Relief From Pain Through The Breath

The breath is a powerful tool that can be used to connect with our inner selves and experience relief from pain. This guided meditation has no music so that you can intimately associate it with your breath to ease suffering and start feeling better today.

Transcript

As we begin,

I invite you to find a comfortable place where you can relax and will not be disturbed.

The intention of this meditation is to deeply connect to the messages of your pain experience and to offer it relief.

We will be exploring the power of breathing to help you find ease,

Comfort and peace.

The breath is a timeless tool that can heal both body and soul when used correctly.

Wherever you are,

In times of chaos and concern,

Discomfort and pain,

You can rest on the cushion of your breath,

Tuning into its ease and sit with the full attention on the movement and of the rise and fall of each breath.

And as you do,

You can begin cultivating an inner wakefulness and a sense of inner peace.

With each fullness of the breath,

It opens an embodied awareness to the gateway of freedom.

In this moment,

You may like to turn your focus inward towards your breath.

The breath is like a trusted family member,

Friend,

Child or even a pet.

The pure,

Refined breath is a gift,

Signalling you are alive right now.

And to ground you into this moment,

Take a deep breath in through the nose,

Pulling the air right down into your belly.

And exhale,

Pushing the air out through your nose.

Noticing the sensation,

The sound of the breath as it exits your body.

Take another deep breath in through the nose to the count of 1,

2,

3,

4.

And exhale out through the nose to the count of 2,

3,

4,

5,

6.

The longer extended exhale has a soothing effect on the nervous system,

Increasing parasympathetic activity,

The relaxation response.

Allow your breath to be as it is with your full attention on the rise and fall of your chest.

Notice each breath flowing through the body,

Allowing each breath to come home into your awareness,

Into ease and grace.

Notice the rhythm of the breath.

And as you notice each deep,

Slow,

Easy breath,

Something inside your body shifts.

Bring awareness to those shifts.

Something is settling,

Calming,

Slowing or perhaps something completely different.

Whatever you are experiencing is perfect for you.

There is no right way or wrong way,

Only your way.

And as you continue to breathe naturally,

Allow your breath to be as it is.

And on each inhalation,

As you draw a breath in,

What does the in-breath offer to you?

Does it bring in life,

Nourishment?

Do you sense coolness or warmth,

Affectionate physical and emotional support?

How does each inhalation of the breath care for you?

How does it offer a sense of renewal,

Ease and comfort?

Bring your attention now as you experience your exhale.

What does your out-breath offer to you?

Does it allow you to let go of what you don't need?

Does it detox your body?

Does it release and let go of all the known and unknown tension?

Leaving you to relax,

To empty the mind.

Bring awareness to your in-breath and out-breath,

The practice of filling and emptying.

Of opening to receive and the vessel to release without the need to cling or push away.

In moments of pain flare-ups,

It is hard to find anywhere in the body that feels at ease.

You might become distracted by discomfort in the body,

By twitching or itching,

Heat or stabbing,

Throbbing or tightness.

Whatever the sensations that draw your attention away from the breath,

You may notice feelings arising,

Perhaps sadness,

Frustration,

Anger,

Judgement.

Acknowledge whatever comes up and let it connect to the breath as you be the witness and just notice.

Noticing is the richest part of learning and as you notice the ease of the breath,

Even when nothing else feels at ease,

Each breath speaks to you and is a diagnostic tool to write your own prescription and is the antidote to heal discomfort and pain.

The breath allows you to listen to that still quiet voice inside.

What does it say?

What does that anxiety,

Overwhelm,

Pain or fatigue have to say?

Can you hear the answer before the stories get in the way of the truth,

The worry,

Shame or self-judgment that distorts the message?

Emotions flow within and through our bodies.

Illnesses have a purpose.

They always point to what's out of balance.

What negative emotions we hold onto from past events that need to be let go of.

They are the signs and guideposts that lead us to the answers we need.

Perhaps you have noticed that emotions and thoughts disturb the rhythm of your breath,

Leaving it shallow or reluctant at the bottom of an exhale or top of an inhale.

When left unchecked,

These thoughts and emotions get buried deep into the emotional and psychological bodies,

Triggering inner disharmony,

Chronic and reactive responses.

When we can begin practicing and connecting to the breath,

We can begin breaking the chain reaction of emotions,

Thoughts and the body's discomfort.

The breath is always supporting you with the aid and support for any disturbances in emotions,

Thoughts and your physical well-being.

The breath communicates to you and to all parts of the physical body,

Which is a solid matter composed of energy and information.

The heart's intelligence expands with good health,

Happiness and love,

Creating a strong immune system.

Your mind transforms itself into a higher reality.

The world of the heart creating a new reality,

A reality of healing and nurturing.

And with this reality,

You have unlimited freedom to create greater health at the deepest unseen level.

That's right.

Your body is ageless and your mind is timeless.

The heart is limitless.

Remain present and welcome each breath in each moment of active awareness,

Nurturing,

Healing a strong immunity for recovery,

Your natural state of being.

Each time you intimately practice connecting to the breath,

You are opening to greater awareness,

Learning to live in the breath,

Opening to healing and a gateway into ease and comfort.

Your mind processes pain and your mind can also unravel it.

Taking this time to bring awareness to how you are breathing,

You can tune into its power and ask yourself,

What does this moment feel like to breathe?

Does it feel comfortable and easy,

Flowy to breathe?

Is it tight,

Fast or shallow?

Does it feel warm and soft inside or does it feel cold and stiff?

Does it feel jagged or harsh?

Does it make you feel uncomfortable?

Is there a sharpness to it?

Your breath is as unique as your fingerprint and when you nurture connecting to your breath,

You can start to understand more about how you are feeling,

What's going on inside,

What you need,

What you can release in that moment and start to use your breath in different ways.

To help you to relax if you are feeling stressed,

To calm down the sympathetic nervous system,

To rest and digest,

To help you fall asleep,

To create energy when you need it.

You can use the breath in lots of different ways.

Your breath is an anchor that you can return to over and over.

You have the power to acknowledge and be more aware of your breathing,

Do you not?

That's right.

The air breathed in fuels every cell,

Transforming and healing.

That in itself is a step in the right direction that will encourage self-healing,

Improve well-being and allow you to show up in your life knowing that you exist beyond the limitations of your physical self.

As we come to the end of this practice,

Take in this moment and notice what has changed with your breath from when you first started.

What is different and how do you feel about the power of your breath?

Breathe yourself beyond thoughts,

Emotions and sensations.

For the body breathes itself and so it can heal itself breath by breath.

Take a moment to thank yourself for being here for you.

When you are ready in your own way and in your own time,

You can open your eyes or you can stay in this moment as long as you need to feeling good in yourself and feeling proud knowing that you can breathe well,

Move well.

And be well.

Namaste.