Gentle Audio For Rheumatoid Arthritis

As someone who knows how it feels to deal with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Laura recorded this while in a flare-up of her own. She guides you through a visualisation of your body, starting at the feet, working the way up, noticing any areas of pain, discomfort, inflammation, or any other sensations you may be feeling. Send the breath to those areas, cleanse with colours, listen to your body, and park all worries and 'to-do' lists just for this short while. A well-deserved break for your precious body.

Transcript

So this audio is for anyone who suffers with rheumatoid arthritis and the pain and inflammation that goes with that.

It's not intended to replace any medications but it's just something for you to use,

Preferably daily or as and when you feel you need an extra boost.

So finding yourself in a comfortable place or position,

Whatever that means for you,

Whatever you're able to do right now.

So if you want to lie down,

Lie down.

If you want to be in a seated position,

Be in a seated position.

And just close your eyes and tell yourself you're going to take this time for the next few moments to just park any worries,

Any things on your to-do list,

Any things that are floating around your mind just for this short time and really tune in to your body.

And that might sound strange because when you are in pain it often seems that that's all you are tuned into.

So what we will do is really explore different areas in the body where you're feeling pain and also notice any areas of the body where you don't feel pain.

So for this recording we're just going to start with your feet.

Take a moment to tune in to any sensations in your feet.

Maybe they've been hurting lately when you stand up or when you walk.

Maybe they're hurting right now.

Maybe give them a little bit of movement.

Wiggle your toes or stretch your foot back and forward and just notice what it is you're feeling,

Where it is you're feeling it.

Any areas that are pinching or feel that they're burning or any stabbing sensations,

Whatever it is that you feel.

Notice if it's in your toes,

Any particular toe,

The balls of the feet,

The middle of the foot,

The arch,

The heel,

The sides of your feet.

And just breathe in to those areas of pain,

Tension,

Pinching,

Inflammation.

Imagine on your inhale you are sending that breath right into all those areas.

And imagine all the tissues just relaxing.

Imagine any pinching,

Releasing.

Just for now.

And wriggle your toes and feet again.

Breathing in to any areas of pain,

Imagining it releasing.

And the grip being loosened on those areas where there's pain.

And ask your body if there's anything you need to release to help alleviate some of that pain.

Ask your body.

And now gradually moving up into your ankles.

Again,

Bring a bit of movement there.

Rotate your ankles if you can.

Or move your feet back and forwards.

And notice exactly what it is you're feeling,

If it's hurting too much,

Stop.

Notice what it is you're feeling,

Exactly where you're feeling it.

And what that is,

Is it pain?

Is it pinching?

Is it tightness?

What is that feeling?

And imagine inhaling and breathing air into your ankles,

Releasing,

Relaxing,

Letting go,

Un-pinching,

Whatever it is,

Allow the breath to go right into the ankles.

Ask your body if there's anything here that I need to release,

Allow me to release it or show me what it is.

Moving up toward your knee now.

And notice any sensations between the ankle and the knee.

Is there tightness just above the ankle,

Just below the knee or anything in between?

Use that movement to judge where that feeling is.

And all the different parts of the knee,

What is that pain,

That sensation,

That feeling?

Are there any areas that are swollen?

Any areas that feel as if they'd be red if you would look at them?

Any pinching?

Any popping sensations?

Take in that deep breath and breathe that breath into the knees and into the leg,

Down to the ankle.

All of that area,

Imagine breathing in and blowing out,

Releasing,

Relaxing,

Un-tightening,

Un-pinching any areas of those sensations.

If there's any emotions coming up,

Just let them out too,

Just let everything flow,

Don't resist anything.

This is all part of bringing some relief to what you're feeling.

Now imagine going all the way up into the hip area and the area in between.

So from the knees up to the hips,

Focusing on what you're feeling in those areas.

And maybe across the lower back as well.

Any tension around the hips,

Across the lower back.

Exactly where do you feel that?

What do you feel?

When do you feel it?

Are there any times that that feeling is relieved?

Bring a bit of movement now,

If you're lying down,

Imagine you try and turn onto your left or your right or just slight movements.

Or if you're sitting in a chair,

Lean forward,

Backwards very slightly,

Side to side.

Notice any feelings in the hips and the lower back area.

Is it pain?

Is it pinching?

Is there a tightness?

What is it?

Inhaling now,

Breathing that air all the way in to all those areas around the hip joints,

The lower back,

Breathing air,

Imagine you're blowing out any of those uncomfortable feelings.

Any emotions that are coming to the surface,

Let them flow.

Perhaps it's just physical sensations you're feeling and that's absolutely fine.

Just breathing that fresh air all the way into all those areas.

Notice the sensations you're feeling,

Imagine them all releasing.

Imagine any pinching,

Loosening.

Imagine any pain being washed and waved away.

