Welcome,
My friends.
I'm asking for Casa.
As a survivor of chronic pain myself.
I'm so grateful for the opportunity to help you with this meditation.
Before we begin,
I want to acknowledge the strength it takes to navigate a body that feels like it's under siege.
Whether you've been dealing with this for months or decades.
Your experience is real.
Your sensations are valid,
And you deserve this moment of rest.
Let's find a position that feels most supportive for you right now.
There's no perfect way to sit or lie down.
If you need a shift.
If you need to move,
Please move.
What's important is to find a position that works for you in this moment.
Now let's start by simply noticing the surface beneath you.
Feel the weight of your body being held by the chair or the bed.
Or the ground.
You don't have to hold yourself up right now.
Let the Earth do that work for you.
Take a soft breath in,
And as you exhale,
Imagine your muscles offering just 5% more of their weight to the surface beneath them.
In this space,
We aren't going to try to fight the pain.
We're not going to try to fix it or push it away.
Because when we fight,
Our system stays on high alert.
Instead,
We're going to treat the sensations in the body like a very loud,
Very tired smoke alarm.
An alarm is just a signal.
Pain is the body's way of trying to be a fierce protector.
The intention of the system is to keep you safe.
Let's take a moment to offer a bit of compassion to that protective part of you.
It's been working overtime.
It's exhausted.
Silently or under your breath.
You might say.
I hear you.
I know you're trying to protect me.
It's okay to lower the volume for a few minutes.
We are safe in this moment.
Now,
We're going to practice looking at sensations in your body with a sense of light curiosity.
Take an area of sensation that feels prominent,
But not overwhelming.
This is very important.
If the pain is too intense in one spot.
Move your focus to the very edge of it,
Where it starts to fade into neutral territory.
Instead of labeling it as pain or as bad.
Let's try to describe it with curiosity.
Maybe even as a scientist or an artist would do.
Is the sensation moving?
Or is it still?
Does it have a color?
Is it heavy or light?
What other words would you use to describe this sensation?
Some examples might be tight.
Or relaxed.
Are Poki?
Or hot.
Are cold.
Are dull.
Or even neutral.
I'm gonna give you a few moments.
To reflect on these sensations with curiosity.
If your mind starts to tell a story about what this sensation means for your future,
Or how much you hate it.
That's okay.
That's just the analytical mind trying to help.
Gently thank the mind for its input and return to the sensation itself.
Watch it like you're watching clouds move across a summer sky.
The clouds change shape,
They drift,
And they pass.
The important thing to remember.
Is that you are the sky.
The sensations are just the weather.
The weather changes.
The weather ebbs and flows.
And the weather ultimately passes.
Now,
We're going to focus on releasing any pressure you may have put on yourself.
Much of the burden of illness or chronic pain comes from the shoulds.
Thoughts such as,
I should be better by now.
I should be doing more.
I should be more positive.
These shoulds create a hidden pressure that keeps our nervous system tight and on high alert.
For the next few minutes,
We are declaring a should-free zone.
You don't have to be a good patient right now.
You don't have to have the right attitude.
You are allowed to be exactly as you are.
Breathe into the space around your heart.
Imagine that with every exhale,
You are dropping a heavy backpack filled with expectations.
Let go of the pressure to heal Let go of the self-criticism for having a body that hurts.
None of this is your fault.
You are doing enough.
You are enough.
Now,
Shift your attention away from the discomfort entirely.
I want you to find one place in your body that feels neutral or even slightly pleasant.
It might be your earlobes,
Or the tip of your nose.
Maybe your pinky finger or the sensation of the air on your skin.
Rest your attention there.
This neutral space is also you.
It is just as real as the pain.
Breathe into this neutral space.
Letting it expand just a tiny bit with every breath.
As we begin to come back.
To the space around you.
Remember that you have the remote control to your attention.
You can't always control the sensations,
But you can control how you relate to them.
You have practiced looking at your body without fear for a few minutes.
This is a massive win.
You've signaled to your nervous system that in this moment.
You are not in danger.
Gently wiggle your fingers and toes.
If your eyes were closed.
You can open them.
Take a final,
Deep breath.
And as you go about your day.
Carry this thought with you.
My body is on my side.
I am safe.
I am at peace.
My body.
Is on my side.
I am safe.
I am at peace.
My body is on my side.
I am safe.
I am at peace.
If you found this meditation helpful.
Please consider leaving a review so that it's easier for other people to find what they need to help them as well.
And if you'd like to hear more meditations like this from me,
I'd be honored if you follow my teacher profile.
Sending you blessings and so much love.
