This month, we turn our focus to Relaxation as a dynamic process of renewal central to inner vitality and well-being.

At Big Shakti, we view relaxation as an art and a science. Far from a luxury or indulgence, deep relaxation is a foundational skill in yoga and meditation—one that recharges the nervous system, clears mental clutter, and restores the body’s innate healing intelligence. Without it, even the most dedicated spiritual practice can become strained, disconnected from the very essence it seeks to access.

While meditation can lead to relaxation, we've found that in our personal experience and in our students’ journeys, when relaxation is practiced as its own discreet discipline, it profoundly enhances meditation. The body becomes more settled, the breath becomes more rhythmic, and the mind becomes more spacious. Instead of struggling to quieten the mind and stop the chatter, we begin the meditation already primed—available to the deeper states of stillness, insight, and awareness.

True relaxation is not just the absence of tension. It is a state of conscious letting go, where the senses draw inward, breath softens, and the mind becomes receptive. It is a return to our natural state—free of grasping, free of pushing, and attuned to the deeper rhythms of life. The ancient yogis knew that when we relax deeply, we become more available to subtle experience. We open to intuition, clarity, and a greater sense of presence. In fact, many of our students tell us that it is during Yoga Nidra or guided deep relaxation that they experience some of their most profound insights.

In this edition of our eMag, we invite you to explore the power of conscious relaxation—not only as a remedy for exhaustion, but as a doorway to resilience, creativity, and inner connection. 

Reflection  

Here are five reflection points to consider as you move through the month:

1. Letting Go, Consciously

   When you relax, are you collapsing from exhaustion or consciously releasing tension? How would it feel to bring more awareness into your moments of rest?

2. Priming for Stillness

   Before you meditate, how relaxed is your body and breath? What changes when you enter meditation already softened and prepared?

3. The Rest You Resist

   Is there a part of you that feels guilty or anxious when you attempt to rest? What beliefs or patterns might be standing in the way of deep replenishment?

4. Rest as Practice

   How might you treat relaxation as a daily ritual essential for spiritual practice, not just a response to fatigue, but as a path to deeper connection?

5. Listening Within

   What insights emerge when you allow yourself to be still and receptive? What is revealed when the noise quietens and the nervous system calms?

Featured Teaching

Relaxation Meditation Course

SELF-PACED COURSE: 4 Core Training Modules, 46 Lessons, 7 Integration Exercises, 4 Guided Meditations, 8 CPD points, Teacher Support 

🌿 7 Benefits of the Relaxation Meditation Course 

1. Releases Deep-Seated Tension

   Learn how to systematically relax muscles, nerves, and mental patterns—freeing the body and mind from chronic tension and fatigue.

2. Calms the Overactive Mind

   Reduce mental chatter, dissolve anxiety, and restore clarity through structured guidance that gently leads you into a state of stillness.

3. Strengthens the Nervous System

   Enhance your body’s ability to self-regulate by activating the parasympathetic response, which is essential for resilience, digestion, immunity, and sleep.

4. Prepares the Mind for Deeper Meditation

   By relaxing first, you create an internal environment that supports effortless access to meditative states—primed, open, and receptive.

5. Restores Inner Balance and Emotional Stability

   Discover how conscious relaxation helps neutralize emotional reactivity and cultivates a sense of inner harmony and groundedness.

6. Awakens Self-Awareness

   Develop a subtle awareness and insight into your personal stress triggers and how to manage them effectively. 

7. Builds a Lifelong Foundation for Wellbeing

   Establish a reliable inner sanctuary of peace you can return to anytime, anywhere, especially in times of stress, change, or uncertainty.

Ready to experience the transformative power of conscious relaxation?

Our Relaxation Meditation course guides you step-by-step into deeper rest, inner clarity, and lasting resilience. Whether you're new to relaxation or seeking to deepen your meditation practice, this course provides a practical and nourishing pathway to restore your energy and reconnect with your true self.

👉 Explore the Course and begin your journey into deep, healing rest

Behind the Scenes

 

We’ve Arrived in Melbourne!

After months spent dreaming, planning, and packing, we’re thrilled to announce: we’ve arrived in Melbourne! Our new home shimmers with creative possibility, and every moment feels charged with the energy of fresh beginnings.

As we unpack boxes and begin to re-establish our daily rhythms, we're noticing how a change in physical space gently rearranges the internal landscape. Each window, each corner, offers a new vantage point. Even the silence here has a different tone — less oceanic, more subterranean. The light and weather shift more rapidly; the sky, scents, and atmosphere are all different here.

Sydney held us in its vast, expansive embrace for many years — its golden sunrises, harbourside, and beaches will always remain bright memories. But this new city offers a different kind of nourishment. Melbourne invites depth, intimacy, and reflection. It welcomes rain and reverie, conversation and creativity.

We are already feeling the pulse of this place, in the smell of roasted coffee wafting from a tiny café, the fantastic blend of cultures and ideologies, and the joy of being close to old friends. We are calm and excited about beginning again.

Of course, it’s not just about location. The real work—and the absolute joy—is in carrying our inner practice with us, setting up a new ritual space, organizing our overflowing library (we have too many books), anchoring it all through our sadhana, and listening closely to what wants to emerge in this new season of life.

We’re looking forward to sharing the next phase of Big Shakti’s evolution with you from here: new teachings, new creations, and a renewed commitment to the inner life that connects us across all distances.

Oh, and BTW: What changes are you making to bring new energy to your life? We'd love to hear from you!

Jayne and Swami Shankardev

📨 If you enjoy and benefit from our eMag and our work, please consider sharing it with someone you think will also help. Thank you!