Breaking Out of Fear and Anxiety
April 2021
Maureen Rae, RN (Ret.), E-RYT, YACEP
……with thanks and notes from Tara Brach
There’s a part of our brain, the primitive reptilian brain, that is left over from the time that we first arrived on the planet. This is part of what is called the Limbic System. The LS served us well way back when when we were hunted by wild animals and by other tribes..... when we were always looking to be warm and fed.....and SAFE. The Limbic System operates in what is now called Sympathetic Nervous System response. When sensing danger, an astronomical amount of specialized hormones, (chemical messengers) are released into the body....and these result in physical ways to keep us safe from harm – to run, to hide, to attack....That is to say, rapid heart beat to bring more blood to legs and arms, rapid breathing to oxygenate muscles, etc. You may have felt these effects in the body when being cut off by another driver, or by another threatening situation in your life, even if it is not real. Sometimes watching a scary movie will do it.
Now, this is all well and good. We still need this Operating System...but the thing is, we don’t need it to be operating CONSTANTLY! Being in SNS response for extended periods of times impairs the bodily organs and results in chronic illness – both physical and mental.
Here’s a step by step way to step out of fear and anxiety.
1. Pause. Just stop whatever you are doing.
Notice your posture. Standing. Sitting, Lying down. “I’m standing, I’m sitting, etc. “
2. What sensations are happening in your body?
Notice what is happening in your body right now. Tightening? Jaw held shut? Brow furrowed? Tears? Shaky? What is happening with my breath? Fast? Jerky? Have I stopped breathing entirely! Am I holding my breath in? Is there a sensation of cold or heat somewhere? Squeezing?
This helps you to just get a real sense of what you are feeling. (called a ‘felt-sense.)
“What emotion am I sensing right now? If it is fear, then to label it fear.” “Ah, this is anxiety.” etc. There is research that states that once you label something, it activates the parasympathetic nervous system and starts to reduce that psychophysiological (mind/body) arousal – so just naming the emotion is so important.
3. Then, the third thing is naming what thoughts are happening right now. You might just say, “My mind is really busy” or “My mind is really chaotic.” This helps you to at least break out of the autopilot response that is still in the brain. In doing so, you are studying the mind, and you are grounding yourself back into this present moment.
You are learning to take control of your mind.
4. Mantra Meditation Tames the “Monkey Mind”
The following is a quote regarding Mantra Meditation from the highly respected yoga and meditation teacher and researcher, Kristine Weber.
“The brain uses several major network systems for cognition – two important ones are the Attention Networks and the Default Networks. The Attention Networks are essential for focusing, paying attention, consciously figuring out problems, etc. These networks light up when we practice mantra meditation.”
Mantra meditation is the recitation of a short phrase in Sanskrit, or you can make up one of your own….be it a prayer, or an affirmation. Mantra is widely used across most Yogic traditions. Perhaps you have heard ‘Om’, or ‘Lokah Samasta Suhkino Bhavantu.’ (May all beings be at peace.) It’s a powerful way to tame the fluctuations of the mind. To train the mind to serve YOU, and not the other way around.
Now, let’s pay particular attention to the second sentence of the above quote – ‘focusing, paying attention, figuring out problems.’ Could this be the reason why so many of us are now having great difficulty in staying focused? Can’t concentrate? Feeling fragmented? Scattered? And how can we possibly figure out the obvious problem of what is coming? No doubt, all agreed we are in a place of great change – where many Humpty Dumptys in high places are tumbling off the walls – where we are seeing the great gaps between those who have, and those who have not. The future isn’t here yet, of course, but who knows how it will all play out? The Universe, I would guess…but since the downloads are few and far between, we will have to practice being patient and being kind. And reciting Mantras.
Tina Turner has a hauntingly beautiful version of Lokah Samasta Suhkina Bhavantu on YouTube. You may want to listen in, and focus for a bit.
Greetings Everyone!
October 2023
My fingers started to type this newsletter before I had actually formalized a plan in my mind….and instead of critiquing and judging what I had written, I just let my fingers go and do their thing - to write what was coming through me, and instead of from me.
