Carolina Lino Yoga
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Yoganidra: The Deep Relaxation Practice that Calms the Mind and Revitalizes the Body

3 September 2025

Yoganidra: The Deep Relaxation Practice that Calms the Mind and Revitalizes the Body
Yoganidra: The Deep Relaxation Practice that Calms the Mind and Revitalizes the Body

In daily life, we accumulate tension in the body that, over time, can drain our vital energy and affect our well-being. To regain balance, it is essential to carve out moments of pause, since ongoing stress prevents true renewal — even during sleep.

What is Yoganidra:
Yoga Nidra is a state of conscious sleep, resting between wakefulness and slumber. During the practice, the body experiences lightness and harmony while the mind remains alert and focused, bringing about profound physical and mental relaxation.

With its roots in tantric texts and systematized in modern tradition by Swami Satyananda Saraswati, the word “Nidra” means “sleep”,  though it is not ordinary sleep. Usually practiced at the end of a yoga class, Yoganidra allows body and mind to recharge, find balance, and feel centered, helping practitioners keep the mind calm yet awake.

How the practice works:
In Yoga Nidra, the practitioner lies down in shavasana (relaxation pose). From there, they follow guided instructions that may include:

  • Progressive relaxation of all parts of the body
  • Awareness of the breath
  • Simple visualizations that help focus the mind
  • Formulation of a sankalpa (intention or positive affirmation)

This journey leads to a state of deep calm where the body restores itself and the mind opens to new insights and inner clarity.

Benefits of Yoganidra
Regular practice of Yoga Nidra offers numerous benefits, including:

  • Improved concentration and focus
  • Greater mental clarity and memory
  • Confidence and decisiveness
  • Reduced stress and anxiety
  • Rest more restorative than ordinary sleep
  • A sense of serenity, inner balance, and lasting well-being

In the yoga classes I teach on São Miguel Island, I dedicate 10 to 15 minutes to Yoganidra, an essential moment to restore both body and mind. Many of these practices take place outdoors, allowing practitioners to feel fully present and attuned with themselves, intensifying the experience of relaxation and inner clarity.

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