If you've ever been injured,
You'll probably know that recovering physically is only part of the journey.
Because when your body starts feeling better,
Your mind might not be quite ready to trust it again.
You might find yourself questioning certain movements,
Worrying about pain returning,
Or wondering whether you'll ever feel as confident as you once did.
And that's what we're going to explore in today's meditation.
Not trying to get rid of fear,
But by learning to understand it,
Make room for it and perhaps rebuilding a little trust in ourselves.
So find somewhere comfortable.
There's no need to sit perfectly still.
You can lie down if you wish.
You might sit in a chair.
Around the floor.
Just find a position that feels comfortable.
And if you need to adjust your position at any time,
That's absolutely fine.
And begin by closing your eyes or simply soften your gaze.
Start by noticing where you are.
The surface beneath your body.
The feeling of your feet resting on the floor if you're sitting.
Notice any sounds that are around you And the simple fact that for these next few minutes,
There's nowhere else you need to be.
Notice.
Any taste?
And tuning into your sense of smell,
Notice what you can smell.
And gently bring attention to your breathing.
Just notice how your body is breathing right now.
Perhaps a movement?
Of your chest.
Maybe you can feel your.
.
.
Abdomen moving up and down.
Perhaps you notice air passing through your nose.
Wherever you notice you're breathing most,
Most easily,
Allow it.
To be there,
Allow your attention to rest there.
Your mind is wandering around,
It's okay.
Perhaps it's thinking about something you need to do later or something that happened earlier today.
There's nothing wrong with having thoughts each time you notice.
That your attention has wandered off,
Gently bring to the feeling of breathing.
No frustration.
No need to start again.
Just returning.
Now I'd like you to gently consider something.
When you've experienced an injury,
Particularly one that has stopped you from doing something you love,
It can leave a lasting impression.
Perhaps you're a runner who has been unable to run.
Or perhaps you've had a shoulder injury that's made everyday movements quite difficult.
Or maybe you've experienced pain that seemed just to come out of nowhere.
Pain just came on.
Whatever your experience,
You may remember how frustrating or uncertain that time felt.
And sometimes even after the injury has improved.
The worry remains.
You might find yourself thinking,
What if it happens again?
What if I push too hard?
What if that little sensation means something is wrong?
All these thoughts can feel very convincing,
But it's worth remembering that a thought isn't necessarily a prediction.
And feeling afraid doesn't automatically mean that you're in danger.
Our minds learn from past experiences.
When something has hurt us before,
It's understandable that we might become more cautious.
And that caution can be useful.
But sometimes it can also make ordinary movements.
Feel more threatening.
And they really need to be.
For the moment,
See whether you can simply acknowledge that fear.
You don't need to challenge it.
You don't need to convince yourself that everything will be fine.
And you certainly don't need to force yourself to be brave.
Perhaps just quietly recognised.
There's some fee here.
There's some uncertainty.
And that's understandable considering what I've experienced.
Now gently bring your awareness back to your body.
Notice your shoulders.
Your arms.
You go back.
Your hips and legs.
Without searching for anything in particular.
Just notice how your body feels today.
There might be areas that feel comfortable.
Areas that feel tired.
Perhaps tension.
Or sensations you're not quite sure about.
See whether you can notice these without immediately deciding what they mean.
This can be quite difficult after an injury because we can become very good at monitoring our bodies.
Every little ache,
Every unusual feeling.
Every movement that doesn't feel quite right.
And before we know it,
We're analysing everything.
But our bodies are constantly producing sensations.
And not every sensation is a warning.
And not every uncomfortable feeling means damage is occurring.
At the same time,
We don't need to ignore what our bodies are telling us.
This practice is about finding a little space between noticing a sensation and deciding how to respond.
If there's an area of your body that you've been injured before,
You might choose to bring some gentle awareness towards it.
Only if that feels comfortable.
If it brings up too much discomfort or worry,
Simply return to your breathing or the feeling of the ground beneath you.
There's no need to push through anything.
If you do bring your attention towards that area.
Notice what is actually present right now.
Not what happened months ago.
Not what might happen tomorrow.
Just what you can feel in this moment.
And if your mind begins telling a story about that sensation,
See whether you can recognize the story without getting caught up in it.
Perhaps you've noticed that fear can sometimes change how you move.
