Healing Guided Imagery For Chronic Fatigue

For those of us suffering with complex, chronic illnesses, the process of healing can feel daunting and exhausting at times. This guided practice offers you a space to rest in mindful, loving presence. From here, we explore a visualization practice inviting healing light into all of the systems of our bodies, from our gut microbiome to our immune system and autonomic nervous system, to restore harmony and health.

This is an invitation to give yourself a break from the exhausting path of trying to heal yourself and allow this guided practice to do the work for you. All you have to do is allow the healing practice in and trust your innate wisdom to guide you.

Transcript

Welcome to this meditation practice.

If you're joining today,

I'm assuming that you're struggling with some kind of a complex chronic illness.

I've created this meditation for those of us who are dealing with complex chronic illness such as chronic fatigue syndrome.

So this meditation is going to include some mindfulness,

Settling into the present moment,

Along with healing guided imagery where we open to the possibility of living in a healthy and happy body,

Mind,

And spirit.

Beginning to settle into a comfortable posture.

If we feel we need to lie down and fully rest,

You have full permission to do that right now.

We can start with this gesture of kindness towards ourselves where we listen to what our bodies are needing.

We don't have to push through anything.

It's okay to lie down.

We can find a comfortable seated posture if that's appropriate.

Whichever posture we find ourselves settling into,

We might explore elongating the spine ever so slightly.

Just creating a little bit of space.

Elongating through the neck.

Allowing our bodies to be in a posture that's both awake and alert,

Relaxed and at ease.

Closing the eyes if that feels appropriate,

Otherwise just softening the gaze and looking a few feet in front of you.

I offer the invitation to take a few slow,

Deep breaths where we intentionally breathe through the nose,

Taking a full inhale.

Holding the breath for a moment and then on the exhale,

Fully letting go.

A nice long exhale.

Slowing down the breath.

There's no rush.

Nowhere else we have to be.

If it's helpful on the exhale,

We can let go through an audible sigh.

Anything that we're holding in our bodies,

Any tension that we're holding,

We can imagine that we're letting it go as we exhale.

And sigh it out.

Allowing the breath to return to a natural rhythm.

Breathing just one breath at a time.

You might notice what it feels like to be us in this moment.

Just checking in,

Asking ourselves,

How am I really doing in this moment?

And knowing that whatever arises is fully allowed here.

Sometimes when we live with these mysterious illnesses,

We can feel discounted by conventional medicine.

We feel like nobody understands us.

We feel alone.

Sometimes we feel hopeful.

Sometimes we feel disappointed.

Whatever we're feeling in this moment,

Just know that it belongs.

Whatever we're feeling in this moment,

It belongs.

We'll do a brief body scan here,

Connecting with our bodies in a kind and compassionate way.

Noticing any sensations that we feel in our feet,

Up into our legs.

And seeing if we can create a little bit of space,

Even around discomforts.

In this moment,

Noticing what it feels like.

Without having to fix or change anything.

And also knowing that if these sensations are overwhelming,

We don't have to rest our attention there.

We can always move to a different part of the body that feels a little more bearable in this moment.

And bringing kind attention to the hips,

The pelvic floor.

Becoming aware of the belly.

Up into the chest.

We might notice the movement of the breath here as we breathe in and out.

The lungs expand.

The ribcage expands.

And as we exhale,

There's a small contraction.

Nothing to fix or change.

We're just noticing what it feels like.

Bringing our attention kindly,

Gently to the low back,

The middle back,

The upper back.

Listening to the sensation of the body.

Allowing our attention to drop down into our hands and fingers,

Up through the forearms,

The elbows,

The upper arms,

And the shoulders.

This belongs.

Whatever we're feeling in this moment,

It belongs.

Allowing our attention to move to the throat and the neck,

Up into the face and the head.

Bringing this attention as if we're a best friend to this body.

Our body has a lot to say.

Seeing if we can set this intention to listen.

Just listening.

Kind attention.

Begin exploring a little bit of imagery.

And I'll be guiding you through this visualization practice.

So we might imagine that we can drop our attention to the area of the gut.

Into the intestines.

We have this whole microbiome filled with organisms.

Sometimes these organisms are balanced and in harmony.

Sometimes they're out of balance.

And when they're out of balance,

It can affect the rest of our bodies.

So we might invite in balance and harmony into our gut microbiome.

This balance and harmony can come in the form of white light.

Or any color that feels healing for you.

Imagining that this healing light,

In whatever color feels right,

Can come in and permeate through the intestines.

Nurturing this gut microbiome in a way that's very supportive.

That this healing light can bring balance and harmony to these microorganisms.

We have more genetic material from microorganisms than we do our own genes.

So it's important to tend to these organisms.

Can we create a symbiotic relationship with them?

Allowing this healing light to come in,

Move through the intestines.

