15:24

Physiological Sighs & Mindfulness to Reduce Stress

by Courtney McCarthy

Rated
4.8
Type
guided
Activity
Meditation
Suitable for
Everyone
Plays
136

Physiological signs are a powerful breathing technique to reduce stress. You will be guided through this breathing technique, which is followed by a guided meditation to help you tap into your mindfulness skills. To step out of the anxiety spiral and into the present moment.

BreathingStressMindfulnessAnxietyBody AwarenessAffirmationsSelf InquiryBreathing AwarenessGuided MeditationsMindful MovementsPhysiological Sigh

Transcript

Today we're going to be doing two different sorts of techniques.

The first is going to be a breathing technique together which is called a physiological sigh.

It is an amazing way to release stress and reset the energy in the body.

We're also going to do a guided meditation about mindfulness.

So when you're ready,

You can close your eyes or soften your gaze.

Bring your awareness to the body and to your breath.

For this practice today,

You can be in any position that feels good for you.

I'm going to describe so that you can keep your eyes closed and focus inward.

I'm going to describe what we'll be doing with our hands.

So as long as you can freely move your arms,

That will give you the maximum benefits of this breathing technique.

We're going to start by doing the physiological sighs.

This is a big,

Deep inhale.

A long inhale.

Followed by a short inhale at the top.

And then we exhale out with a big sigh.

That's where if you want to move,

We're going to inhale the arms up with both of those big inhales.

And exhale,

Really let the arms fall back down.

And ideally with this sigh,

Having a little bit of an auditory sound and release with the breath.

So when you're ready,

Let's start with a nice big,

Long inhale.

Breathing in.

Short little inhale at the top.

And then big exhale.

Big,

Deep breath in.

Little breath at the top.

Big exhale.

Inhale.

Short inhale.

Exhale,

Feel whatever it is,

Release from the body that you've been carrying,

That you want to no longer hold on to today.

Inhale.

Short inhale.

Exhale,

Big sigh.

Feeling the body getting lighter with each breath.

Inhale up.

Short inhale.

Exhale,

Release.

Let's do this two more times.

Inhale.

Big exhale.

One more time,

Big,

Deep breath in.

Short inhale.

Exhale.

Returning to your normal breath.

Feeling the rise with your inhale and fall with your exhale.

And I want to invite you to take this as an opportunity to be present and explore.

Noticing the sensations in your body as it wanders.

Noticing where it goes.

Without judgment.

Without shame.

Without letting yourself get sucked into the thought or to the experience.

Just being present.

You can start by noticing the sensations of whatever it is you're sitting or lying on.

Is it bumpy?

Is it smooth?

Is it hot to touch?

Is it cool?

Is it neutral?

What does it feel like against your skin?

And if we notice the breath,

And we follow it as it enters our nose,

Travels inward and down,

Can you feel the diaphragm move?

Can you feel the lungs expand?

And then you feel the diaphragm contract.

Can you feel the belly fall as the air travels back up and out your mouth?

Can you notice what you hear around you?

Both the sounds of the frequencies and the music in this meditation,

But also wherever you are.

And can you notice what's happening in your body?

Is there anything that's contracting or restricting?

Is your jaw clenched?

Are your shoulders coming forward?

Are we allowing them to relax?

Unclenching the jaw,

Dropping the shoulders down,

Away from the ears?

Is there anything that your body is asking of you?

Is it craving stillness?

Or is it itching to move?

And how can you honor that need,

That energy of stillness or movement in the body in this moment?

Can you ground deeper into your hips,

Into the floor?

Can you lengthen through the spine?

Can you gently find circular motions of the shoulders,

The hips,

Or the chest?

And if you pose the question to your body,

Whether you just listen to my voice or repeat it in your mind,

Or whether you say it out loud and listen for the response,

What is your body telling you right now in this moment?

What do you need from me today?

Are you hungry?

Are you thirsty?

Are you tired?

Do you want me to move with you?

Do you want me to be still with you?

Do you want me to be gentle?

Or are we ready to push together into a new challenge?

As our session today comes to a close,

I'll guide us with some meditation.

I'll guide you through the process of meditation.

I'll guide you through the process of meditation.

I'll guide you through the process of meditation.

I'll guide you through the process of meditation.

I'll guide you through the process of meditation.

I'll guide you through the process of meditation.

I'll guide you through the process of meditation.

I'll guide us with some affirmations.

If they resonate with you,

You can once again just listen to my voice,

You can repeat them in your own head or speak them out loud.

In response to the questions and the curiosity we've been posing to our body,

If there's affirmations that you need to hear,

That you want to add in or create for yourself,

You can always have a conversation.

I am safe.

It is okay for me to be here in this moment and just focus on the next best decision today.

I will focus on my breath.

I will be curious and open.

I will be in harmony with my body today.

I will notice my breath.

I will take time to come back to the stillness or to the movement my body is craving whenever I need it.

I am doing a good job.

I am enough,

Whatever it is that looks like for me today.

I am enough,

Whatever it is that looks like for me today.

We'll bring ourselves back to the present moment and be ready to get back into movement and the rest of our day.

Gently wiggle the fingers,

Wiggle the toes.

You can raise your eyebrows up and down,

Wiggle your nose gently,

Bring the corners of your lips into a smile.

Let's take one more big deep breath together.

Big inhale,

Feel the belly rise,

Exhale.

Let it fall.

When you're ready,

You can gently open your eyes.

Choose any sort of movement that feels good for you to bring yourself back to the present moment.

Thank you so much for joining me today for this time to be present and be mindful of our bodies.

I hope you enjoyed it and I hope you have a fantastic rest of your day.

Meet your Teacher

Courtney McCarthyOntario, Canada

4.8 (11)

Recent Reviews

Rebecca

October 24, 2024

Just what I needed this morning. Thank you 🙏

Dawn

June 20, 2024

Awesome!!

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© 2025 Courtney McCarthy. All rights reserved. All copyright in this work remains with the original creator. No part of this material may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

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