The Sigh of Relief

By Bruce Knowlton
National Certified Chi Kung/Tai Chi Teacher

A Sigh of Relief is one of the most powerful self-healing tools we have. Unfortunately, most people do not use it until they are frustrated and angry. It is always preferable to release rather than to store anger, frustration, anxiety and worry. Science has proven that those emotions actually sabotage the immune system and other self-healing mechanisms by producing poisonous chemicals within the body.

If one practices the Sigh of Relief 25 to 30 times a day, it creates a tool the body will use whenever any stress arrives. One will find themselves doing the Sigh of Relief without thinking about it.

Here’s how to do it:

Breathe in, using the diaphragm. On the exhalation release an audible sigh. The sigh can be a sweet, relaxed, soft sigh expressing restfulness and trust, visualize peace and safety. Or it can be a loud groan, freeing accumulated frustration, anxiety, and other tensions. Do it several times. Pay close attention to the sensations you experience. The Sigh of Relief gets your internal medicine moving immediately.

Application Suggestions:

Health Maintenance: As soon as you feel tension building up in your system, use the practice as a prevention.

Health Improvement: Use the method more often. Find a way to be more aware of when tension is just beginning to build up.

Disease Intervention: This practice is a powerful healing tool. Use it often. Even if you are limited in your movement or must spend time in bed, it dramatically activated the relaxation response.

Benefits: Deep breaths are the best lymph pump. The relaxation on the sigh shifts the function of the autonomic nervous system and releases healing neurotransmitters into the system. The capillary circulation opens up when tension is releases, which dramatically reduces blood pressure and the risk of heart attack.