27-Mintue Yoga Nidra For Anxiety

This 27-minute Yoga Nidra for Anxiety practice guides you into a state of deep rest and inner steadiness. Often called “yogic sleep,” Yoga Nidra is a guided meditation that brings you into the space between waking and sleeping, where the body can fully relax while the mind remains gently aware.

Through a soothing journey of body awareness, breath, and mindful attention, this practice helps calm the nervous system and shift you out of stress or fight-or-flight mode. It can ease anxious thoughts, soften physical tension, and create a greater sense of safety and ease within the body.

With regular practice, Yoga Nidra can also help you meet anxiety with more space, compassion, and less reactivity. Find a comfortable place to rest, get cozy, and let yourself be supported. Let’s get started.

Transcript

Hello, This is Amanda and I will be guiding you through your yoga nidra practice today. Yoga nidra, Often called yogic sleep, Is a guided meditation that brings you into a deeply relaxed state between waking and sleeping. By gently guiding your attention through the body and breath, It helps calm the nervous system and shift you out of stress or fight or flight mode. This can ease anxious thoughts, Release physical tension, And create a sense of safety in the body. Over time, It also helps you relate to anxiety with more space and less reactivity. Let's get started. Begin by lying down in a comfortable position. You can lie on a bed, A floor, A couch, Wherever you're going to be comfortable for our time together. Allow your legs to extend, Arms resting gently by your sides, Palms facing up if that feels good for you. Then I'll invite you to place a covering over your eyes. Take a moment to make any final adjustments so your body feels completely supported, Held, Relaxed. You can cover yourself with a blanket, A pillow under your knees, A pillow or a blanket underneath your head and neck, Whatever helps you feel at ease, Supported, And relaxed for your practice. Now, If you haven't done so already, I'll invite you to gently close your eyes and begin to settle in for your yoga nidra practice. Feel the weight of your body being held by the ground beneath you. There's nothing to hold on to. Nowhere to go, Nothing to do. Just rest here and listen to the sound of my voice. Take a slow, Easy breath in through your nose and gently exhale through your mouth. Again, Inhale in through your nose, And then as you're ready, Gently exhale and sigh through your mouth. Once more, Inhale, And as you're ready, Exhale, Letting go of the day, Letting go of the week, Letting go of the tensions and stressors that we face moment to moment and day to day. Allow your breath to return to its natural rhythm. Inhale and exhale. No need to change it or control it. Just allow it to flow in and out of your body. And as we get started, I'll invite you to set an intention or a sankalpa. This is a short positive statement that feels true or meaningful for our practice here today. The sankalpa that I'll invite for today's practice is calm is within me. Calm is within me. Repeat it silently to yourself three times with gentle awareness, Planting the seed of intention within. Bring awareness to your breath, Simply noticing it as it is. Feel the rise of your belly as you inhale and the soft fall of your belly as you exhale, Like waves rising and falling. Feeling the effortless nature of your breath coming in and out of your body. With each exhale, Invite a gentle softening into the body as if tension could melt downward into the earth. No need to force anything. Just allow. Now we'll move awareness through the body, Simply noticing each part as it's named without needing to change anything as you go. There's nothing to do other than to listen to the sound of my voice. Bring awareness to your right hand, Thumb, Index finger, Middle finger, Ring finger, Little finger, Palm of the hand, Back of the hand, Wrist, Forearm, Elbow, Upper arm, Shoulder, Armpit, Right side of the waist, Hip, Ankle, Heel, Sole of the foot, Top of the foot, Big toe, Second toe, Third toe, Fourth toe, Fifth toe, All five toes, The whole foot, The whole right leg, The whole right side of the body, The whole right side of the body. Now shift to the left hand, Thumb, Index finger, Middle finger, Ring finger, Little finger, Palm, Back of the hand, Wrist, Forearm, Elbow, Upper arm, Shoulder, Armpit, Left side of the waist, Thigh, Knee, Heel, Sole of the foot, Top of the foot, Big toe, Second