Rotation of Consciousness
Rotation of consciousness through the different parts of the body is not a practice of concentration, and it does not involve any physical movement. During the practice, there are only three requirements to be fulfilled:
- Remain aware,
- Listen to the voice,
- Move the mind very rapidly according to the instructions.
When the instructor says ‘right hand thumb’, repeat it mentally, think of the right hand thumb and move on. It is not necessary to visualize the different body parts. You have only to become accustomed to following the same sequence, mentally repeating the names of the different body parts in the same way that a child learns to repeat the letters of the alphabet. You don’t have to remember what part comes next. The whole process takes place in the subconscious mind. The sequence of body parts has to be automatic, spontaneous, and thorough. Some people teach Yoga Nidra in a very unsystematic way. Sometimes they start at the head and go to the toes. Sometimes they begin with the left thumb and other times with the right. However, the practice of Yoga Nidra is very systematic.
The rotation of consciousness in Yoga Nidra proceeds in a definite sequence, beginning with the right thumb and ending with the little toe of the right foot; then the circuit from the left thumb to the little toe of the left foot. Subsequent circuits proceed from the heels to the back of the head, and from the head and individual facial features to the legs.