Yoga nidra is a form of yoga designed to help practitioners achieve a state of consciousness somewhere between fully awake and fully asleep. It’s often referred to as ‘yogic’ or ‘psychic’ sleep. It is also the form that yoga nidra expert and sleep meditation teacher Scott Moore practices.
Moore explains that yoga nidra teachers and facilitators guide practitioners through meditation sessions through which participants may experience as many as five different koshas, or ‘bodies’ if you will. Each body represents a different layer of energy within the person as a whole.
The 5 Bodies
By exploring each layer individually, a person can better rest in self-awareness and meditation. With that said, here are the five bodies of yoga nidra:
1. Physical Body (Annamaya Kosha)
The first and most obvious is the physical body. This is the body we are all familiar with. Moore says it’s often referred to as the ‘food body’ within yoga circles. It is the body you are aware of right now. It’s made up of your bones, muscles, organs, etc.
Yoga nidra addresses the physical body through a variety of exercises. One of them is known as the rotation of consciousness. It is the practice of consciously becoming aware of each part of the body so that the individual parts can be systematically relaxed.
2. Energy Body (Pranamaya Kosha)
Yoga teaches that there is a life energy that flows through all of us. That energy is associated with the pranamaya kosha, or energy body within human beings. Yoga nidra experts encourage participants to explore this particular layer through exercises that focus on breath awareness.
3. Mental/Emotional Body (Manomaya Kosha)
The mental/emotional body is the layer that is linked to human thoughts, emotions, and mental processes. Concentrating on sensations or emotions that are opposite of what a practitioner is currently experiencing opens the door to exploring this layer a bit more deeply.
4. Wisdom Body (Vijnanamaya Kosha)
Next up is the wisdom body, that layer of higher intelligence and intuition that is so tightly connected to consciousness. The wisdom body is explored through imagery and visualization. A yoga nidra expert will encourage participants to visualize certain things that tap into the deepest recesses of the mind.
5. Bliss Body (Anandamaya Kosha)
The fifth and final body of yoga nidra is the bliss body. Consider this layer to be the core of a person’s existence. Yoga nidra experts consider it the most subtle layer and the one that is hardest to explore. When a person reaches the bliss body, it is not uncommon to experience a deep silence and supercharged awareness.
Guiding Participants Through the Layers
Moore says that participants are systematically guided through each of the five layers during a yoga nidra session. Without a guide to lead them, yoga nidra practitioners have a more challenging time disconnecting from their surroundings to focus only on inner self. This isn’t to say that yoga nidra is impossible without a guide, but it can be more difficult.
As for the purpose of exploring each of the five bodies, it is all about helping to create a sense of wholeness that encourages deep relaxation and awareness. When a person can successfully detach from external influences and rest peacefully in self-awareness, things change.
Are you thinking of giving yoga nidra a try? If so, do some research into the five bodies. You might find yourself fascinated by the concepts each one represents. by exploring the different layers of energy within, you could ultimately experience a whole new understanding of yourself and the world around you.
