Hello and welcome.
This meditation is for those moments when pain feels particularly present.
When your body is asking for more care,
More rest.
Or simply more attention.
You don't need to make the pain disappear during this practice,
And you don't need to force yourself to relax.
For these next few minutes,
The invitation is simply to meet yourself where you are.
With as much kindness and gentleness as you can.
Now find a position that feels as comfortable as possible.
You can sit,
Lie down.
.
.
Or remain exactly as you are.
There is no particular position you need to achieve.
And if closing your eyes doesn't feel comfortable,
You can simply soften your gaze or keep your eyes open.
Begin by noticing the places where your body is supported.
Perhaps the chair or bed you're sitting on?
Or the floor.
And notice how you don't have to hold yourself completely on your own.
Let yourself receive that support.
Start paying attention to how it feels to be supported by the surface beneath you.
The quality of that support.
And if you need to make any adjustments to your posture or shuffle a bit to change position,
Now is the perfect time to do that.
Let this be an intuitive choice that your body makes,
Rather than your mind.
Now bring your attention to your breathing.
You don't need to change anything about your breath.
Just notice it.
The gentle movement of each inhale.
And the natural release of each exhale.
If taking a deeper breath feels good right now,
Just allow that.
And if it doesn't,
There's no need to.
Simply breathe as you are.
And that's enough.
Now gently begin noticing how the pain is showing up for you today.
Try not to analyse it or judge it.
Just focus on the raw physical sensations.
Just notice,
Where do you feel it?
And what kind of pain is it?
Is it sharp pain?
Is it more dull?
Does it feel heavy or tight?
Burning or throbbing.
Or maybe it's difficult to describe.
And whatever you notice is okay.
And now see if you can make a little distinction between the sensation itself and everything your mind may be adding around it.
You might notice thoughts popping up,
Like How long is this going to last?
I can't do this again.
I just wanted to stop.
If these thoughts are there.
You don't need to push them away.
Simply notice them as thoughts.
You might gently want to say to yourself.
This is a difficult moment.
I don't have to solve everything right now.
Just carry on breathing through the sensations in your body as you repeat this mantra in your head or out loud a few times.
Now start thinking about what accepting this pain might mean for you.
Acceptance does not mean giving up or not seeking support.
But it can mean allowing yourself to acknowledge what your body is going through right now.
You might want to tell yourself.
This is what my body is experiencing right now.
And,
As you say this or think this,
Focus on how your breath can help you release any difficult thoughts or emotions that you are holding on to around your pain.
Again,
You might want to say that phrase to yourself a few times.
Is this what my body is experiencing right now?
There is no need to fight the reality of this particular moment.
But through your breathing,
You can soften the areas that feel more tense.
And the thoughts and emotions that feel more overwhelming.
Now notice if there is any part of your body that can be softened by even one percent.
It might be the muscles around your jaw.
Or your cheeks,
Or your forehead.
It might be your shoulders or maybe you're letting the palm of your hands open up completely.
The aim is not to force any relaxation,
But just be curious if anything can soften a little.
And if a part of your body is tense because it's protecting you from pain,
That's okay.
You don't have to make it relax.
You can simply offer it some kindness.
Perhaps you can acknowledge it and say,
Thank you for trying to protect me.
Now bring your attention back to an area of your body that feels neutral.
Or maybe even pleasant.
Find just one small area that isn't asking for your attention through pain.
Spend a few moments there,
Noticing the sensations that arise.
Allow your attention to rest there fully.
And now notice something important.
Even when pain is present.
Pain is not necessarily the whole of your experience.
There can be pain.
But also a feeling of expansion through your breath.
There can be pain and also the feeling of being supported.
There can be pain and little moments of ease all at the same time.
This is not about ignoring the pain.
But it's about allowing your awareness to become a little bigger.
Imagine your awareness like a wide open space.
The pain can be somewhere within that,
But it doesn't have to fill the entire space.
Now place a hand somewhere on your body that feels comforting.
It could be your chest,
Your belly,
Or anywhere else.
You might gently say to yourself.
I'm here.
My body is having a difficult moment.
I don't need to fight this moment.
I can care for myself through it.
Now take another natural breath.
And through your nose.
And out through your mouth.
And remember that a flare-up of pain is a moment you're moving through.
It's not permanent.
And in this very moment,
You're here.
Breathing.
Being supported.
Taking things one moment at a time.
And as you prepare to finish this meditation,
Notice what your body needs from you.
It could be rest or maybe movement.
Maybe water?
Or maybe reaching out to someone.
Or perhaps just doing less.
Take one final gentle breath.
And as you exhale,
Remind yourself.
I can meet myself with kindness,
Even when things are difficult.
When you're ready,
Slowly bring your attention back to the space around you.
There is no need to rush.
Take a moment to thank yourself for taking these few minutes to care for yourself.
And if you're finding yourself in the middle of a flare-up,
Remember.
You don't have to get through the whole day at once.
Just this moment,
And then the next.
