Hi,
My name is Dr.
Adam Bledsoe and welcome to Leaning Into The Good,
A meditation where we'll take a moment to enjoy the positive sensations in the body to help create a balance and safety in the nervous system to reduce chronic pain and symptoms.
Now,
Let's get settled,
Finding a posture that feels good for your body,
Allowing yourself to use any supports or props you need,
Blankets to stay warm,
Pillows to help you stay level.
Go ahead now and find yourself in as comfortable a position as possible.
This could be lying down or seated,
Whatever feels good for you now.
Taking a moment to get your body in order so you can begin to enjoy some stillness.
Allow your feet to relax,
Your thighs to soften and roll out a little,
Let your hips widen as you release your muscles.
Your belly and your waist relax,
Your chest soften,
Your hands open.
Allow some space between your back molars,
Your tongue to decrease its tone.
As the eyes close,
Ensure that you're only using enough muscle tension to just keep them closed but no more.
Allow your jaw and your scalp muscles to relax as your ears gently slide down the side of your head,
Noticing the contact between yourself and the surface that supports you,
Allowing yourself to give over to it.
This is a moment of non-doing,
A moment where you have nothing to do except simply observe,
Being curious and open and non-judgmental.
Begin to settle the body with some low,
Slow breaths in and out.
Breathing in.
A little pause and breathing out.
Repeating this as your body begins to slow down.
Taking a couple more deliberate breaths and feeling your body really settling in.
Now allowing your body to take over control of your breathing and now you're just observing the inhale and the exhale.
As you're noticing your breath,
I'd like you to try to find a place in your breath that has a positive sensation,
That is something that feels good to you.
Maybe it's the cool crisp air across your nostrils or your lips.
Maybe it's the feeling of a gentle inhalation that fills your lungs or the exhalation that allows everything to settle just for a moment.
Maybe you're beginning to notice your body releasing tension somewhere.
Maybe your hands or your feet are beginning to warm.
You may notice a twitch somewhere in the body as muscles begin to let go.
Noticing an area that feels positive to you and in your mind,
Describing the sensation in that area.
What does it feel like?
Now paying attention to that sensation for a moment and allowing your attention to stay focused on it and as you attend to it,
Your mind is wrapping around it.
You're drawing that sensation into your brain and rewiring around a positive sensation.
One that feels good to you,
That feels safe,
That's welcome.
We're creating a safe environment in the brain.
As the brain feels safe,
It will reduce the pain signal.
Paying attention to positive sensations is about creating safety,
So allow yourself another moment to pay attention to that positive sensation that you've found or maybe you'd like to move to another one that has become more prominent.
Now you might take the opportunity to move your attention to another spot,
Another part of your body where you've noticed some positive sensations that may have arisen since the beginning of our time together.
Go ahead and notice that spot in your body and in your mind,
Describing with words what this sensation feels like and then simply paying attention to that sensation for a moment.
Sensations can be like clouds,
They can come and go.
So as it goes,
You may move your attention to a different sensation that feels positive.
You may follow a moving sensation through the body or it may just be static and staying still and you can stay there with it,
Simply resting in that sensation.
This time you're spending noticing positive sensations is helping your brain become more aware and attuned to things that feel good,
To things that feel safe.
Raising your awareness of safety in the brain will begin over time to decrease your body's connection with painful areas and decrease the feeling of threat or fear around the pain,
Around the symptom.
Helping reset your body's baseline and making room for you to have less pain and feel good more often.
You can take a moment now and in your mind or out loud,
Simply send a message of safety and affirmation to your nervous system that you are safe,
You are calm and you feel good.
Taking a moment to experience what this feels like,
Allowing it in,
Basking in it.
Before we go,
Paying special attention to your body in this state to see if you can hear any of its wisdom.
Is there anything you wish to bring forward to carry into the remaining of your day?
An intention,
A wish,
A desire,
A need?
Simply sitting back,
Not reaching for it,
Allowing it to come to you.
If something comes up,
Simply noticing it.
You may state it as an intention by saying,
I intend to,
And then allowing yourself to finish that statement and then letting it go.
Simply carrying that energy into the remainder of your day.
You can revisit this meditation often to train your nervous system to lean into the good,
Create more safety and allow your nervous system to decrease the pain signal safely and naturally.
Thanks so much for meditating with me.
This has been Dr.
Adam Bledsoe and I'll see you again soon.
