When we dwell in the pleasures of our senses, attractions to further pleasures arise. From attraction comes attachment, the desire for possession that leads to passion and burns into anger. Passion and anger cloud judgment and lead to confusion, the inability to learn from past mistakes and the failure to choose between what is wise and what is unwise. This is the path of separation. But when we move in the world of the senses, yet keep our senses in harmony, free from attachment to attraction or aversion, we rest in the wisdom heart of our True Nature, the true equanimity of Being, in which all sorrow and suffering cease.¹

I was first introduced to the rudiments of Yoga Nidra in 1970, during my first ever Yoga course. At the end of my first lesson, after slowly performing an exquisite sequence of asanas that heightened sensitivity to every part of my body, our instructor led us through Shavasana, the traditional yogic pose for inducing deep relaxation while lying completely still on the floor. The instructor expertly guided us into being conscious of sensations throughout our body, as well as to opposing experiences such as warmth-coolness, agitation-calmness, fear-equanimity, sorrow- joy, and separation-oneness. I was invited to rotate my attention through the sensations elicited by pairs of opposites until I was able to embody these opposing experiences with neither attachment nor aversion to what I was experiencing.

     I drove home that evening feeling totally relaxed and expansively present. For the first time in years, I felt free of all conflict, radiantly joyful, and attuned with the entire universe. I experienced life as being perfect just as it was and felt my self to be a spacious, non-localized presence. Instead of my usual experience of being in the world, I was having a non-mental experience of the world being in me; similar to experiences I had known as a child.

     This experience continued to resonate and left a longing in me to consciously awaken into and fully abide as this sense of presence. It awoke in me the strong desire to deeply understand the art of Yoga and especially the process of Shavasana, which I would later learn as Yoga Nidra. My yearning would eventually lead me to study with some of the most renowned teachers in the world; I became a teacher of Yoga and an adept in the application of Yoga Nidra through years of practice and by guiding thousands of students in its process during innumerable group classes, individual sessions, workshops, and meditation retreats.

     During that first Yoga class, I recovered a secret that I now know is open to everyone who is interested in finding true peace of mind, equanimity that remains undisturbed, free of circumstance or situation. And I know that if I can realize it, so can you. The key to inner peace is not some impenetrable secret. While seemingly obscure, it is actually in plain sight and readily available to you—an “open secret.” Let Wu Wei Wu explain.

The old Masters were fond of a little joke. One of them might say that the Buddha had a secret, but that Mahakashyapa let it out. Mahakashyapa, you may remember, was the bodhisattva to whom the Supreme Vehicle, chiefly represented by Ch’an and Zen today, is attributed. He it was who understood the famous sermon when the Buddha held up a flower and spoke no word. Then one Master would remark that only as long as you do not understand, is it a secret. And, indeed, do not all mysteries and miracles only appear so, in so far as we may not understand how they arise or occur? Then another might add that once you do understand, it is Mahakashyapa not keeping the secret. Therefore a secret is only something that people in general do not understand and Mahakashyapa not keeping the secret was the real secret of the Buddha. Thus the secret that is not kept secret is what is meant by an Open Secret.²

     Most of us know the kind of fragile peace that is easily disturbed by the onslaught of daily life. Through the exquisite practice of Yoga Nidra, I discovered an unshakable equilibrium that is present under all circumstances and situations. If it weren’t, it wouldn’t be real peace. I know that this is true peace because I’ve tested it over many years in my daily life: in my job, in the marketplace, and in family life. And we’re all aware that the true test of inner peace comes not in the meditation hall, but in our daily life and relationships. Yoga Nidra revealed to me the peace of Presence, Being, and Equanimity that remain steadfast and true during even the most intense and difficult times of physical pain, interpersonal conflict, and current events. I’ve uncovered it. I’ve tested it. Now it is my heartfelt desire to share it with you.

