I want to share three tools I use to drop into a deeper feeling of rest and relaxation. One is Yoga Nidra (also called Non sleep deep rest), the other is TRE (trauma release exercises), and the third is a favorite playlist. I don’t have a regular or formal practice with these. I use them when it feels right to.
1. Yoga Nidra
When I was pregnant, I experienced a surge of anxiety and extra mental energy. I was exhausted, but wired. I also stopped drinking alcohol, smoking weed, and drinking coffee the week I found out I was pregnant. All three of those substances were things I had used to regulate my emotions and find peace of mind.
Looking back I see there was a lot going on for my nervous system. A new job, the hormonal changes of pregnancy, quitting those substances, and the emotional preparation of motherhood. But in the midst of it, it felt like anxiety and showed up as insomnia.
This was when I found yoga nidra. It comes from the yoga tradition, but is finding a lot of widespread use as a tool for relaxation. There is lots of information online about it, and there are plenty of free videos available on YouTube and Amazon Prime. This one is my favorite. I find her voice and the music particularly soothing.
2. TRE or Trauma Release Exercise
The other tool I found is TRE, or Trauma Release Exercise. I heard about it on a blog, and I plunged right in. There are some disclaimers on this video. I’ve learned so much about being present with what comes up for me, that I felt very comfortable experimenting with them on my own. I can image that if you’ve never learned to be present with what arises in your body and see it as safe, that these exercises might freak you out. Read the disclaimer, and listen to your wisdom on this.
The idea behind the exercises is that we’re designed to release tension through muscle tremors–especially the high stress tension of having our flight/fight/freeze/fawn system activated. For example, after a deer escapes pursuit from a predator, it might stand and tremor for a bit before moving on.
3. Relaxing Music Paired with Gentle Movement (or a Bath)
The third tool is this playlist I found during my first trimester. I loved it so much I played it during my c-section (which I experienced as a nonstop panic attack. A story for another time). My OBGYN later told me how much she loved listening to it while performing the surgery.
I like listening to it while stretching, foam rolling, or working with an exercise ball. Sometimes I enjoy it while in the bath. It helps me drop into my body and relax a busy mind.
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I do not use these tools as a way to fix myself. I used to treat tools and techniques that way. Because I was so focused on an end goal, I missed out on the benefit of a lot of tools that came my way. I see these as a way to settle my mind when it is busy and stressing me out. I let the thinking drop away as I look for what’s under the noise. I KNOW my true nature is love, peace, and connection. And I rest in that knowledge as I let my thinking settle.
Wisdom is a space within us. When I am stressed about life, I lose sight of the natural wisdom available to me in the present moment. These tools help me relax into that space. I drop back into that feeling of being safe, at home, and connected. From that space I have a lot more clarity about what I need to do or say in a stressful situation. Sometimes the clarity says to wait and be still. Sometimes it says to act. Sometimes it shows me I made a mountain out of a molehill.
I have learned the most practical thing for me to do is find that deep feeling, and then see how a situation looks from that feeling. The most loving thing I can do for those around me is to operate from that deep feeling as much as I am able to, giving myself plenty of compassion and grace along the way.
Try these out and let me know what you think! You deserve the gift of rest and relaxation. 🙂
Be well,
Gabi
Practical Wisdom 