Yoga Nidra For Anxiety & Fear

A 30-minute guided practice that uses trauma-informed yoga nidra techniques to bring about a sense of peace and stillness in body and mind.

I will guide you through a body scan, a breath awareness practice and a calming visualisation. My voice is accompanied by gentle background music. As always, please take responsibility for your own wellbeing and listen to your body’s wisdom. Make any adjustments you need and adapt the practice for any contraindications.

Music: "10 minutes of calm music to relax to" composed by Vasyl Volodymyrovich Bahnyak

Transcript

Hello and welcome to this trauma-informed yoga nidra practice to release stress and anxiety this yoga nidra guided meditation will be about 30 minutes long there's nothing for you to do simply find somewhere you feel comfortable and where you can be undisturbed and I'll let you know when we're bringing this practice of wakeful sleep to a close in a moment I'll guide you to choose or create an inner resource and this will be something you can come back to at any point or you can open the eyes and connect back to the space around you so I invite you to choose a position for this practice it feels the most comfortable and safe for you right now before we begin it's important to be completely comfortable make any small adjustments that will help to settle your body and find stillness if you can be just a little more comfortable make any adjustments you need now let your eyes gaze around the room and notice something that feels comforting for you in some way it may be a color or shape or texture allowing the eyes to gaze around and then settling there for a moment bring your attention to sounds around you letting your attention drift from one sound to the next until you find a soft soothing sound as we move into the practice of yoga nidra now you may like to close your eyes or soften the gaze down now with the eyes closed or lowered begin to develop an awareness of your room imagine the shape of the room the position of the walls the ceiling the floor any other details and imagine yourself settled into your warm and cozy cocoon become aware of your physical body resting into its support total awareness of your entire body resting in perfect stillness become aware of all the meeting points between your physical body and the floor or support beneath you become aware of your breath begin to lengthen the exhale breathing in slowly and softly breathing out you can breathe in filling the lungs and exhale through an open mouth with a deep sigh out once again inhale deeply and exhaling with a sigh with each inhalation breathing in a sense of calmness that spreads through your whole body as you breathe out allowing a deep relaxation to settle into your body feel the body sinking deeper and effortless breath imagine a safe and nurturing space a place where you feel well-being it may be a place in nature or anywhere else perhaps you'd like to invite people or images here someone you love an animal an object or any images that nourish you with feelings of being secure peaceful and completely at ease feel this as your inner resource this safe haven or refuge that helps you feel secure and at ease feel that sense of well-being in your body know that you can return to your inner resource at any time throughout this practice whenever you feel the need to feel totally secure and at ease this is your time to set a sankalpa or heartfelt desire or intention it may be something meaningful for your life or it may be an intention for this practice such as I allow a sense of deep peace I am calm and at ease in this now moment allow your intention to arise in your own words say inwardly your sankalpa three times now I invite you now to move your awareness through different parts of the body you may like to mentally whisper each part as I name it or simply sense the touch of your awareness move your awareness to your mouth gums floor of the mouth walls of cheeks your tongue lower row of teeth upper row of teeth both lips the space between the lips tip of the nose both cheeks right ear left ear right I left I right eyebrow left eyebrow space between the eyebrows whole forehead both temples top of the head back of the head the whole head a field of radiant sensation right hand right thumb index finger middle finger ring finger little finger palm back of the hand right wrist forearm elbow upper right arm right shoulder underarm right side ribs waist right hip right groin right thigh knee calf right ankle heel sole of the foot top of the foot right big toe second toe third toe fourth toe fifth toe the right side of the body feeling to the right side of the body left hand left thumb index finger middle finger ring finger little finger palm of the hand back of the hand left wrist forearm elbow upper arm left shoulder underarm left side ribs waist left groin left thigh knee calf left ankle heel sole of the foot top of the foot left big toe second toe third toe fourth toe fifth toe feel into the left side of the body the whole of the left side now the back body back of the head right shoulder blade left shoulder blade whole spine right buttock left buttock back of the thighs back of the knees both heels the back of the body the back of the body forehead both temples right inner ear left inner ear back of the throat right collarbone left collarbone right chest left chest upper abdomen lower abdomen right hip left hip right knee left knee top of the right foot top of the left foot the front of the body front of the body right arm left arm both arms right leg left leg both legs the head the torso both arms both legs the whole body be aware of the whole body alive as vibrant sensation welcoming every experience that's present interweave your inner resource of well-being throughout your body feeling secure and at ease sense the body breathing itself just the natural flow of sensation as breath enters and leaves the body through the nostrils walls of the throat the gentle rise and release of the chest and abdomen breathing in nourishing every cell of the body body breathing itself start counting backwards on each exhalation starting at 33 as you exhale inhale and exhale 32 and so on carry on counting downwards on each exhale and if you lose count or get to zero then simply start again at 33 remember that any time you experience the need to feel secure and at ease you can return to your inner resource can you now imagine the whole body bathed in the warmth of the Sun the rays of the Sun warming the body the body basking in the glow of the Sun the sense of sunlight on your skin the whole body warm sensing warmth throughout the body noticing how this warmth feels now imagine a cool breeze the breeze feels cold against your skin the body feels cold welcoming to this feeling of coldness and then welcoming back the warming rays of the Sun the warming golden rays of the Sun bring warmth to your body basking in the warm glow of sunlight and then again welcoming the chilly breeze noticing how the body feels in this coolness simply experiencing the sensation of cold with curiosity can you notice both sensations in the body areas of warmth in the body areas of coolness in the body the warmth of the Sun the cool breeze just welcoming both sensations into your awareness the essence of both experienced with ease simply resting between the two resting with ease with calm resting in stillness bathing in this sense of peace in your whole body peace in your mind peace in your whole being resting in the unchanging nature your whole self bring awareness to the space directly in front of your forehead and eyes an empty or blank space continue to watch this space here as if you were looking at a screen now try to visualize the following images letting each appear like a picture on your screen bring to mind a peaceful sunrise quiet and peaceful the gentle glow of dawn a gentle dawning sunrise clouds inked with pinks and blues soft clouds floating in the sky the dawn chorus the dawn chorus nature waking from slumber dew on the grass dew on the grass the scent of the morning air soft breeze on your skin a soft breeze the sense of a new day dawning allow any other images to arise and dissolve from your awareness without judgment just watch the space recall your heart's desire or intention for this practice or for your life recalling your sankalpa repeating three times the phrases or imagery exactly as used earlier internally now affirming and experiencing this as a felt sensation in your body as true in this moment sense all that you are now aware of the sounds around you sensations of your body the floor beneath the room around you the body breathing remind yourself of your inner resource of well-being in this moment all is well keeping your eyes closed deepen the breath gently wiggle your fingers and toes when you're ready bend your knees and roll over onto one side resting on your side slowly opening the eyes adjusting to the light the practice of yoga nidra is now complete

Reviews

Very calming and engaged multiple sensory experiences to ground. Lovely practice 🙏🏼

Thank you for this beautiful and thorough yoga nidra. I am feeling very much more relaxed and less anxious. Really helpful 💚🙏🏻🙏🏻

Thank you so much for your Yoga Nidra. This the most thorough and thoughtful Yoga Nidra I’ve ever experienced. My stress and anxiety has diminished quite a bit. I am calm and relaxed. I’m ready to face a difficult situation in a calm state of mind. I have so much gratitude for your help. Thank you. 🩵🌟🩵🙏🏻