The small intestines,

The large intestines.

Nurturing balance.

Nurturing harmony.

Allowing those helpful microorganisms to multiply to whatever number we need them at for health.

And if there's any microorganisms that might be causing harm,

Just allowing that number to decrease.

So that these microorganisms find their balance.

A perfect balance for health and harmony in our bodies.

And trusting that this healing light has the wisdom to bring about this balance.

I might even offer a healing wish.

May there be balance in my body.

May there be harmony in these microorganisms.

May my gut microbiome be balanced at peace.

We might begin to imagine that this healing light can also heal up the lining of the intestines.

To heal up the whole lining of the gastrointestinal tract.

Sometimes illness in the body can be because these nice junctions that protect us,

Protect us from pathogens getting into our vascular system.

These junctions can become too big.

They can be leaky.

And this can lend itself to illness.

We might imagine that this beautiful healing light can heal up the lining of the gastrointestinal tract.

Creating this perfectly semi-permeable membrane at just the right level.

It allows all the wonderful nutrients to get into our bloodstream,

But it protects us from the pathogens.

The lining of our gastrointestinal tract is healed.

It's functioning optimally and just as it should.

Allowing this healing light to do exactly what is needed to create the right amount of permeability in the lining of the gut.

And in this way,

With a balanced microbiome,

With the lining of the gastrointestinal tract perfectly balanced,

We can take in our food,

We can digest it in just the way that we need.

We can absorb these wonderful nutrients.

We can assimilate these nutrients in the way that they are needed.

Imagining that this bright healing light can bring about whatever balance we need throughout the gastrointestinal tract.

Ensuring we have the right amount of enzymes.

We have the right amount of acid in the stomach.

Everything is perfectly balanced so that we extract the optimal amount of nutrients from the beautiful food that we take in.

It comes into the body in the way that it needs to.

Allowing this peristalsis,

This movement throughout the tract to move in harmony,

To move fluidly.

Allowing us to excrete toxins.

Everything is working perfectly.

And allowing this healing light to move into all of the immune cells.

All these cells that support our immune system.

Starting within the gastrointestinal tract.

Moving out to all the immune cells in the body.

From every orifice.

All these incredible cells that are trying to protect us.

And sometimes when we're dealing with illness they might be overactive or underactive.

We can invite this healing light to bring the perfect balance to the immune system.

This healing light can reassure the immune system that we're safe.

It can instill in these cells the wisdom that they need to discern for an invader from our own cells.

These cells can protect us in the way that they need to,

But they don't need to be on overdrive.

They don't need to work overtime,

Which sometimes happens in chronic illness.

I might offer a healing phrase.

I allow this healing light to permeate every cell of my immune system.

Bringing balance,

Harmony,

Safety and health to my immune system.

Supporting the immune system so that if there are any viruses or pathogens that are wreaking havoc on our system,

Our immune system can take care of it.

Giving permission to reduce these viral loads or bacterial loads that are really weighing us down.

Our immune system now has the capacity to deal with it.

And our immune system is intricately connected with our nervous system.

We might explore inviting this healing light from the immune system into the nervous system.

Imagining that all of our sensory nerves,

All of our motor nerves are receiving this healing light.

Bringing perfect balance to each and every nerve fiber.

If there's any inflammation,

This healing light can calm the inflammation.

If there's any under activity,

This healing light can bring perfect balance,

The optimal level of activation into our nervous system.

Not too much,

Not too little.

The vagal nerves are very important to autonomic balance.

So you might imagine that this healing light,

Full of wisdom and insight could support our vagal nerves in the ways that they need.

The vagal nerve on the left side and the right side as it's coming out of the brain stem coursing down along the neck and the throat,

Along the heart and the lungs as it dips through the diaphragm.

All along the intestines,

The stomach,

All of our organs of digestion,

Detoxification.

This healing light surrounds the vagal nerves bringing perfect balance to every part of these long,

Incredible nerves.

Ensuring that every part of our autonomic nervous system is balanced.

We can rest and digest.

We also have the capacity to mount a stress response when we need it and then return to a state of homeostasis and balance.

Inviting this beautiful healing light to make this possible.

Supporting the vagal nerves.

Clearing these nerves of any viruses or insult.

Beautiful healing.

Allowing all of this healing light energy up into the brain.

Every cell,

Every neuron,

The glial cells,

These miraculous brains that we live with.

Sometimes trauma and insult.

Can lead the brain to protect us in ways that may not serve us.

We might invite this healing light energy into the brain to bring calm,

To bring balance,

Reassurance.

This healing light can clear out anything that no longer serves us.

Can clear out infection,

Toxins.

This healing light begins to concentrate in key organs in the brain,

The hypothalamus,

The pituitary gland.

This light begins to spread into our hormonal system.

Into the thyroid gland sitting in the front of the neck.

