Finding Steadiness In Hospital

Whether you're spending time in hospital for tests, treatment or surgery, this gentle meditation offers a few moments of steadiness during what can often feel like a challenging time.

If you're feeling worried, overwhelmed or simply in need of a moment to pause, this practice will gently guide you back to your body and your breath, helping you find a little more steadiness, one breath at a time.

Inspired by my own experience of a hospital stay, I created this meditation to offer the kind of support I couldn't find when I needed it most.

Do return to this meditation whenever you need a reminder that, even in the midst of uncertainty, you can always come back to the present moment.

Transcript

Welcome, I'm Kate. I'm so glad you're here. If you're listening to this while in a hospital bed or waiting for treatment or results I'm really hoping that this will be supportive for you. I actually recorded this meditation having had a hospital stay myself and realizing that there wasn't anything that I could easily find that was supportive for the experience of being in hospital, Which is such a strange and uncomfortable place to be for many. It can even feel frightening. Overwhelming. The noise, Bright lights. The feeling of isolation. Uncertainty and the feeling that life isn't quite your own anymore, That sense of being. Really in the hands of others. That loss of control and agency. It can be a profound Lee. Difficult experience. I know I found that myself. So this short practice is designed to help you find a little more steadiness. In whatever you're going through right now. So when you're ready. Just closing your eyes down. If that feels comfortable for you. Or just resting your gaze on something. Close to you. Perhaps lowering your gaze. Towards the end of your beds. Or to the floor if you're sitting. And just starting by taking a few grounding breaths. Breathing all the way in and breathing all the way out and again breathing all the way in and breathing all the way out. And one more time, Breathing in… and then breathing all the way out and just letting go a little into the surface beneath you whether you're lying in bed or sitting, Perhaps waiting in a chair. Just noticing the weight of your body. Seeing if you can allow yourself to let go a little into the surface beneath you. Allowing the muscles in your body to release a little and sink in to the bed, The chair, Wherever you're resting your body right now. And allowing that surface to hold you. Thing if you can really allow a sense of being held and supported from below. And however hard it may feel, Seeing if you can allow yourself to let go and release any need to control So just sinking in. To the bed, The chair. Allowing yourself to be held in this moment. And as we practice together. . . Perhaps as distractions, The noise. Of the busy hospital around you. Perhaps other patients, Nurses, Doctors. So just noticing that, Not trying to push anything away. But just holding the sounds in your awareness. Allowing them to be part of your experience. And trying not to judge them as good sounds or bad sounds. But just receiving them. As their car. And by doing so we allow a softening in our bodies. And ease and opening. When we resist what's here. We bring a tension, A tightening within our bodies. And to heal and to recover. And to feel safe. It can be very helpful. Just to allow everything to be just as it is right now. However hard that may feel. So just opening up to the sounds around you. And just holding them in your awareness in the safe container of your mind. And now seeing if you can notice the sound of the breath within your body. That close sound. That sound that's just yours. Always there. Even Consistent. The sound of your body breathing. So just bringing your awareness. The sound of breath. In your body. Those gentle ribbons of breath arriving with the in-breath. And leaving with the out-breath. So seeing if you can just sit with the rhythm of the breath for a little while. Noticing the rising and falling of breath in body. If your mind is distracted by sounds By thoughts. By worry. Just knowing that that's okay. That's what our minds do. That's being human. And just gently guiding the attention back to the rhythm of the breath. Using your breath as your anchor. Your anchor in this moment of uncertainty. Of difficulty Your breath bring you steadiness. Amidst. The challenge. Amidst the fear. Amidst the uncertainty. Just breathing. And as we move towards the end of this practice together. Just seeing if anything within has shifted even a little. Perhaps a softening in the body. A sense of greater ease in the mind. And knowing that you can return to this meditation. Whenever you're feeling a little frightened, A little uncertain, A little overwhelmed during your stay in hospital. We can't change the outside world. We can't change the situation we're in. But what we can do through this practice is find a little more steadiness little more sense of trust. Everything will unfold as it needs to. And so before I leave you today, I just wanted to take a moment to wish you well. And to say that you're not alone. I understand how challenging. These moments can be. How hard it can be. To be unwell. To be away from loved ones. To feel fear, To feel pain. But just knowing that. Deep within. There is a sense of anchoring, Of safety. Of ease that you can find. Even for a few small moments. And I hope that this practice has given you that. And do return to it whenever you need. And for now, Just seeing if you can. . . Focus on taking. Just one breath at a time. One moment at a time. Go easy on yourself. Take care.