Allowing Sensations

This meditation guides you to sense into an area of physical or emotional tension -- and to work with sensations with a allowing and accepting stance.

Transcript

So let's start by either sitting or lying down.

Just whatever position you can be comfortable and relaxed,

Yet stay utterly awake and alert.

And we'll just start out by taking a few mindful breaths,

Where you inhale deeply,

Feeling your lungs completely expand.

You might hold for a moment and then release and let go.

And you'll scan your body from the top of your head to your head and scan for any area of like constriction or tension,

Physical pain or anxiety.

So scan from the top of the head through the neck,

Shoulders,

Chest,

Abdomen,

Hip regions and legs.

And notice any areas of tension,

Constriction or discomfort.

And now really put your attention just on one of these areas where you're feeling physical pain or anxiety or tension.

And just put your attention there.

Just notice what this area feels like,

Like notice how strong the sensations are from one to ten.

And really just allow those sensations to be there.

Just allow the sensations to be exactly as they are.

You don't need to want or like these sensations.

But since they're actually already here,

You want to utterly allow them to be here.

Just fighting against reality just causes more stress and tension.

So you want to utterly align with what's going on in your body and really opening to and being aware of whatever is already here.

And just let what's already here be here.

And just notice the sensations in these areas or the one area.

Really notice the physical properties of the sensations.

Like is this area hot or cool?

Is it heavy or light?

Do the sensations kind of make up a shape?

Just notice the physical properties of the sensations.

So you don't really want to think about the sensations.

If you are having thoughts related to them,

Just kind of let them play in the background.

And don't struggle with them or push them away.

Just kind of let any thoughts roll through in the background.

And keep most of your attention on feeling the physical sensations.

Becoming really curious about them,

Becoming really intimate with them.

What do these sensations feel like?

What is.

.

.

Is it diffuse pain?

Is it sharp?

And now notice from 1 to 10 how strong the sensations are.

And now imagine that when you take an inhale,

Your breath is going down or up and surrounding these sensations.

To just give these sensations some space.

And so it's as with each inhale,

Just imagine your breath whirling around the sensations and making space for them.

So it's as if some space kind of magically opens up around these sensations to make room for them.

Just feel some room and space opening up around the sensations.

Not to push them away,

But to just give them space and room to breathe.

And again,

No need to think about the sensations.

Maybe you do have thoughts,

Just as soon as you notice them kind of release from them or just let them play in the background.

And keep returning most of your attention to feeling the physical properties of the sensations in this area.

And notice anything else about the physical properties,

If the sensations move in wave-like motions or if they're still,

If the sensation's more for change at all.

And again,

Keep breathing into and around this area,

Just utterly allowing the sensations to be there and feeling some space around them with each breath.

You want to even have a feeling of willingness or invitation for these sensations.

It's a little counterintuitive,

Like it's not like part of you doesn't want them here,

But to counteract that so that you can utterly allow them to be here,

Actually invoke some willingness or invitation,

Like,

Okay,

I invite you to be here.

You can come in and hang out and be here,

Sensations.

I invite you to be here.

To try and have some of the energy of invitation for these sensations.

And notice any resistance you have to the sensations to the extent you can drop any of that resistance and just utterly invite and willingly have what's here.

You really want to align your system with reality and really feel and be with exactly what's here.

And to drop any resistance to what's here.

You really don't need to want or like what's here,

But you do want to acknowledge and honor exactly what sensations are here.

So we're dropping resistance,

Having the energy of invitation or willingness.

And for any willingness or invitation that you can't do,

Like if you still have a little bit of resistance or a little bit of bracing against these sensations,

Now align with that.

Just utterly allow that resistance to be there too.

So for any resistance you can't drop any slight bracing against these sensations.

Just let that be here too.

So you're letting the sensations be here and a touch of resistance to be here.

And that's the truth of what's in you at this moment.

So let's utterly align and acknowledge your reality.

There's some sensations,

A little bit of resistance,

And just utterly allow those to both be here.

And notice from 1 to 10 how strong the sensations are right now.

Just utterly allowing the sensations to be exactly as they are.

Utterly allowing yourself to be exactly as you are.

Just letting this whole moment be exactly as it is.

This moment already is exactly how it is.

So wishing it to be different or resisting it.

There's kind of a nuttiness in that because it's already as it is.

So let's just align with already how it is right now.

And just let yourself be exactly as you are.

Whatever sensations are there to be exactly as they are.

And then notice again the physical properties of the sensations.

Like what shape they are,

How intense they are.

And just keep your attention there.

Utterly allowing the sensations and any resistance to be there.

Breathing into and around this area.

Making space for whatever's there.

And then just note to yourself from 1 to 10 how strong the sensations are in this area.

And now take a few deep breaths.

So we're coming to the end of this exercise and when you're ready go ahead and come back to the room.

Reviews

That was lovely thank you

This is a very effective meditation that helps tremendously. Thank you so much.

Wonderful guidance through this. My only wish is that there was a longer version!

Very helpful in staying with unpleasant sensations. Lots of guidance and encouragement while you explore

A lovely meditation that brings acceptance of the unpleasant and peace. Thank you.

Utterly great ;)

It helped me to relax in the tension
Thank you !!

Very relaxing and helpful with physical pain.

Very useful for a chronic pain.

My favorite part is when we give space to the painful emotion by surrounding it with the air from our breathing. Thank you Kelly!

Great for allowing things to be just as they are

Very clear soothing voice. Really helpful for dealing with pain or strong emotions.

Very useful for being in the present moment