Hello.
Welcome to this mental pause.
There is a quote by Bryant McGill that says,
If you can sit with your pain,
Listen to your pain,
And respect your pain,
In time you will move through your pain.
Well,
I'd like to sit with you in your pain.
Today we're going to practice sigh breathing.
There are different methods of this type of breathing,
But today we're going to practice a simple deep breath followed by an audible sigh.
I'd like you to set up a spot,
Either sitting or lying down,
Whatever feels most comfortable to you today.
Look for things that will make this as relaxing as possible for you.
Maybe a blanket draped on your lap might feel comforting.
Perhaps place a small pillow to support your back or under your knees if you are lying down.
Recognize that your body can feel different from one day to the next.
Sometimes this meditation might feel good lying down,
And sometimes being seated is what you will need.
Emotional pain oftentimes presents itself somewhere in the body.
It can feel like a tightness in your chest,
Or sometimes it feels like a clenched stomach.
It can appear in different ways.
So as you come to your position of rest,
I want you to think about where that might be for you.
Sometimes having a visual of breathing into this area can be a helpful tool.
Alternatively,
You can choose to envision your inhale and exhale as a balloon in your stomach,
Inflating and deflating.
This balloon visual can help to create a more purposeful breath.
Settle in and drop your shoulders.
Depending on what feels right to you,
I have two suggestions for hand placement.
The first is to simply place your right hand over your heart and your left hand on your stomach.
This physical touch can feel very reassuring.
If you're feeling very heightened,
I would suggest placing your right hand on your heart,
But then take your left hand and grab your right shoulder,
Pulling it slightly forward.
It basically should feel like a gentle hug for yourself.
Stay in this position as long as you want,
And then just let your hands drop to whatever position they'd like as the meditation moves on.
Sighing can bring incredible release and relief to pain that you are storing.
We will be taking a breath in for a count of four,
And then I'm going to have you sigh it out.
Now,
A sigh can be as audible as you want it to be.
There are no rules here.
As you practice this type of breathing,
You will notice your sighs may change over time,
Becoming deeper,
Stronger,
Possibly even louder.
So I'm going to guide you through it,
And we're going to do this breath four times,
And you'll notice that with each sigh,
Your shoulders will drop a bit more,
And your body in general will become more relaxed and more likely to give in.
Sometimes as you deepen the sigh,
You'll experience a release and a relief,
Which I mentioned earlier.
So don't be surprised if emotions unexpectedly arise.
Trust the process.
Okay,
Let's begin.
I'll do the first one with you while also keeping count so you have an example of what the sigh might sound like.
Close your eyes if you feel comfortable and safe doing that.
So I'm going to count you in for four.
Begin by just taking a normal breath in and exhaling.
Now inhale for one,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold briefly and release and sigh it out.
Sigh.
Again,
Breathe in one,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold briefly and let it go.
Again,
Breathe in one,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold briefly and release.
Remember to drop those shoulders.
Last time.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold.
Try not to clench your stomach.
And release.
Resume normal but slow breathing.
Take notice if that part of your body that felt clenched feels just a little bit lighter.
And if it doesn't,
That's okay.
I want you to,
As I'm talking,
Just continue with your normal breathing.
But picture breathing into that particular spot that you're experiencing that restriction or tightness.
And as you're doing this breathing,
I want you to say the following out loud or silently to yourself.
I can release some of my pain.
I am stronger than I think I am.
I am doing the best that I can.
Because remember,
You really are.
Sometimes when we are working so hard to keep that cape on,
We forget to take care of ourselves.
Taking some time to allow a little space between you and the pain is a powerful tool.
I want to thank you for letting me spend this time with you.
And I want to leave you with some instructions going forward with the rest of your day.
I want you to go find some refuge in something that you enjoy.
That could be music,
Finding something that might make you laugh,
Calling a friend,
A walk,
Whatever might bring lightness or love to yourself.
Something to release some of that heaviness that you are carrying.
Sometimes pain restricts us from remembering things that bring us joy.
That one step can lead you to move in a direction of healing.
When you are ready,
Open your eyes and go find that refuge.
I wish you well and thank you for letting me sit with you.