The Origins of Yoga Nidra
The origin of Yoga Nidra can be traced back to ancient Eastern teachings of Yoga and Tantra (Sanskrit: tan — extending everywhere), which are a vast array of techniques designed to extend our understanding in order to overcome our mind’s penchant to divide unitive True Nature into separate objective parts. Tantra and Yoga are not concerned with philosophical intellectualism or second-hand information. These teachings are concerned with firsthand knowing of who we actually are, where we stand free of psychological, cultural, and philosophical conditioning in the truth of what actually is.³ Various yogis have revitalized the practice of Yoga Nidra throughout the past half century, most notably through the teachings of Swami Sivananda and his various disciples such as Satyananda Saraswati of the Bihar School of Yoga, Swami Satchitananda of Integral Yoga, and Swami Vishnudevananda of the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center; Swami Rama of the Himalayan Institute and his direct disciple, Swami Veda Bharati of the Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama; and Sri Brahmananda Saraswati (Rammurti S. Mishra) who was an initiate of the Radhaswami School of Surat Shabd Yoga, among others.⁴

     I was introduced to the actual term, Yoga Nidra, through the teachings of Swami Satyananda Saraswati in his many literary offerings, especially his book entitled Yoga Nidra. Over the years I’ve had the privilege of studying with many renowned spiritual teachers who have helped me directly and indirectly refine this exquisite art of meditative inquiry through both my studies in psychology and spirituality.⁵

     Through Yoga Nidra, I discovered a profound process that teaches us how to carefully and systematically investigate the nature of our beliefs that define our personal identity and differentiate the world around us into separate objects. For instance, we believe that we are solid and separate and that there is an external world that exists independently of us. But we may never have deeply examined the actual reality of these beliefs. During Yoga Nidra, we investigate our actual experience so that we can understand the nature of who we actually are and what the world really is. Yoga Nidra helps us investigate and dispel the roots of our conditioning that underlie our misperceptions of reality. Yoga Nidra dissolves the obstacles that stand in the way of our leading an authentic life of purpose and meaning, and, for those who are interested, it can awaken us into living an enlightened life of self-realization as our True Nature.

Using This Book and CD
In this book and the accompanying CD, I share with you the basic steps of Yoga Nidra, what each step leads to, some of the interim benefits that you will realize along the way, as well as the ultimate discovery that Yoga Nidra reveals. At its minimum, Yoga Nidra will lead you to experience profound relaxation, the release of chronic stress, restful sleep, resolution to many of your life’s conundrums, and a greater sense of harmony in your daily life and relationships. In its ultimate revelation, Yoga Nidra points directly to your True Nature, to peace that is beyond description and is your birthright. This peace is not an empty promise or only for a selected few, but is present and available to you right now.

     I take great comfort in sharing this delicious practice with you. For me it has withstood the test of time and delivered its promise, and I trust that it will do the same for you. I believe that there is good reason why Yoga Nidra has found its way into your life in this moment. I pray that the practice of Yoga Nidra will be, as it has been for me, your companion for life. It’s a trustworthy ally through thick and thin.

     I suggest you read this book in its entirety before proceeding to the CD. Orienting your mind to the underlying perspective of Yoga Nidra allows your mind and body to relax as you listen to the actual practice sessions. That said, if you are a person who doesn’t like reading manuals, then by all means, dive into the practice. Firsthand experience is the best teacher. But after using the CD, do come back to this text in order to deepen your understanding, which will enable you to obtain maximum advantage from each practice session. I do advise, however, before listening to the CD, that you read through the segment entitled “Setting the Stage” at the end of this introduction so that you can derive maximum benefit from your first experience with Yoga Nidra.

What’s in the Book
Chapter One provides an orientation to the perspective of Yoga Nidra. Reading about Yoga Nidra is a bit like reading a description of sugar before you’ve ever tasted such a treat. The actual taste is beyond words. But I have learned that understanding helps the mind relax and allows us to plunge more deeply into the experience. Keep in mind that Yoga Nidra is not a philosophy. It is a series of experiments you engage in to discover the living truth about yourself and the world. In the final analysis, the proof is in the tasting.

     Chapter Two is an overview of the stages of Yoga Nidra, which are presented as actual practice sessions on CD. The CD is set up so that you can work with one or more of these stages of Yoga Nidra, depending upon your need of the moment.

