Chronic Pain Gentle Meditation

This gentle pain relief meditation is designed to help you manage chronic pain and reduce anxiety. Through a series of gentle breathing techniques and progressive relaxation exercises, you will experience a significant reduction in anxiety levels, an easing of bodily tension, and an overall improvement in well-being.

This session focuses on stimulating your body's natural relaxation responses. The techniques used in this meditation are not only intended to calm your mind in the here and now but also to enhance your resilience against future stressors. This approach is ideal for individuals or professionals seeking practical ways to maintain mental clarity and emotional balance amidst a demanding environment.

Transcript

Welcome to today's meditation.

First of all,

Congratulate yourself for coming here today and taking this time to care for yourself.

It's not easy to sit with discomfort and I want you to know that this space is here to support you exactly as you are.

It takes real courage to show up and spend time with pain,

Especially pain that's always there in the background.

Let this time be a reminder that you're not alone and that it's perfectly okay to seek moments of peace and support.

Now,

Pain can be complicated as it often comes with multiple layers that can add to our sense of suffering.

There's the pain and the physical discomfort that we feel in the body.

Then there are the emotions that arise because of the pain,

Like frustration,

Sadness or worry.

And then there's the story that the mind tells us about the pain,

The thoughts and beliefs that shape our experience.

There might be thoughts like,

This is too much or will this ever go away or I don't know how much longer I can handle this.

Sometimes there may even be thoughts like,

Why me or what did I do to deserve this?

These are all normal responses,

The mind's way of trying to make sense of a difficult experience to find some relief or understanding.

Each of these components,

The physical sensations,

The emotions and the thoughts adds a layer to the experience of pain.

In this meditation,

We're going to practice holding space for each of these elements without trying to change or resist them.

As we move through this meditation,

We'll use a number of techniques to help calm the body through a special part of our nervous system called the vagus nerve.

The vagus nerve acts as a pathway connecting the brain with many parts of the body,

Including areas linked to inflammation,

Emotional regulation and pain.

Through our breath and focus today,

We'll stimulate this vagus nerve to send signals that it's safe to relax.

You may feel moments of ease or release and you may also feel discomfort arise.

Whatever we find is okay.

We're simply here to allow whatever comes to be as it is.

If at any point things feel too much and sensations or emotions or thoughts become too uncomfortable,

Remember my words are a gentle guide,

But you're in control.

You're always welcome to open your eyes or take a deep breath or pause the meditation and come back to it later.

This is a space of comfort and safety,

A place where you can just be as you are without any need to change or to be anything else.

We'll begin the meditation by bringing gentle awareness to the breath.

Then we'll explore a calming practice called balanced belly breathing and from there we'll move into a body scan.

During the scan,

We'll be acknowledging that pain and discomfort may come and go in waves and we'll practice resting in moments of ease whenever they arise.

By the end of this meditation,

You might feel a sense of greater calm and ease in the body or perhaps a little more space in the mind.

Even if the pain is still present,

You might notice a little shift in how you relate to it,

A softening perhaps or a feeling of being more grounded and supported.

Okay,

Let's begin.

Now let's take a little time to find a comfortable position.

Most people feel more relaxed by closing the eyes but feel free to open the eyes if that feels more relaxing to you.

If we are keeping the eyes open,

Try to have a soft gaze,

A soft focus.

We might want to sit down with our back supported and we can also choose to lie down if we want to.

You're welcome to lay on your back,

Perhaps put a pillow underneath your knees to take the pressure off your lower back or we can lie on our sides if that feels better.

And please feel free to shift positions at any time during this meditation.

It's more important for you to be comfortable than to be still,

So you're more than welcome to move or stretch or stand at any point if that feels relieving to you.

If you prefer to be still,

Please go ahead and make any last-minute adjustments.

Even if you can get one or two percent more comfortable,

I invite you to go ahead and do so now.

Okay,

Good.

Let's begin by bringing awareness to the breath,

Simply noticing your inhale and noticing your exhale.

Without trying to change anything,

We're simply observing how the body is naturally breathing.

There's no need to control the breath,

No need to slow down or deepen the breath.

Instead,

We're simply experiencing the breath just as it is.

Perhaps we can feel the cool air coming in through the nostrils as we breathe in,

Feeling the lungs or chest or belly expanding.

And as we exhale,

We might be feeling the warm air as it leaves the body,

Feeling the body soften and relax a little more with each out-breath.

Breathing in as the body expands,

Breathing out as the body softens and relaxes.

