Yoga Nidra For Anxiety

This Yoga Nidra for Releasing Anxiety guides participants through deep relaxation with the calming sound of ocean waves and ambient drones in the background. The practice includes a body scan, breath awareness, and soothing visualizations to release tension and anxiety. Affirmations for peace and calm are repeated to reinforce inner tranquility. The session ends with a gentle return to the present moment, leaving participants feeling centered, relaxed, and free from anxiety.

Transcript

So welcome to this practice of yoga nidra.

I've designed this yoga nidra to help with the releasing of anxiety.

Anxiety that we're holding both in mind and in body.

Before we begin please take this opportunity to ensure that you're practicing in a safe space.

Taking a room there where you'll be undisturbed.

Perhaps communicating to any other members of your household that you're not to be disturbed for the next 15 minutes.

Turning phones on to silent.

You can take the phone off the landline if it's safe to do so.

Really just giving yourself space to really sink into the practice without suddenly being jarred out of it.

This practice can be done from a seated position,

Perhaps in a comfy chair,

An armchair.

Or it can be done from lying down.

If you're familiar with child's pose,

The yoga position child's pose,

Feel free to take that.

If you're comfortable being in shavasana then taking shavasana.

Also I invite you to use any additional props,

Pillows,

Blankets or eye masks that are going to enhance your experience of relaxation.

If we're lying down in shavasana,

Please take your arms out to the side and you can face the palms up towards the sky.

Just allow the feet to flop out to the side.

There's no need to hold them in any way,

Just letting the toes flop out to the side.

If the fingers want to curl inwards,

Let them do so.

The backs of the hands are just resting lightly against the floor.

If it's comfortable,

Just tuck the chin in slightly towards the chest to lengthen the back of the neck.

And then close the eyes.

Allow the eyes to close softly,

There's no need to hold them shut tightly.

Take a deep breath in and then exhale slowly.

Take another deep breath and again exhale slowly.

Continue this deep breathing and with every exhale feel your body beginning to soften.

Feel the weight of your body sinking onto the surface beneath you.

Deep breaths in and then softening on the exhalation.

Deep breath in and then softening on the exhalation.

Allow the ground,

Whether you're directly on the ground or supported by a chair,

Allow the ground to fully support you.

Feel the solid surface of the floor,

The chair,

The foundations of the building you're in.

Maybe if you're lucky enough to be practicing outside you can actually feel the earth beneath you directly.

Feel the solid surface of the floor supporting your relaxation and continue to breathe in deeply,

Exhale slowly,

Body relaxing with each breath out.

Now if it feels okay I invite you to set an intention for this practice.

Perhaps the intention is to find peace,

Calmness,

Releasing intrusive anxious thoughts,

Feelings of self-doubt,

Inadequacy,

Fear.

Whatever it is,

Repeat this intention to yourself three times in your mind.

Understand that you're fully capable of realizing this intention in this practice.

Allow the words to reverberate around the body.

Feel the body absorbing the intention,

Emotionally,

Mentally,

Physically.

Every part of your being is aligned with that intention.

Now we'll begin a body scan,

Gently guiding your awareness through different parts of your body,

Helping you to relax on deeper and deeper levels.

Begin by bringing your awareness to your toes and say to yourself,

I am aware of my toes,

My toes are relaxed.

Now move your awareness to the soles of your feet,

Your ankles and up through your calves.

Feel these areas softening with each breath.

Shift your awareness to your knees,

Back of the knees,

Your thighs,

Letting go of any tightness or tension.

Now bring your awareness to your hips,

Your pelvis,

Sitting bones.

With each exhale,

Let these areas become heavy,

Completely relaxed.

Now feeling both legs together,

Both legs completely relaxed.

Bring your awareness now to the lower back,

Noticing any tension that may have settled in the lower back and just release what you're able to.

Bring your awareness to your abdomen.

Notice if you're holding any tension there and as you breathe,

Allow your stomach,

Digestive system,

Any tightness that's being stored there.

See what you're able to release on the exhale.

Moving the awareness now up to the chest,

Feeling it rise and fall with each breath.

As you breathe in,

Feel the chest expanding and as you breathe out,

Letting go of any tension or anxiety that's settled there.