     Final reflections on Yoga Nidra are presented in Chapter Three.

     The final items in this book will help you further refine your practice of Yoga Nidra. After you’ve listened to the CD several times, make a copy of the Yoga Nidra Worksheet on pages 73–78 and fill it in with the emotions, beliefs, images, and so on that are specific to you, so that you can personalize your practice within a particular mini-session of Yoga Nidra. Yoga Nidra should never be mechanical. You want the practice to be alive and meaningful. You will learn to adapt the practice to suit your individual needs respecting your gender, age, cultural background, and stage of life. Keep in mind the adage, “Make the practice your own.”

     The References section provides resources for further studies that will provide continuing support for your practice of Yoga Nidra. Why reinvent the wheel? Take advantage of those who have come before you. We have much to share in our journey together.

The Enclosed CD
The first practice on the CD comprises a series of five mini-sessions, each representing a stage of Yoga Nidra. You can listen to an individual mini-session by itself, or flow through them all as a series that make up one entire practice of Yoga Nidra. As you become adept in your practice, you may wish to engage in only one or two mini-sessions to address an existing issue. At other times, you will enjoy flowing through the entire practice.

     Yoga Nidra can be performed in a matter of seconds, a few minutes, or it can be an in-depth practice lasting an hour or more. Gandhi practiced Yoga Nidra on the train between speaking engagements. Swami Veda Bharati has used Yoga Nidra to learn a new language overnight. I’ve used it with students and clients to help them prepare for surgery and solve conundrums and interpersonal issues. Others have used Yoga Nidra to dissolve their fear of flying, resolve past traumas, and obtain restful sleep. And some of us have used Yoga Nidra to inquire into the mystery of life and awaken to our True Nature as Unqualified Presence.

     The second practice on the CD is an integrated session of Yoga Nidra that you can listen to many times over. Multiple layers of understanding are imbedded within both Practice One and Two. This CD is designed so that you can return to it time and again over many years, gaining greater understanding and benefit with each practice. I have heard from innumerable students after they have listened to the same session countless times, “I never heard that before!”

Setting the Stage
Before beginning your first practice on the CD, please read the following guidelines, which will help make your first sojourn into this wondrous land of Yoga Nidra a fruitful journey.

• Find a quiet place to practice. It’s important to practice Yoga Nidra in a room where you can be on vacation, away from external distractions. Think of this room as your personal sanctuary where you are on temporary retreat.
• Turn off the phone. Let your spouse and children know that you’re not to be disturbed. When your support system helps you maintain your sacred Yoga Nidra retreat, they will witness the marvelous benefits that practice brings to your life. They will want their own retreat time for Yoga Nidra, too.
• Wear comfortable clothing. Clothing that doesn’t constrict circulation or cause discomfort while you practice is best.
• Lie on a comfortable surface, preferably a soft rug or mat. I caution you against using your bed because your subconscious mind associates bed with sleep. While Yoga Nidra mimics sleep, you want to remain alert throughout its practice. When possible, practice in a room other than where you sleep.

Yoga Nidra may also be practiced in a sitting position on a comfortable chair or cross-legged on the floor. When sitting, keep the spine straight and the lower back in its normal concave position. Your knees should be lower than the rim of your pelvis, which enables your back to be upright and comfortable. Whether prone or sitting, keep your forehead, chin, and eyes lowered so that your gaze is toward the floor, rather than the wall. When chin, forehead, and eyes move up, thinking engages. When chin, forehead, and eyes are soft and down, thinking abates. During Yoga Nidra, you want soft eyes so that you are gazing out through the eyes of the heart instead of your mind.

• Cover your eyes with an eye bag or soft towel. Keeping light out soothes the brain.
• If you’re lying down, place a rolled towel, blanket, or bolster under your knees. Bending the knees relaxes the lower back and allows your body to be totally supported by the floor.

Keep in mind that, ultimately, I want you to have the mental freedom to practice Yoga Nidra anywhere, in any room, on any surface, under all circumstances, dressed any way that you are. When you are oriented in the correct understanding of Yoga Nidra, nothing need stand in the way of your practice.

