Begin by settling into a comfortable position of your choice,
Whether you're sitting in a chair,
Resting on a cushion,
Under a blanket or lying down.
Allow your body to be held by the surface beneath you,
Fully supported and with safety in this moment.
Perhaps let your shoulders drop away from your ears,
Allow your jaw to unclench,
Perhaps soften the muscles in your face.
Living with persistent pain can be exhausting,
Physically,
Mentally and emotionally.
So in this moment,
If you can,
Give yourself full permission to pause,
To rest,
To be exactly as you are.
Gently close your eyes if that feels comfortable or allow your gaze to rest softly on a point in front of you.
Perhaps notice yourself beginning to slow down.
If you choose,
You might like to take a deep breath through the nose and exhale gently out through the mouth.
Perhaps feel your breath move through your body,
Allowing each breath to guide you deeper into this present moment,
Maybe inviting a sense of calm or perhaps a sense of safety to settle over you.
If it feels helpful,
You might bring your attention to the natural rhythm of your breath,
Knowing there's no need to control or adjust it,
Choosing to observe if it's helpful,
Perhaps noticing how the air moves in and out of your body,
Maybe how your chest or belly rises and falls,
Maybe its subtle movement through your ribcage,
Your chest or the feeling of clothing move against the skin.
You might choose to begin to scan through your body with gentle curiosity,
Maybe starting at the top of your head and slowly moving downwards,
Noticing what's present in each area.
Are there places of ease,
Of tension or pain?
If you're living with chronic pain,
You might notice familiar sensations,
Perhaps tightness,
Aching,
Sharpness,
Heaviness,
Allowing yourself to notice these sensations if you can without resistance.
You don't have to judge or label them,
You don't have to change them.
Allow,
If you can,
Yourself to sit with them.
This activity is not about getting rid of the pain,
But exploring how you relate to it,
And aiming to bring a sense of openness and compassion to your experience.
As your awareness moves through your body,
Allow yourself to pause at any area that calls your attention,
Whether it's an area of discomfort or perhaps you're finding areas of calm.
If it's helpful,
You might choose to breathe into these places,
Maybe imagining your breath bringing a warm spaciousness and softness.
With each exhale,
Maybe letting go of any gripping,
Any holding,
Perhaps imagining the tension or pain softening away.
And know that if your mind begins to wander,
It's completely okay.
Perhaps it moves to thoughts about your pain,
Frustrations,
Judgments or fears.
Or maybe it's drifting to something unrelated,
Distraction.
If you notice this is happening,
Gently,
Without judgment,
Guide your awareness back to your breath or perhaps back to your body.
This act of returning is at the heart of the mindfulness activity.
You're strengthening your ability to stay grounded and connected to your body,
Even in difficult experiences.
You might take a moment to shift your awareness,
Even as you experience persistent pain.
See if you can also notice areas of your body where there is calm,
Steadiness,
A sense of heaviness,
Or even a subtle sense of peace or rest.
It might be that you notice it in your hands or your feet,
Perhaps in other parts of the body.
Letting your attention rest here,
Allowing these sensations,
If you can find them,
To support you.
These places of ease are just as real as the pain.
And these are always available to you as anchors to hold your attention in a supported way in the moment.
Reminding yourself that you are not your pain.
You are someone who observes,
Who breathes,
Who endures these sensations with compassion and with strength.
As you sit with your body,
Perhaps allow a sense of kindness to expand.
Perhaps imagine it spreading through your whole body,
Like warmth,
Or light,
Or a stream of comfort.
Let it flow into the places that ache,
The places that feel hurt,
The places that feel scary.
And allow it to support and nourish you in this moment.
As we begin to close this practice,
You might like to start to bring gentle awareness back to your surroundings.
You might choose to wriggle your fingers and your toes,
Perhaps slowly move your shoulders,
Or stretch your body in any other way that feels supportive,
Knowing that there is no need to rush.
When you feel ready,
You might choose to open your eyes if they've been closed,
And feel in this moment that you have taken time to care for yourself,
To offer your body and mind a sense of peace or a sense of rest amidst the ongoing experience of persistent pain.
Take a moment to acknowledge yourself for showing up,
For choosing presence,
For choosing softness,
For allowing your experience to be exactly what it is,
Understanding that this is an act of deep self-care.
And remember,
You can choose to return to this practice as you need.
Knowing these opportunities are a doorway to gentle awareness,
And a place perhaps where pain can be met not with fear,
But with calm,
Courage and compassion.
