When we experience pain,
Whether physical or emotional,
It's normal for us to contract,
To protect ourselves.
But when that contraction persists over time around the pain,
Then it begins to become counterproductive.
Emotionally our pains don't release,
And physically our blood flow is constricted,
Our muscles stiffen,
Making it more difficult for the healing process to begin.
This technique is a way to bring some space,
Some openness,
Some release to the contraction we experience around pain.
If you are in extreme physical or emotional pain right now,
It can be helpful to begin with something less extreme,
Maybe a part of your body that is in discomfort but not the main source of your pain,
Or an emotional hurt that is lesser,
Not the main thing that you are suffering from right now.
And as you strengthen in the practice and feel ready,
You can begin to bring space and healing to the bigger sources of pain.
And as you undertake this practice,
It's useful to let go of the story behind the pain.
Whatever images,
Memories may come to mind associated with the pain,
The narrative of the pain,
They will come to your mind,
That's fine,
But just let them go.
Don't hold on to them.
The idea is to simply bring relief to the actual sensation of pain,
And that in turn helps to release the whole story line.
Begin by finding a posture that's comfortable for you,
Settling into whatever is holding you,
Whether a chair,
A cushion,
A bed,
With your spine straight and your heart area open,
And as much as possible to let yourself relax.
And beginning with two or three full,
Complete breaths,
Just completely releasing any old,
Stale air in your lungs.
And calling to mind now anything that for you is a source of great beauty.
Pain has the effect on us of opening,
Expanding us.
Pain has the effect of contracting us.
So here we will need our pain with beauty,
Bring a bit of relief to whatever it is we're experiencing.
So call to mind anything for you that is a personal source of great beauty.
It could be the tree outside your window.
It could be a memory of a very beautiful,
Nourishing place.
It could be a piece of music that for you is deeply beautiful and healing.
Whatever it is,
Bring it into your space now in your mind's eye,
And experience it as fully as you can.
Notice any colors or shapes,
Any textures or temperatures,
Any sounds,
Scent.
Notice this source of beauty as if you have never seen it before.
Taking it in fully with all of your senses,
Letting its many facets surprise you and fill you with wonder.
And our practice here will be to breathe in that beauty deeply into our heart space with each in-breath.
To let that beauty expand our heart space,
To let it soothe us.
And on the out-breath,
To breathe that beauty,
That expansiveness into whatever part of our body is experiencing the pain.
If it's an emotional pain,
Finding that place in your body that holds the pain and breathing this beauty into it,
Not to force it away,
Not to push it or resist it,
Simply to soothe it.
So with each in-breath,
Drawing the beauty in deeply and fully.
And at the top of the inhalation,
Pausing for just a beat to hold that beauty in your heart space.
To feel your own heart marinate that beauty.
To feel the beauty soften and expand your heart space.
And on the exhalation,
Breathing that beauty into the area of pain.
Not forcing anything,
Not trying to make anything in particular happen.
Just letting the beauty wash over and through and around the pain like water in a river moving through and around and over the rocks in the riverbed.
Not resisting them,
Not grasping onto them.
Just letting the beauty move through and around and over the pain,
Inviting space into the contraction,
Inviting release.
And if it's too difficult to focus on that point of pain,
If it's too extreme,
Move to another part of your body that's more neutral where the pain is not as present and breathing the beauty in there.
So with each in-breath,
Drawing in the beauty at the top of the inhalation,
Marinating the beauty in your heart space.
And on the exhalation,
Sending the beauty to the source of the pain,
The location of the pain,
Soothing,
Releasing energy.
We're not asking the pain to go away here,
We're just breathing release into our contraction around it.
Breathing soothing energy.
It can be helpful to let your exhalations be a little longer than inhalation.
I'll count with you for three breaths,
Inhaling for four,
Holding for four and exhaling for eight.
If my pacing doesn't work for you,
Just keep going at your own pace.
Coming in for four,
This great beauty.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Holding it full in your heart space.
Two,
Three,
Four.
And exhaling the beauty to alleviate the pain.
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
Inhaling for four,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Holding full,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhaling to soothe,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
Last time,
Inhaling the beauty,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Holding it in your heart,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhaling the beauty to the pain,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
And then just continuing at your own pace,
In your own relaxed way.
Letting in the beauty,
The magic,
The wonder of this object in your mind's eye.
Letting it soften and expand your heart.
And breathing that spaciousness,
That openness into the area of pain.
We might think of our pain as fixed and steady and constant,
But pain tends to move in waves.
So in the hours and days to come,
When the waves are high,
You can always in the midst of the day draw in this soothing breath.
Picturing your object of beauty or anything in your surroundings that is a source of beauty.
Breathing it deep,
Letting it marinate and soften your heart,
And breathing out that beauty into the source of your pain.
And closing now with a little prayer for yourself that you may be free of pain and suffering.
May I be safe and protected and free from inner and outer harm.
May I be happy and contented.
May I be healthy and whole to whatever degree possible.
May I experience ease of well-being.
And wishing the same for all people who are suffering pain similar to yours right now.
May they too be safe and free and protected from inner and outer harm.
May they be happy and contented.
May they be healthy and whole to whatever degree possible.
May they experience ease of well-being.
No matter your circumstances,
No matter your suffering,
Beauty is always available to you.
So whenever you need to,
Call this beauty to mind and let it soothe you.
Be well,
My friend.
