Deeply relax your entire body with a yoga nidra, or yogic sleep, meditation inspired by a luxurious 18th-century French bed.

Called a lit à la polonaise, or Polish bed, because the style was reminiscent of Polish fashion at the time, this four-poster bed has a nearly ten-foot canopy elegantly draped in lush silk. The wooden frame is covered in gold, while decorative trim and fluffy white ostrich feathers complete the look. A resplendent bed like this one would likely have been one of the most expensive furnishings in the home and would serve as a focal point in the bedroom.

Imagine climbing up and sinking into this bed. Through a yoga nidra meditation, in which each muscle in your body relaxes, access a sense of deep rest while maintaining conscious awareness.

This podcast uses chapters. If you'd like to jump straight to the meditation, find the forth chapter.

Find images, a transcript, and more resources on our website: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/ommm/yogic-sleep-meditation-ornate-bed/

See the painting in person at the Getty Center: https://www.getty.edu/visit/

How did people sleep in a bed like this? Listen to sleep historian Roger Ekirch discuss 18th-century sleep habits in this week's bonus episode. Find it in your podcast feed or on our YouTube channel Thursday, or find it on our website.

Production team:

Host: Lilit Sadoyan

Producers: Zoe Goldman and Gideon Brower

Video Editor: Jeremy Rhodes

Mixer and Sound Designer: Jaime Roque

Executive Producer: Christopher Sprinkle

For more art history insights, check out our other Getty Podcasts shows at www.getty.edu/podcasts

Recording Artists tells artist biographies using archival material from the Getty Research Institute: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/recording-artists/

If Objects Could Talk is a family-friendly show where Getty museum objects, like a Greek vase or porcelain clock, come alive to share their story: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/if-objects-could-talk/

ReCurrent chronicles the people who shape our culture and keep the past alive: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/recurrent/

Art + Ideas showcases interviews with artists, architects, scientists, and cultural luminaries by former Getty President Jim Cuno: https://www.getty.edu/podcasts/art-and-ideas/

Watch our YouTube series Becoming Artsy, where host Jessie Hendricks dives headfirst into understanding the art world through hands-on explorations: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLij2XTFgmBSQ0KxxtvqwZnQPX7Ag9eqFn&si=TuZtMHO0ZXcDoR6-

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