Welcome to this guided meditation to help you deal with chronic pain.
I'm sorry you're experiencing pain and I can understand how it can hold you back from going about your day or night.
The Buddha once said,
Pain is inevitable,
But suffering is optional.
Sometimes we may experience overwhelming pain and the only thing we can do in that moment is re-establish how we perceive the pain.
Hopefully this meditation will help you redefine your relationship with pain and approach it from a more neutral stance.
And of course you can go back to this meditation as often as you want when you're feeling chronic pain.
So let's begin.
Find yourself seated comfortably,
With your back supported or you may lie down if that's easiest for you.
Ensure you are positioned on a surface that is comfortable.
Let's begin with a few deep breaths,
Slow,
Deep inhales and slow,
Deep exhales.
See if you can follow through the entire journey of the breath as you breathe each way.
And you may now just resume the natural rhythm of your breath.
I'd like you to take note of your body.
Notice how your body feels in this moment.
You may run a little scan just to examine those areas of discomfort or pain or tension.
You don't have to change anything,
Just observe how your body currently is.
When you do notice something,
See if you can examine it,
Observe it or acknowledge it.
How does your body feel emotionally?
Now I'd like you to shift your focus to your breath.
I want you to take note of the air flowing in and out through your nostrils.
So your entire focus is now on the sensations of the breath as you breathe in and out of your nose.
Notice the temperature of the air with each inhale and exhale.
And if your mind begins wandering,
Just take note of that thought or feeling.
You may observe it and acknowledge it as a bystander,
Then label the thought and then gently go back to your breath.
Now I'd like you to gently turn your attention to the area from which you're feeling the chronic pain and I want you to observe the pain.
Notice the sensations.
I want you to remind yourself that this pain is not you.
Just observe it.
You are the observer of the pain.
Is it throbbing?
Is it stabbing?
Is it spread out?
Just focus on that.
Focus on the specific area of the pain.
I'd like you to now mentally map out its boundaries.
Is it concentrated or is it spread out?
See if you can map it out and go back to feeling the sensations associated with the pain.
And if any emotions start taking over,
That's perfectly normal.
Just acknowledge however you're feeling,
However this pain makes you feel and go back to acknowledging the pain.
And together with me,
Let's take a deep breath in through your nose.
Slowly exhale,
Relax a little bit as you breathe out.
See if you can relax this point from which you feel pain.
Just notice the movements of your body as you breathe.
What parts of your body move when you inhale and exhale?
Focus on this for a few moments.
I'd like you to now go back to the area from which you feel pain.
Notice again the sensations.
Again I want you to examine them from a place of neutrality and curiosity.
See if you can rate the pain on a scale from 1 to 10.
I'd like you now,
As you're focusing on this pain,
Assign the pain a shape.
What shape is this pain if it was to have a shape?
And just vividly see this shape,
This pain manifesting as this shape.
I want you to now assign this pain a color.
Examine the color and shape and the size of this pain.
Is it sharp like needles?
Does it have a dull,
Rounded quality?
I'd like you to now assign this pain a temperature.
See if you can pay attention to the temperature sensations associated with this pain.
What does it feel like?
Does it feel hot or cold?
Maybe even neutral?
Take a few moments to focus on this and know that everything's going to be okay.
By acknowledging it,
You're taking a significant step in the right direction.
Go back to examining how you feel whilst focusing on this pain.
Does it trigger a certain emotion,
Sadness,
Frustration,
Or even fear?
Just acknowledge those feelings.
Acknowledge how you feel right now as you do.
I'd like you to now take a deep breath in through your nose.
Slowly exhale as you breathe out.
Notice the color of the pain becoming dimmer.
Notice the shape becoming a little better,
Bringing a little more comfort to this area.
Then go back again to focusing on your body.
I'd like you to now focus on an area of your body from which there is no pain,
A non-painful area.
It can be any part,
It doesn't matter.
Focus on this body part for a few moments.
Notice how it feels.
When you've done that,
Gently go back to the area from which you can feel the pain.
Go back and notice the color,
The shape,
The temperature,
The rhythm of the pain.
Remember if your mind wanders and thoughts of fear or concern take over,
That's perfectly normal.
Just acknowledge those fears,
Acknowledge those thoughts and emotions.
Understand that they are merely interpretations.
They aren't necessarily real.
Just acknowledge them and gently go back to your body.
I'd like you to take another deep breath in through your nose,
As deep as you can.
Slowly exhale and relax your body a little further and notice the pain's intensity slightly lowering and when you've fully exhaled,
I'd like you to go back to your breath.
Notice the movements of your body with each in and out breath.
Often times when we experience pain,
It's usually the body trying to tell us something.
So gently go back now to the area of pain.
What is your body trying to tell you?
I want you to imagine this pain again as a shape,
As a color,
As a temperature,
As an energy.
Just imagine it being there and as you do so,
I want you to ask it a question.
What do you want to tell me?
Go ahead and ask the pain,
What do you want to tell me?
You don't have to have an answer.
Just ask the question and then go back to examining the pain.
I'd like you to now ask the pain,
Why are you here?
Then again,
Go back to seeing the pain in your mind's eye,
Experiencing it and knowing that everything is going to be okay.
Now I'd like you to shift your attention to something completely different,
To the sounds within your vicinity.
Take note of any sounds that may be coming from your area.
How many sounds can you hear?
Are there any smells coming from your space?
As you are examining the scent of the area that you're in,
Shift your attention back to your nostrils and notice the air flowing in and out of your nostrils.
Remember if your mind is thinking or feeling,
That's perfectly normal.
Just take note and gently go back to your breath.
Take another deep breath in through your nose,
As deep as you can.
Slowly exhale and as you breathe out,
Relax a little further.
Notice the pain slowly diminishing.
Go back to this area from which you are,
Feeling any pain or discomfort.
I want you to imagine breathing in a light into this area.
Just breathe in a nice,
Beautiful,
Positive light.
Slowly exhale and see it all leave the area.
Just relax a little further as the air leaves your body.
When you're fully exhaled,
Go back to your breath.
Take note of your body.
Notice the areas of discomfort again.
Notice it now from a slightly more distant perspective.
I want you to shift back to this area in your body from which there is no pain and focus on that area now.
I'd like you to take another deep breath in through your nose,
As deep as you can.
Slowly and calmly exhale and relax.
As you breathe out,
I'd like you to think of three things,
Three things that you are grateful for in this moment.
It could be anything.
It could be something you may take for granted.
It could be something obvious.
Notice those three things you're grateful for and then notice how you feel once you've acknowledged those things for which you are grateful.
Once you've done so,
Once you've experienced those emotions,
I'd like you to slowly bring your attention back to your surroundings.
Notice the temperature in the room.
Notice the sounds.
Notice the surface on which you are lying or seated.
I'd like you to very gently wiggle your toes,
Wiggle your fingers,
And you may open your eyes and welcome back your physical surroundings.
I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for trying this meditation and you may use this meditation again whenever you need to,
Whenever this pain feels like it's getting out of hand.
I want to wish you lots of health and peace and comfort from the bottom of my heart to yours.
Thank you.
