Sleep can be one of life’s most elusive goals.  No matter how much you want it, you can’t force yourself to sleep.  Sleep comes on it’s own, when the conditions are right.

To encourage sleep, Vaidya Mishra uses herbs in this tea that calm the mind and emotions and connect your vibrational body with the flow of soma in nature.  Soma is nature’s nurturing, lunar energy which is especially available at night. Soma and sleep are intimately connected.

Sleep, Soma and the Vibrational Channels (Nadis)

Soma is a vibrational aspect of nature. We receive it through our vibrational channels (nadis).

When the body's vibrational channels are open to receive the nourishment of soma at night, sleep comes to us easily and we rest deeply. But, when the nadis (vibrational channels) get disturbed in any way, the natural reception of soma during the night is blocked, and poor sleep is the result. The state of our vibrational body and our vibrational channels (nadis) determines our ability to receive soma and to get the good night's sleep we seek.

The nadis (vibrational channels) can be disturbed in many ways. The first common cause (hetu) of disturbance to the nadis is excessive use of the mind or senses (ati yoga), such as working too long, thinking too much, talking too much, traveling too much, exercising too much, chanting too much, or just not taking time to slow down in the evening.

The nadis can only handle so much activity before they need a rest. If we push beyond that point, they shrink and become blocked. At night we are unable to receive the soma which brings sleep because the nadis (vibrational channels) have been overused and are not open and clear to receive it.

The second common cause (hetu) of vibrational disturbance to the nadis is mithya yoga (misuse of the mind or senses). This can come in the form of too much exposure to electromagnetic radiation such as computers, TVs, cell phones and WiFi devices.

It also comes from the abusive ways we treat ourselves and others. When we are unkind, it damages our vibrational body and blocks the vibrational channels (nadis). It also churns up negative emotions and all the toxic chemicals that result from them. We literally hurt ourselves when we hurt others. When we damage our nadis (vibrational channels) by our actions and intentions we are unable to use those nadis at night to receive the soma we need during sleep. The result is tension, headache, restlessness and lack of sleep.

Finally, hina yoga (lack of use) of the mind and senses and body can cause problems and blocks in the vibrational channels.  The most common cause of this today is lack of exercise. We sit at our desks, we sit in our cars, and we sit on our sofas--and we don't move the body much in between.  When the mind or body is not used enough, the channels become lazy and get blocked due to stagnation. Though the cause is different, the result is the same: blocked channels cannot receive the soma, and so we can't sleep.

Calming the Mind and Emotions and Unblocking the Nadis

When the vibrational channels get blocked, the mind gets agitated. It is normal for prana to continuously flow through the vibrational channels of the brain but, when the channels are blocked, the prana gets redirected on a wild detour. Our experience is that the mind becomes restless. The herbs in this Soma Nidra tea are chosen for their ability to restore the natural flow of prana in the brain and the whole body.

When a water pipe is blocked, two things must be done: 1.) temporarily slow down the flow to take off the pressure and 2.) remove the blockage. Some herbs, like chamomile, valerian, jatamansi and poppy seed calm the mind by slowing down the flow of prana temporarily. This eases the pressure on the blocked areas and helps reduce our restlessness.

Other herbs, like peppermint, calamus root, mace and nutmeg help remove the blockage itself by opening the channels in the brain. The combination of these two approaches used in this herbal tea (slowing and unblocking) allows the nadis to regain balance and to receive the flow of soma that we need for sleep.

Of course, no herbs will have a lasting effect if we don't identify and remove the root causes (hetu) of our blocked nadis, mentioned above. Maybe it's that we work too much, or we spend too much time on the computer, or we are unwilling to make things right with others. What is it for you?

Learn more about the ancient Ayurvedic understanding of this age-old issue of sleep. Read Vaidya Mishra's article: "Quality Sleep: Balancing Soma in the Physiology," and listen to his four-hour audio course: "Nidra - Learn How to Get a Deeply Restful Sleep." 

Ingredients

Organic Chamomile Flowers gently calm the mind.
Organic Rose Buds calm the emotions by cooling sadhaka pitta (the pitta governing the heart and emotions).
Organic Lavender Flowers calm the mind and heart.
Organic Peppermint Leaves open the physical and mental channels to enhance reception of soma.
Organic Valerian calms the mind and unclouds the physical channels from ama (partially digested material).
Organic Sweet Basil connects the divinity of the body with nature’s divinity.
Wildcrafted Jatamansi calms the mind without heating any organs or systems.
Poppy Seed calms the mind and the whole body.
Wildcrafted Calamus Root opens the brain’s channels so it can receive more soma, and calms the mind.
Organic Mace and Nutmeg act as a yogavahi (aid for delivery to the brain) by opening the brain’s channels.

All of the ingredients add unique and subtle flavors to this divinely aromatic tea.

Packet Size

Choose between 4 oz. and 2 oz. (loose tea)

Directions

Boil 1/2 tsp. of the tea for 3 minutes in 8 oz. water and sip slowly.

Use under the guidance of a Shaka Vansya Ayurveda practitioner.  As with all herbs, please consult with your physician before using.

Our Other Sleep Products

Pro-Sleep Plus Transdermal Cream

• Delivers calming herbs through the skin for a prolonged release throughout the night.
• Bypasses a weak digestive system or liver filled with toxins to deliver the needed herbs directly to the brain and other organs.
• Has a delightfully calming aroma.
• Can be applied to the marma points (specific points on the skin which are connected to the nadis, the body's internal, vibrational channels).  The divine vibration of the herbs helps to open the nadis (vibrational channels) of the body.  When the nadis are open, the vibrational body can connect to the flow of soma (nature's nurturing intelligence) during the night and get rejuvenated.

Restful Sleep Herbal Memory Nectar

• Contains the subtlest vibration of the herbs that will balance the mind for sleep.
• Does not have to pass through a weak digestive system or a corrupt liver but can deliver the vibration of the herbs directly to the brain.
• One to two drops should be taken in one to two liters of neutral-pH spring water and sipped throughout the day.
• Helps prevent shrinking of the vibrational channels during the activity of the day so, when it's time to sleep, you're ready.

Pro-Sleep Soma Nidra Aroma Oil

• Delivers the calming and channel opening herbs you need through the air you breathe all night long.
• Can be used in an evening bath to calm the mind after a long day of work.

Soma Nidra Soap For Blissful Sleep

• Use in the shower or bath before bed to wash the stress of the day away.
• The herbs are transdermally absorbed and travel directly to the brain to calm the mind.
• The aroma of this delightful soap also calms the mind and fills the whole bathroom with its scent.
• Contains no harsh chemical preservatives (like parabens) or foaming agents (like sodium laurel sulfate and other sulfates).

Soma Nidra Body Cleansing Pouches

• Uses the cleansing and nourishing properties of organic oatmeal and Ayurvedic herbs to remove stress and open the channels.
• Is dipped in milk and rubbed on the skin like soap.
• Is perfect for a bath before bed when you want to relax.
• Detoxifies the skin as it calms the mind.

Soma-Cal Capsules

• Helps promote sleep by providing the raw material of soma in physical form.
• Also provides vibrational soma: coral is full of vibrational soma from the ocean. It also has a lot of vibrational soma from the moonlight under which this coral is processed, and the rose water used in processing this amazingly subtle product.

Disclaimer

This product and statements have not been evaluated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and are not intended to be used to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. All of the information above is intended to be used for educational purposes only and may not be used to replace or compliment medical advice.