Unlock Endorphins

In today's session with Stephanie Nash, you will explore how to instantly access endorphins and serotonin which can dramatically shift your mood and thoughts to a more positive perspective. Replace the stress hormone, cortisol, with nature’s euphoria and well-being. You will also explore how to stretch the body to counteract the contraction created by stress.

Transcript

This meditation is designed to help your system de-stress immediately.

So if you're feeling particularly stressed or agitated,

This is a good meditation to use as a first line of defense,

Especially before taking action,

Making decisions,

Or responding to someone.

So find a comfortable place where you won't be interrupted for a few minutes and take a moment to close your eyes and take a deep breath in and a big sigh out,

Really tangibly feeling what lets go on the breath out.

Then on the next breath out,

Let the jaw drop,

Let the face be soft,

Let the shoulders drop,

Let your elbows be beside the body,

Not in front,

So that the weight of the arms naturally pulls the shoulders down and opens the chest.

And let the belly be soft.

Let go of any holding or tightness in the belly or chest.

No need to brace yourself or hold together.

Just let all that go.

Now,

Tune in to where you feel the breath,

The breathing process,

Most tangibly.

Maybe at the nose,

Maybe in the chest,

Maybe in the belly.

And feel that movement of the air coming in and going out.

Maybe it's a rise and fall of the chest,

Maybe an expansion contraction in the middle of the torso,

Or the cool air coming in and the warm air going out at the nostrils.

And just feel the movement of the breath as you breathe naturally.

Now,

Let the out breath,

The exhalation,

Be slightly longer than the inhalation.

But without pushing or forcing,

Just let it naturally and easily extend longer.

A way to help this is to count.

For example,

In 2,

3,

Out 2,

3,

4.

In 2,

3,

4.

Out 2,

3,

4,

5,

6.

It doesn't matter whether you go to 3 or to 7,

Just that the exhalation is longer than the inhalation.

We want to extend the breath out without efforting or squeezing to make it so.

Just allow the breath out to be a long,

Slow,

Cool exhalation.

In 2,

3,

Out 2,

3,

4.

Or whatever your count is.

So at your own pace,

With whatever your count is,

Just do that for the next minute or so.

In 2,

3,

Out 2,

3,

4.

Whatever it is for you.

Just keep allowing that breath out to just extend a little extra.

Just let it be a little bit longer.

Keep allowing the breath out to be longer,

With ease.

No effort,

No squeezing,

No controlling.

Just allow the breath out to be naturally longer than the breath in.

And you don't have to do the counting.

That's only if it makes it easier.

Good.

This simple mindfulness exercise of extending the breath out is one of the quickest ways to help the system settle.

It helps stop cortisol,

The stress hormone,

From flooding the system.

And it should quite quickly help your whole system settle in a good way.

To help you be more relaxed and present.

And for just a few more breaths,

Allow the breath out to just extend longer than the breath in.

Now feel your feet,

Your hands,

The tangible touch of your skin contacting the chair,

Whatever you're sitting on,

The pressure,

The clothes.

These tangible sensations that bring you to the present moment.

And allow any settling and relaxation in your system to just continue naturally.

So that as you make the transition from this eyes closed practice to whatever comes next,

The momentum of settledness and presence that you've gotten in touch with during this meditation,

Will naturally continue through whatever you do after this meditation.

Reviews

Thank you so much for this strategy! I’m awfully stressed by work and I’ve been feeling bad for weeks. This exercise was such a relief 😮‍💨

How handy to know. Laughter truly is the best medicine.

Genius! I’ve been a committed meditator, mostly guided, for many years, and this is the most unique idea I’ve come across in a long time, and so effective! Although I found a natural laugh hard to come by initially, by the end, I was having a hard time stopping. Thank you so much for this!

I’ve been meditating for many years and am always looking for something new . This was and it kept me so engaged I didn’t get interrupted by thoughts.
I loved it 😊

That was soo good I have been meditating for well over a year now with guided meditation & that was by far the most liberating yet entertaining one yet, I feel absolutely amazing!
Thankyou!

Amazing, uplifting & joyful! 😂Thank you 😇❤️

Refreshing change of pace using all the mindfulness at the same time

Incredible! So simple and yet so powerful. Thank you so much for making us aware. And your laughter is infectious.

So much fun!

I started out heavy, tired and mopey. That gave me a burst of energy, I feel lighter, a lot more positive. Thank you for this!!

I love ❤️ your energy for laughter 😆 I even put it on my calendar on every Friday to remind myself to do the 3 bounce chuckle 😁 Ty❤️

I love this! I made it part of my morning routine and have listened to it every morning since I first heard it in the stress challenge. My body feels softer every morning because of the stretching. Just what I needed.

I had heard of laughter meditation before this, but I never quite understood what it was. Now I know and I love it. 😄

Really information and I didn't feel better. I never ended up in z real laugh, but by the end I realized I had a real smile on my face. I did this first thing in the morning, before even getting out of bed, and the three bounce deep exhalation kept making me cough, so maybe that was getting in the way of laughing. I will definitely try this at different times if the day.

It's a genius meditation! I did it while I was fine, to learn it, but I think it works even better if we're stressed, as tension is the key element of laughter, as many comedians say, because it gives you something to release, so every sort of pain can become fuel for a better mood! Thank you and hugs to all!!

Amazing experience in a such a short time. Thank you 🙏🙏❤❤

Thank you Stephanie, feeling much more jolly. Grateful for your presence and practice! Sending good wishes with a big smile and a chuckle!

What a joy. By far the most fun meditation i've ever done. My cat sat up and took notice. And now I can't stop smiling... thank you fir that.

Excellent support and practical recommendations for work. Will share with colleagues within the school, teachers and counselors and students Namaste.

This is so perfect🙏
I am a laughter yoga instructor and I am preparing to do laughter yoga at a care center. I have been struggling because I also am recovering from rotator cuff surgery and have not been laughing.
Since the challenge I have been using this often on, but this definitely is something I am going to do at least once a day.
I loved it the first time, and I have it on my playlist but thanks for the reminder that I feel so much better when I laugh!
Blessings of gratitude and laughter🙏

You're great, laughing and smiling through the day. I think people think I've lost it. 🤣🤣🤣🤣