Bringing your awareness now all the way up your back and into your neck and shoulders.

Imagine the neck and the back and the spine being bathed in healing energy.

Maybe you want to roll your shoulders,

See what it is you feel.

Bring your shoulders up to your ears if you can and then release them down and notice how that feels.

Any sensations going down the arms to the elbows,

What do you feel there?

Would it be pain?

Would it be pinching?

Would it be just an ache?

Or does it just feel that you can't lift your arms as high as you know they can go?

Whatever it is you feel,

Notice it.

And now on your inhales,

Imagine sending that breath into your arms,

Your shoulders,

All the way down your back.

Breathing,

Resting,

Releasing any pain,

Any sensation,

Any pinching.

Bringing your awareness up into your neck and gently turn your neck to the left and notice what you feel.

Stop at any points of discomfort.

This time turning your neck to the right,

Same thing,

Stopping at any points of discomfort.

And what is it you feel when you get to that point of pain or pinching when you turn your head to the left or to the right?

What is that feeling?

Can you lift your head up to the ceiling?

Can you bring your chin down to your chest?

What do you feel along the back of your neck when you do that?

Take in a really deep breath and imagine the muscles in the neck releasing,

Stretching,

Untightening.

Imagine them lengthening so that if you wanted to look up a little bit higher or bring your chin down to your chest a little bit further,

The muscles and the tendons and the tissues and everything in your neck would allow you to do that.

Imagine in the same way when you're breathing in,

You're breathing in air into the neck so that when you turn to the left or to the right it becomes easier and looser with less and less sensation of pain or discomfort.

And bringing your awareness down now into your wrists and your hands.

If you feel like you can rotate those wrists just as far as remains comfortable or bearable.

Notice where you're feeling any uncomfortable sensations.

Maybe it's all the way from the thumb down to the base of the thumb.

Maybe it's the right side of the hand or the left side of the hand by the little finger going down into the wrist.

Notice where it is you feel them.

Is there any areas of swelling around where the hand meets the wrist?

Unwiggle your fingers if you can.

Close your hand into a fist gently if you can.

If you can't,

Again notice where is that point that you can get to?

What is it you're feeling when you get to the point?

Does it feel like you literally can't go any further?

What does it feel like it would just hurt a bit too much?

Pinpoint exactly what is going on.

Are there any areas of swelling?

Take in that deep breath and imagine sending that breath all the way down into your wrists and into your hands and filling your wrists and hands with a lovely healing energy.

Fresh healing revitalizing energy into every part of the joints and the tissues of your whole body.

And while you're doing that I want you to think of a color you associate with health and vitality.

And imagine now that you are inhaling that color of health and vitality.

Maybe there's more than one color.

And see it now going in through your nose or your mouth down all the way to every nerve,

Cell,

Fiber of your being.

Paying special attention to any areas of pain or inflammation or pinching.

Just sending more of that color to those specific areas.

Warming them,

Healing them,

Loosening them.

Making them feel better and better every time you practice.

And saying to yourself you release any upset,

Any worry,

Anything that's ever caused you stress in the past,

Allow yourself to release it.

Any time you need to rest,

To slow down,

Allow yourself to do so.

No matter what's going on,

Make your rest a priority.

And when you fall asleep tonight you will fall asleep easily and effortlessly.

And your mind will go over and over what we've done today.

Sending that healing breath into any areas of discomfort and sending more and more of that lovely healing color to all those areas.

So when you feel ready you can allow your eyes to open again.

Feeling lovely,

Whether that's physically or mentally or both.

Just for this few minutes of calm that you've had.

Switching your mind off from anything outside just for this short time.

And know that you can come back to this short time any time you wish.

Whether that's by listening to this or by doing it by yourself.

And noticing more and more how switching off for just a few minutes does no harm and actually does you the world of good.

Reviews

Amazingly relaxing! Really helped with my joint pains and headache.

Although I don’t have Rheumatoid Arthritis, this caught my eye. I have Osteoarthritis in both knees and was having a particularly painful night. I listened to this while trying to fall asleep, and I felt it to be very calming. Breathing into the pain was a new way of focusing. Looking forward to trying this some more. Thank you! ❤️

Really helps to relax me when I’m going through a flare. So happy to find this amazing meditation for RA. WOILD love to see more like this…thank you!

Lovely meditation! I’m suffering from aches in the hips and also helped me. Thank you 🙏

Lovely. Very gratwful. 🙏

Great it worked for osteoarthritis aswell
Thank you for the meditation 🧘‍♂️

Excellent. Will try and do it a lot. Hopefully every day. Thanks

This was lovely 🥰 although I do not have rheumatoid arthritis I can use it for my Diabetic Neuropathy pains. Thank you 🙏🏻

I have RA and Fibro, I LOVE this meditation. Tian you so much for sharing it.
Namaste 🙏