Are Yoga Nidra and meditation the same?

The short answer… NAH lol.

Stillness practices, overall, can help us reconnect to our own wellspring of power. While Yoga Nidra and meditation can appear to be similar, there are a few key differences between the two stillness practices.

Typically Yoga Nidra is experienced in a more restorative posture, often lying down with props for comfort, which encourages a state of restfulness and surrender. Yoga Nidra, the practice and the state of being, is about a deep state of conscious awareness and relaxation, reducing external awareness and stimulation. Many Nidra practices include guidance through the Koshas and visualization that aid in the exploration of the liminal space between wakefulness and sleep. We connect to a deeper sense of being.

Meditation is experience in an upright posture, often seated on a cushion, in a chair, or walking, which encourages a more wakeful attention to the here and the now. It is a practice of concentration and training in the awareness of our presence. We befriend our mind and observe our own thoughts, without judgement. While it may not seem like it, meditation is actually a more active practice, in comparison to Yoga Nidra.

Both provide opportunity for us to connect more deeply with ourselves and help us reframe our connection to the external world. But Yoga Nidra and meditation just serve as different paths of exploration.