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!
