Yoga with Wes

Embracing Serenity: A Transformative Yoga Nidra Session for Anxiety Relief

• Wes • Season 1 • Episode 1

Share episode

Embark on a journey to stillness and serenity with our latest Yoga Nidra session, tailored to soothe your anxiety and envelop you in deep relaxation. Picture this: a sanctuary where each breath you take escorts you away from the clutches of tension and into a realm of peace. This episode is your invitation to set a nourishing sankalpa, or intention, that acts as your compass throughout the practice. As your guide, I will lead you through a rotation of consciousness, where we'll tenderly acknowledge each part of your being, easing your mind into a restful state. The power of visualization is harnessed to dispel anxiety, as we imagine it melting away into nothingness, leaving you in a space abundant with tranquility.

In our session's culmination, the art of reawakening takes center stage, ensuring you emerge from this practice not just relaxed, but also rejuvenated. We'll visualize a tranquil dock, a metaphor for our internal refuge, as we empower our sankalpa to echo within us. Embrace the gentle guidance back to the conscious world, as we reinforce the stillness and carry it forth into the day. I'm here to remind you that the peace found in Yoga Nidra isn't ephemeral; it's a transformative force for your overall well-being. Join me, and let's embrace the day with a serene heart and a calm mind, taking with us the healing balm of our practice.

Music by Christopher Lloyd Clarke. Provided by Enlightened Audio.

Speaker 1:

Welcome to Yoga Nidra. My name is Wes and I'll be guiding you today. In today's practice, we'll be exploring a Nidra with a focus on relaxation and reducing anxiety. Yoga Nidra is translated as yogic sleep, but it's more akin to a state of deep conscious relaxation between wakefulness and sleep that stores balance to the nervous system, reduces anxiety and can be a space to cultivate an inner infinity within. You Know that if you do fall asleep, this happens and is completely normal. Our intended practice, though, is to take the brain from an active state to a conger one, a more relaxed place where we can access our subconscious and naturally slide into lower frequency brainwaves. This meditation is designed to make that transition seamless and effortless. All you have to do is be here and follow my voice. Let's start by finding a comfortable position, lying on your back, either on your mat or on a soft surface, possibly supporting yourself with props or blankets. Let your eyes close, allow your legs to spread slightly apart in your arms to relax by your sides, palms facing up Just any clothing or props to ensure you are entirely comfortable. Relax your eyebrows, drop your shoulders, loosen the tongue from the roof of your mouth, take a deep breath in Exhale as you begin to relax into your body as we turn off the senses. The only thing you need to do is follow the sound of my voice. You are so welcome here. You belong here.

Speaker 1:

The practice of Yoga Nidra begins now. It is time to set an intention, or san kalpa, for your practice, your day or your week ahead. Your san kalpa is your seed of truth, positive, affirming, nurturing. This can be an I am statement, or a heartfelt vow, or even a color If, working with a statement, you want to frame it in the present tense, as if it's already happening. Some examples are I am peace, I am free or I am loving awareness. Once you have an intention, silently repeat this intention to yourself three times I am, I am, I am. Begin to draw your attention to your body. Notice the space between your back and the mat, the space between your feet and the mat, the space between your head and the mat. Turning your attention inward. Now start to feel your whole body together, your whole body together, whole body together.

Speaker 1:

As we move into the rotation of consciousness, know that there is no need to move. Just bring your conscious attention to the place we are scanning, starting with the right hand thumb. Right hand, thumb, second finger, third finger, fourth finger, fifth finger, bringing your attention now to your right palm, right wrist, forearm, right elbow, upper arm, right shoulder. Moving to the right side of the chest Right waist, hip, right thigh, knee, calf, right ankle heel, sole of the right foot, top of the foot, right big toe, second toe, third toe, fourth toe, fifth toe. Now the left side, left hand, thumb, second finger, third finger, fourth finger, fifth finger, bringing your attention now to your left palm, left wrist, forearm, left elbow, upper arm, left shoulder. Moving to the left side of the chest left waist, hip, left, thigh, knee, calf, left ankle heel, sole of the left foot, top of the foot, left big toe, second toe, third toe, fourth toe, fifth toe. Moving to the back body, right heel, left heel right, calf, left, calf, right thigh, left thigh right, glute, left glute, the entire length of the spine, the right shoulder blade, the left shoulder blade, the back of the neck, the back of the head. Now to the front, to the top of the head, forehead, right temple, left temple right, eyebrow, left eyebrow, the space between the eyebrows, the right eye, the left eye, the right ear, the left ear, the nose, the tip of the nose, the upper lip, the lower lip, both lips together, the chin, jaw, throat, right collar bone, left collar bone, right side of the chest, left side of the chest, the whole chest, your abdomen, your navel and lower abdomen. Breathe in deeply, feeling the entire body and as you breathe out, feel the body relax even more deeply.