This is called, of course, being in ‘the zone’….something that most often happens when I’m teaching yoga. My teacher and mentor, Erich Schiffmann, used to say ‘just open the top of your head and let it flow through you!’ So that is what is happening here, no plan…just fingers making sense (I hope!) of what is flowing through, from me to you.
No plan. Lately I find myself without a concrete plan. Days can go by, where I feel like I haven’t accomplished one doggone thing outside of taking care of basic needs. Can anyone relate?
This is such a difficult time. These last 3 years have essentially broken the world as we knew it. We knew how to move through our days. Where things were. How to manage finances (for the most part). How to relate to one another without a mask. I could go on, but you know what I mean. It’s broken.
This rather realistic (if quite negative) way of thinking needs to be put under a microscope. If you will, please take a look at the giant photo below. I took it in Scotland (in the rain!) a few years ago. I’ve always been immensely intrigued by stone circles, by stories of the ancient Druids, celebrations of the sun and moon and the seasons, and by Celtic songs of woe and wailing. Presumably I owe this hankering to my northern Scottish ancestry. Anyway. Please notice the sheep who seem to be going on their sheep-like way, munching grass and hanging together.
Now notice the rock in the front - left hand side of the picture. Looks exactly like a turtle to me! And in his turtle-like fashion, he is peeking out, and just about to hunker down inside his shell again, making no headway whatsoever.
Life is always about making decisions. In fact, we make decisions every moment of every waking day. And, if you buy into this fact, we need to decide THIS very moment to live our lives as sheep, rather than as turtles.
Hanging Together. (Human beings are in need of one another.) Managing the Essentials, instead of shying away from what is needed. Supporting a Positive Outlook with a Healthy Mind through Meditation and Breath (and yes, bodily movement through yoga.)
Fingers have run out of words. I’m always delighted to have your comments.
Carrying Savasana’s Inner Calm into Everyday Life
April 2025
*Savasana (Corpse Pose) after practice helps the body and mind absorb the benefits of yoga. By fully relaxing in Savasana, we engage the parasympathetic “rest-and-digest” response, grounding the nervous system and releasing accumulated stress . In this settled state the mind becomes quiet and receptive – as one teacher describes, Savasana can induce a “near-perfect harmony” and a state where each exhale “is cleansing and relaxing” . Ideally this peaceful awareness extends off the mat. In fact, yoga writers encourage making Savasana a daily habit: “take savasana once a day for at least five minutes… because when you practice dying a little bit every day, it will literally change your living” . By treating Savasana not as an extra, but as an essential “reset button” for body and mind , practitioners learn to carry its stillness into whatever follows.
Philosophical Foundations of Stillness
Traditional yoga philosophy frames Savasana as the ultimate act of surrender and letting go. Even the 15th-century Hatha Yoga Pradipika bluntly states that lying like a corpse “removes fatigue and gives rest to the mind” . In other words, Savasana dissolves strain and mental chatter, purifying the consciousness. More poetically, modern teachers call it the yogic “practice of dying” – a way to let unwanted elements within us die, releasing ego attachments so we can fully live in the present moment . This mini-“death” metaphor reflects an ancient insight: everything physical eventually passes away, so deep relaxation reminds us to rest in something beyond the body.
Yoga’s great texts under Raja Yoga make a similar point: the goal of practice is to still the mind’s fluctuations (Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtra 1.2). In this view, Savasana is the culmination of the eightfold path – the final asana that steadies body and breath so that meditation becomes possible. As Swami Rama explained, “a quiet mind is the foundation for cultivating a joyful mind; happiness is always preceded by peace”. By fully relaxing in Savasana, we prepare that quiet mind. This establishes the key principle: yoga is not just exercise, but training in inner stillness. Ideally, the true “profit” of Savasana is that relaxation and equanimity infuse all our actions , rather than ending when class ends.
