Yoga Nidra: Relax & Release Anxiety - 11

Abdominal Breathing In this session, we will start with a practice of abdominal breathing pranayama, which can help release tension in the nerves and promote a sense of calm and relaxation. After this, we will move into our usual guided Yoga Nidra relaxation practice. Through this practice, we will explore deep relaxation, and learn to enter a state of conscious sleep where we can release physical, mental, and emotional tension.

Transcript

Namaste. As always, Let's begin in a nice comfortable lying down position. Now gently close your eyes. Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, Feel all the cares, All the worries flow out of you. Make sure body is fully comfortable. If not, Make all the necessary adjustments to your body position to release the discomfort. Now slowly place your right hand on your belly. As you breathe in and out, Just feel that movement of the belly along with your breath. Now we will practice abdominal breath, A fantastic practice to release tension. It activates your parasympathetic nervous system, The relax and digest mode of the body. Feel as if you are breathing in and out directly through your belly. Slowly inhale deeply while expanding the belly as much as is comfortable, Keeping the chest and shoulders relaxed. And upon exhalation, Belly comes down towards the spine. Continue for a few breaths. Let go of the abdominal breath now. Relax all the efforts. Develop a feeling of total relaxation. Just enjoying that feeling of letting go. Body is relaxing, Sinking into the surface beneath you. Develop a feeling of relaxation. Feel as if you are about to sleep. During the practice, Follow my instructions without thinking or analyzing the instructions as this will disturb your relaxation. Simply follow the voice with total attention and feeling. And if thoughts come to disturb you from time to time, Do not worry. Just continue with the practice. Become aware of the fact that you are going to relax. Say mentally to yourself, Now I'm going to relax. There is nothing for me to worry about. This is the time for me to let go all the cares and worries. The practice begins now by just taking the attention to different parts of the body. Become aware of the right hand, Right hand thumb, First finger, Second finger, Third finger, Fourth finger, Fingers and thumb, Palm of the hand, Backside of the right hand, Wrist, Forearm, Elbow, Upper part of the right arm, Right shoulder, Right armpit, Right side of the torso, Waist, Right side hip, Right thigh, Kneecap, Calf muscle, Ankle, Right foot heel, Sole of the foot, Big toe, Second toe, Third toe, Fourth toe, Fifth toe, The whole right side of the body, From toes to the fingers, Fingers to the toes, Whole right side of the body. Now go to the left hand, Become aware of the left hand thumb, First finger, Second finger, Third finger, Little finger, Fingers and thumb, Palm of the left hand, Backside of the hand, Wrist, Forearm, Elbow, Upper part of the left arm, Left shoulder, Left armpit, Left side of the torso, Waist, Hip, Left thigh, Kneecap, Calf muscle, Ankle, Left foot heel, Sole of the left foot, Big toe, Second toe, Third toe, Fourth toe, Fifth toe, The whole left side of the body, From toes to the fingers, Fingers to the toes, Whole left side of the body. Now to the back, Become aware of the lower back, The right buttock, The right buttock, The left buttock, Middle back, Upper back, The right shoulder blade, The left shoulder blade, Back of the neck, Back of the head, The whole back together. Now go to the top of the head, The crown of the head, Forehead, Both sides of the head, Right eyebrow, Left eyebrow, The space between the eyebrows, Right eyelid, Left eyelid, Right eye, Left eye, Right ear, Right ear, Left ear, Right side cheek, Left side cheek, Bridge of the nostrils, Right nostril, Left nostril, Upper lip, Upper jaw, Tongue, Lower jaw, Lower lip, Chin, Throat, Right collarbone, Left collarbone, Chest, Left part of the chest, Middle part of the chest, Right part of the chest, Upper part of the belly, Middle part of the belly, The belly button area, Lower part of the belly, The whole of the right leg, The whole of the left leg, Both legs together, The whole of the right arm, The whole of the left arm, Both arms together, The whole of the back, Buttock, Spine, Shoulder blades, The whole of the front, Abdomen, Chest, The whole of the back and front together, The whole head, The whole body, The whole body, The whole body, The whole body, Become aware of your breath now, Just feel the flow of your breath in and out of your body, Not controlling or regulating the breath, Just observing the natural flow of breath, There is no effort, Maintain the awareness of your breath, Now become aware of your belly and its movement along with your breath, Just noticing the expansion and contraction of belly along with your breath, Now shift your focus on your chest and its movement along with your breath, The chest is rising and falling slightly with every breath, Try to notice this, Continue observing the movement of the chest along with your breath, Now, With feeling, Mentally say to yourself three times, I am at ease, I am completely relaxed, Now, With feeling, Mentally say to yourself three times, I am at ease, I am completely relaxed, Come back to the breath, Notice your body and the surface beneath it, Remember your surroundings, Notice, Slowly, Become aware of the body internally and gently move your fingers, Move your toes, Feet side to side, Move your head side to side, If you feel like, Give your body a good stretch, Now, Without any hurry, Whenever you are sure that you are wide awake, Sit up slowly and open your eyes, Namaste