If the mind starts to wander to memories,

Thoughts about the pain,

Worries about tomorrow or even just random thoughts,

That's completely normal.

It's what the mind does.

As soon as we notice that we're lost in thought,

Just gently bring your attention back to the breath,

Allowing each exhale to settle you a little deeper,

Helping the body feel calm and at ease.

Our breath is always here for us,

A safe place to return to whenever we need.

With each inhale,

We invite a sense of calm and with each exhale,

We soften and let go a little more,

Letting our body sink deeper into the chair or into the bed.

There's nothing we need to hold on to,

Nothing we need to do,

Just breathing in and breathing out,

Softening into the present moment.

Okay,

Good.

Now when painful sensations arise or when thoughts and emotions connected to pain come up,

We often start to breathe more quickly and shallowly.

This is a natural reaction,

It's the body's way of preparing to protect itself.

But when we consciously slow down the breath,

We activate the body's relaxation response,

Helping it to feel a little safer and to release some of the tension and stress that may be adding to our pain.

There's a simple practice we can use to help shift the body into a state of calm.

By focusing on balanced belly breathing,

We can encourage the nervous system to settle,

Helping to reduce the physical tension and emotional stress that often accompanies pain.

So now,

For the next few minutes,

I invite you to do some balanced belly breathing.

A good way of doing this is to do a little count inside our mind and make sure that our inhale count is the same as our exhale count.

So why don't we do some balanced breathing together.

Let's breathe in for a count of five and breathe out for a count of five.

If it's comfortable,

We can breathe in through the nose and then breathe out through the nose or the mouth.

You can follow my count for a few breaths and then you can continue doing some more at your own pace,

In your own time.

Okay,

Let's breathe in,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five.

Breathing out,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five.

Breathing in,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five.

Breathing out,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five.

Breathing in,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five.

Breathing out,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five.

Now it's up to you what you count to,

Whatever's comfortable.

So you can reduce the count to four or increase the count to six and there's no need to be precise.

And if you like,

You can drop the counting completely and just breathe slowly in and slowly out.

So let me be quiet for a few moments so we can do this by ourselves.

If it's available to us,

We can try to keep the body relaxed as we breathe.

Sometimes when we breathe in too deeply,

We can cause tension and stress in the body.

So if we find tension in the body,

Particularly on the in-breath,

Then perhaps pull back the breath by 10 or 20 percent and try not to breathe in so deeply.

As we breathe,

We might start to notice different sensations in the body.

Perhaps warmth,

Tingling,

A sense of heaviness.

Or you might feel areas of tightness or discomfort or perhaps an increase or a decrease in pain.

Whatever you're experiencing is perfectly okay.

There's no need to change it or make it different.

We're simply noticing what's present.

If at any point things feel too much,

Remember you're always welcome to adjust your position,

Open your eyes,

Focus back on the breath or even pause the meditation and come back to it later.

This is your practice and your comfort is the most important thing.

And now,

Whenever we're ready,

We can allow our breathing to return to its natural rhythm.

And notice how the body's breathing now.

Is the breath a little softer,

A little slower maybe?

Just noticing.

Feeling the cool air coming in through the nostrils as we breathe in,

As the lungs,

Chest and stomach expand.

And then feeling the warm air coming in through the leaving the nostrils as the body softens and relaxes and sinks deeper on the out-breath.

If you notice your mind drifting off into thought,

Whether it's wondering when the pain will ease,

Worrying if it might get worse or even thinking about things on your to-do list,

That's completely normal.

Our minds are wired to generate these kinds of thoughts.

Especially when there's pain in the body.

This is actually the mind's way of trying to protect us,

By searching for solutions or preparing us for discomfort.

But this kind of thinking can sometimes create even more tension and stress,

Which can add to our discomfort.

So when you catch yourself lost in thought,

Please don't be hard on yourself.

Instead,

I want you to gently and patiently guide your attention back to the breath,

And simply pick up where you left off.

Back to that next inhale.

Back to that next exhale.

Now we're going to shift into another form of mindful attention.

A body scan.

A body scan allows us to move our awareness slowly through different parts of the body,

Noticing sensations as they arise.

A body scan can be especially helpful for pain,

As it encourages us to connect with the body in a gentle,

Compassionate way.

Rather than resisting discomfort,

We're simply acknowledging what's here,

Which can sometimes help the body soften and release tension.

As we move through this body scan,

We're allowing ourselves to simply notice whatever's present.

There's no need to judge or try to change what we feel.

Instead,

We're bringing a gentle curiosity,

Exploring each sensation with openness and compassion.

