Yoga Nidra For Calming Panic Attacks And Anxiety
by Yogi Bryan
Are you consumed with anxiety right now? Are you spiraling in and out of panic? Is it the middle of the night and you can't sleep? Maybe you are at work and need some relaxation on your lunch break? Wherever you are at in life, this Yoga Nidra session will help you relax. Find a comfortable place where you can lie down. All you have to do is breathe and listen to the sound of my voice. BEST WITH HEADPHONES. Music by DJ Taz Rashid.
Transcript
Welcome to this guided yoga nidra session to calm anxiety.
My name is yogi Brian and find a place where you can lie down.
A place where you're comfortable.
Your body temperature may drop during the practice of yoga nidra.
So if you have a blanket,
Place a blanket over your body.
Keeping your body straight,
Legs slightly apart,
Arms a little away from the body,
Palms up or down.
And adjust your body until you're completely comfortable.
Keeping your eyes open as you get comfortable and as you listen to the sound of my voice.
And just like you're welcoming a friend,
Welcome this feeling of anxiety you feel now.
Say hello.
Acknowledge it.
Say,
I see you,
Anxiety.
Let's be friends for this time.
And in just a moment,
With your eyes open,
Just notice a spot or a place above you.
Could be on the ceiling,
A ceiling fan,
Or the sky,
Or a star.
With your eyes open,
Just notice this object.
And as you notice this object,
As you see this object,
Just notice how it looks.
What's the shape?
Is it making a sound?
Noticing this object and noticing your mind coming back to the present moment.
And in just a moment,
You'll close your eyes.
And when you close your eyes,
In your mind's eye,
You'll see this object that you were looking at.
And in just a moment,
When you close your eyes,
You'll see this object in your mind's eye and it'll start to fade away.
Now,
Close your eyes.
And that object you were looking at starts to dissolve.
It starts to fade away.
Because all you have to do is listen to the sound of my voice and breathe.
Keeping your eyes closed throughout the practice.
Now notice your breathing.
Notice your breath.
And there's nothing to do right now with your breath.
Just notice your breath.
Is your breath smooth?
Is it deep or is it shallow or is it choppy?
How does your breath feel?
Noticing the breath,
Observing the breath,
Asking yourself,
How does my breath feel?
How does my breath feel?
And in just a moment,
You'll soon start to take control of your breath with a breathing technique that'll relax your nervous system.
In just a moment,
With your mouth closed,
You'll breathe in through the nose a four count.
Holding your breath a two count and exhaling out your mouth a six count.
Not yet,
But in just a moment,
With the mouth closed,
You'll breathe in through the nose a four count.
Holding the breath a two count and exhaling out the mouth a six count.
Let's begin.
Exhale all the air out of your mouth.
Make a ha sound.
Ha.
Close the mouth.
Inhale a four count through the nose.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold.
One,
Two.
Open the mouth.
Exhale,
Six count.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Close the mouth.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold two.
One,
Two.
Exhale out the mouth a six count.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Inhale through the nose four.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold.
One,
Two.
Exhale out the mouth a six count.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Just keep this breath going on your own.
Release.
Releasing the breath.
Letting go of the counting.
Coming back to a steady,
Natural,
Intuitive breath.
Close the mouth and breathe in and out through your nose.
Steady,
Comfortable,
Natural breath.
Finding your breath.
A steady,
Comfortable,
Natural,
And intuitive breath.
Completely relax.
Completely let go.
And say silently to yourself,
I will relax.
I will relax.
When practicing yoga nidra,
Completely relax.
This is not a practice in concentration.
Just follow the instructions.
But if you miss a few,
It doesn't matter.
What's important is you keep listening to the sound of my voice and the suggestions.
Yoga nidra is a scientific method.
It releases the threefold tensions.
Muscular,
Emotional,
And mental.
During yoga nidra,
You are functioning on hearing and awareness.
The only important thing is to follow my voice.
You'll soon develop a feeling of relaxation like the feeling you have just before sleep.
If sleep does come,
Don't fight it.
But it's helpful to make a resolve.
Saying to yourself,
I will not sleep,
I will remain awake during my practice.
I will not sleep,
I will remain awake during my practice.
Do not overanalyze the instructions.
Just follow with total intention and feeling.
If thoughts do come,
Don't worry.
Take a passive approach to restless thoughts.
Just let them come and go as you listen to the sound of my voice.
Now allow yourself to fully relax.
Bring about a feeling of inner relaxation.
Concentrate on the body.
Be aware of stillness.
Become aware of the fact that you are practicing yoga nidra.
Allow yourself to practice.
Allow yourself to relax.
Giving yourself permission to relax.
