Welcome to today's meditation.
We're going to be doing some guided visualization work on healing injury pain or any areas of difficulty,
Tension or stress in the body.
So if you've had an injury or you're recovering from surgery or if there's any illness in the body that needs some love and attention,
A guided visualization is a really powerful practice that supports the healing of the body by using the power of the mind.
So as always you can find a comfortable position whether you're on the back or seated.
You might be lying in bed perhaps with the support of some pillows under your head.
You're just making those adjustments to make sure that you're nice and comfortable.
When we take care to make the physical body comfortable it can relax and that helps to create a shortcut for the mind to relax as well and then we can find focus and we can dive into meditation without distraction.
We might just begin by taking a nice long breath in together through the nose.
And as if you were blowing through a straw gently open the lips and breathe out.
Taking a couple more in that same way,
Just gentle lengthening.
Really nice.
So closing the eyes,
Softening the body,
Relaxing the body.
And also relax the features of the face.
So we're sending a message around the entire system that we're prepared,
That we're open,
We're ready to focus and we're ready to receive.
Now of course if there's injury or stiffness,
Pain of any kind,
An illness,
Difficulty,
It's not always possible to make ourselves completely comfortable in the body but we're doing our best to bring comfort and send a nourishing approach and nourishing attitude into this practice.
And as with all challenge in life,
The more compassion,
The more love we pour on our situation and on our circumstances,
The easier it becomes.
So just notice if the mind is popping up with resistance or criticism or complaints.
Know that it's normal and know that there may well be other people listening to this meditation right now experiencing the same thing.
And together we'll just turn towards those complaints and turn towards that criticism and maybe tell the voice inside our minds,
It's okay,
I see you,
I hear you,
I register and it's okay.
And notice if that creates a softening or an opening,
A gateway through which to step so that you can continue down this path of healing and recovery.
So keeping the eyes closed and the mind open,
Open to the experience that's about to unfold,
Open to see where we go.
Just take our attention to that part of the body that needs some love.
And let's just begin to send our breath to that area,
Allowing that breath to be quite gentle but loving.
Doesn't need to be a big breath.
We're just visualizing,
Sending energy,
Sending consciousness and attention into that body part or those body parts.
And as we continue to do this I want you to visualize that area.
Whatever comes up,
Whatever colors,
Images or associations come up are fine,
They're good.
And it might be that if there's a really difficult relationship or a challenging relationship with this part of the body it might be that what you see is quite dark imagery.
Maybe it's completely invisible.
Just notice what associations come up,
Holding your attention in this space.
And it's possible that these visualizations bring up some fear and some sadness.
And that's okay.
We can turn towards those feelings and say,
It's okay,
I see you.
I recognize you.
And there's space for you here.
And we are extending a loving,
Befriending arm out to these emotions and to these images.
Our first step in healing anything is to be aware of it.
So now I want you to begin to replace those images with images of life and light.
Positive,
Abundant,
Life-affirming images,
Whatever that means to you.
So just keeping your attention in that body part.
And now seeing perhaps flowers,
Light,
Spaciousness.
Does continue to encourage any positive associations that come up in your imagination,
Floating up for you to claim and embrace.
Maybe there's a colored light,
A rose gold kind of a light.
And maybe even as you breathe in,
You send that rose gold light down into your body.
And you see it expanding and absorbing.
And every breath taking in more of this light and life and color.
Anything that comes up for you,
Happy faces,
Crystals,
Animals,
Pets,
Places that you love,
Symbols,
Tokens from the natural world.
Anything that brings you joy and which you love,
You can plant those images in this space in your body.
Those images and symbols,
They are your love.
They are your love for yourself and their life's love for you.
You can just keep on filling yourself until that area of the body or those parts of the body are overflowing with rich,
Abundant,
Life affirming joy and light and color and images.
And just hold your attention there.
Keep watching these things grow.
Keep watching the body absorbing them or finding space for them,
Allowing them to take root.
Maybe you notice a gentle smile moving across your lips.
And you just allow yourself to bathe in the peace and richness of this scene that you've created inside your mind's eye,
Inside your body.
Notice what you're noticing.
And allow that gentle wash of love just to cause its way all around the mind and the body.
And remembering that it's your mind that has created this space.
It's your body that seeks this healing and this pleasure and joy and recovery.
And remembering also that you can come back and recreate this scene anytime you like.
Just weeding your own garden and planting new plants and flowers and seeds anytime you like.
And you can stay here just resting,
Surveying the scene,
Enjoying your creation.
And perhaps you'll notice the gentleness of your breath,
The pleasure in your heart,
The expression on your face and maybe even a deeper sense of connection.
Taking your own time and whenever you're ready.
If your body allows you might like to just close your meditation by a simple nod of the head down towards the heart or if you can,
Bringing the hands together at the heart's space in a gesture of prayer and thanks.