If we come to an area where we're experiencing pain,

We have a couple of options.

Option one is to rest our awareness in that area,

Noticing the discomfort softly and kindly.

But if it ever feels overwhelming,

We can remember that we're in control.

We can always shift our attention away from that area,

Perhaps returning to the breath,

Perhaps opening the eyes or even pausing the meditation.

Whatever feels most supportive to you in this moment is perfectly okay.

Let's start by bringing awareness to the feet.

Noticing the sensation of the feet connected to the floor or to the surface below.

Are the feet warm or cool,

Tense or relaxed?

If we notice any tension or discomfort,

We might take a moment to visualize softening around the feet as if we're creating a bit more space around them.

If it feels good,

We can try breathing into this area as best we can,

Allowing any discomfort to simply be as it is for now.

Now gently shifting our awareness to the ankles.

Noticing any sensations here,

A feeling of connection,

Perhaps a subtle movement or a sense of stillness.

Moving up now to the calves and shins.

Noticing any sensations.

If there's any tension or discomfort,

Perhaps we can imagine surrounding it with kindness as if softly holding it in a space of compassion.

Breathing gently into this area,

Inviting any tightness to release with each exhale.

Even if it's just a little.

And bringing our awareness to the knees,

Perhaps visualizing the breath bringing a sense of lightness to this area.

Each breath inviting a bit of ease,

Making room for the sensations to exist just as they are,

Without resistance.

If the area we're focusing on happens to be one where we're feeling pain,

We're welcome to keep our awareness there,

Resting lightly on that sensation.

But if it ever feels too much,

Knowing that we can always shift our attention to another area or return our focus to the breath or even pause the meditation,

This is our time and it's perfectly okay to do what feels best for us.

Now let's shift focus to the upper legs,

The thighs and hamstrings.

Noticing if there's any tension or discomfort.

And as we breathe,

Seeing if we can allow this area to become a little softer,

Warmer,

A little more at ease.

We're imagining each breath expanding gently around the legs,

Inviting a feeling of openness.

As we continue to move through the body,

I invite you to notice that pain or discomfort often comes in waves.

There may be times when the intensity rises and other times when it softens,

Perhaps just a little.

Only if it feels possible,

I invite you to take a moment to appreciate these softer moments,

Even if they're brief,

Allowing ourselves to rest in them,

To receive them as small gifts of ease.

These gentle pauses can sometimes give us a chance to gather strength and resilience,

Helping us feel supported as we navigate the more intense moments that might come next.

And if it's difficult to notice any softness or relief,

That's perfectly okay.

We're simply here to observe whatever's present with a sense of curiosity and kindness.

Moving up now to the hips.

The hips often hold a lot of tension,

So if we're aware of any tightness or discomfort here,

Simply acknowledging it.

We might imagine the breath softening around the hips,

Inviting a gentle release with each exhale.

Bringing awareness now to the back,

The lower back,

The middle of the back,

The shoulder blades,

The spine,

Noticing any areas that might be calling for our attention.

If it's available to us,

Perhaps we can picture breathing gently into this area,

Releasing a little bit of tension with each exhale,

Allowing the breath to create space around any sensations here,

Letting them be just as they are.

And now,

Bringing awareness to the belly,

Noticing if any sensations arise as we breathe gently,

Perhaps inviting the breath to expand into the belly.

If there's any discomfort,

We might imagine it softening with each exhale,

Creating a little space for relaxation and calm.

Shifting now to the chest and the ribcage,

Perhaps we might get a sense of a gentle rising and falling.

If there's any tension or tightness,

We might imagine the breath creating a sense of lightness,

Softening the chest with each gentle exhale.

Now bringing awareness into the shoulders,

Seeing if we can allow them to soften with each breath.

Perhaps imagining the shoulders gently releasing,

As if we're wrapping them in warmth and compassion.

Each exhale,

Helping to let go of any weight we might be carrying.

Moving now to the arms,

Feeling the upper arms,

Elbows,

Forearms,

All the way down to the wrists.

Noticing any sensations that are present.

If there's tension,

We might imagine it softening with the breath,

Each exhale creating a little more space and ease.

And now shifting our awareness to the hands,

Noticing the palms,

The fingers,

Any subtle sensations here.

Perhaps we feel warmth or tingling or stillness,

Just noticing with a sense of gentle curiosity.

Now bringing focus to the neck and throat,

Allowing these areas to soften and release with each gentle breath.

Letting go of any tightness,

Inviting ease and relaxation with each exhale.

