From Pain To Light

In this practice, From Pain to Light, you'll be guided through a body scan using light imagery and focused breathing to help soften around the edges of physical or emotional discomfort. Best when practiced in a reclined position with plenty of props for support and comfort.

Transcript

Hi,

This is Joni.

Welcome to this practice called From Pain to Light.

I hope it helps you if you are experiencing any discomfort in the body,

Perhaps a headache,

Recovering from an injury or illness,

Or even if you've been experiencing emotional pain.

To get started,

Find a comfortable position lying down.

You're welcome to lie on the floor or in a bed or recliner.

Make sure that you're comfortable perhaps placing a blanket or pillow beneath the knees and some support underneath the neck.

Allow the front body to be open,

Arms a little bit away from the body out to your sides.

Cover yourself with a blanket to make sure that you're warm.

Settle in and when you're ready,

We'll begin with three deep breaths,

Inhaling and exhaling with a sigh,

Letting go.

Take two more breaths like that on your own,

Inhaling,

Exhaling with a sigh,

Letting yourself sink and soften even more.

After your next exhale,

Let your natural breath take over.

Bring your attention and awareness to the soles of your feet,

Feeling the soles of the feet.

Access to the backs of the heels,

Ankles,

Calves,

Back of the knees,

Back of the thighs,

Back of the hips,

Low back,

Mid back,

Shoulder blades and upper back,

Tops of the shoulders,

Backs of the arms,

Pointy parts of the elbows,

Back of the forearms,

Back of the wrists,

Back of the hands,

The palms,

All the fingers,

The thumbs,

Index fingers,

Middle fingers,

Ring fingers and little fingers.

The palms again,

Awareness of both hands,

Inner wrists,

Inner forearms,

Inner elbows,

Upper arms,

Tops of the shoulders,

Back of the neck,

Back of the head,

Top of the head,

Forehead,

Both temples,

Both eyebrows,

The space between the eyebrows.

Both eyes relaxing,

The nose,

Tip of the nose,

Upper lip,

Lower lip,

The mouth,

Teeth,

Gums,

Roof of the mouth,

Tongue,

The whole mouth,

Both cheeks,

The jaw,

Chin,

Throat,

Collarbones,

Center of the chest,

Ribcage,

Abdomen,

Front of the hips,

Tops of the thighs,

Kneecaps,

Shins,

Ankles,

Tops of the feet,

All the toes,

Big toes,

Second toes,

Third toes,

Fourth toes,

Fifth toes,

Awareness of both feet.

And now keep your awareness at the feet and feel,

Imagine,

Visualize a warm light entering in at the feet so that your feet are filled with a warm light.

Allow that warm light to start to extend up into the ankles,

Noticing each breath as the light extends up into calves and the shins.

Warm light into the knees,

Swirling all around the knees.

So the lower legs are filled with this warm light,

A warm light that's both flowing in and out.

Notice your breath as the light moves up into the thighs,

A warm,

Bright light filling the thighs.

Flowing up into the pelvis,

The lower belly and the low back,

The hips filled with light.

So now the whole lower body from the waist down is filled with this warm light,

Flowing in and flowing out.

Notice your breath as the light extends up into the rib cage and the mid back,

Up into the chest,

The shoulder blades and the upper back.

Notice your breath as the light shines in and out all the way to the tops of the shoulders.

Feel the light shining downward into the tops of the shoulders as if you were standing in the sun,

Feeling that light and warmth at the tops of the shoulders.

Notice your breath as the light extends down the arms into the elbows,

Swirling around the elbows,

Flowing down the forearms into the wrists,

Into the palms.

Feel this warm light extending,

Sweeping,

Pouring out of each finger,

Pouring out of both thumbs,

Both index fingers,

Both middle fingers,

Ring fingers,

Little fingers.

The hands are filled with light,

Flowing in and flowing out.

The arms are filled with light.

The shoulders warm with that bright light.

As the light continues to extend up into your head,

Notice your breath.

Notice as the light extends upward into the back of the skull,

Softening,

Caressing,

Swirling around the back of the head,

The top of the head,

All around the forehead.

Feel the warm light moving through your head and wrapping all around.

Light flowing in and flowing out right at that space between the eyebrows,

Let it soften.

Feel the light from behind the eyes,

Eyes relaxing into the warm light.

Feel the light in between your ears,

Through the center of your skull.

The light warms and emanates through the jaw,

The cheeks,

The sinuses and the nose.

The whole mouth filled with light,

Alive with light.

Light extending down all the way to the chin,

Down into the neck and the throat.

Feeling that warm,

Bright light on the front part of the body,

As if you were lying in the sand and feeling the sunlight on your skin.

Light in the whole front side of the body,

Let it soften you.

Feel the warmth and the light in the back side of the body,

The whole back side of the body,

From the back of your head all the way down to the back of the heels.

Warm bright light filling you.

Feel light on the right side of the body,

Light in the whole left side of the body,

Light in the whole face and the whole head.

Light in the whole body from the crown of the head to the soles of the feet.

Imagine this flow of light can sweep down the body from the crown of the head.

It sweeps down the whole body to the soles of the feet.

And with each exhale,

The light flows from the soles of the feet.

It sweeps up the body and out the crown of the head.

Exhale the light flows down from crown to feet.

If there's an area where you're experiencing particular discomfort,

I invite you to bring your attention softly to that area.

Imagine you could hold this area of your body or this area of emotion as you would hold a baby with compassion and gentleness,

Rocking,

Imagining,

Rocking this part of you.

Feel that warmth not only from the light,

But that warmth coming from inside,

That compassionate nurturing toward yourself,

Toward this area of pain.

Light flowing in,

Light flowing out.

Let the light get warmer and brighter in this area of discomfort as you hold space for yourself with compassion and warmth.

Notice your breath as you feel both the light flowing in and the light flowing out.

Can you soften this area even more with each pass of the light?

Can you relax your whole body even more?

If you feel comfortable,

You might allow yourself to drift off into sleep.

However,

If you'd like to slowly awaken and continue with your day,

You're welcome to just deepen the breath a little bit,

Breath by breath,

Deepening each breath,

Slowing it down,

Beginning to wiggle fingers and toes,

Inviting in small movements into the body.

When you feel ready,

I invite you to slowly,

Slowly make your way back up to a seated position,

Bringing palms to heart center,

Palms together at heart center,

And bowing your head to honor your own heart,

To honor your own light that flows in and flows out.

I hope that this practice has been helpful for you.

I hope that you feel a little lighter.

Take care.