Noticing any tension that's settled around the heart and let go what you're able to let go of.

Now move the awareness to the upper back,

Shoulders,

Neck.

Soften these areas,

Releasing any tension,

Stress,

Heaviness,

All the burdens of the day.

Gently,

Without judgement,

Letting them leave,

Releasing them with the exhale.

Now focus on your arms,

Elbows,

Hands and fingers.

Let both arms sink into the floor as they become heavier and heavier,

More and more relaxed.

Feeling both arms free from tension,

Soft against the floor.

Bring your awareness to your face,

Jaw,

Eyes,

Nose,

Teeth,

Tongue,

Forehead.

Release any tension around the jaw,

Softening all the features of the face.

Let your face relax completely.

Feel the face soft,

All the way through the ears,

Back of the head,

Top of the head.

Now feel your entire body from head to toe,

Free from tension,

Relaxed,

Comfortable,

At ease.

Bring your attention to your breath,

Simply observe the natural rhythm of your breathing,

Without trying to change it.

Notice how the chest,

Ribs,

Tummy,

Rise and fall with each inhale and exhale.

Now we'll begin to extend and deepen the breath,

Inhaling for the count of 4,

And holding for the count of 2,

Exhaling for the count of 6.

Inhale 1,

2,

3,

4,

Hold,

1,

2,

Exhale 1,

2,

3,

4,

5,

6,

Inhale 1,

2,

3,

4,

Hold 1,

2,

Exhale 1,

2,

3,

4,

5,

6,

As you exhale imagine all your anxiety and tension leaving your body with the breath.

With each inhale visualise calm and peace entering the body.

With the continued deep breathing,

Visualise a gentle wave of calmness washing over you,

Starting from your feet and moving upward.

Imagine this wave as a soft soothing light,

Perhaps in a calming colour like soft blue,

Lavender,

Green or pink.

As the wave moves up your body it gathers any remaining anxiety,

Tension or stress.

See this wave moving through your legs,

Hips,

Stomach,

Chest collecting worries and fears.

Allow it to dislodge the tension that's settled in the lower back,

To scoop up the residual anxiety that's lodged in the stomach.

Let the wave move through your shoulders,

Arms,

Neck,

Gathering all the tightness and heaviness that you've been holding.

Heaviness that's hard to let go of sometimes,

But just allow what you're able to in this moment.

As the wave reaches your head,

Allow it to sweep away any anxious thoughts,

Tensions that have settled in the face or in the jaw,

Intrusive thoughts,

Mental stress.

Finally,

As you exhale,

Imagine this wave of light carrying all the anxiety and tension out of the body.

Let it dissolve in the air around you,

Metabolised by the world,

Digested by the air,

Leaving you feeling light,

Calm,

At ease.

Allow this wave to continue flowing through you,

Massaging all the parts of you that have been carrying these burdens.

Now silently repeating the following affirmations,

Allowing them to penetrate deeply into your being.

I release all tension and anxiety.

I release all tension and anxiety.

I am calm and I am peace.

I am calm and I am peace.

I trust in the process of life and allow myself to relax.

I trust in the process of life and allow myself to relax.

I am safe,

Grounded and centred.

I am safe,

Grounded and centred.

With each breath I feel more peaceful.

With each breath I feel more peaceful.

Let each affirmation settle,

Taking root in the mind and body,

Reinforcing a sense of safety and tranquility.

If you chose to take an intention at the beginning of the practice,

Returning to it,

Mentally repeating it three times.

Slowly begin to bring your awareness back to the present moment,

But remain connected to this feeling of calm and ease.

Feel the surface beneath you once again and begin to gently move your fingers and toes,

Waking your body up gradually.

Take a deep energising breath in and as you exhale feel a renewed sense of peace and lightness.

When you are ready,

Slowly begin to bring small movements back to the body.

If lying down,

Perhaps rolling onto one side and resting in a fetal position for a few moments of stillness.

If you are lying down gently pushing yourself up,

To a seated position,

Keeping your eyes closed if it's safe to do so and you wish to do so.

Sitting here for a moment,

Acknowledge the calm and the peace that's hopefully within you.

Hopefully we can carry this sense of ease and relaxation with you throughout the rest of your day and night.

Thank you for joining me.