Welcome Discomfort, Emotions, Memories, and Your Natural State of Being
Discomfort arises.
But discomfort needn’t disturb. Your body is a guesthouse and Yoga Nidra teaches you how to invite every imaginable guest in for “tea and conversation.” When discomfort arises, don’t try to adjust it away. First, receive and welcome it in as a messenger. Inquire as to what its message is. Sometimes discomfort simply wants to whisper something in your ear and then go on its way. At other times it may want you to adjust your body. Observe your tendency to react—your propensity to jump away from experience. Yoga Nidra is a path of welcoming where you are learning to meet, greet, and welcome everything that life brings to your table. Only then will you uncover your innate clarity, right action, and peace of mind.

Emotions and memories do arise.
There are times in Yoga Nidra where you will even seek out emotions and memories and invite them into your guesthouse for “tea and conversation.” You possess an innate intelligence that knows exactly what to do in every situation that life brings to your table. When you are willing to be with “this” moment “now,” your intrinsic resources are always nearby, ready to acknowledge and engage right action. Fear is always about the future, and reactivity about the past. Right action resides in the “now.” Yoga Nidra is a practice that reveals and teaches you how to live in the now so that you can access your native intelligence and inborn ability to respond appropriately to every situation.

Open to Being.
Yoga Nidra reveals that your body, mind, and the entire universe live in you, in your awareness. During practice, you may experience an expansion beyond the confines of your body, which can make you feel like you’re having an out-ofbody experience. But, no matter how far out you expand, aren’t you always “here” as the witness of your experience? Yoga Nidra helps you inquire as to who this witness is, this “I” that you take yourself to be. When you realize True Nature, pure Being, you recover your primal memory that your “real body” is everywhere, infinitely expanded. You realize that the entire universe is your body. Then there’s no such thing as an out-of-body experience because there’s nowhere to go where you aren’t already. You’re always here, which is everywhere. Life is a paradoxical mystery, and Yoga Nidra hands you the key that unlocks the mystery that is your life and this world.

Consult your resources.
You’re never alone. Resources are available to assist and support you at every turn of the road of Yoga Nidra. See the Resources and References sections for books, articles, tapes, people, and places to contact for support and further study. When you’re ready, go on retreat where you can learn Yoga Nidra to its fullest extent, where you can practice in community with like-minded people who share your interest of self-understanding and enlightened living. Remember, at any given time and day, thousands of people around the world are practicing with you. You’re always in good company when you practice Yoga Nidra.

Yoga Nidra is a time-honored, re-educational process that teaches you how to blend profound relaxation with innate wisdom into every moment of your waking life. The practice of Yoga Nidra leads to sweeping changes within your mind and body, as well as in all of your interpersonal relationships. It’s a fundamental resource for transforming your physical health as well as reshaping your personal, interpersonal, and professional relationships. Please understand that Yoga Nidra is not hypnosis, but rather the deepest and most profound but very natural state of meditation. It enables you reconnect to your deepest, most intimate, and relaxed receptivity of intuitive spontaneous intelligence. And it is simple to learn and easy to practice, and a tool that you can use throughout your lifetime.

Notes
1 - Bhagavad Gita, 2:61-66. Author’s translation.
2 - Wu Wei Wu, Open Secret.
3 - These include the nondual teachings of Trika-Shasana as found in the revelatory Shiva Sutras; Tantra in such texts as the Mahanirvana; Vedanta in writings such as the Mandukya, Taittiriya Upanisads and Tripura Rahasya; and the teachings of Yoga as found in Yogataravali and the Yoga Sutra of Patañjali with its emphasis on pratyahara (Sanskrit: restoration of the senses to their natural functioning) wherein the mind’s propensity to identify with its projections is transcended and we realize our true nature as unitive Being.
4 - See References for works by these authors.
5 - In particular, I offer profound gratitude and thanks to Laura Cummings, J. Krishnamurti, Bikram Choudhury, Joel Kramer, Da Free John, Swami Bua, B.K.S. Iyengar, T.K.V. Desikachar, Dada, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Ramesh Balsekar, Ramana Maharshi, and my spiritual sat guru, Jean Klein.


