Welcome to this somatic tracking meditation for chronic pain.
Persistent pain is an old friend of mine,
And somatic tracking is a technique I use to support my recovery.
When we practice somatic tracking,
We observe difficult sensations in the body in a unique and mindful way.
Rather than greeting our pain with the usual fear and scrutiny,
We practice attending in a much lighter way,
With curiosity and compassion,
Interested yet somewhat detached,
As if we were observing a painting in a gallery.
And while we watch the sensations,
We send ourselves messages of safety,
Based on the latest pain science.
Science which tells us that most chronic pain is in fact neuroplastic.
This means it's been learnt by the nervous system,
But it can also be unlearned,
Using a mind-body approach with techniques like somatic tracking.
So let's go ahead and get started.
Take some time to find a comfortable position for your practice.
This might be sitting,
Lying down,
Or even standing,
Honouring however your body is feeling today.
And if you haven't already,
Go ahead and close down your eyes,
Or you could lower and soften your gaze,
Inviting yourself to tune inwards and connect with your breath.
Notice the breath flowing in,
And flowing out,
Arriving,
And passing,
Ebbing,
And flowing.
As we go about our day,
We often breathe in a shallow way,
So now inviting the breath to deepen and lengthen,
Drawing the breath all the way down into the belly,
And then letting it all the way out,
Inhaling deeply,
And exhaling slowly.
And really feeling the breath in the belly,
Noticing its physical sensations as your belly expands on your inhale,
Then retracts on your exhale.
Just enjoying how it feels to be connected to your breath,
And knowing you can return to these long,
Slow belly breaths at any time in this practice if things feel overwhelming.
The breath can always be your anchor,
A place of safety.
And now just letting your breath return to its natural flow as we turn our attention to other sensations in the body,
Letting your awareness be drawn to an uncomfortable sensation.
You might notice that straight away you tense up around the sensation,
Which is natural.
Instead try breathing into it,
Bathing it in your compassion.
And as you exhale,
Think about relaxing around the sensation and just letting it be there accepting and allowing,
Not fighting or resisting it.
We're going to practice observing the sensation with gentle curiosity,
Interested yet detached,
As you might watch a cloud in the sky.
Even if the cloud were dark and gloomy,
You wouldn't get too concerned.
So just exploring the sensation now,
Getting to know it a little,
Observing its shape first.
If you could draw an edge around the sensation,
What shape would it be?
What size is the sensation?
Is it widespread or more localized?
What type of sensation is it?
Does it tingle,
Ache,
Throb,
Itch,
Prickle,
Spasm?
Knowing however it feels,
That's okay.
It's safe to feel this sensation.
Does the sensation have a temperature?
Is it warm or cool?
Is it static or does it have some movement such as pulsing or throbbing?
What else do you notice about this sensation?
Remember,
We're just observing,
Just noting,
Not judging what the sensation means.
And if you find that your mind has drifted off into thought,
Perhaps fearful thoughts about the sensation,
Simply notice this.
And remember,
You can always return to those long,
Slow belly breaths if you need to anchor yourself and just observe how the breath feels in the belly.
Coming back to the difficult sensation now and just keeping a gentle,
Easygoing eye on it,
Noticing if it changes or shifts at all as you observe.
Perhaps a slight change in position or intensity or quality,
But perhaps not and that's okay.
Even if the sensation feels stuck right now,
We know that all sensations in the body are impermanent.
Over time,
They all change and shift.
We're not trying to fix or alter the sensation as we practice.
Just let the sensation visit,
Acknowledge and allow it,
And trust the body to process it through in time.
And if you find that observing this sensation is getting too intense,
You can always pan out and attend to other sensations in the body.
There are sensations across your entire body.
Often we laser in on the unpleasant ones,
That dark cloud in the sky.
So now just scanning your body for other sensations.
Perhaps you notice tingles in your feet or hands,
A part of your body that feels warm or cool,
Or perhaps the touch of the surface below you,
At your feet,
Along the backs of your legs,
Across your back,
And see if you can enjoy the feeling of being held and supported by that surface,
Anchored and safe.
And now returning to that unpleasant sensation just one last time,
Again approaching it with curiosity,
Not trying to figure the sensation out,
Just casually and non-judgmentally observing it and what it does.
And as you follow the sensation,
Sending yourself a message of safety based on pain science.
Neuroscience tells us that when pain becomes chronic,
It's most often neuroplastic,
Which means it's being learnt by the nervous system.
Often this happens when the nervous system is stuck in a stress response,
When there's lots of fear and anxiety around symptoms.
And so now just soothing and reassuring yourself that you are safe.
This sensation is safe.
Neuroplastic pain is not dangerous and it can be unlearned.
Continue to breathe,
Inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly.
With each exhale softening around the sensations,
Relaxing,
There's nothing to fear,
Nothing to control or fix.
You are safe.
Lean into those long,
Slow,
Deep belly breaths to soothe your nervous system.
Taking one more deep breath in and then letting it all the way out.
And now just noticing if your body feels different at all at the end of your practice.
Any small shifts,
Perhaps your breath is flowing more easily or you feel a little more grounded.
But no change is fine too.
Mind-body practices always need repetition.
Now gently drawing yourself back to your day by wiggling your fingers and toes.
Rolling your shoulders back and down and stretching out in any way that feels good.
And when you are ready,
Opening your eyes.
Thank you for your practice today,
For attending to sensations in a calm,
Compassionate and safety-minded way.
Somatic tracking,
When used regularly,
Can completely change your relationship with your pain,
Calm your nervous system and dismantle the fear that keeps chronic pain alive.
I wish you ease,
I wish you peace as you move on into your day.
