Releasing Anxiety

Thoughts about fear and love emotions, and a Connect & Glow guided meditation with affirmations that help relieve anxiety. The Connect & Glow self-healing technique is suitable for beginning as well as seasoned practitioners.
Music: Rachael’s Waltz, by Kate Moody

Transcript

Chapter Two, Releasing Anxiety. In October in the Northern Hemisphere, We begin to notice that darkness comes earlier each day. There may be a sense of wistfulness or sadness as we let go of the bright days of summer. Old stuff may arise. When stuff comes up is a good time to release it. It's up, It's making itself known, Not buried in our patterns of self-protection. Let's let it go. There are two main categories of emotion, Love and fear. Most fear states stem from the ego trying to protect us. A state of love is true safety. When we surrender our defenses, We find our home in our hearts. Here are a few examples. Fear. Anxiety, Love. Com. Fear, Anger, Love, Compassion. Depression. Acceptance. Embracing all of life. Bullying. Appreciation. Ambivalence. Dedication. Resentment. Forgiveness. Greed. Generosity. Irritation Patience. Annoyance. Curiosity. Mean. Kind. Fear creates contraction, Impeding the flow of energy. Love is radiance. In the following meditation, We will use affirmations to help bring us from fear to love. Affirmations are short statements that can help create a positive and uplifting reality. Before saying the affirmation, Say a statement about your current state. Acknowledging fear-based feelings allows them to come up and out. Ignoring them or trying to steamroll them into submission does not make them go away. When you are experiencing fear, Your subconscious is smart enough to know that you are not in a state of bliss. And it doesn't like being fooled. For instance, If you are feeling afraid, Saying, I am not afraid, I am not afraid, Won't persuade your base instincts that everything is fine. First of all, I am NOT fill-in-the-blank. Statements are not effective affirmations. Instead, Make a statement along these lines. I am feeling fear. I can recover from and heal this fear. Two techniques that are helpful with this meditation are the Comfort Mudra and TMDR. The Comfort Mudra helps you connect with love when fear is the predominant state. Mudra is a yogic term for hand positions that have particular effects. The comfort mudra with the left hand on the right upper chest and the right arm across the upper belly is calming, Comforting, Centering. It fosters a sense of openness. Even if you are feeling a form of fear. You can simultaneously feel love. The love embraces the fear. While allowing the fear expression, Room to breathe, Anticipate. It's when we clamp down on fear that it gets stuck. The Comfort Mudra helps integrate the ego. Making it feel safe, Useful, And appreciated. Anytime you are disturbed, You can use it. Try it now! With hands in the comfort mudra position, Left hand on right upper chest. Right arm across the upper belly. Say to your fearful self. It's all right to feel this way. Everything is going to be okay. Honor your feelings with gratitude. Then release them with intentional breathing. Thank you for being the guardian of my safety. Let's try this a different way. If we don't like it. We can always go back. TMDR combines tapping, Also known as EFT, Emotional freedom technique, And EMDR, Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. The moment you notice attacking thoughts or feelings, Apply TMDR. With the fingertips of one hand, Tap back and forth across your upper chest, Between your shoulders. You don't need to know tapping from tiptoeing to get benefits from this simple technique. It is useful if a painful memory of an old incident comes up and you experience negative feelings that disturb your emotional equilibrium. TMDR allows the energy to flow through rather than spiraling out of control or getting lodged or stuck. The effect of TMDR is enhanced by putting the thumb and fingers of the non-tapping hand together and placing them on the solar plexus while you tap. Connect the dots. Begin with a double breath. A meditation aid from Swami Rudrananda, A shortcut to easing anxiety. Take a big inhalation, Filling your belly, Diaphragm, Chest. Feeling your ribs expand front and back. Hold for a moment. Then exhale about a quarter of the air. Then inhale again, Filling up even more, Expanding even more. Hold for a few seconds, Then slowly and gently exhale. With your awareness on your feet, Imagine a dot on the bottom of each foot. Bring your awareness to your belly about an inch below your belly button. And going directly inward, Imagine a dot in the middle of your belly. Bring your awareness to your chest and imagine a dot in the center of your chest. With your awareness on your hands, Imagine a dot in the palm of each hand. Bring your awareness to your forehead and going directly inward from the middle of your forehead Imagine a dot in the center of your brain. With your imagination, Draw a line from the dot in the center of your brain. To the dot in the center of your chest. Draw two lines radiating out from the dot in the center of your chest through each arm to the dots in the palms of your hands. Draw a line from the dot in the center of your chest to the dot in the center of your belly. Two lines radiate out from the dot in your belly through each leg to the dots on the bottoms of your feet. If you stand back in your mind's eye you can see that you have connected the dots and created a stick figure inside yourself like a child's drawing. Now imagine that you have a rheostat light switch. Slowly bring up the power and the inner stick figure begins to glow with a warm soothing light. Inhale even more light into the inner stick figure. The light is bright and strong. As you exhale, The light radiates in all directions. Glowing radiance. Into this glowing radiance say silently or out loud I allow any anxiety I may be feeling to simply dissipate like a sunlit fog. Repeat I allow any anxiety I may be feeling to simply dissipate like a sunlit fog. Being glow. Bring your awareness to the dot in the center of your brain. Inhale light to this energy center. And as you exhale, Enjoy a sense of openness and expansion as you return to trust in your innate knowing and wisdom. Light radiates throughout your brain it is a glow with warm vibrancy Say silently or aloud. Anxious thoughts dissipate. I trust wisdom to guide me. Once again, Anxious thoughts dissipate. I trust wisdom to guide me. Sitting quietly, Allow a sense of trust to fill your mind, Heart, And being. We'll add an energy center