Cultivating Presence and Awareness
In Savasana one practices turning attention inward with subtlety. As Dr. Timothy McCall notes, Savasana is “not spacing out” but rather turning in with ever-more subtlety to what is going on – a clear (sattvic) state of mind . In effect, the mind that was chasing thoughts throughout practice now rests in a calm neutral awareness. Restorative yoga expert Judith Lasater calls this “basic relaxation” a way to cultivate the habit of attention . In Savasana we identify exactly where we hold tension and consciously release it, discovering a quiet space from which to make life choices . Through this process we come into harmony with our body’s natural rhythms – an embodied mindfulness.
Yoga International similarly emphasizes that asana practice quietly rewires our mental patterns: “asana work focuses the mind thoroughly, so that other levels of experience do not intrude” . In other words, the intense bodily focus of yoga replaces noisy thinking with the silent work of aligning body and breath. From this centered state we naturally face the world with more presence. Contemporary teachers encourage viewing Savasana not as a break from practice but the beginning of meditation. For example, one yoga guide points out that the mindful awareness gained in Savasana “can then be carried off the mat and into your daily life,” helping us stay centered amid daily challenges . The goal is a continuous thread of calm: the same equanimity in savasana that lets thoughts arise and dissolve can be applied to every meeting, decision or household task.
Mindfulness and Mental-Training Techniques
Carrying Savasana’s stillness into everyday life involves specific practices and mind training. Key techniques include:
Daily Relaxation Breaks: Even outside class, set aside brief sessions of deep rest. For instance, lie down or sit quietly for 5–15 minutes (as Lasater recommends) to replicate Savasana’s effects . Regular mini-Savasanas or guided meditations help maintain the nervous system’s reset button. As one yogi advises, “When you practice dying a little bit every day, it will literally change your living” .
Mindful Breathing Pauses: Integrate conscious breathing throughout the day. Whenever stressed or before starting a new task, pause for a few long, slow breaths. Focus on the flow of air (as in the pose), letting each exhale ground you . Scientific and spiritual teachers agree that intentional deep breathing restores calm—much like lingering in Savasana. A simple prompt is to “take a breath” at difficult moments, which immediately reconnects you to the body’s relaxation response.
Body Scan and Tension Release: Practice brief body-awareness checks to locate and relax tension (just as a guided Savasana invites a head-to-toe scan ). For example, sit or stand and mentally note any tight spots; breathe into them and let them soften. Lasater suggests using restorative postures to identify where you hold stress and “consciously release it” . Making this a habit breaks the cycle of holding on to tension, keeping the “clear space” created in Savasana alive during daily activities.
Setting Daily Intentions: Begin each morning with a mindful intention. Spend a minute in quiet breath-awareness and ask, “What quality of mind do I want to cultivate today?” As the Mindful.org guide advises, you might choose kindness, patience or focus and reiterate it to yourself as the day proceeds . Each time you revisit that intention—when your mind wanders or a challenge arises—you anchor yourself in the peaceful attitude you nurtured in Savasana.
Mindful Daily Activities: Turn ordinary tasks into practice. For example, before eating, take 3–5 deep breaths to fully arrive in the moment . Eat slowly, savoring each bite rather than rushing. Similarly, walk or do chores with full attention on bodily sensations and surroundings. These small “micro-Savasanas” of daily life stitch mindfulness into routine, so that even mundane moments carry the spacious awareness of stillness.
Cultivating Equanimity: Embrace a yoga mindset off the mat. Remind yourself that emotions and thoughts are transient. When frustrations or cravings arise, observe them nonjudgmentally—acknowledging “this too shall pass,” as Patanjali would suggest. In this spirit of non-attachment, one honors the peace achieved in Savasana by not clinging to pleasant experiences or resisting discomfort. As Swami Rama put it, happiness is always preceded by peace . Cultivating such inner contentment (santosha) in daily life keeps one’s mind steady, just as it is in a balanced Savasana.
