My Journey into Yoga Nidra 21 day challenge

Why did I register for the 21-day Yoga Nidra session?

Here are a few reasons, not in any particular order. I used to wake up around 4 AM as part of my routine, but that habit had recently been disrupted. There were many reasons why I had been going to bed late, which naturally led to waking up late in the morning.

I noticed that a sense of ego had developed around the work I was doing, manifesting as stiffness in my body. This physical rigidity was a signal for me to surrender to a Guru’s guidance without trying to analyze everything.

Then, I saw a post from Krishna Prakash Ji about the 21-day Yoga Nidra sessions starting at 4:59 AM every day. I immediately registered. The only thing I knew was that the session lasted about 20 minutes.

Day 1 – I set my alarm for 4:01 AM to make sure I woke up early since I wasn’t used to it anymore. Even though I went to bed late, around 11:30 PM the previous night, I woke up on time and got ready for the session. At first, I couldn't access my mobile camera because the Zoom app didn’t have permission (which I fixed after the session). I managed to hold my body in a steady pose throughout the session, following the instructions.

Day 2 – (For a change, my daughter wakes me up early in the morning!)

Again, I went to bed late to support my daughter, who was preparing for her school’s annual exhibition. The alarm didn’t go off. Surprisingly, my daughter woke me up at 4:40 AM, even though she had also slept very late! So I managed to join the session on time. The experience was similar to Day 1.

Day 3 – My mind was getting distracted by thoughts, but the instructions from the first two days helped. I remembered to maintain a smile and focus on my breathing. I noticed that whenever I got lost in my thoughts, I would lose my smile. Just that little stretch of my lips helped me stay present.

Day 4 – I felt a strange fusion between my thumb and index finger. When the instruction came to focus on my right thumb, I thought I was aware of it, but when I was asked to focus on the index finger, I realized they felt fused together!

Day 5 – I noticed a suspended state between the instructions given at the end of the Yoga Nidra session.

Days 6, 7, 8 – These days were quite stable, though there were occasional moments of drifting. I also started working on my "Tales for AI Times" during this period, which felt like a nice flow between my morning practice and creative work.

Day 9 – Today, while being aware of the sounds around me, one particular sound distracted me—a mosquito buzzing near my ear. Despite the instruction to stay still, I couldn’t help but move to swat it away. It seemed to leave, but returned later and began feasting on my left thumb. This time, I resisted the urge to move. I stayed present, allowing myself to feel the itching and irritation as just another sensation. I believe this was possible thanks to my Zhan Zhuang stillness practice.

Day 10 – Unusual sounds filled today’s session, like the honking of a train and people chatting. Interestingly, these sounds seemed to symbolize a commitment to a cause. Our Guru continued guiding us through Yoga Nidra, even though he had to be at the railway station. This brought a smile to my face, especially after being stuck in the rain the night before, reaching home at 11:30 PM, and sleeping around midnight. Yet, I still managed to wake up at 4:30 AM and join the Yoga Nidra session on time at 4:59 AM. (Did you notice how my ego nicely tagged itself with the Guru’s commitment?)

Day 11 – Today, my commitment faltered, and my ego flattened. See how fast it happened! Just yesterday, I had spoken about commitment, and the very next day, I missed the session! I woke up at 5:29 AM, well past the start of the session. So, I practiced on my own. Later, I was surprised to receive the audio of the session in my LinkedIn inbox from Krishna Prakash Ji, with a message saying, “In case you wish to practice later in the day.”
(A student’s lapse in commitment was met with handholding from the Guru!)

Day 12 – By Day 12, I had become familiar with the sequence of instructions. An interesting thing started happening—my mind had the tendency to rush ahead, anticipating the next steps, which diverted me from the Yoga Nidra process. But when I ignored this urge and stayed present, two things happened: I experienced a suspension of thoughts, a space of nothingness, and my mind became more receptive to new inputs. Thoughts were now being used to stay aware of body sensations, which gave both my mind and body deep rest.

Day 13 – The practice was going well, but then a mosquito started buzzing near my right ear! This time, unlike on Day 9, I didn’t move. I simply listened to its sound, along with all the other sounds around me. Soon enough, it flew away on its own. A minute later, the session wrapped up. I was happy to receive only the sound of the mosquito and not its bite!

Day 14 – Two weeks completed, and implementing what I learned on Day 12 is becoming much easier. While observing my breathing, I felt as though it had stopped for a few moments, which added to the depth of the experience. There was occasional drifting, but overall, the session went smoothly.

Day 15 – Something I haven't mentioned until now is that I always hear a sound—like the hum of the seashore or the chirping of insects at night—whenever there’s stillness in the session.
(This happens every time I am in stillness.)

Day 16 – I’m enjoying the lila (the play) of this practice. It’s like a game: waiting for the instructions and then following them. By Day 16, my mind knows what’s coming, but ignoring the anticipation and simply acting only when the instructions are given makes it all the more playful. It allows me to be aware of the stillness that hides in the intervals between instructions.

Day 17 – Today, Krishna Prakash Ji reiterated that observing the natural breathing process activates the parasympathetic nervous system, enhancing rest and calmness. After 17 days, I completely agree with this, as I’ve experienced it firsthand.

Day 18 – Today felt like a test of patience, and I passed! There was a slight variation in the final instructions wrapping up the session, but I was able to follow it due to the alert waiting state. This waiting state is something I am becoming more comfortable with.

Day 19 – Drifts are still happening, but it’s becoming much easier to return to awareness! I call this the effect of a new asana—I’ve named it mandahasana, or the "smiling posture." Today, Krishna Prakash Ji reminded us again that the stillness of the body, the Chin Mudra, and a smile on the lips help us connect with ever-present awareness and consciousness.

Day 20 – Today, Krishna Prakash Ji wrapped up the session by summarizing the experience he has guided us through over the past few days. He emphasized that the stillness we achieve through a steady posture, Chin Mudra, and observing the natural breathing process helps us manage the variables of life.

Day 21 – It is day 21, but it is not the end! We got a bonus day (?!) and this journey concludes on day 22. I remembered a six-word story written a couple of days back!

“Be in the journey

Destinations happen”

Isn’t it resonating with the happenings of the day?

Day 22 – Did I hear properly?  I had that doubt today when I joined the Zoom meeting using the same link we had used for 21 days. (You can read more about this at the end of the article!)

Today marks a milestone, but the journey continues! ‘Mandahasana’ has been a powerful revelation for me. That slight stretch of the lips (a smile) is such a simple yet profound way to stay in awareness!

I have also noticed a deepening in my Zhan Zhuang exercises.

One of the greatest takeaways from this 21-day journey is that the steady posture of the body, observing the natural breathing process, along with Chin Mudra and a smile, are the keys to accessing the constant (Stillness) that helps manage the variables of life (thoughts and actions).

*****

Thank you for being part of my journey, Namaste.

 

Here’s the story of ‘Did I hear properly?’.

I was the only participant in the zoom meeting room until 5:01 AM, wondering when the session would begin. Soon, another participant joined and I felt hopeful that the session would start soon. But then, to my surprise, I saw a message that the meeting had ended, and I was back in my own room!

On Day 21, I thought I had heard that tomorrow would be the last day of the course, as Krishna Prakash ji was not available for the day.

Anyway, I checked my email again, and there I found a booklet titled "Tapping the Grace through Yoga Nidra" along with a link to a Yoga Nidra session on YouTube. So, I practiced with the help of that video!