Welcome to this Gentle Body Awareness or Experience Check-in for Visible and Valid.
I invite you to begin by finding a position that offers you a sense of comfort and support at this time,
Whether you are seated or laying down.
You might gently allow your eyes to close if that feels safe and comfortable,
Or perhaps soften your gaze downwards.
This is an invitation to seek connection with your body and your experience exactly as it is in this very moment.
There's truly nothing you need to change,
Nothing you need to fix.
This is an opportunity to explore and notice with kindness and a soft curiosity.
As we move through this practice together,
Please know that you have choice on the parts of the body you explore.
There is no right way to feel,
And understand that sensations,
Emotions and thoughts will come and go.
Where you can,
Seek to find a non-judgmental awareness,
A soft acceptance and compassion for your experience and the body signals or sensations that you may become aware of.
You are exactly where you need to be,
You are welcome and you are seen and supported here.
If it feels helpful at this time,
You may choose to invite your awareness to your breath.
Perhaps you can notice the rhythm of your breath,
The rise and fall somewhere in your body,
Maybe in your chest or your abdomen.
Or invite your attention to your shoulders,
Notice if they move with the rhythm of your breath.
Know that there is absolutely no need to change your breath in any way,
But perhaps observe its flow through the body.
If it is helpful,
I invite you to gently bring your awareness to different parts of your body.
Perhaps starting from the top of your head and slowly,
Compassionately moving downwards.
As your attention is drawn to each area,
Try to simply notice what's present and understand that strong body signals or sensations may come with strong emotions.
If you can,
Aim to hold a gentle,
Open acknowledgement of what you encounter.
You might gently start with the top of your head,
Moving down your forehead,
Your eyes,
Noticing any sensations that may be present here,
Notice what is.
You might then invite your awareness to your jaw,
Your neck,
Your shoulders.
Whatever is present,
You are invited to allow it to be.
Perhaps continue to gently move your awareness down your arms,
To your hands,
Perhaps even your fingertips.
Maybe you can feel the soft contact of your hands if they are resting,
Or perhaps the air moving around them.
Now you might bring your attention to your chest,
Your upper back.
If there's any discomfort here,
You can acknowledge its presence and be with it as best as you can.
If it feels helpful,
You might choose to move your awareness towards your abdomen,
Your lower back,
Perhaps your hips.
Whatever you might notice here,
Whether it's a sensation of pain,
A dullness,
Tension or emptiness,
See if you can allow whatever is to be present and be.
Finally,
You might bring your attention down your legs,
Towards your ankles and into your feet,
Perhaps noticing the connection of your body with any surface beneath or around you.
As you've gently explored your body,
You may have encountered areas where tension,
Pain,
Fatigue,
Agitation or discomfort are more prominent.
Or perhaps you notice sensations that you can't label and know that that's okay.
There may even be parts of your body that feel distant,
Uncertain or ambiguous.
Whatever sensation is most noticeable or most challenging,
I invite you to bring to it a soft,
Kind attention.
There's no need to delve deeply into trying to understand it or seek to change it in any way.
Please remember that these sensations are often messages or information from your body.
There is no danger to you in becoming aware.
If you choose,
You might be able to get curious about the qualities of this body sensation.
Does it feel sharp or dull,
Aching or throbbing?
Is it big or small,
Localized?
Or does it seem to spread out and fan through the body?
Does it have a temperature,
A boundary?
Is the boundary firm or soft?
You might be able to observe these qualities,
Perhaps as if you were a curious observer without any judgment.
Are you able to sit gently with this difficult sensation?
If it feels possible,
Offer it a sense of acceptance.
This doesn't mean that you have to like it or that you even want it to stay.
It's simply an acknowledgement that it is here in this moment.
When we resist what is,
Our suffering can sometimes deepen.
Are you able to offer a gentle opening to the reality of this sensation just for a brief moment or perhaps a breath in and out?
Can we offer this gentleness as a way of being truly present with ourselves?
I invite you to bring a sense of compassion to this entire experience.
It takes immense strength and resilience to live with invisible illness and experience these difficult body sensations.
If you are able,
Please acknowledge with kindness the unique hardship and the challenges you navigate on a daily basis.
You might gently place a hand over your heart or perhaps on the area where you have felt this discomfort in this moment,
If that feels like a supportive and caring gesture for you to make.
This might be a small,
Tangible act of kindness and care towards yourself.
If it feels right,
You might silently offer some phrases of self-compassion,
Either gently in your mind or softly aloud if you choose.
May I be kind to myself in this moment.
This is a difficult moment.
May I offer myself the understanding and compassion I can.
May I be patient and gentle with my body and with myself.
You may feel the warmth of your hand and perhaps imagine sending a gentle,
Compassionate energy to yourself,
To your body and to any areas that might be holding discomfort.
Please take a moment to acknowledge yourself for engaging in this practice,
For offering yourself this time and space for gentle connection.
Remember that this practice of body awareness,
Acceptance and self-compassion is often hard and confronting.
If this is the case for you today,
Try to offer kindness and understanding to this experience.
When you feel a sense of readiness,
You can slowly and gently begin to bring some subtle or intuitive movement to your experience.
Perhaps take a gentle stretch if that feels good for your body or open your eyes if they have been closed and re-engage softly with the space around you.
