Hello,
It's Alice.
This practice empowers you to take control of your health and well-being.
So although pain is felt in the body,
All pain is instigated in the brain and the way to reduce and heal pain is via the brain.
If you let your brain know that you are safe,
Your nervous system will calm down its responses and your pain will reduce.
And it might be helpful to think about this using the analogy of fire and a smoke alarm.
So this practice will help to extinguish the underlying stress,
Fear or anxiety,
Which is the fire,
That triggers your pain,
Which is the smoke alarm.
Bring yourself now to a comfortable position and that could be either sitting tall or lying down.
Allow the weight of your body to be held by the surface beneath you and feel that your spine is supported.
Take a moment here to make sure that you are as comfy as you can be.
Taking this time to make any small adjustments to your clothes or posture is really important.
Show yourself care and attention.
Give yourself this time to settle.
When you're ready,
Close your eyes or soften your gaze.
Make a fist with both hands and then stretch out and extend all of your fingers.
And then you could try placing one hand on your heart and one on your belly.
If this is too tiring,
Rest your hands wherever feels most natural.
Bring your attention to your breath now,
Not trying to change anything.
But noticing the cool air traveling into your nostrils and the warm air traveling out.
And now,
If it feels okay to do,
Close your lips and breathe in and out of your nose as softly and quietly as possible.
Taking your inhale down low into your lungs,
Your belly gently rises and your lower ribs expand.
Allow your exhale to be as effortless as possible and feel your belly gently deflate.
Continue to notice that subtle flow of air coming in and out and begin to slow your breathing down just a little,
Making your exhale the same length or slightly longer than your inhale.
Relax into your breathing.
Relax any lines across your forehead.
Soften your tongue in your mouth and release any tension in your jaw.
Allow your shoulders to drop.
Feel your arms and legs growing heavy and your chest and back spacious and calm.
Know that you can now let go of any tension or sensation in your joints,
Bones or muscles.
And if you can't let go,
Simply notice any sensation or discomfort with curiosity and calm.
Bring attention to your heart.
Take a slow breath in and release a long breath out.
Allow your heart to rest.
Trust that your body is wise and knows exactly how to heal.
Find comfort in the following words and know that as you silently repeat them to yourself,
You are becoming your own medicine.
It doesn't matter if you believe them yet or not.
I accept where I am at this point in my life and know I won't be here forever.
I trust that my wise body knows how to heal.
I know that my pain is a message from my body.
It is letting me know that my nervous system needs to feel safe.
I know that I can stop,
Re-evaluate my priorities and nurture myself.
I am safe.
I am exactly where I need to be right now.
Whether you believe this yet does not matter.
As you repeat the phrases softly to yourself as many times as you like,
You are gently reminding your brain and your nervous system that you no longer need to fight.
You are exactly where you need to be right now and you won't be here forever.
Accept your current reality and know that you can heal.
Feel your nervous system listening.
Feel your body accepting your words as you release your fear about never getting better.
Trust that your body knows what to do.
Allow your own words to wash over you.
I am exactly where I need to be right now.
I trust that my wise body knows how to heal and I am helping it do that.
I am safe.
Bring your attention back to your breath again now and gently begin to deepen it.
Notice once again the cool air coming into your nostrils and the warm air flowing out.
Begin to bring a little movement to your body.
Moving your fingers and toes and then open your eyes and come back to your day.
Thank you for joining me.
