Chronic Illness Series: A Deep Self Care Breathing Practice

This meditation is a revised slower (and louder version) of a previous one . It builds on the meditation called alternative affirmations for chronic illness by developing self compassionate ways of being. Living with a chronic illness is extremely challenging emotionally as well as physically, and experiencing self compassion can help tend to difficult emotions, helping us cope better with the realities of each day.
This practice uses the breath to enhance our self care experience, using it as a vehicle to exchange our less compassionate ways of being for more self kindness love and care, so that our daily experience is softer and we can support ourselves better.

Transcript

Thank you for joining me today. Living with a chronic illness means the challenges and losses of each day are often unseen or maybe misunderstood. So our own kind seeing and understanding and caring of ourselves. Is all the more necessary and powerful. I like to think of kindness to ourselves, Self-compassion in whatever form. To be like soft rainwater gently soaking into the soil of our being from which the rest of our life can grow better. In this practice we'll combine some self-compassionate phrases and ideas with a gentle breathing practice so that we can feel into the self-compassionate experience more fully. Will be deepening the experience of giving ourselves care, Love, Kindness as we rest. We'll be using the breath to open us to the possibility of exchange. Mirroring the exchanging of gases in our lungs with each breath. Breathing in what you like more of and breathing out what you'd like to release. Without forcing anything, Just feeling the impact of the words through the sensations moving and changing in your body. And using those sensations as a guide. If it feels right for you, You can echo the phrases with me in your mind as I repeat them. The words are a gentle invitation. Allow whatever arises. There's no right or wrong experience. And if anything doesn't feel right for you, Just let it fall away. Trust yourself to know best for you and that may mean allowing falling asleep or dozing off. Sleep is a great kindness to our bodies. So listen to your body and your needs and adapt things as you go. Each time it will be different, But each time you'll be strengthening pathways to support and comfort yourself. I hope this practice helps you embody more of the self-compassion you deserve. Is normal for it to take time to develop. Many of us have spent years being hard on ourselves, So it may take a while to soften things up. Be patient with yourself while you're learning. I hope that opening your heart to yourself today soothes or softens or realigns or supports you in your experience of living with the challenges of your health. As we begin you may like to first shake off any extra tension. By shrugging or rolling the shoulders. Or by stretching and loosening your jaw and face muscles. Or maybe gently shaking or wiggling your fingers and toes. To check they're loose. We can hold tension in so many places. And then come into the most comfortable position for you today. How your body would like to be. I suggest lying down if that's available to you. And ensuring you're warm. And take your time. Make the adjustments or small movements you need. To be really comfortable. And closing your eyes if you would like to. As you're arriving here. Feel the weight of your body. On the surface you're on. Imagine gravity just got a little bit stronger. And surrender your full weight. Trusting that you are held. Let the earth right now gently hold you. And notice. It takes no effort to be held by the bed, Sofa or chair, And ultimately the earth. Arrive here just as you are. Whatever you bring, However that is, Is exactly where you start from today. It's okay to start from here. With this. Just how you are. Gently turning your attention to the breath and the belly. Drop your awareness now deep into your body. And rest inside all the sensations of breathing. The nourishing of the entire body. With each breath coming in. Allow the belly to be soft. On the next in-breath, Feel the belly expand. And breathe out, Inviting, Relaxing and letting go. Slowly letting each out breath be longer and slower than the in breath. And imagine breathing in as if the lungs were in the belly. Inflating the belly and on the out-breath deflating the belly. Feel the navel move towards the spine a little. I'm just repeating this. Breathing in, The belly softly rising. And breathing out, The belly gently relaxing. And then just release any influence over the breath. Let it choose its own pace and rhythm now. But still feeling all the sensations of your whole body. As it breathes itself. Feel your body soft. And heavy. And hold. And here breathing itself. Feel into all those sensations in the whole body. As the breath comes and goes. On every inhale as the body is nourished. Feel space growing within. On every exhale, Feel the body relaxing. And softening. And sinking down. On the next inhale, Feel the chest and the heart area opening in preparation for this practice. And on the exhale feel mental activity falling away and dissolving. During the following invitations, Breathing in and feeling the sensations of what you'd like to receive coming in through your heart or through every pore of your body. Before on the out breath, Inviting all you'd like to release. Feeling the sensations as you feel it all leave through every pore of your body. And making space for your experience and whatever arises in your body. So on your next in-breath, Breathing in sensations of ease into your heart or through every pore. And on the out-breath, Breathing out sensations