Copyright 1983, 1996 Swami Janakananda, Scandinavian Yoga and Meditation School.

Customer Reviews

A unique experience everyone should try!
My Yoga Nidra CD was actually a gift - a well-meaning friend thought I was
getting a bit "frayed at the edges" and needed to relax.
I was slightly sceptical in the beginning. I tend to hold a scientific view of the universe, and suspected this might turn out to be "up in the clouds".

My first thought after coming out of the relaxation was "gosh!" I felt as if I'd rested for hours. Somewhere along the relaxation, my mind had let go of the tense attitude I was in the grip of. After the relaxation I lay there
looking at the things around me for quite a while, almost like a child.

I noticed the effect of this first trial of Yoga Nidra for hours afterwards.
It's hard to describe really; I was definitely more relaxed than usual, but not at all sluggish or slow, quite the opposite.

Of course, after this I started using the relaxation regularly and I am still
doing so. It continually amazes me that such seemingly simple instructions can have such a strong effect. The quality of my sleep has improved greatly since I started using the CD. I used to wake up several times each night but
now find that I can sleep the whole night through, which of course makes a
great difference to my day.

There are two relaxations on the CD, one short version (20 minutes), and one long
(45 minutes). The voice giving instructions is interwoven with music and
various sounds from nature. Before listening to it I would have thought that
this was confusing, or that it would somehow have a hypnotic effect, but I
find that the other sound effects enhance the instructions in a very
balanced and harmonious way.

I strongly recommend anyone who wants to relax and "recharge their batteries" to try this CD. It's made a definite difference for me in my
daily life.

Nicola Birch

More fantasy journey than yoga nidra
Yoga nidra means yogic sleep, a state of mind where you are in a deep sleep state and at the same time awake and aware that you are sleeping. With all due respects to Janakananda I don't think he accomplies this on his CD.

According to Swami Rama, and I consider him a far more experienced and advanced yogi, the real yoga nidra requires concentration on the heart center after some 'warm-up' excercises', because the heart center is the center of deep (dreamless) sleep. And it requires quietness around you. Something that's not on this socalled yoga nidra where the voice speaks all the time, and when the concentrationpoint is on a postulated "golden egg" in the middle of the brain.

I have done this excercise many times over the years, and I have to say I've come to find it a rather confusing mixture of genuine yoga nidra related practises like mentally contacting various parts of the body, and working with the seed mantras traditionally associalted with the chakras in yoga and tantra on the one hand. And on the other hand some fantasy journeys, walking in a wood, contacting different animals etc. that has absolutely nothing to do you with yoga, and come from a totally different tradition.

In true yoga nidra you give yourself up and let things happen spontaneously, while Janakananda forces and manipulates you in to feeling this golden egg, something that has nothing to do with genuine meditation, that is always a state beyond the verbal mind.

The best about this CD is Roop Vermas beautiful music.

Might be good relaxation, but it's not genuine yoga nidra.

RELAXING, BUT ENERGISING
Those are the best words that I found to describe the excellent CD through which Swami Janakananda so gracefully shares the ancient Indian technique of Yoga Nidra with us.

I was firstly introduced to Yoga Nidra last year while I was working and traveling extensively around the world. My job was extremely demanding and required a high level of responsibility and dedication. It was a 24 hour a day job and over the years I amounted a great deal of stress that threatened to endanger my professional performance and most importantly my health.

The CD has three parts: a short version of Yoga Nidra, a piece of music by Roop Verma and a long version of Yoga Nidra.
I found out that by listening to both versions (depending on the time available) I was able to easily manage my stress and I learned to relax. In addition, I could "finally" sleep better.

Swami is our guide on this voyage through our body parts and into our inner space. His narration and Roop's music will not let your mind wonder around, but instead you start to develop an open state that allows the body and mind to co-exist in balance, a total harmony.

My life being very active I found out that the more I practiced Yoga Nidra, the more relaxed I became, but in the long run I also discovered that I had more energy. What happened in reality was that I always had a lot of energy, but in most of the cases this energy was dispersed. Now I had found a way of channeling better my energy and take more advantage of my own resources.
For example, before long day meetings, I would start the day with a early morning Yoga Nidra practice and I would be focused and fresh throughout the day, being able to use the necessary amount of energy for each situation and finish the day with a sense of professional accomplishment and feeling very good health wise; a very happy person.
Since I was not able to do physical yoga due to my strenuous schedule and life style, Yoga Nidra was the best choice or replacement. I later found out that I could practice both types of Yoga and actually one complemented the other so it worked very well.

I also introduced this CD to my beach volleyball partner and since we have experienced an increase of coordination and better understanding of our individual techniques in the context of this fast "two a side" sport.

I have since changed job, joined my beautiful wife in matrimony and slowed my life's pace but I have to thank Swami for his great contribution to my general well being and improved health.

I would like to recommend this CD to anyone that seeks a perfect balance between body and mind and a happy life.

Luis de Carvalho
Lagos, Portugal
October 30, 2004