Tension In The Stomach

This practise is focused on sitting with tension, particularly in the gut. The gut is so important; having its own nervous system and known as the second brain, it is vital we look after our guts. We can do this by our diets, but also by stimulating the Vagus Nerve - a huge nerve running all through the body, but a lot of it is in the gut. Stimulating this aids calmness and relaxation. Give your gut a rest.

Transcript

I want to start this session with a quote from the Tibetan meditation teacher Chogyaam Trunkpa.

Hold the sadness and pain of samsara in your heart and at the same time the power and vision of the great eastern sun.

Then the warrior can make a proper cup of tea.

I like this because it makes me smile but also because I believe there is great wisdom there.

Samsara is a Sanskrit word for the world and the constant changes in this world.

The vision of the great eastern sun represents inner wisdom and goodness within each person.

The warrior is a symbol of the bravery it takes to be willing to look inward,

To acknowledge and allow whatever is there,

To be with whatever is observed with a love and gentleness,

And to be prepared to then get on with life and do what needs doing or making a proper cup of tea.

We have something built in us that wants to reject and avoid any kind of pain or discomfort.

So we busy our bodies and distract our minds with many strategies that we develop to stop ourselves from feeling any uncomfortable sensations or emotions.

Avoiding difficulties might work in the short term but unfortunately ignoring how you really feel is not helpful or healthy for us.

Carl Jung,

The Swiss psychiatrist says what we resist persists.

He claims that any aspects of ourselves that we resist would in fact create a bigger problem,

Actually enlarging it and that to accept whatever is there can help us to become whole.

People often sense tension all over their bodies,

Shoulders,

Neck,

Jaw,

Chest,

Fingers and toes,

But the majority of people will sense the physical sensations of stress and tension within their gut at some point.

The reason for this is there lies the enteric nervous system,

Also referred to as the second brain.

It contains around 200-600 million neurons,

The cells which transmit information,

And it has a rich interaction with the central nervous system via a massive nerve called the vagus nerve.

Emrein Meier,

A professor of physiology says that a big part of our emotions are probably influenced by the nerves in our gut.

This is because the neurotransmitters send signals to the brain that regulate your mood.

Also serotonin,

A feel-good hormone,

Is manufactured in large quantities in the gut bacteria.

So because there is a two-way communication between the gut and the brain,

It is very important that we keep a healthy gut,

But also that we keep anxiety and stress under control,

As there becomes a feedback loop between the gut and the brain.

If the gut is out of balance,

This then affects our mood.

If our thought life is out of balance,

This then affects our gut.

So today there will be two parts of the meditation.

One will be acknowledging,

Allowing and accepting any tension in the stomach area,

Treating it with gentleness and curiosity only.

And the second part will be a stimulation of the vagus nerve,

Which is effective in helping with anxiety,

Depression and inflammation.

So I invite you to close your eyes.

And take your attention to any parts of the body which might hold some kind of tension or pain or discomfort.

Move your attention around the body to wherever you notice this.

Now move your attention to the stomach area.

Really observe what is going on there.

What do you notice?

Scrutinize any sensations you have here with curiosity.

What is that sensation?

Is it tightness or dullness?

Heaviness?

Is it an ache or pain?

Is it a squeezing sensation?

A fullness or an emptiness?

What is there for you?

Don't try to resist or change whatever is there.

You are just noticing it.

If you notice you are pulled away by thoughts,

That's okay.

Just come back to the sensations in your stomach.

Maybe you notice that the sensations are attached to emotions.

Anger,

Fear,

Sadness,

Excitement,

Joy,

Frustration.

Allow whatever is there.

Accept it exactly as it is.

Try not to get involved in any narratives going on in your thoughts.

All you are doing is examining the fabric of the sensations in your stomach.

And noticing if there are any emotions attached to these sensations.

The noticing might involve just a label.

There is fear.

There is sadness.

There is joy.

Rather than attaching a whole story to it.

Keep bringing your attention back to the same place.

Just to see.

Just to observe.

Notice any tendencies to change or avoid any discomfort.

It's possible for you to just sit with it instead.

And now let us move our attention to the breath.

One hand on your stomach and one hand on your heart and breathe normally.

Keeping the attention only on the breath now.

Watching the breath in and watching the breath out.

Allow the inhale to deepen slightly.

So that the stomach extends and you feel your hand rise.

And on the exhale the stomach contracts and the hand lowers.

Continue to breathe in this way.

