So,
As I'm recording this,
I am a couple weeks post-op,
A pelvic floor surgery,
And I am waiting for the second attempt to get a dental crown put in.
And this meditation came to me because I'm someone who gets pretty anxious at appointments.
Pretty much any appointment,
Medical appointment,
I'll start to get nervous about the physical discomfort and I can feel that anxiety in my body in the form of a heartbeat racing,
Tightness all over the body,
Honestly,
Even a full-body sweat.
But fortunately,
Over the years,
I've been able to develop some tools that help me throughout any medical appointment,
And in particular,
Help me deal with the sensations I know will come up.
The practice I'm about to lead you through could be beneficial in many different treatment scenarios.
I used it at my most recent dentist appointment,
When I was navigating HG during my pregnancy,
And again in childbirth,
Throughout the entire IVF process,
Which included so much blood work,
And even when I had an injured foot due to running.
All that to say,
If you're currently experiencing physical discomfort,
This practice may help reduce any anxiety or mental stress you're experiencing,
And if you're anticipating physical discomfort because of a medical treatment,
I recommend trying this a couple times ahead of your procedure or treatment,
So you can come to it in the moment more easily.
Together,
We're going to first practice some simple deep breathing,
Moving into a pranayama called Samad Riti,
Or you may know it as box breath,
Before settling into a body awareness technique.
To start,
Please get into a comfortable seat.
That can look like lying down,
Walking,
Or standing,
If sitting doesn't feel right for you.
Remember,
This is a practice to help navigate physical discomfort,
So take a position that helps do this.
Begin with eyes open,
Focus soft,
Taking in some gentle breaths,
In through the nose and out through the mouth.
In this moment,
Before we transition fully into the practice,
And with compassion,
Check in with your posture.
Are there any final movements or adjustments that would create support here?
On this next exhalation,
Gently closing your eyes or let your gaze rest softly.
Start to deepen the breath,
Breathing into the belly,
Letting it expand fully before exhaling out the nose.
And the next time you inhale,
Breathe into the belly and ribs fully,
Letting the breath grow before exhaling out the nose.
And finally,
Breathing into belly,
Ribs,
Chest,
The fullest expression of your breath,
And gently out the nose.
This is Dhirga Pranayama,
Three-part breathing.
Now we'll start to explore box breath,
So each part of the breath will be a four count.
This means inhaling for four,
Hold for four,
Exhale for four,
Hold the breath out for four,
And begin again.
I'll lead the first few rounds,
And then I'll stop counting so you can go at your own pace,
Inhaling in and out through the nose.
Deep inhale through the nose for one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Hold for three,
Two,
One,
Exhale.
Two,
Three,
Four,
Hold,
Three,
Two,
One.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Holding for three,
Two,
One,
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Continuing in this pattern at your own pace,
Let the breaths be gentle,
So not holding your breath to the point that it's uncomfortable,
And if you lose the pattern,
It's okay.
Start again,
Or return to Dhirga Pranayama if this breath doesn't feel right for you.
But wherever you are,
Let the breath move with ease in and out of the body.
Continuing to breathe in for a count of four,
Holding,
Exhaling,
Holding again,
All at a count of four.
This pranayama can be used to activate the parasympathetic nervous system,
Which is important for reducing stress and anxiety,
As well as regulating the heart rate and better oxygen in the brain and lungs.
And all these things together make it easier to be present.
And of course,
Being present won't necessarily decrease your pain,
Right?
But if you can be present with yourself and less living in the future,
It's possible to find ways to coincide with our discomfort.
As you become calmer and grounded,
We can navigate whatever situation we're in with more compassion for ourselves and be able to care for ourselves more fully.
Release the pranayama now,
Returning your breath to its natural rhythm,
Noticing the effects it might have had,
Feeling if the body and mind are less tense.
You might even feel a bit more energized.
Moving into body awareness now.
Start by noticing the breath moving in the body.
You might feel it more in the belly or the chest.
You might notice the air coming in and out of the nostrils.
Find an anchor point to watch your breath from.
Letting the focus,
Like the breath,
Be easeful.
You don't need to notice anything in particular.
You don't need to stop thoughts from coming and going.
When thoughts come,
When you find yourself distracted,
If you've completely left the practice,
Return with compassion,
Return with kindness.
Come back to witnessing the breath moving in,
Moving out.
Beginning to gently scan the body now,
Seeing the body as it is.
As it is today.
Start at the crown of the head,
Making your way down through the head,
Neck,
Shoulders,
Belly,
Torso and legs,
All the way to the feet.
Once you arrive at the feet,
Scanning back up to the head.
If your inner narrative or stories are coming up now,
Witnessing them with compassion too.
It's normal to feel frustrated or scared.
It's normal to experience pain and discomfort.
Acknowledging any feelings or fears that come up before letting them go.
Trying to be non-judgmental about anything that arises.
Now find a single part of the body to focus on.
This should be a neutral part of the body.
For example,
If you're scared of getting dental work,
Focus on the toes.
Whichever part you pick,
Make sure it's not part of the body.
Not part of the discomfort you're navigating or the treatment area where you may be experiencing discomfort in the future.
Letting your awareness take in what this part of you is experiencing.
Is it warm or cold?
Can you feel close against the skin?
Are you able to wiggle or slowly move this part of your body?
Let all of your focus,
All of your awareness,
Be with this part of you.
When the mind wanders,
Take a deep breath and return back to the body.
Starting to move your awareness to a new part of the body.
Another neutral part that isn't actively experiencing discomfort.
Is it warm or cold?
What can you feel against the skin?
What sensations or movement do you notice?
And one more time,
Finding a third neutral part of the body.
Is it warm or cold?
What sensations are against the skin?
What gentle movements can this part of your body make?
If narratives are arising,
This is your reminder that emotions are human.
Being compassionate and non-judgmental with ourselves is part of the practice.
Releasing your focus now,
Returning to the breath.
Watching the breath rise and fall,
Beginning to sense the seat or ground beneath you,
Sensing the space you're in,
Taking in sounds or smells,
Letting yourself fully arrive back.
Deep inhale through the nose and exhale out the mouth with a long exhale.
A long sigh.
Bringing hands to heart center for Anjuli Mudra.
The light in me sees and honors the light in each and every one of you.
So,
How you might apply this practice in the moment is,
For my example,
When I need to get dental work done,
I'll do deep breathing in the car or in the waiting room,
And then during the procedure,
I'll focus on finding two or three neutral parts of the body to notice.
It gives the brain a place to relax,
Hopefully,
And to not hyper-focus on the treatment itself.
And if you're already past your procedure,
If you're feeling physical discomfort after an injury,
Then come back here to be guided anytime you need.
Thank you for your practice,
And I hope you found this helpful in your journey.