at the base of the throat. The Communication Center. Inhale light to the center. Relaxing and opening as you exhale. Warmth and light glow out the back of your neck, Up toward your jaw, Down toward your heart, Out the front of your throat. Clear and calm. Say silently or aloud. Any feeling of a need for anxious talking fades away. Openness and clarity remain. Repeat. Any feeling of a need for anxious talking fades away. Openness and clarity remain. Sitting quietly, Allow a sense of calm openness to fill your throat, Mind, Heart, And being. Bring your awareness to your heart center in the middle of your chest. Breathe in warmth and light. Sweetness radiates as you exhale. Rest peacefully here for a moment. Nice big sigh, Peace, Contentment care, Compassion. Compassion for those you meet. Not knowing their life circumstances, Understanding that they are doing the best they know. Recognizing the beauty that dwells in them. Compassion for yourself. Take a moment to acknowledge yourself. For all you've done and continue to do to evolve as your highest self. You are amazing. The beauty you bring in even the toughest times. Breathing in your heart. Say silently or aloud. Anxious feelings of lack disappear. My heart brims with sweetness and peace. Again. Anxious feelings of lack disappear. My heart brims with sweetness and peace. Sitting quietly, Feel your heart soften. Resting in sweetness and peace. We're going to add a center at the solar plexus about an inch above the belly button. Inhale light to your solar plexus. Relax and soften your solar plexus and mid back as you exhale. This is the center of your personality, The unique gift you bring to the world. If you sense any edginess here, Simply breathe into the edginess and soften as you exhale. If you are around a person whose edges bump up against your edges. Simply breathe and soften. Take a moment. No need to react. Another nice breath here appreciating your special being Say silently or aloud. As I breathe into my solar plexus, I relax and soften. Anxious feelings about self-worth vanish. I am confident and calm. Again. As I breathe into my solar plexus I relax and soften. Anxious feelings about self-worth vanish. I am confident and calm. Sit quietly with a glow of appreciation for you. All you bring. All you have learned. Your openness to growing and enhancing your inborn gift Bring your awareness to your belly dot about an inch below your belly button. Inhale light to the center. It becomes a glowing ball of light. As you exhale, The light spreads in all directions, Filling the surrounding organs, The sacrum. Your bum is warmed in the chair. Getting in touch with the creative energy that rises up magnificently here. Ideas are abundant. Stamina is abundant without being overwhelming. The joy of possibilities. Say silently or aloud. Tension releases. Energy flows in all directions. Tension releases. Energy flows in all directions. Sit quietly. Tuning in to the joy of discovery. The brimming potential of the unknown. We'll add a center at the top of the legs near the perineum. Inhaling, Fill with light and warmth, Opening to dynamic life force energy. Exhale, Filling with enthusiasm, Releasing any sense of constriction, Enjoying unimpeded flow. Say silently or aloud. Life force flows through me freely and gracefully. Life force flows through me freely and gracefully. Sit quietly, Tuning in to the joy of embodiment. The Adventure of Spirit in Human Form. Inhale light to the dots on the bottoms of your feet. They are warm glowing balls of light. The light radiates in all directions as you exhale. Filling the muscles and tendons, Glowing out through the skin to the earth below. Feeling deeply connected with the earth, The dirt and rocks and creepy crawlies and birds, The oceans, Trees, Flowers, The rhythms of the days, The rhythms of the seasons. Say silently or aloud. I feel my feet deeply connected with the steadfast beauty of the earth. I am secure in the support of the Earth. Again. I feel my feet deeply connected with the steadfast beauty of the earth. I am secure in the support of the Earth. Gratitude rises up. Filling your feet, Ankles, Calves, Knees, Thighs, Hips, Belly, Back, Chest, Arms, Hands, Neck, Face, Mind, Warm and joyful. Gratitude abides in me. " again. Gratitude abides in me. Feel the crown of your head tingling with warmth. Glowing, Sparkling, Relaxing and opening as you inhale divine inspiration. Filling the inner stick figure. Beautiful glowing light flows through your arms and out through open hands, An offering of the peace and tranquility you feel within. Hum into this energy field. Helping you open even more. Hum into your mind, Throat, Heart, Hands, Solar plexus, Belly, Legs, Feet. You Once again filling your inner stick figure and the light radiates in all directions. Every nook and cranny brimming coming out through your skin. Like giving yourself an energy hug from the inside out. Once again affirming. I allow any anxiety I may be feeling. To simply dissipate like a sunlit fog. Take a moment to fill your heart with gratitude and allow it to spread throughout your energy field. From Alan Cohen, Quote, A miracle is a shift in perception from fear to love, Doubt to trust, Fragmentation to wholeness. End quote. When you are ready to come back to the room, Imagine yourself surrounded by a pearly rainbow cocoon of light so that you can feel protected while you remain with this warm and open feeling. Rub your thumbs across your fingertips. Wiggle your toes. And gently open your eyes with a soft gaze. At any time if you feel anxiety arising. Take a breath and repeat the affirmation. I allow any anxiety I may be feeling to simply dissipate like a sunlit fog. Then ask your higher wisdom this powerful question. How can I love myself in this experience? Set aside some time over the next several days to breathe, Relax, Reconnect with inner awareness, And do some affirmation work. You can choose one of the affirmations from this exercise that speaks to you. Or you can create your own affirmation. See appendix. Set a reminder for two to five times throughout the day to pause, Take a breath, And repeat the affirmation to yourself. The ability to watch our inner dramas without getting lost in judgment or reactivity is essential to spiritual growth. When we try to push away difficult emotions or the bodily sensations and states of mind that accompany them, We actually keep them in place. When we lock them in, We don't give them the space they need to unfold and reveal themselves, To show us what they have to teach. " Frank Ostraszewski, The Five Invitations.