The stomach filling like a balloon on the inhale.

And slowly lowering on the exhale.

And you won't force the breath.

Just allow it to become smooth and relaxed.

And settle into the rhythm.

And now say to yourself on the inhale.

Breathing in I am calm.

Breathing out I relax.

Breathing in I am calm.

Breathing out I relax.

I am calm.

I relax.

I am calm.

I relax.

Calm.

Relax.

Calm.

Relax.

Nowhere to go.

Nothing to do.

Calm.

Relax.

And now take your attention again to the stomach.

Again looking with curiosity and gentleness not trying to change anything.

Do you notice anything different here now?

Maybe a softening of the sensations.

A relaxing.

Maybe they have gone completely.

Maybe no change.

Acknowledging whatever is there.

Know that there is great power in just sitting and being with whatever is.

Sometimes being kind and gentle with oneself is enough.

Often the lack of resistance can dissolve the feelings completely.

It is time enough to take the difficult edges away.

You have acknowledged whatever is here for you today.

Allowed it.

Accepted it.

Sat with pain and discomfort.

Sat with sadness or the emotions you felt.

You have been brave.

Allow yourself to become aware of the body now in contact with the seat or the bed.

Have an awareness of the outline of your body where you are right now.

Become aware of the space all around you and have a picture of yourself in your space where you are.

Tickle your toes a little to bring some movement back into your body.

If you wish you could move your head slowly and carefully from side to side.

When you are ready open your eyes.

This practice can be used to sit with any difficult emotions or pain anywhere else in the body.

Well done.

Now you can go and make yourself a proper cup of tea.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Reviews

I loved it and it was well needed after a argument with my 21 year old son yesterday left me so upset with pain in my belly
Thank you ❤️🌸 ps love your acent

Wonderful advice. I try snd for ot regularly, with discomfort elsewhere, or uncomfortable mental states. Thank you so much, Sandy 🙏🏾✨️🧡🍀☀️

Dear Mandy, thank you for your powerful and gentle guidance.it is much appreciated.
My Pain Physiotherapist is assisting me with learning to breathe into my stomach. No small task after 65 years of chest breathing. She has recommended 6 breaths per minute with weighted belly to emphasis the area. This is intended to have a positive impact on my vagus nerve. I listen to Insight Timer to help me focus and quieten my mind during my practice.
Do you have any recommendations on a (your) meditation that would fit this six breaths per minute?
With kind regards

Gentle and easy voice to follow. Grateful this small meditation that intertwines the body and mind.

Loved your voice, comforting and richly gentle. Warmed my soul like a good cup of tea ☕️ ❤️🤍🥰

Thank you for this wonderful meditation! Stress has gotten the best of me lately and my gut/stomach has been paying for it… The rumbling is out of control. This was a great way to start my day, reminding myself to be calm and reminding myself of peace. your voice was comforting and soothing. It helped me to relax. Namaste.

Oh Mandy I was lead to you and what a blessing this is. Listening gave me some new perspective - and was so calming, could have listened to this on repeat all night. What I wouldn’t give to be able to have a few sessions with you. 😊 Will spend sometime on Insite Timer looking at your library of postings. God bless you and everyone at Insite Timer for putting together such a wonderful tool for those of us struggling.

That was lovely, so helpful!! Thank you! The music was also gorgeous, I’d love to know where it’s from!

I am excited to have discovered you! I look forward to taking a class or two. Thank you for offering this important work.🙏🏻💗

She is my current favorite. There’s a special magic in her offerings

I use this meditation frequently when I'm struggling with anxiety to help ground myself and focus. I love this meditation.

Thank you, this worked incredibly for my anxious stomach!

Thank you 🙏🏽 Beautiful. Off to make a cuppa now 😊

I was able to sit in the discomfort of my stomach without adding any story. I found by the end the pain had softened a bit. This is definitely something I need to practice more. Thank you for providing the space and guidance to achieve staying without adding story. I am very grateful.

so relaxing, truly helped me acknowledge my stomach pain and soothe that feeling. great way to start my morning and relieve nausea from built up stress. thank you!

Excellent! I had moments when my constant anxiety stomach pain lessened. I look forward to trying this meditation regularly.

Amazing! Just what I needed!
Thank you so much 🙏🏼⭐️♥️

Nice meditation!

That was truly wonderful ✨🙏🏻✨ a thousand thanks from my digestive system. I’ll be revisiting this often.

Thank you for sharing your gifts and this informative, healing offering.