Welcome to this relaxation and mindfulness of sound session during your hospital stay.
I understand that this may be a stressful time for you,
As hospitals and healthcare facilities can be busy places.
So during our time together,
My hope is you can experience some time relaxing your body,
Calming your mind and having a moment of quiet rest within the hospital or healthcare facility.
To facilitate this relaxation,
We will be noticing the sounds around us.
There is always some sound in our environment and the sounds we hear can act as an anchor,
A resting point for our focus and attention.
When we relax and focus on sound,
We have the opportunity to give our minds a rest from thinking about the past or dwelling on the future as we bring our awareness to the present moment.
Let's begin and take a moment to get settled.
So find a position that's comfortable for your body so it feels balanced and symmetrical and you feel fully supported by the bed or chair beneath you.
When you feel comfortable,
Close your eyes and begin by taking some gentle breaths in and gentle breaths out.
Just follow the natural rhythm of your own breathing.
Feel your tummy and chest rising with the in-breath and falling with the out-breath.
Feel yourself beginning to relax and soften into the bed or chair,
Becoming more and more comfortable.
Know that in this moment there is nothing you need to do but listen to the sound of my voice,
To breathe in whatever way feels natural for you and begin to relax.
Now let's scan your whole body,
Paying attention to any sensations you feel,
Whether comfortable or uncomfortable.
And with each in-breath,
Imagine warm,
Healing air,
Softening and moving deeply into any places of tension or discomfort.
And then let this tension go with the next out-breath.
Continue to do this as many times as necessary so you feel settled and relaxed.
If you find yourself getting distracted,
Open your awareness to the feeling of your body softening and relaxing into the bed or the chair.
Listen to my voice guiding you and notice the natural sensation and flow of your breath as you breathe in and out.
And now start to listen to the soundscape around you by bringing your attention to any sounds coming to you from outside the room.
Just simply listen with a gentle curiosity and be open and receptive to any sounds that come into your awareness.
If you are in a healthcare facility,
You may hear all sorts of sound,
Such as the ward staff talking outside the room.
You may hear the nurses moving around as they care for other patients.
Perhaps you can hear the noise of medical equipment in the general area.
And maybe you can hear sounds in nature or traffic noise outside the hospital.
Some sounds may be familiar,
While others you may not recognise.
Allow these sounds to keep bringing you back to the present moment.
Just listen with a gentle interest.
And now open your awareness to any sounds you may hear within the room.
If you are in a shared space,
There may be sounds of other people within the room.
Perhaps you can hear the subtle sound of your own breathing.
Or you may be able to hear the beep or hum of any machines working for your benefit.
Now begin to rest your attention on the music of the harp.
Listen as the music tones sound one after the other.
Maybe some notes are higher in pitch than others.
Be curious.
Notice how notes or sounds may blend together and have different qualities or layers to them.
Become aware of not only the sounds themselves,
But the space between the sounds.
Pay attention and acknowledge any sensations you feel in your whole body as you listen to the music.
Breathing warm,
Healing air into any places of discomfort and allow yourself to continue relaxing.
If your mind wanders and gets caught up in thoughts or concerns about the past or the future,
Simply notice and acknowledge them.
Let them go for the moment.
Let them drift on by.
And bring your attention back to the sound of my voice.
Any sounds you hear in the music of the harp.
Remember that music like all sound comes and goes and is listened to in the present moment.
Notes appearing and disappearing.
Just sounds coming and going.
And as you listen and focus on the ebb and flow of the soundscape around you,
Allow yourself to soften and simply rest.
Be refreshed and relaxed.
Restored and calm.
Let the music gently wash over you like a wave on the ocean.
It will soon be time to bring this session to a close.
You can revisit this mindfulness of sound practice whenever you need to experience some time relaxing your body,
Calming your mind,
And having a moment of quiet rest within the hospital or healthcare facility.
Start to bring your awareness gently back by bringing attention to the sounds within the room.
And listen to the sounds of the ward or facility outside the room.
Allow your breathing to become a little stronger by taking a deeper breath or two.
And become aware of your body lying in the bed or chair.
Start to reactivate your body by moving your fingers and toes.
You might like to move your head from side to side and have a stretch.
And when you are ready,
Gently open your eyes and feel relaxed and calm,
Refreshed and rested.
Thank you for listening to this mindfulness of sound session during your hospital stay.
