Pendulating Meditation

Pendulation is a somatic meditation technique that helps to build awareness and understanding that distressing sensations within the body often have movement or the capacity to change. Shifting attention between areas of physical discomfort and areas of comfort or neutrality can support an increase in resilience and eases distress in noticing difficult body sensations.

Transcript

Ventilating is a mindfulness practice that can be helpful for bringing awareness to all of the different physical sensations that live within your body, Both the loud signal and the softer signal. The practice involves focusing on sensations in an non-judgmental way and alternating between the sensations which may cause discomfort or distress and other areas of the body that perhaps have neutral or even pleasant sensations. Taking some time to find a position that offers you a sense of most comfort. And however you support yourself, Perhaps begin to drop into the sensations of your body. Notice any uncomfortable feelings or sensations and become aware of what you notice in your body. What does it feel like to be in your body with these uncomfortable feelings and sensations? When you are in contact with that, See if you can notice on a scale of 0 to 10, Where 0 is no distress and 10 is as distressing as could be. How distressing are the sensations for you right now? If numbers are hard, Perhaps use a colour or another way to represent. When you have found a way to rate your experience, See if you can find a place in your body that feels totally different. A part of your body that's not experiencing disturbance. Perhaps an area that feels calm, Neutral, Peaceful, Settled, Maybe even comfortable or a different, More pleasant experience. See if you can shift your attention to this place. Knowing there's no right or wrong and this can be anywhere in your body, Even if it is only a tiny spot on the tip of your toe or on your nose. See if you can bring your awareness to this comfortable, Interesting, Neutral place in your body. And notice the qualities of that place in your body. Does it feel calm? Useful? Pleasant? Warm? Cold? Just notice what it feels like in your body. It's okay if your mind wanders or is drawn back to the more difficult parts of your body. Also know it's okay if there is an increase in the difficulty of this practice or perhaps the distress that you notice. See if you can hold focus on the neutral, Interesting, Settled place and notice when you get there. Now I'd like you to shift your awareness back to the uncomfortable place where the distress was first found in your body. And notice when you get there. Now shifting your awareness back to the neutral place. Notice when you get there. Now continue to pendulate between this neutral space and the distressing place in your body. Repeating the cycle, Shifting between neutral and distressing. Neutral and distressing. And see if you notice a shift. Notice if your distress scale begins to go down each time you revisit the difficult place. Shifting from discomfort to your place of neutral or perhaps calm. Shifting back. Notice if this is having a positive effect and if the distress is going down each time you visit after being in the neutral space. Continuing with this movement in and out. And keep going as long as it feels comfortable for you. Pendulating is about noticing that you can shift your awareness in your body between perhaps this discomfort, Distressing and these more neutral, Comfortable or connected spaces. If you are shifting or pendulating, Making sure that you finish in your neutral space by bringing your awareness to the comfortable, The calm, The grounded, The connected space. And when you're feeling ready, Draw your awareness from the body, Taking the time that you need as this recording comes to an end.