Giving yourself permission to let go.
And say silently to yourself,
I am aware I'm going to practice yoga nidra.
I am aware I'm going to practice yoga nidra.
The practice now begins.
We begin with the resolve,
A sankalpa.
When our minds are relaxed,
We are open to auto suggestion.
A sankalpa is a short positive statement in the present moment.
We state it three times with awareness,
Feeling,
And passion.
The wording must be clear.
For example,
I am grateful in every moment.
Or I let go of what does not serve me.
Find a sankalpa that works for you.
And in just a moment,
I'll give you time to set your sankalpa.
And once you set your sankalpa,
Repeat it three times to yourself.
Now,
Set your sankalpa.
Once you set your sankalpa,
There's no reason to change it.
Basically,
You're planting a seed in your subconscious mind.
And just like a seed planted in the ground,
The sankalpa will grow in your subconscious mind.
Each and every cell in your body,
Every muscle fiber,
The sankalpa will grow all throughout your body.
Because all you have to do is breathe and listen to the sound of my voice.
Now we come to the rotation of the mind to scan the body.
A full body scan.
And in just a moment,
I'll name a body part and send your full awareness and attention to that body part.
And as you send your full awareness and attention to that body part,
That body part relaxes even deeper and deeper.
Now bring your awareness to your right thumb.
Full awareness,
Full attention to your right thumb.
Right index finger.
Right middle finger.
Right ring finger.
Right pinky finger.
Right elbow of the right hand.
Palm of the right hand.
Right wrist.
Right forearm.
Right elbow.
Upper right arm.
Right shoulder.
Right armpit.
Right waist.
Right hip.
Right thigh.
Right knee.
Right shin.
Right calf muscle.
Right ankle.
Heel of the right foot.
Soul of the right foot.
Top of the right foot.
Right big toe.
Right second toe.
Right third toe.
Right fourth toe.
Right fifth toe.
Bring your awareness and attention to your entire right side.
Full awareness,
Full attention to your entire right side.
Now bring your attention to your left thumb.
Left index finger.
Left middle finger.
Left ring finger.
Left pinky finger.
Top of the left hand.
Palm of the left hand.
Left wrist.
Left forearm.
Left elbow.
Upper left arm.
Left shoulder.
Left armpit.
Left side waist.
Left hip.
Left thigh.
Left knee.
Left shin.
Left calf muscle.
Left ankle.
Heel of the left foot.
Soul of the left foot.
Top of the left foot.
Left big toe.
Left second toe.
Left third toe.
Left fourth toe.
Left fifth toe.
Bring your awareness and attention to your entire left side.
Full awareness,
Full attention to your entire left side.
Now bring your awareness and attention to your throat.
Full awareness,
Full attention to your throat.
And neck.
Back of the head.
Top of the head.
Forehead.
Right ear.
Left ear.
Bring your awareness and attention to your chin.
Right cheek.
Left cheek.
Bring your awareness and attention to your lower lip.
Upper lip.
Bring awareness and attention to your tongue.
Tip of the nose.
Bridge of the nose.
Right eyebrow.
Left eyebrow.
Right eyelid.
Left eyelid.
Bring awareness and attention to both eyes.
Relaxing both eyes.
Bring your awareness to the middle of your brow line.
Now bring awareness to your entire face.
Full awareness,
Full attention to your entire face.
Now your entire head.
Full awareness,
Full attention to your entire head.
Relaxing more and more.
Now bring your awareness and attention to your right shoulder blade.
Left shoulder blade.
Middle of the right back.
Middle of the left back.
Lower right back.
Lower left back.
Bring your awareness to your entire spine.
All the way up and all the way down.
Bring your awareness and attention to your entire back.
Your full back relaxes.
Now bring your awareness to your right collarbone.
Left collarbone.
Right chest.
Left chest.
Top of the stomach.
Middle of the stomach.
Lower stomach.
Right groin.
Left groin.
Bring your attention to your entire torso.
Relaxing your torso.
Slowly relaxing.
Now bring your awareness to your right hand.
Left hand.
Both hands.
Bring your awareness and attention to your right arm.
Your entire right arm.
Now left arm.
Entire left arm.
Now both arms.
Bring your awareness and attention to both arms.
Bring your awareness to your right foot.
Left foot.
Both feet.
Right leg.
Entire right leg.
And left leg.
Both legs.
Relaxing both legs.
Now bring your awareness to your entire right side.
Now your left side.
Both sides.
Bring your attention and awareness to your entire body.
Full awareness,
Full attention to your entire body.
Relaxing your body deeper and deeper and deeper still.
Whole body relaxes.
Whole body surrenders.
Each and every breath you take.