Testimonials for Yoga Nidra - The Meditative Heart of Yoga

Stephan Bodian
“Whether you’re looking for deep relaxation, stress reduction, or spiritual transformation, you’re in good hands with yoga master and nondual psychotherapist Richard Miller, whose wise, warm-hearted, accessible instruction in the time-honored practice of Yoga Nidra has the power to guide you all the way home!”
— Stephan Bodian Author of Meditation for Dummies and Buddhism for Dummies, Yoga and the Quest for the True Self (Bantam 99) and The Wisdom of Yoga (Bantam, 2006), former editor-in-chief of Yoga Journal, Senior Scholar in Residence, Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health

Donna Farhi
“Richard Miller’s book on Yoga Nidra makes an enormous contribution to our understanding of this most ancient practice. In a sea of new and often empty publications, this book deserves a place on the bookshelf of any yoga practitioner, be they beginner or teacher. Richard’s warmth and radiant presence, so familiar to his student’s and colleagues, rings through in every page.”

— Donna Farhi Author of Yoga Mind, Body & Spirit and Bringing Yoga to Life

Stephen Cope
“Richard Miller is one of this generation’s most important teachers of nondual wisdom. Seekers of all kinds will be grateful for this collection, because it is saturated with his beautiful voice, and with the echo, too, of the great voices of his teachers — Jean Klein and Swami Satchidananda. Richard’s teaching is both soothing and invigorating — reminding us that in our true nature we are already free, enlightened, and awake. Reminding us that in any moment we could savor Divine presence. For me, simply hearing this view in his graceful words profoundly changes where I stand in relationship to my experience.

"In this collection, Richard brings us the practice of Yoga Nidra with a sophistication and power that it has not previously known in the West. Yoga Nidra is in so many ways the perfect tool for his nondual teachings, and his practices are absolutely delicious — simple, deep, and transformative. Like all authentic spiritual work, these practices produce fruit from the very beginning. They require only presence, and as such represent both the path and the goal of nondual practice.”

— Stephen Cope Senior Scholar in Residence, Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health; Author of Yoga and the Quest for the True Self and The Wisdom of Yoga

Lilias Folan
“Richard Miller eloquently invites everyone, from all pathways and spiritual traditions, to join him in this most powerful practice of Yoga Nidra. His wise guidance is clear and inspiring. This book is a must for everyone who hears the call and feels the inner longing for enlightenment.”

— Lilias Folan Author of Lilias! Yoga Gets Better with Age

Judith Hanson Lasater
“Gratitude filled my heart as I turned each page of this book. It was the gratitude, of course, for the deep teaching if offers. But gratitude also for the clear and gentle way Richard guides us on a most personal journey — the journey home to ourselves. This is a book to read slowly and ingest on the deepest levels.”

— Judith Hanson Lasater, Ph.D. Physical therapist, yoga teacher since 1971, and author of several books including 30 Essential Yoga Poses

Larry Payne
“Dr. Richard Miller is the ultimate teacher of teachers. In Yoga Nidra: The Meditative Heart of Yoga he shares from his personal experience the clear, concise path to our true nature. Highly recommended for teachers and students on the spiritual path.”

— Larry Payne, Ph.D. Founder, Samata Yoga and Yoga Rx Therapy, co-author of Yoga for Dummies and Yoga Rx

John Friend
“In Yoga Nidra: The Meditative Heart of Yoga, Richard Miller lucidly, insightfully and expertly presents the profound Tantric meditation practice of Yoga Nidra, which 'reorganizes' and 're-educates' your mind-body so that it is in attunement with the highest state of your True Nature. This is a guide book that I will be recommending for years to come to help meditation and yoga practitioners shift their lives into a greater state of wisdom, peace, and heart-centeredness.”