And finally,

Bringing awareness to the face,

Allowing the jaw to release,

Feeling the cheeks softening,

The eyes gently relaxing,

The forehead easing.

Noticing the entire face softening,

Inviting a sense of warmth and ease.

And now let's expand our awareness to include the whole body,

From the top of the head to the tips of the fingers and tips of the toes.

We're noticing any remaining tension or discomfort.

And as we do so,

Reminding ourselves that any pain or discomfort we feel is only a part of our experience.

We are more than our pain,

There's also a part of us that can observe the pain with gentleness and compassion.

With each breath,

We're allowing tension to settle in,

To release.

We're making space,

Inviting calm,

We're releasing any need to hold on to tension.

Now we have a few options.

If it feels right,

We might choose to focus on any areas of discomfort,

Resting our awareness there gently.

Or we might choose to expand our attention to include the body as a whole.

Or we might choose to simply focus on the breath,

Whatever feels most supportive in this moment.

And now,

Whenever we're ready,

Let's bring our awareness back to the breath.

Noticing the inhale,

Noticing the exhale.

We're simply noticing how the body is naturally breathing.

So without trying to change anything,

How is the body breathing?

Has the breath slowed?

Is the breath more relaxed?

And we're not so much watching the breath,

We're experiencing the breath.

We're feeling what it's like to breathe.

Perhaps we can feel the cool air coming in through the nostrils as we breathe in,

As the lungs and the chest and the stomach expand.

And then we might notice a short pause as the breath changes direction.

And we feel the warm air leaving the nostrils as we breathe out.

As the body softens and relaxes and sinks deeper into the chair or into the bed.

We breathe in and the body expands.

We breathe out as the body softens and relaxes and sinks deeper.

We're noticing the body becoming increasingly peaceful and tranquil.

The breath slowing down.

Maybe the heart slowing as well.

And as this practice comes to an end,

Knowing you can come back here again,

This place of calm and rest.

Let's take a few moments to notice what the body feels like and notice what the mind feels like.

And hopefully,

There's a little more softness,

A little more ease.

And even if we're not feeling much change,

That's perfectly okay too.

Some days are harder than others.

It could be one of those days where there's a lot more pain in the body or a lot more uncomfortable thoughts and emotions.

By simply noticing how we're feeling,

We're giving ourselves space to be as we are without judgment.

So if you're feeling a little tender or tired or weighed down today,

Then if possible,

Go easy on yourself.

Do something kind for yourself,

Something gentle.

Perhaps leave anything that can wait until tomorrow.

Before we end this meditation,

I'd love to take a moment to reflect on a poem.

This poem is a reminder that even in difficult times,

There is strength and wisdom to be found.

And if today is particularly challenging,

Then this poem is especially for you.

It's called The Path and it's by Uli Kay.

If you are in need of light,

Go to the ones who have been through the darkness.

They will guide you.

If you are in need of hope,

Go to the ones who have lost everything and somehow still sing hallelujah.

They will show you the way.

If you are in need of strength,

Go to the ones who have been down on their knees,

Feeble and broken and weak to the bone.

They will know how to gather up the courage to get back up on fractured limbs and walk or run or begin their freedom march.

If you need love,

Go to the ones who have been without,

Who longed but were forgotten,

Who sought but were neglected,

Who dreamed but were not given a chance.

They will understand the depths to which love can save a soul.

Sometimes the path to knowledge is simply in a human whose shoes are worn but whose heart is willing.

And keeping our eyes closed,

I invite you to notice what feels different in the body and mind.

Perhaps there's a sense of calm or maybe a little lightness or maybe we're simply feeling more connected,

More grounded in this moment.

Let's bring our awareness to sounds.

The sounds inside the room and sounds outside the room.

Gently wiggling our fingers and toes,

Bringing some small movements back into the body.

And whenever we're ready,

We can gently crack open the eyes and come back to the room.

Remember,

We can always return to this place of calm and comfort.

The breath is always here for us,

A safe place to come back to whenever we need it.

If pain or discomfort arises,

We can take a few moments to breathe deeply,

Allowing the breath to soften us and calm the body.

Congratulate yourself on taking this time out to care for yourself.

By simply being here,

You've given yourself a gift of rest,

Patience and kindness.

May you carry this sense of ease and compassion with you into the rest of your day.

And remember,

You're welcome to return to this practice whenever you need support or a moment of peace.

Reviews

I love your work and all of it so helpful ! You are such an amazing healer .Thank you !

Thank you for this practice.