And in just a moment,
I wonder if you can count your breath.
And in just a moment,
You'll breathe in 47.
And you'll breathe out 47.
Then you'll breathe in 46.
And out 46.
And you'll continue to count backwards.
If you drift off,
Just come back to the beginning at 47.
Be gentle with yourself.
If your mind fades away,
Just start over at 47.
Now breathe in 47.
Breathe out 47.
Breathe in 46.
Breathe out 46.
Continue down.
Now breathe in 47.
Breathe out 47.
Breathe out 46.
Breathe in 47.
Breathe out 47.
Now let go of your breathing.
Let go of the counting.
Fully relaxing as you listen to the sound of my voice.
You may be asleep,
And that's okay.
But noticing how relaxed you are compared to when you started.
As you listen to the sound of my voice,
You go deeper and deeper still.
And in just a moment,
I wonder if you can use that great imagination of yours.
And in just a moment,
We will start to visualize.
You'll use that great imagination.
I'll name an object,
Then you visualize it.
If you can't visualize it,
Just think of it.
If you can't imagine it,
Imagine imagining it.
Sometimes I'll go slowly.
Sometimes I'll go fast.
Some images might be the same,
But don't try to control or overthink the process.
Just listen to the sound of my voice.
And whatever image comes up,
It comes up.
Now imagine a warm sunrise.
A foggy morning.
Snow capped mountains.
Cool,
Clear water.
The moon shining bright in the night.
A candle burning.
Lush forest with tall,
Tall trees.
A sandy beach.
A nice path in the woods.
A candle burning.
A cold bath.
The sunset beyond the mountains.
A sandy beach.
Waves rolling on a sandy beach.
A moonlit night.
A cold bath.
Foggy morning.
Cool,
Clear water.
The bright sun shining overhead.
A warm sunrise.
A sandy beach.
A ship sailing on the sea.
A refreshing waterfall.
Stars shining bright in the night.
A relaxing campfire.
The sunset beyond the mountains.
Your reflection in the mirror.
Candle burning.
Snow capped mountains.
Lush forest with tall,
Tall trees.
A baby laughing.
Birds flying in the sky.
Your reflection in the mirror.
A sandy beach.
A ship sailing on the sea.
Sun shining overhead.
A sandy beach.
Warm sunrise.
Peacock feather.
Foggy morning.
A sandy beach.
Tall,
Tall trees.
Cat stretching.
A path in the woods.
A cold bath.
The sunset beyond the mountains.
Your reflection in the mirror.
A candle burning.
Your reflection in the mirror.
A sandy beach.
Cool,
Clear water.
Peacock feather.
Warm sunrise.
Snow capped mountains.
A sandy beach.
Waves rolling on the sandy beach.
A moonlit night.
A cold bath.
Foggy morning.
Cool,
Clear water.
Sun shining overhead.
Candle burning.
Warm sunrise.
Lush forest with tall,
Tall trees.
A sandy beach.
Stars shining bright in the night.
A cold bath.
Baby laughing.
A candle burning.
Your reflection in the mirror.
A sandy beach.
A ship sailing on the sea.
Cool,
Clear water.
Your reflection in the mirror.
A moonlit night.
Relaxing campfire.
A candle burning.
Your reflection in the mirror.
Coming back to your body.
Coming back to your breath.
Just noticing your room,
The space around you with your eyes closed.
Noticing how relaxed you feel.
You may be asleep and that's okay.
But just noticing your body.
And your breath.
And this feeling of ease.
This feeling of relaxation.
And if you'd like to remember your sankalpa,
Remember it now.
Remembering your sankalpa now.
Noticing the air on your skin in your room.
And any sounds you hear inside or outside your room.
Just noticing those sounds.
Coming back to your physical body.
Visualizing your surroundings.
The practice of yoga nidra is now complete.
And you can remain here as long as you'd like.
Whenever you're ready,
You can open your eyes.
Coming back to your room,
To the space.
And taking this feeling of relaxation with you.
Throughout your day.
Throughout your night.
Throughout your week.
Throughout your month.
Throughout your year.
Thank you so much for practicing with me.
Have an amazing day.
Namaste.
4.8 (192)
Recent Reviews
🌹
June 4, 2025
This meditation calms me down almost every night without fail. Thank you so much Yogi Brian!
Dara
October 7, 2023
The practice was great. Just being nitpicky but please pronounce nidra as NID RUH (nid like Sid) and SUN-kAlpuh. It’s like an ear worm when people pronounce nidra like need-rah. It takes me out of the mental space. Thank you 🙏
Ferry
December 29, 2022
Soothing. Slept half of it, so definitly going to try again.