You might hesitate.
Tighten your muscles.
Hold your breath.
Or avoid movement altogether.
These are understandable responses.
Your body and mind are trying to look after you.
So rather than becoming frustrated with yourself,
Perhaps you can meet that response with a little understanding.
You don't need to fight your fear.
You can acknowledge it and still make thoughtful decisions about what comes next.
Now return to the feeling of your breath.
Notice and inhalation.
And then an exhalation.
Allow the breath to arrive naturally.
One of the difficult things about recovering from injury is wanting certainty.
We want to know exactly when we will be better.
When we can return to our usual activities.
And whether the injury will ever happen again.
But the truth is,
We can't always have those answers.
And that uncertainty can be uncomfortable.
Mindfulness doesn't remove uncertainty.
What it can help us practice is being with uncertainty without allowing it to take over every decision.
You might gently remind yourself,
I don't have to know everything today.
I don't have to rush my recovery.
I can take things one step at a time.
And I can make decisions based on what I know now rather than everything I'm afraid that might happen.
Perhaps think about something that you used to enjoy before your injury.
You might be running.
Walking,
Lifting weights,
Playing sports.
Or simply moving without giving it too much thought.
Notice that activity.
And then notice what comes up when you think about returning to that activity.
Maybe there's excitement.
Some sadness about what you've missed.
Perhaps frustration,
Or a mixture of hope and fear.
Whatever appears,
See whether you can allow it to be there.
You don't need to feel confident right now.
You don't need to picture yourself doing anything that feels unsafe.
Simply notice what this activity means to you.
And perhaps consider that rebuilding confidence doesn't have to happen all at once.
It might begin with small movements.
A short walk.
Gentle exercise.
Or following a rehabilitation plan at a pace that's appropriate to you.
Sometimes progress is about doing a little more and sometimes it's about recognising when you need to do a little less.
Neither one is a failure.
Confidence can grow through experiences that gradually show us what we're capable of.
And that takes patience.
And also consider an injury can sometimes make us feel as though we've lost part of ourselves.
Particularly if being active has always been important to us.
We might begin comparing ourselves with who we were before.
How far I could run.
How much I could lift.
How easily I could move.
And that comparison can make recovery feel even harder.
But your worth hasn't changed because your abilities have temporarily changed.
You're still the same person.
Even if your body needs a different approach right now.
So perhaps just for this moment,
You can put down some of those expectations.
The pressure to recover quickly.
The pressure to get back to where you were.
The pressure to prove that you're okay.
You don't need to prove anything during this meditation.
You're allowed to be where you are.
Now gently notice your whole body again.
The contact with the surface beneath you.
Notice your hands resting wherever they are.
The movement of your breath.
See whether you can allow your body to be supported without trying to make anything at all happen.
And as we begin moving towards the end of this meditation,
I'd like you to remember something.
Being cautious after an injury doesn't mean you're weak.
Feeling afraid doesn't mean you failed.
And having a difficult day doesn't mean your recovery has gone backwards.
There may be times when you feel confident and other times where you feel uncertain.
That's part of being human.
The aim isn't to become someone who never experiences fear.
It's to develop a healthier relationship with that fear.
To recognize it.
To listen what it might be telling you,
And then decide how you want to respond.
Perhaps you can carry a few simple reminders with you.
I can be patient with myself.
I can respect my body's limits without being defined by them.
I can seek guidance when I need it.
And I can take the next appropriate step without needing to know the entire journey.
Now begin to notice the sounds around you again.
Tuning in to your soundscape.
The feeling of the room.
The temperature.
You feel the clothing on your skin.
Any fragrances.
In your environment.
Any lingering taste.
Maybe gently move your fingers or your toes.
Feel your body swaying.
Subtle movements.
And before you finish,
Take a moment to appreciate that you have given yourself this time not to fix yourself.
Not to force confidence.
But simply to understand a little bit more about what you're experiencing.
Recovery isn't always a straight line and neither is rebuilding trust.
Some days will feel easier than others.
But you don't need to rush.
You can listen to your body.
And you can make room for uncertainty.
And you can move forward at a pace that's right for you.
Whenever you're ready.
If you've had your eyes closed,
Gently open your eyes.
Bring your attention back to the room.
Thank you for taking this time with me today.
And remember.
Slower is better.