— John Friend, founder of Anusara Yoga

Rod Stryker
“Thanks to work like Dr. Miller’s, Yoga Nidra will one day be recognized for the treasure that it truly is. His book/CD beautifully and thoughtfully guides us into this ancient meditative practice from the Yoga Tradition—an invaluable treasure for our modern day. In Yoga Nidra: The Meditative Heart of Yoga we find it all: the what, the why, the how-to, and the helpful insights of people who have experienced the exquisite benefits of practicing Yoga Nidra—a timeless gift from the sages to enlighten humanity.”

— Rod Stryker, Founder of Pure Yoga, Author of Relax into Greatness and The Four Desires (Bantam)

Amy Weintraub
"From one of our living masters comes the gift of peace of mind and the presence to enjoy it.  I love these practices! Richard Miller’s Yoga Nidra: The Meditative Heart of Yoga delivers its promise.  Not only will you discover and deepen your inner peace, but you will also understand how to find it again and again, until, like Richard, it lives within you all the time.

"Whether your goal is peace of mind or the secret of enlightenment, your journey begins here.  Richard Miller leads you on a journey (which you can repeat every day for the rest of your life) to discover, beneath your current mood, beneath your body’s aches and pains, and beneath your mind’s self-limiting beliefs, the “Vastness” of who you really are.

"Richard Miller’s Yoga Nidra: The Meditative Heart of Yoga provides the tools you need to remember, every day, your limitless “True Nature.” I have used Richard Miller’s Yoga Nidra practices at the end of my morning practice, and they work! Richard is the teacher I turn to for inspiration."

— Amy Weintraub, MFA, E-RYT, author of Yoga for Depression (Broadway Books)


Order directly online by using our Secure Online Order Form, which encrypts all of your personal information so that it cannot be read as the information travels over the Internet. Or order by downloading our PDF Order Form and then either mailing, faxing or calling your order to us.


In this 42-hour, Level I training, Richard Miller teaches Yoga Nidra as a transformative personal practice as well as an adjunctive tool for use with individuals and groups in Yoga practice, psychotherapy, and clinical, hospital, and class settings.

Richard's dynamic teaching style, which creates an in-depth learning environment, includes talks, interactive dialogue and experiential sessions. It is designed, ultimately, to challenge and inspire you to approach yourself, your students and your clients through the direct experience and healing nature of ever-present Awareness.

The first Level 1 training in Annapolis, Maryland was sold out, and was a wonderful success. There will be a Level 1 training offered July 22 - 27, 2007 at Mount Royal College in Calgary, Canada; August 26 - 31, 2007 at the Kripalu Center in Lenox, Massachusetts; and November 4 - 9, 2007 in San Anselmo, California.

For more details visit our events page, or download the 2007 training and retreat PDF listing.


The Sacred Mirror, Nondual Wisdom & Psychotherapy
(Paragon Press) Prendergast/Fenner/Krystal — $19.95
How is psychotherapy impacted when it is approached from the unconditioned mind? What happens when therapists function as sacred mirrors for their clients’ essential nature? The Sacred Mirror challenges and inspires you to approach psychotherapy in a new way—as a portal for experiencing your true nature as free and joyful being. Richard's chapter is entitled: Welcoming All That Is: Nonduality, Yoga Nidra, and the play of opposites in Psychotherapy.

Will Yoga and Meditation Really Change My Life?
(Storey Publishing) by Stephen Cope — $22.95
In this collection of intensely personal and profoundly inspirational essays and interviews, 25 of North America’s leading teachers of Yoga and Buddhist meditation tell their stories of how the practice of these rich and varied spiritual traditions has made an enduring impact on their lives…and how it can transform yours. Richard’s chapter is entitled: The Search for Oneness.

American Yoga
(Barnes & Noble) by Carrie Schneider — $19.95
Along with clear, step-by-step instructions to help you practice, American Yoga presents the paths and practices of 25 of America’s greatest Yoga masters. American Yoga relates the personal paths these extraordinary teachers. See how Yoga changed their lives. Discover what Yoga can do for yours. Richard’s chapter is entitled: Gomukasana.

For a complete listing of books, CDs and tapes, visit our Publications page.

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