Radical Rest Yoga Nidra for Seeing The Worst

How we interact with the world is formed through patterns.

When I see food I love, I get hungry.

Or when I cross the road, I look a certain way (Brits aboard, am I right?)

Patterns are how we form neurological pathways to ‘automate’ some of the things we do in life, and when we have a new experience that is beneficial to us, we ‘pattern match’ it with patterns we already have.

This pattern match is great for most things, but when we create negative behaviours, or less useful ones that may have worked once but are no longer helpful, then we start to build far less useful patterns.

When we get anxious or depressed, we develop patterns in our behaviour that can mean we see the worst in situations. This is part of our inbuilt defence system that is designed to keep us safe. Which is great when we need to feel safe, but not so great when applied to… well, everything else. Our anxiety and/or depression has made our world view one that is looking for the worst possible outcome, and that builds a pattern in our being to expect the worst.

FYI: This is different from planning for the worst, and hoping for the best, if that was the case, you would make sure you have jump cables in the car. Expecting the worst means you don’t even attempt to get in the car, because it’s going to be a rubbish day anyway, and remember that time 20 years ago when the battery was dead? That is bound to happen again. Etc. Etc.

Seeing the worst in every situation can remove the excitement, or anticipation, or even the fun in an event. That is less than ideal.

This pattern is caused by anxious and/or depressed behaviour and occurs when a human need is not being met. Good news - patterns can be changed. This means that even if you have created a pattern that you perceive as negative, it can be modified, or even removed. A way that I know works and love to use with my clients is guided imagery.

Radical Rest is one form of guided imagery, and to help with modifying this behavioural pathway I’ve made you a Yoga Nidra to help.

This particular RadicalRest Yoga Nidra uses a soundscape recorded in Iceland and has a relaxing drone in the background to take you deeper into a relaxed state that allows your neurons and neuropathways to reform in to new and positive patterns.