of tension. Releasing tension from every pore. Breathing in, Receiving ease. And breathing out, Releasing tension. And if it's right for you. You can repeat with me the second time. And feel into all the sensations in your body. So breathing in, Receiving gentleness. And breathing out, Releasing striving. Breathing in feeling gentleness. And breathing out, Releasing sensations of striving. Breathing in receiving sensations of safety. And breathing out, Letting go of vigilance. Breathing in safety. And breathing out, Vigilance. Breathing in peace and relief. And breathing out anxieties and worries. Breathing in waves of peace and relief. And breathing out, Releasing anxieties and worries with the out breath. Breathing in sensations of slow and calm. And breathing out, Urgency and rushing. Breathing in slow and calm. And breathing out. Urgency. And rushing. Breathing in, Receiving rest. And breathing out, Releasing depletion. Breathing in sensations of rest. And breathing out sensations of depletion. Breathing in, Receiving the feeling of trust. Breathe out. Releasing the feeling of fear. Breathing in trust. And breathing out fear. Breathing in feelings of acceptance. And breathing out. Desire and longing. Breathing in acceptance. And breathing out. Letting go of desires and longings. Breathing in sensations of hope. And breathing out the sensations of despair. Breathing in hope. And breathing out despair. Breathing in forgiveness for yourself and others. And breathing out, Releasing resentment. Breathing in, Receiving forgiveness. And breathing out, Releasing resentment. Breathing in a sense of self-trust. And breathing out any self-doubt. Breathing in, Feeling. Growing self-trust within. And breathing out releasing self-doubt. Breathing in, Taking up more space. And breathing out apologizing for yourself. Breathe in and feel yourself taking up more space. As you breathe out and release apologising for yourself. Breathe in and feel sensations of prioritizing your needs. As you breathe out. Abandoning yourself. Breathing in, Prioritising your needs. And breathing out, Releasing the ways you abandon yourself. Breathing in, Receiving clarity. And breathing out, Releasing confusion. Breathing in sensations of clarity. And breathing out the sensations of confusion. Breathing in worth and dignity. And breathing out, Releasing shame. Breathing in sensations of self-worth and dignity. And breathing out, Releasing sensations of shame. On the in-breath, Receive tenderness to yourself. And on the out breath, Release harshness to yourself. Breathing in tenderness. And breathing out harshness. On the next in-breath feel sensations of generosity to yourself. And on the out breath. Release any meanness to yourself. Breathing in generosity. And breathing out meanness. Breathing in the feeling of care for yourself. And breathing out all the feelings of self neglect. Breathing in sensations of self-care. And breathing out releasing self-neglect. Breathing in love for yourself. And breathing out self judgment. Breathing in, Receiving self love. And breathing out, Releasing self-judgment. Breathing in the sensations of self compassion. And breathing out the sensations of your inner critic. Breathing in, Feeling self compassion. And breathing out. Your inner critic. On the next in-breath receiving self-kindness On the next out breath, Releasing self-criticism. Breathing in self-kindness. And breathing out, Letting go of self-criticism And breathing in. Feeling wholeness. And breathing out any feelings of not being enough. Breathing in wholeness. And breathing out, Letting go of not being enough. You may like to personalize this now. Is there something you would like to receive more of? To experience the sensations of in your body. Is there something you'd like to release? Bring that to mind now and breathe specifically. For what you need. Not forcing, Just giving permission for these things to flow, To exchange. Feel into the possibility of it. And allow whatever arises. And before we end. . . Just like to offer the opportunity. For you to bring some extra self compassion right now. For something that you are finding hardest, Most difficult at the moment? Hold this situation, Difficulty and its impact. Uppermost in your heart. And consider how you would feel and respond. To a friend facing the same thing. You may like to lay a hand on your heart as you do this. Notice any resistance that comes up. And breathe softly with your experience. Speak with tender love to the self deep within you. And echo these phrases with me. As you open yourself to your own kindness. It's okay. I'm here for you. It's okay. I'm here for you. I'm listening to you. I'm listening to you. I care about you. I care about you. I believe you. I believe you. Your feelings aren't wrong. Your feelings aren't wrong. I will protect you. I will protect you. I love you. I love you. I will always be here for you. I will always be here for you. Rest and remain here. Bathing in the sensations of receiving soft, Tender care for yourself. You may like to notice what you can feel in your body. Notice what resonated. Breathe gently. Breathing in, Making space for how it is. Breathing out, Resting into yourself. Feel into any sense of wholeness that has arisen. Having released so much judgment and rejection of parts of you. And if those phrases felt difficult or empty, That's okay. Give yourself time. To soften up your heart to yourself. But thank yourself. For showing up for yourself today. One thought as we end. Sometimes we cannot control what we would like in life. But in the difficult times, What we can control is how we treat ourselves. And being kinder will always be better for us. I wish you so much peace.