As I have said, the essence of dealing with anxiety is the ability to relax. One of the best ways I know of to calm your nerves is called the “yogic sponge.” In this podcast, I am going to read the text that is very good at inducing relaxation. If you prefer your own voice, or that of a relative or friend, have them read it into the recording device such as the one on your phone. Play it at least once a day, or as often as you feel the need. After a number of repetitions, you won’t even need the recording anymore, as you will hear this script in your head.   The Yogic Sponge Begin by lying down on a firm but cushioned surface, such as a rug or towel. Read this script in a soft, soothing voice. You may want to record your reading, or have it taped by a friend with a great voice, so that you can play it whenever you wish. It's best to lie down on a soft place. Put your hands beside you with your palms down, then let them turn up by themselves naturally. Let your feet spread apart a little bit. Get stretched out and try to get yourself in a nice relaxed position. The idea is to go on a mental trip. Instead of going on a trip away from home, you’re going into the deepest part of yourself, your own personal home. This is a time specifically just for you, nobody else. You’re going to be thinking only about getting yourself into position, so that you can do some really good relaxing. [Begin taping.] Concentrate on your feet, especially your toes. Wiggle them around a little bit. Tense your feet up if you want to, pull them toward you and then just let them go. Let them just relax completely. That’s really good. [Pause.] Now let this feeling of relaxation spread up into your ankles, shinbones, up to your knees. You may want to straighten your legs out and bend them just a little. Make sure the tightness is out of your knees, then let this mellow feeling move up your thighs. Your muscles are letting go and now your legs are starting to become very, very heavy. They are pressing down against the rug and maybe almost through the rug. It feels wonderful to just lie there and sink deeper into this state of serenity. [Pause.] This feeling now is beginning to spread up into your hips and your lower abdomen, up into your stomach. It is beginning now to infiltrate into your chest. Notice that as you start to relax, breathing now becomes slower. In fact, you can take a deep breath, hold it for a while let it go, then hold it. First let all your breath out—all your breath. Now you’re going to inhale. Try it now—I’ll count so that you can tell how long to do each of these three tasks. Breathe in: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; breathe out: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; and hold it: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Notice that you did not after breathing in. The way you are instructed here is better. As you practice this, you’re going to become just like a sponge, just lying there soaking things up. You want to get your breathing to become slower and slower and deeper and deeper.Not just in your chest, but down in your belly, too. [Pause.] Now let the feeling spread into your shoulders. Scrunch your shoulders up, wiggle them around, and make sure that they really let go. Let them “fall” into the floor, so that your entire body now feels very, very heavy. [Pause] This feeling of heaviness is starting to move through your shoulders into your upper arms, down through your elbows and now it’s flowing down into your forearms. Your arms are becoming very heavy. [Pause.] This feeling is now going into your palms, the backs of your hands, slowly going out through your fingers and your thumbs,