Stress and anxiety are two things we as humans are wired to face.
Small amounts of stress and anxiety are necessary as this provides us with motivation to complete tasks,
Keep ourselves and loved ones safe,
And make the best decisions in our day to day.
That being said,
Sometimes stress and anxiety keep too tight of a grip.
This Yoga Nidra aims to help you unwind the tight grip of stress and anxiety through awareness,
Stillness,
Visualization,
And breathwork.
This practice is ideal to start or end the day during times of high stress or for those who experience anxiety which is difficult to manage.
By the end of the practice,
Hopefully you will feel grounded and ready to approach life with renewed ease.
This is a safe space where you can let go and simply be.
Begin by lying down in a comfortable position where you can feel fully supported by the earth beneath you.
Feel free to use props like a bolster,
Blankets,
Pillows,
Whatever makes you feel the most comfortable.
When you're ready,
Close your eyes and take a few breaths.
With each exhale,
Let go of tension,
Thoughts,
Distraction.
Allow yourself to be here,
Fully present.
Notice your body resting on the surface beneath you,
Supported and safe.
This is your dedicated time to reconnect with yourself,
To tune into your own energy and release anything that feels heavy,
Stressful,
Or tense.
For now,
Release all labels,
Roles,
And expectations.
You are simply here,
Open and present.
For this practice,
I'd like to invite you to set an intention that resonates with your desire to release stress and anxiety.
Some examples might be,
I release stress and embrace calm,
Or simply,
I am at peace.
Choose an affirmation that reflects your wish for yourself in this practice.
This will serve as a quiet thread that can be pulled throughout this meditation.
Once you've chosen your intention,
Repeat it three times,
Allowing it to settle deeply into your consciousness.
Trust that this intention will guide you through this practice.
We will now begin to move our awareness through our bodies,
Allowing any tension to dissolve.
Bring your awareness to your right foot,
The big toe,
The second toe,
Third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe.
Let the whole right foot soften and release.
Now move to the right ankle,
The shin,
The calf,
The knee,
The thigh.
Let the entire right leg become soft,
Relaxed,
Grounded.
Now shift your awareness to your left foot,
The big toe,
The second toe,
The third toe,
Fourth toe,
Fifth toe.
Relax the entire left foot.
Move now to the left ankle,
The shin,
The calf,
The knee,
And the left thigh.
Let the whole left leg soften and release,
Grounding deeply into the earth.
Both legs now feel fully grounded,
Heavy and supported.
Bring your awareness to your right hand now,
The right thumb,
The first finger,
Second finger,
The third finger,
And the fourth.
Feel the entire right hand softening,
Releasing any tension.
Now move to the right wrist,
The forearm,
The elbow,
The upper arm,
The shoulder.
Allow the whole right arm to relax completely.
Bring your awareness to the left hand now,
The left thumb,
First finger,
Second finger,
Third finger,
Fourth finger.
Notice the whole left hand soften and release.
Shift to the left wrist,
The forearm,
The elbow,
The upper arm,
And the shoulder.
Allow the whole left arm to relax,
Heavy and supported.
Both arms now feel completely grounded and at ease.
Shift your awareness to your sacrum,
Your lower back,
The middle back,
And the upper back,
Where the spine meets the skull.
Notice how the earth feels against these parts of you.
Allow the entire spine to soften and relax.
Move now to the abdomen,
Noticing the gentle rise and fall with each breath.
Release any tightness here.
Soften the chest now and release any heaviness here.
Relax the neck and throat.
Allowing the breath to flow free.
Soften the jaw.
Release the tongue from the roof of the mouth.
Soften the cheeks,
The eyelids,
The forehead.
Feel your entire face soften as though releasing any tension or masks.
Bring your awareness to the crown of your head now,
And feel the entire body from the top of the head to the tips of your toes.
You are grounded,
Supported,
At ease.
Now let's shift our attention to the breath.
Simply observe it as it flows naturally in and out.
Feel the cool air from the inhale and the warmth of each exhale.
With each inhale,
Imagine that you are drawing in a sense of grounding,
Connecting to the earth beneath you.
With each exhale,
Release anything that feels heavy,
False,
Or out of alignment.
Imagine that each exhale releases more tension than the last.
If your mind wanders,
Gently redirect your attention to your breath.
Inhale peace,
Exhale chaos,
Inhale calm,
Exhale stress.
Stay with your breath and let it guide you into deeper ease.
Now in your mind's eye,
Picture yourself standing at the edge of a peaceful forest.
There are tall,
Sturdy trees around you.
Their leaves gently rustling in the soft breeze.
The air feels fresh and clean.
The sunlight filters through the branches,
Casting warm,
Golden light on your skin.
As you take a step forward,
Notice a well-worn path beneath your feet.
This path feels steady and grounding,
As though it was made just for you.
With each step you take,
Feel the solid earth beneath you,
Supporting you fully.
Ahead,
You see a small clearing with a sparkling stream flowing through it.
The water is clear and soothing,
Creating a soft melody as it dances over smooth stones.
You find a comfortable spot to sit by the stream,
Perhaps on a mossy rock or a bed of soft grass.
As you settle here,
Imagine placing your hands on the earth beside you.
Feel its cool,
Steady presence.
With each exhale,
Visualize stress,
Tension,
And anxiety flowing down your arms and into the ground.
There it is absorbed and transformed.
The earth welcomes this energy and sends back a deep sense of stability and calm.
Now turn your attention to the stream.
Imagine the water carrying away all the weight you've been holding onto.
See your worries,
Fears,
Or tension as small leaves that gently fall into the stream.
Watch them float away,
Carried effortlessly downstream until they're out of sight.
As the stream flows,
You begin to feel lighter.
The rhythm of the water reminds you that everything flows in its own time and you are not alone in this process.
Trust in the current,
Knowing that it is helping release what no longer serves you.
Take a deep breath in,
Filling yourself with the fresh energy of the forest.
Exhale,
Letting go completely.
Feel a sense of spaciousness opening within you,
Like the vast sky above the trees.
Stay with this feeling for a moment,
Drink it in.
Slowly,
When you feel ready,
Bring your attention back to the breath.
Notice the steadiness of your inhale and exhale.
Feel the gentle rise and fall of your abdomen.
Begin to introduce small movements,
Gently wiggle your fingers and toes,
Grounding yourself back in this moment.
Take a deep breath in,
Fully expanding the belly and then the chest,
Exhale fully.
Before you finish this meditation,
Take a moment to repeat your intention from the beginning of the practice.
Feel the calm and ease that has settled deeply within you.
Carry with you the peace and lightness of this place as you continue through your day and know that you can return here whenever you need.
Thank you for joining me today,
Goodbye.
