Hi,
I'm Alice and this is a simple meditation designed to help you to heal from chronic pain.
This compassionate practice allows you to take agency over your own health and healing.
It may enable your mind and body to feel safe,
Reduce your stress response and bring your nervous system into balance.
And all of this can lead to a reduction in chronic pain.
Chronic or longer term pain can be felt anywhere in the body and it can present as many different symptoms and diagnoses including fibromyalgia,
Migraine,
Back pain,
Pelvic pain,
IBS,
Anxiety,
OCD,
Chest pain,
Plantar fasciitis and long haul COVID.
Although our pain is felt in the body,
All pain is instigated in the brain and the way to reduce and heal chronic pain is via the brain.
If we can let our brains know that we are safe,
Our nervous system can calm down its responses and our pain can reduce.
And by consistently and regularly bringing ourselves into more of a relaxed,
Calm and peaceful state,
We are taking agency for our own health and doing something proactive to move ourselves towards healing.
We can be our own medicine and having agency over our healing is a vital key to getting better.
Bring yourself now to a comfortable position.
You could be sitting tall in a chair or lying down,
Allowing the weight of your body to be held by the surface beneath you and feeling your spine supported.
And taking a moment here to make sure you are as comfy as can be.
Take the time to make any small adjustments to your clothes or posture.
And showing yourself care and attention is so important in the healing process.
Give yourself time to settle.
And now gently close your eyes or lower your gaze.
Make a fist with both hands.
Hold and then stretch out and extend all of your fingers.
Do that one more time.
Balling your hands up into a fist.
Hold and squeeze.
And then extend all of your fingers,
Stretching out your palms.
And then you could try placing one hand on your heart,
One on your belly.
If this is too tiring,
Rest your hands wherever feels most natural.
Bring attention to your breath now.
Don't try to change anything,
But simply notice the cool air traveling into your nostrils and the warm air traveling out.
And if it feels okay to do so,
Gently close your lips and breathe in and out of your nose as softly and quietly as possible.
Keeping your inhale low down into your lungs,
Your belly gently rises,
Your lower ribs gently expand.
And allow your exhale to be as effortless as possible and feel your belly gently deflate.
And continue to notice the subtle flow of air traveling in and out.
And begin to slow your breathing down just a little.
Always making your exhale the same length or slightly longer than your inhale.
Really relax into your breathing.
Relax any lines across your forehead.
Open your tongue in your mouth and release any tension in your jaw.
Allow your shoulders to drop.
Feel your arms and legs growing heavy and your chest and back spacious and calm.
Know that you can let go of any tension or sensation in your joints,
Bones or muscles.
And if you can't let go,
Simply notice any sensation or discomfort with curiosity and calm.
Bringing attention now to your heart.
Take a slow breath in and release a long breath out.
Allow your heart to rest.
Find comfort in these words and know that as you silently repeat them to yourself,
You are becoming your own medicine.
I am exactly where I need to be right now.
I accept where I am at this point in my life and know I won't be here forever.
I accept where I am at this point in my life and know I won't be here forever.
I trust that my beautiful body knows how to heal.
I know that my pain is a message from my body.
It is letting me know that my nervous system needs to feel safe.
I know that I can stop running,
Re-evaluate my priorities and nurture myself.
I know that I can stop running,
Re-evaluate my priorities and nurture myself.
I am exactly where I need to be right now.
I am exactly where I need to be right now.
I am safe.
I am safe.
Whether you believe this yet does not matter.
As you repeat this softly to yourself as many times as you wish,
You are gently reminding your brain and your nervous system that you don't need to fight anymore,
That you can stop running.
You are exactly where you need to be right now and you won't be here forever.
Accepting your current reality and knowing that you can heal.
Feel your nervous system listening.
Feel your body accepting your words as you release your fear about not getting better.
Trust that your body knows what to do.
And allowing your own words to wash gently over you.
I am exactly where I need to be right now.
I am exactly where I need to be right now.
I trust that my wise body knows how to heal and I am helping it to do that.
I trust that my wise body knows how to heal and I am helping it to do that.
Bring your attention back to your breath now.
Exactly deepening your inhales and your exhales.
Feeling once again the cool air coming into your nostrils and the warm air flowing out.
And begin to bring a little movement to your body,
Noticing your fingers and toes.
And gently opening your eyes and coming back to your day.