toe, Third toe, Fourth toe, Fifth toe, All five toes, The whole left foot, The whole left leg, The whole left side of the body, The whole left side of the body. Now bring awareness to the back body, Back of the head, Neck, Shoulders, Upper back, Mid back, Lower back, Right hip, Left hip, The whole back of the body. The whole back of the body. Now shift awareness to the front of the body, Forehead, Temples, Eyebrows, Space between the eyebrows, The eyes, The cheeks, The nose, Lips, Chin, Jaw, Throat, Left collar bone, Right collar bone, Chest, Heart center, Belly, Lower abdomen, The whole front of the body. The whole front of the body. Now feel the whole body together. The right side of the body, The left side of the body, The back of the body, The front of the body. Feel the whole body together. Resting, Supported, Held. Now bring your awareness to the sensations in the body. Feeling the sensation of heaviness in the body as though your body is sinking down into the earth. Dense, Grounded, Supported, Heavy. Now invite a sense of lightness as if your body could gently float. Spacious, Easeful, Light. See if you can move between these sensations of heaviness and lightness. Lightness and heaviness. No effort, Just noticing. Now gently bring awareness to your inner landscape, Your inner experience. Tune in to if there's any anxiety or unease present today. Without analyzing, Without trying to change, Simply tune in and notice. Notice what you feel in your body. Notice where anxiety or unease shows up in the body. Where do you feel it in your body? Tune in. Simply notice. Maybe it shows up as tightness, Warmth, Movement, Or something else entirely. Whatever is there, Whatever is present, Let it be there. Now imagine creating just a little more space around the sensation as if it had room to breathe. You don't need to push it away. Just allow space. Silently remind yourself, I am not these feelings. I am the awareness noticing it. I am not these feelings. I am the awareness noticing it. Now imagine a place where you feel completely at ease. It could be a real place or somewhere imagined. Perhaps a quiet beach, Warm sand beneath you, The gentle sound of waves in the distance. Or perhaps a forest with cool air, Soft light filtering through the trees above you. Wherever you are, Notice the details, The colors, The sounds, The textures. Feel how this place supports you. This is a safe place where you can be exactly who you are. You are safe here. I'll give you a few moments to enjoy this space. Allow yourself to tune in, Explore, Notice all the little details around you. Now begin to bring your awareness back to your breath, Not changing it, Simply noticing. Feel the natural rhythm of your inhale and the soft release of your exhale. Allow the breath to anchor you, Steady, Familiar, Always here, Never leaving, Never wavering. With each inhale, Sense a quiet sense of clarity. And with each exhale, A softening, A letting go. Now gently bring to mind your sankalpa or your intention. Calm is within me. Calm is within me. There's no need to force it. Simply allow it to arise and repeat it silently to yourself. Calm is within me. Slowly, Clearly, With awareness. Again, Repeating your sankalpa. Calm is within me. Letting the words settle into the body as if planting a seed in deeply nourished soil. One more time, Repeating your sankalpa with quiet and trust. Calm is within me. Let it go now, But allow it to rest within you. And return once more to the natural flow of your breath. Steady, Calm, And present. Begin to deepen your breath, Perhaps inviting a little movement into your body. Wiggle your fingers and your toes. Maybe stretch your arms overhead. Take your time as you reawaken from your practice, Noticing how you feel. Carrying the sense of calm and ease with you as you move throughout the rest of your day. Knowing you can return to this state whenever you need. Now slowly and at your own pace, Roll onto one side. And as you're ready, Make your way to a seated position. As you come out of your yoga nidra, I invite you to tune in to how you feel and to consider what has come to fruition in this time together. In this time where you went inwards, Perhaps you will choose to carry this feeling of gratitude into the rest of your day. I would invite you to reflect and journal on your yoga nidra experience and anything that came up for you in today's practice. Your yoga nidra is now complete. Thank you so much for practicing with me and I'll see you next time. Bye for now.