Hi there,
Dr.
Adele Stewart here.
This meditation is called Yes,
There is Pain and.
.
.
So there's an expression that Rick Hansen uses,
The mind is like velcro for the negative and Teflon from the positive and this makes plenty of sense in our systems.
We need to learn quickly from anything that might be dangerous or threatening.
However,
Having appreciation or joy is a really powerful practice that over time can change how we experience life regardless of the pain.
So this meditation explores the feelings of having feelings of pain or unpleasantness right next to feelings that are neutral or even pleasant.
Instead of saying,
I have pain,
Which usually shuts the door on any further explorations,
We say,
Yes,
There is pain and which allows for more than just the pain.
So taking your time now to find yourself a comfortable position,
Perhaps sitting on a chair like a dining room chair with your feet flat on the floor,
Or perhaps lying on your back on a mat on the floor.
Having a relaxed but alert position,
You might like to close your eyes or lower your gaze and allowing any little movements so you find that really nice comfortable position.
And start by feeling the soles of your feet,
Particularly if they're on the floor,
Really noticing sensations in the soles of your feet,
Using this as an anchor for your attention.
And as I guide you through a few anchors,
Knowing that it's so normal for the mind to wander,
It's not a problem.
Just noticing where the mind has wandered and gently returning your attention back to the anchor.
Perhaps you might even notice if the sensations in the soles of the feet are pleasant or neutral or unpleasant.
Noticing now the contact that your body has with the surface that it's sitting or lying on.
Noticing that sense of gravity,
The weight,
The imprint the body makes.
Again,
Noticing if these sensations are pleasant,
Unpleasant or neutral.
Perhaps noticing if there's any pleasantness in allowing the body to be held and supported by the earth.
And moving now to noticing the sensations in your hands.
Perhaps noticing sensations in the skin,
The points of contact with the hands,
With perhaps your legs or each other,
Or the ground.
Noticing the sensations right into the tips of the fingers.
Gently noticing pleasantness,
Unpleasantness or neutral.
And now shifting your attention to the breath,
Noticing wherever it's easiest to pay attention.
Perhaps that might be the breath in the nostrils or the rise and fall of the chest or the belly or perhaps the gentle,
Almost rocking rhythmic movement of the whole body moving with the breath.
And noticing is your breath at this moment pleasant,
Unpleasant or neutral.
And as I guide the meditation,
Perhaps choosing one of these anchors to keep a little part of your awareness on and give you a kind of steadiness as you investigate further.
So noticing if there are unpleasant sensations in your body right now.
Noticing if there's just one part or perhaps several areas.
If there are several,
Perhaps noticing if there's one area that is maybe calling out for your attention.
It may or may not be the most intense sensation.
Using your wisdom as to whether to really feel into this unpleasantness or perhaps staying at the edges,
Being more with your anchor.
And now noticing your body and seeing if you can find an area where there's no unpleasant sensations,
No discomfort or pain.
Can you notice with a little bit of curiosity what the absence of pain feels like?
Perhaps you might even have an area of the body that feels pleasant.
Maybe it's the breath or your anchor or the tips of the fingers.
Just seeing if you can notice.
Sometimes an area that might seem neutral at first,
If we investigate it,
There can be a pleasantness there.
Now bringing your attention back to your anchor for a little while.
And now if you found an area that feels pleasant,
How would it be to hold in mind both pleasant and pain at the same time?
Or discomfort and comfort?
Or maybe it's more discomfort and no discomfort.
Perhaps mentally noting,
Yes,
There is pain and there is no pain at the same time.
Or yes,
There is tension or tightness and there is no tension and tightness.
Perhaps even there is softness or relaxation at the same time.
Perhaps my words might not work for you.
Just seeing if you can find what helps you to feel into the space that can hold opposites at the same time.
And any time the practice sets up agitation or confusion,
Just coming back to your anchor,
Knowing that we're not denying the pain or the discomfort or the tension or the struggle.
Quite the contrary.
We're open to that and open to perhaps the opposite experience.
Noticing if you want to spend the next little while with your anchor,
Or perhaps having the anchor in the background of your awareness and exploring gently this sense of holding pain and no pain,
Unpleasantness and pleasantness,
Discomfort and comfort,
Tension and relaxation.
Gently letting go of this practice now and spending a short time staying in your experience.
No need to force it to be any different than it is.
This can be a bit of an interesting practice.
It might take time to cultivate this experience.
And when you're ready,
If your eyes have been closed,
Opening them,
Moving gently,
Having a stretch and going about your day.
Transcribed by https://otter.
Ai