Integrating Yoga Wisdom Off the Mat
Yoga philosophy and mindfulness together teach that inner peace is a cultivated skill. The final pose’s stillness is not a reward to abandon, but a portal to living mindfully. By blending these insights—regular pauses of rest, attentive breathing, body-awareness, and conscious intention—one learns to move through each day with Savasana’s calm. Over time, the yoga promise is realized: the qualities gained on the mat become woven into life itself, so that peace and clear awareness flow through every action .
Sources: Insights are drawn from traditional yoga texts and contemporary experts. For example, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika underscores Savasana’s power to still the mind . Modern yoga teachers and medical experts also highlight Savasana’s parasympathetic effects and its role in fostering sustained mindfulness . Mindfulness guides (e.g. Mindful.org) offer practical habits (breathing, intention-setting) that mirror yogic principles . Together, these teachings form a roadmap for carrying Savasana’s inner stillness into daily life.
Here is a 15-minute Deep Relaxation Meditation inspired by the spacious, grounded presence of Savasana. It’s written with a soft, flowing toneM, including gentle pacing and natural pauses.
“Resting in Spacious Stillness” You may record this and play it back to yourself, or have someone read it to you.
Duration: ~15 minutes
Optional background: soft ambient tones, nature sounds, or gentle instrumental music
[Begin]
Welcome.
Find a comfortable position lying down, just as you would for Savasana.
Allow your body to settle.
Let the arms rest a few inches away from your sides… palms open to the sky.
Feet gently fall outward… face soft…
And eyes closed, if that feels right.
Take a slow breath in through the nose…
And a long, smooth exhale out the mouth.
Again… in… and out…
Letting the breath be an invitation… to arrive… fully here.
Let go of the day so far.
Let go of what’s to come.
There’s nowhere to be… nothing to do…
Just this moment.
Just this breath.
[Body Scan – about 5–6 minutes]
Begin to bring awareness to the crown of the head.
Feel the gentle contact of air or the surface beneath you.
Soften the forehead… smooth the brow…
Let the eyes rest in their sockets… jaw relaxed…
Tongue soft in the mouth.
Let your attention drift down the neck and into the shoulders.
If you notice tension, simply meet it with breath…
Imagine it melting… dissolving… releasing downward.
Feel the arms… upper arms… elbows… forearms… hands…
Let them be heavy.
Let them rest.
Now gently scan through the chest…
Feel the rise and fall with each breath…
No need to change anything — just notice…
And allow spaciousness to open with every exhale.
Bring your awareness to the belly…
Let it soften.
With each breath out, feel it relax even more.
Allow the whole belly to rise and fall in rhythm with life itself.
Now down to the pelvis… hips…
Notice what sensations are here.
Let gravity do the work… let the weight of your body be fully supported.
Moving down…
Into the thighs… knees… calves… ankles… and feet.
Feel the whole lower body letting go…
Sinking… softening… releasing into the ground.
Feel your whole body now, from head to toe.
Held.
Supported.
Completely at ease.
[Deepening into Stillness – about 5 minutes]
Begin to notice the subtle rhythm of your breath again.
As if your whole body is breathing.
Inhaling… soft expansion…
Exhaling… quiet release.
Let each breath be like a wave… washing over you…
Cleansing… soothing…
Carrying you deeper into rest.
Now rest in the space between breaths.
The gentle stillness…
The quiet presence that is always here, beneath the surface of doing.
This is the heart of Savasana…
A stillness that does not need to be earned.
A peace that does not come from striving…
But from letting go.
Here, there is nothing to fix.
Nothing to figure out.
Only this moment…
And this breath.
[Closing – about 3 minutes]
Let this feeling of rest…
Of openness…
Of quiet presence…
Begin to ripple out gently…
As though you could carry it with you…
When you’re ready, begin to return with gentle awareness.
Wiggle your fingers and toes.
Maybe roll the head slightly…
Or stretch in any way that feels natural.
Take a few fuller breaths…
Letting this calm and ease integrate…
And when it feels right… slowly open your eyes.
Notice how you feel.
Carry this stillness with you as you re-enter your day…
Softly… mindfully…
As though the peace of Savasana lives within you… always.