Meditation To Manage Pain

In this practice, we use mindful awareness to explore the inner landscape of the body, identifying one area where we might be experiencing pain, discomfort, or tension; and another area that feels neutral or open.

Oscillating back and forth between these two areas, the gift of mindfulness helps us to define, to create a layer of observational distance, and perhaps even diminish these areas of negative sensation – while potentially expanding the areas that are neutral or spacious.

Adding the tools of visualization and breathing softens the experience, and the supporting neutral ambient background music allows the nervous system to relax.

Please note that this is a complementary mind-body therapy to be used alongside, not instead of, traditional medical care.

Transcript

Welcoming you to our meditation to manage pain. In this session, We're going to be using mindful awareness to explore two different areas in the body. One area where you might be experiencing a negative sensation such as pain or discomfort or tension. And another area which might be free of negative sensation, An area that could feel open or spacious or simply neutral. So we're going to be oscillating back and forth between these two areas a few different times. Just using the gift of mindfulness to help us define to help us create a layer of observational distance and perhaps even diminish these areas of negative sensation. While expanding, Potentially expanding, The areas that are neutral or spacious. So I will say this before we get started, We are going to be directly investigating areas of negative sensation, And that might not be for everyone. So again, Please give yourself permission to try something different if that feels uncomfortable for you today. One final note, This meditation has been adapted from one that I learned during my yoga therapy training. And I've shared it with those who experience chronic pain with good results. This is a complimentary mind-body therapy to be used alongside, Not instead of traditional medical care. So let's get started. Finding a comfortable way to rest the body. For this session, It might be useful to lie down or recline with supports under the head and knees. You could also sit in an upright posture if that feels better for you. But taking a moment to really settle in. And find that support that feels most comfortable and best for you. Right now. Closing your eyes. Or softening your gaze towards the earth. Starting to notice all the touch points that the body is making with its support could take an easy breath in through the nose. Sigh it out the mouth. Settling deeper into your support. Just feeling that support under the base of the skull of your reclining shoulders cradling the hips. The arms and the legs. And just following that thread of the breath for a moment or two longer. Flowing in, Flowing out. We will acknowledge that the physical container of the body is only one layer of the human experience. Entering into this meditative space together with an open curiosity at having a body. Let's begin by trying to locate. An area in your body experiencing what you might label as pain. Discomfort or tension. And from now on, I'm going to refer to this simply as negative sensation. So locating one area. Of the body where you might be experiencing a negative sensation. And beginning to inspect and study it. Can you locate the rough borders? Of this negative sensation. How far to the front of the body does it reach? To the back and sides. Investigating the borders of the sensation. With curiosity. Just here to collect data. How would you describe the borders? Are they fuzzy? Sharp or something else. Is there a color that you would associate with this area? Just studying it for a moment longer, Noticing what you can notice. And now we'll pause, Return to the breath. Taking an easy breath in through the nose. Perhaps sighing it out the mouth. Following the thread of the breath, Flowing in. Flowing out. And now we'll scan the body. For any areas that are completely and utterly free. Of any negative sensation. And this could be anywhere, Even if it's just the tip of the nose. Palms of the hands. Center of the chest? Finding that area in your body. It's free of negative sensation neutral and beginning to investigate it with curiosity. Where does it begin and end? Is there a color you would associate with this area? Could you imagine this area growing just a little bit? In one direction? Could you expand it a little bit in another direction? Continuing to rest your awareness. On this area of neutral sensation. Very good. Now we'll come back to the breath, Taking that easy breath in through the nose, Perhaps sigh it out the mouth. Follow the flowing in, The flowing out of the breath. Like a little palette cleanser. Now return to the area in the body. Where you were experiencing a negative sensation before. Just returning here to inspect and study this area again. With open curiosity. Once again. Trying to locate the borders. Of this sensation. Which may have changed. Locating the border, How far to the front of the body does it go? To the back and sides. Exploring the reach of the borders. And noticing the quality. Of the borders. How would you describe them? Are they well delineated? Are they fuzzy, Receding, Something else? Just noticing. Is there color there now? Is there anything else you can observe about this? Negative sensation area. And now we're pausing. Taking the palate cleanser of the breath. Breathing in through the nose. Out through the nose or mouth. And returning to the area you explored earlier that was free of any negative sensation, A neutral area. Again, Could be anywhere in the body. Just investigating this neutral area. Once again, Where does it begin and end now? Is there any color? Could you imagine this neutral area growing just a little bit in one direction? Expanding just a little bit in another direction. Could you begin to experience the neutrality as an openness or spaciousness? Could you invite this feeling of freedom? Continue to grow. For a moment longer. Very good. Now we're coming back to the breath, Easy breath in and out. Use your breath out and for the last time will return. To the area in the body where you were experiencing a negative sensation. Locating its borders. Which may have changed yet again. To the front. Back and sides. Is this area shrinking? Are the borders dissolving? Has the color changed? If there was one before, Just noticing. Whatever you can notice for a moment or two longer. And now pausing, Returning to the breath one last time. Noticing the breath flowing in and out. Taking a little palette cleanser. And Finally! We'll come back to that free, Open or neutral area you were exploring. Coming back to that free spacious open area and noticing where it is, How it's changed, Where it ends, Where it begins. Noticing its color, If any. Could you imagine this area growing just a little bit more? Expanding it just a little bit more. Could this neutral openness or spaciousness expand? Until it reaches every nook and cranny of the body. Subsuming even the area of negative sensation. Allowing the whole body. To be bathed. In the light of your awareness. Soothed. By the breath flowing in and out. Allowing the whole body. To feel the expansive nature of being. Just being here now. Exactly as you are. Drinking in the nourishment of rest. One moment longer. Very good. And we'll begin to come out of our meditation. Slowly and gently. If you need to stay resting, Please do so. Coming out, Slowly making small movements, Licking the lips, Swallowing. Wiggling the fingers and toes. Perhaps moving the head from side to side, Stretching through the arms. And just marinating a moment longer, Allowing Any other observations about how you're feeling to percolate up into your experience? And finally, Opening the eyes. Blinking the eyes a few times. Making note of the room around you. I hope that you can take this calm awareness this mindful awareness into the rest of your day or evening. I want to say thank you so much for your practice. Namaste