Hello my loves,
My name is Chris and welcome back to another guided meditation.
In today's practice,
We'll go over a simple sighing breath for stress reduction.
Sighing is something we do naturally throughout the day,
Often unconsciously.
However,
When done intentionally,
It can be a powerful tool for resetting the nervous system.
Studies show that sighing activates the parasympathetic nervous system.
That's the body's natural relaxation response.
It helps to lower heart rate,
Reduce tension,
And shift us out of that stress response.
A study from Stanford University found that a physiological sigh,
Which consists of a deep inhale followed by a second smaller inhale before exhaling fully,
Helps to regulate carbon dioxide levels in the body and can quickly reduce feelings of stress and overwhelm.
By practicing this breath work,
We are giving our body the message that it is safe,
Helping to calm the mind,
Ease tension,
And to create a sense of spaciousness within.
So let's begin our practice.
Take a moment to find a comfortable seated or even lying down position.
Gently close your eyes or if you prefer,
Just soften your gaze.
Allow your hands to rest comfortably on your lap or even by your sides.
And begin simply by just noticing your breath.
Without changing it,
Just observe.
Observe the gentle rise and the fall of your chest maybe.
Or maybe even the natural rhythm of your inhale and your exhale.
And wherever you're at,
We'll come all together and take a deep inhale through the nose.
And exhale out through the mouth with a big sigh.
Let's do that again.
We'll inhale deeply.
And when you exhale,
Open the mouth,
Sigh it out.
Letting go of any tension you might be holding on into your body.
Keep doing that here.
Inhale and open the mouth,
Sigh it out.
Feel free to do a few more times.
Wherever you're at,
Come back to your natural breathing pattern.
And we'll begin to deepen this breath with the physiological sigh.
So to do this,
We'll take a deep inhale through the nose.
And then when we're there,
We'll take a second smaller sip of air through the nose,
Filling the lungs completely.
And then we'll exhale fully through the mouth with an audible sigh.
Let's do that together.
We'll inhale fully through the nose.
Take that second smaller sip of air.
And sigh it out.
Again,
Inhale deeply.
Second sip.
And sigh it out.
Feel your shoulders softening,
Your jaw relaxing.
Now continue at your own pace,
Allowing each exhale to release any stress and tension from your body.
And with every sigh,
Maybe you feel yourself sinking deeper and deeper into relaxation.
And as you're here,
Just take a quick moment to scan your body.
Maybe notice how you feel.
Perhaps there's a sense of lightness,
Ease,
Or even calm washing over you.
Remember,
Whenever you feel stress building throughout your day,
Remember that a simple sigh can bring you back to balance.
Let's take one final deep inhale together and sigh it out completely.
So I'll inhale here now.
And sigh it out.
And whenever you feel ready,
You can begin to gently wiggle the toes,
The fingers,
Rock the head side to side.
And maybe bring your hands to prayer at heart center.
As we bow our heads down to the great wise teacher that resides in each and every one of us,
Thanking you all truly for coming and sharing this practice today.
The God light and everything good inside me.
Bows and honors,
The God light and everything good inside each and every one of you.
Namaste.
Love you all.