Speaker 1:

Turning your attention now to your breath, without trying to change it, just observe its natural rhythm. Feel the rise and fall of the chest and abdomen with each inhalation and exhalation. Imagine yourself drawing in peace and calm with each inhale and releasing tension and stress with each exhale. We will begin inhaling and exhaling together as we count back from 27. Inhale, 27. Exhale 27. Inhale 26. Inhale, 25. Exhale, 25. Continue on your own for a bit and, if you get lost, start again at 27. You can let go of counting and return to your natural breath.

Speaker 1:

Start to recollect an experience of anxiety, a feeling of you losing control over yourself, or a situation where you felt worried, stressed or fearful. Feel that stress in your mind and body, without concentrating on the source or situation that caused this experience. Feel your body becoming tensed, rigid, tight. Notice how the tightness and tension feels hard, inflexible and limiting to your body and focus on these areas. Take a deep breath in and imagine those areas becoming slightly relaxed. With every inhalation, your body is becoming more and more relaxed. Imagine what this feels like. Your body is becoming soft, loose, gentle, free, calm. Allow this feeling of relaxation to grow inch by inch throughout your body. Notice as your muscles relax, from your head down to your toes. You are becoming softer, more flexible, without restriction. All tension and tightness has left your body. The relaxation is so great you feel as if you are melting into the floor beneath you.

Speaker 1:

As we move into visualization, the call is to visualize the imagery as vividly as you can. As you inhale, sense the floor beneath you, the four walls around you, the roof over you. Imagine your consciousness in the center of your forehead. As you exhale, start to feel the center of consciousness lift out of your body as if you were floating above yourself. You feel free from all physical form, freedom from time, space. You see a portal like doorway appear in the distance, surrounded by bright white light, and it starts drawing you toward it. As you float towards and then, through this portal, you see a bright, orange, haloed street light on a street that is familiar to you, been here before your feet touch down and begin jogging and running like you haven't run in years.

Speaker 1:

The hard concrete sidewalk Becomes a soft hiking trail surrounded by lush green forest. You don't know where you are, but you know exactly where you are. Trail gets narrower as you make your way down to the clear turquoise water At the water's edge. You look into the water and see a reflection of your true self, a Red canoe in the distance, sense tiny ways rippling into shore. You notice smooth rocks along the shore and start searching. You find it flat, smooth, perfect for skipping.

Speaker 1:

You begin skipping more and more rocks and you realize they represent the minor judgments, fears, criticisms you've been carrying with you for far too long. Each rock you throw is like a weight off your shoulders. Realize there are bigger rocks, bigger judgments you can leave behind. You find a frisbee shaped rock that represents what you were meant to leave here today. You plant your feet and with all your might, you skip it across the still water. It skips, hops and bounces in a way that is thankful for its release, before submerging into the cold depths, and as it sinks it's tied to you diminishes. You don't know where you are, but you know exactly where you are.

Speaker 1:

Find a dock. Make your way to it and lay down. You close your eyes and slowly that world fades away. As you come back to these four walls, this floor beneath you and this roof over you, the center of your consciousness returns to your body Once again. Bring the mind to your sancapa, or positive intention, you said at the beginning, silently, repeated to yourself three times, bidding it deep within I am, I am, I am Slowly become aware of the room around you, the surface beneath you. You start to wiggle your fingers and toes and, whenever you feel ready, gently roll on to the right side and, using your arms to help guide you, come up to a seated position, taking as much time as you need. Open your eyes, feeling refreshed, calm and grounded. Carry this peace with you as you remove throughout the rest of your day. The practice of yoga nidra is now complete. Hurry on tatsat, hurry on tatsat, hurry on tatsat.