Cultivating Qi vs. Cultivating Wisdom

The Mandukya Upanishad is the shortest of the Upanishads – the scriptures of Hindu Vedanta. It is in prose, consisting of just twelve verses expounding the mystic syllable Aum, the three psychological states of waking, dreaming and sleeping, and the transcendent fourth state of illumination. The Muktikopanishad, which discusses other Upanishads, says that the Mandukya Upanishad alone is enough for salvation.
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandukya_Upanishad

Bears hibernate very differently than either rodents or primates. They rely on active metabolic suppression, rather than a decreased body temperature to save energy over winter. Despite their lack of body temperature change, bears have an impressive hibernation physiology. They are able to recycle their proteins and urine, allowing them to stop urinating for months.
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibernation#Bears

Not merely relaxation: It has become popular to use the term Yoga Nidra for any method that might help induce relaxation. Yoga Nidra is not mere relaxation, as very useful as relaxation exercises might be. Yoga Nidra is a specific state of consciousness, which has to do with the conscious experience of dreamless, Deep Sleep. This may seem unimportant, but if one does not discern the difference between relaxation and Yoga Nidra, the greater depth of Yoga Nidra might be completely missed. Better that one see the difference, enjoy relaxation for its own value, and then pursue the depths of Yoga Nidra when he or she is ready for this deeper practice.
Not guided imagery: If one is in the process of guided imagery, that is not Yoga Nidra. Guided imagery may be a very useful practice, and may be used as preparation leading up to Yoga Nidra, but it is not, itself, Yoga Nidra. In the depth of Yoga Nidra, the aspects of mind used for visualizing have receded, as described in the last section.
Not affirmations or autosuggestion: Yoga Nidra is also not a practice of autosuggestion or verbal affirmations, whether affirming desired personal qualities or worldly objects that are desired. It is also not a process of verbally affirming that you are in Yoga Nidra. If you are still in such a conscious level that you are still making oral affirmations of any kind, then you are definitely not in the subtle state of Yoga Nidra. In such a case, the conscious, Waking state mind has not yet receded into the cause from which it arose.
Not the law of attraction: There is a popular movement sometimes referred to as “the law of attraction” whereby various visualizations or intents are programmed into the mind so as to manifest worldly gains such as money, new cars, or relationships. This kind of “sankalpa” or “intention” is now being used in alignment with Yoga Nidra. Some of the so-called teachers of these new “Yoga Nidra” techniques are charging large amounts of money to help people learn, in turn, to manifest the same. The sages have used this deep state of consciousness as a means of burning up desires so that they are transcended, not of affirming them so they are brought into being. The process has been effectively reversed virtually 180 degrees.
Not music: Yoga Nidra is also not music, as relaxing as music might be to the conscious mind. It is not that music is a bad thing to experience. It might be very pleasant, but it is simply not Yoga Nidra. No amount of pretending that it is will make it so. Yoga Nidra is the experience of conscious Deep Sleep (Prajna), and that does not occur while you are listening to music.
Not “alpha” or reverie: Between the Waking and Dreaming states there is a transition stage that is often called “reverie.” We have virtually all experienced this relaxing, intriguing, insightful and useful state from time to time in the early morning transition as we awaken from sleep. This stage of awareness is often cultivated in relaxation training, and correlates with alpha brain waves. However useful and pleasant this may be, it is, however, NOT the stage of Deep Sleep, which is characteristic of true Yoga Nidra. Unfortunately, it has become common to use the term “Yoga Nidra” for any type of relaxation.
Not visualizing or Dreaming: The state of conscious Deep Sleep is a formless state where there are no pictures or words. Exploring the images and pictures of the mind field is a very useful, if not essential part of meditation. However, one of the unique features of Yoga Nidra is that it is experienced beyond these gross and subtle levels of mental process. It is a sometimes exasperating thing to have to keep explaining, but it is a universally known feature of Deep Sleep that there are no images. If there are images, that is Dreaming state, NOT Deep Sleep state. Yoga Nidra relates to conscious Deep Sleep. To understand this is very difficult for modern students because of the increasing number of articles, books, seminars and lectures that incorrectly claim that Yoga Nidra is about exploring these images. Again, those are useful processes, but by failing to understand the depth of Yoga Nidra, that depth will never be experienced. It is imperative to understand that Dreaming and Not-Dreaming (Deep Sleep) are two different processes or levels of consciousness. Some phases of meditation deal with those Dreaming level images, but Yoga Nidra relates to conscious Deep Sleep.
Not new: Yoga Nidra is an ancient most, universal process that has neither been invented nor rediscovered in recent years, as is claimed by some. This practice has been known to the sages of the Himalayas for a very long time. With some reflection on the nature of Yoga Nidra as conscious Deep Sleep (Prajna), it is self evident that this is a universal process. These levels of consciousness are addressed throughout the Upanishads, and particularly the Mandukya Upanishad.
Not a “brand name” practice: Many of the modern so-called “styles” of Yoga have a man’s name in front of it, as if that man had invented Yoga. Sadly, the same thing is now happening with Yoga Nidra as well, with a person’s name being put in front of the words “Yoga Nidra.” The egotism and arrogance of modern so-called teachers knows no limits.
Not trademarked: When you come to see that Yoga Nidra refers to conscious deep sleep, the notion of trade marking Yoga Nidra is seen as absurd. How does a yogi sleep? Consciously. That is Yoga Nidra. How can anybody be so confused as to think you can trademark “sleep?” It seems so very unlikely, yet this is what is happening in our modern world. Only the most dedicated of practitioners will see past this play of egos so as to see and experience the universal experience of conscious deep sleep, or Yoga Nidra.
Yoga Nidra means Yogic Sleep. It is a state of conscious Deep Sleep. In Meditation, you remain in the Waking state of consciousness, and gently focus the mind, while allowing thought patterns, emotions, sensations, and images to arise and go on. However, in Yoga Nidra, you leave the Waking state, go past the Dreaming state, and go to Deep Sleep, yet remain awake.
Depth comes in time: What if you are practicing Yoga Nidra, but not yet attaining the state of Yoga Nidra? The practices leading up to Yoga Nidra are very useful. It is good to enjoy that relaxation and training of the mind. At some point, the practice deepens, maybe just for a moment, like a flash, when one experiences the depth of Yoga Nidra. It may come soon, or it may come later, but it will definitely come with patience and practice.
-http://www.swamij.com/yoga-nidra.htm

I personally see that it’s usefull to make comparisons between different traditions before making too final choices or just starting to experiment by oneself.

Here for example both Swami Rama and Swami Satyananda are worth investigating in my opinion.

But in reality not all can really master these kind of teachings very quickly if at all.

In general I think it’s quite safe to state that Indians or Tibetans don’t have as effective energy practices to start with as Chinese have.

So for example already from M. Chia’s first book somebody, with bodily discipline and some right kind of meditational experience, can quite safely learn to work with qi.

Here for example some techniques present as Naropas Yogas are much less usefull although some of the destinations are same.

HOWDY

Ps. Sorry for nudity if picture comes through, but yoga really can be practiced like that in certain conditions.