There are plenty of yoga apps out there. Some are free while
others come at a nominal cost. You can take your pick from guided yoga routines
to detailed instructions for specific poses, relaxing meditations and even
asana based workouts for weight loss, strength training, core building et al.
But my affinity to the traditional teachings of the Bihar School of Yoga led me to their app: Bihar Yoga.
The seemingly simple interface includes a wealth of
information in print as well as guided practices, chants and meditations. Most
of the printed text is from the bestselling book Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha. Even if you possess the book it is
just very convenient to have it on your phone/tab for a quick reference. But
what I love most about the Bihar Yoga app are the guided practices of Satyananda Yoga Nidra and Meditation. These are
crystal clear recordings in the
voices of Swami Satyananda Saraswati
and Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati.
Available in English as well as Hindi I really think these are priceless!
Satyananda Yoga Nidra
was devised by Swami Satyananda Saraswati as a deep relaxation technique. This
simple practice has a profound transformative effect on practitioners, inducing
complete physical, mental and emotional relaxation. Available in different variants
for Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced practitioners I would highly
recommend everyone to take the time out to just lie back and follow the guided
talk. Especially in today’s times when most lifestyle diseases stem from stress and inadequate sleep,
Satyananda Yoga Nidra proves to be a very powerful antidote. Even if you feel
that kicking back with a book or watching television with the family are
relaxing activities, they are mere sensory distractions. In Yoga Nidra, the
state of relaxation is reached by turning inwards, away from outer experiences.
For more details about this powerful technique you may buy
the book, Yoga Nidra by Swami Satyananda Saraswati. But for now let me suffice
by saying that enough research has gone into proving the therapeutic effects of
sleep. Yet, unless you are free from
muscular, mental and emotional tensions you can never truly relax. The practice
of Yoga Nidra is the scientific method of removing these tensions. During the
practice of Yoga Nidra, one appears to be asleep, but the consciousness is
functioning at a deeper level of awareness, leading you to the state of dynamic
sleep. It is thus a more efficient and effective form of psychic and
physiological rest and rejuvenation than conventional sleep.
I could go on and on about the benefits of this fantastic practice,
but I hope you are already inspired to experience its wonderful effects on
yourself.