Beautiful healing light.

Bringing balance to the thyroid.

The hormones that it secretes.

This healing light that's filled with wisdom and knowing.

It knows exactly what our bodies need.

This healing light moves down into the adrenal gland sitting on top of the kidneys.

Bringing perfect balance to our stress hormones.

Down into the reproductive organs.

The ovaries in women,

The testes in men.

All of our sex hormones are being produced in perfect balance.

Estrogens,

Progesterone,

Testosterone,

DHEA,

All of these hormones creating a beautiful balance.

Allowing us to feel supported.

Allowing us to feel calm.

Allowing us to feel safe.

This healing white light is opening healthy communication between all of these channels.

All of these hormones,

The nervous system,

The immune system.

Sometimes we have what might be considered violent communication going on between these systems.

Not anybody's fault,

But it's just a little tumultuous.

So we might imagine that this healing energy can bring non-violent communication.

Non-violent communication throughout the entire body.

So there's harmony,

There's balance,

There's homeostasis,

Which ultimately creates health and happiness.

Allowing this beautiful healing light to support our bodies in detoxification.

The lymphatic system.

This beautiful healing light allows the lymphatic system to drain any toxins that come in that need to be let go of.

This beautiful healing light cleansing the lymphatic system.

Allowing this light to concentrate in the liver.

The liver bears a lot of our burdens.

Sitting underneath the right side of the ribcage,

We can imagine that this healing light moves into the liver,

Surrounding it,

Moving into each and every cell.

Nurturing health.

Providing it with all of the enzymes that it needs for optimal health,

Detoxification.

Allowing this healing light to concentrate in the liver cells.

Supporting perfect health.

Inviting this healing energy into every single blood vessel.

We have this miraculous channel and communication of blood vessels branching out of the heart from bigger vessels to smaller vessels.

We can invite this healing energy We can invite this healing light into every single blood vessel.

Clearing any obstructions.

Clearing any disease.

Allowing every vessel to be perfectly patent,

Healthy.

Open.

So that this nourishing blood flow that's filled with nutrients,

Oxygen,

Can move into our tissues and bring our muscles,

Our organs,

Our nerves,

Every cell in our bodies exactly what it needs.

Allowing this blood flow to be healing.

And it's filled with everything that we need for health and healing.

Allowing for perfect structural integrity.

All the way from the cells and the cell walls to the organs and the tissues.

Our skin,

Our bones.

The fascia around our muscles.

The sheaths around our nerves.

This healing light is filled with everything that we need and it permeates our cells.

We might take a few moments to rest in this healing energy.

Health.

Vitality.

In body,

Mind and spirit.

It's helpful we can imagine this healing light surrounding us.

It's within each and every cell throughout our bodies and around us as we rest here for a few moments in this healing space.

And as we rest in this space of health and vitality,

I offer an invitation to envision yourself living your best life with health,

Vitality,

Inner harmony,

Perfect balance in body,

Mind and spirit.

Invite this image into the forefront of your mind.

Seeing if we can get a really clear image what might you be doing in this healthy body,

Through this healthy body.

What are you enjoying?

What activities are you enjoying?

What are you eating?

Are you able to enjoy food?

Are you working out,

Exercising,

Getting out in nature?

What's your job?

What are you feeling drawn towards knowing that you have boundless energy,

Unbridled joy,

Clarity in body,

Mind and spirit?

What do you find yourself gravitating towards for work,

For pleasure?

Who are you surrounding yourself with?

Who's your social circle,

Your closest relationships?

How does it actually feel in your body?

Can you feel what health feels like?

Sometimes we can,

Sometimes we can't,

And that's okay.

Setting the intention to open to the feeling of health and harmony is enough right now.

Opening to the possibility of feeling healthy,

Feeling balanced,

Feeling happy.

And as we connect with this felt sense of health and vitality,

We might experiment with creating an anchor,

An anchor for both the visual of how we want our life to look and the feeling.

So this can be a word such as balance or health.

It can be a phrase such as health is possible or I am deserving of a healthy and happy life.

It could be a gesture such as placing a hand on the heart,

Holding one hand over another,

Or some combination of all of that.

We're just anchoring this visual,

We're anchoring the feeling in the body with a word,

A phrase,

A gesture.

At any time we say this word or do this gesture,

We can reconnect with this feeling of health.

We reconnect with this visual of health.

And the more we connect with it,

The more we nurture these neural pathways.

The more we open to the possibility of health,

We might actually begin to believe that it's possible.

And as we connect with it more and more,

Reminding our bodies,

This is what balance feels like.

This is what health feels like.

And we very gently bring this balance and harmony into our bodies as its natural default state.

We deserve to be healthy.

And it's not our fault if we don't feel well.

It's not our fault that we got sick.

We just have an invitation now to experiment with this practice,

To experiment with the mind,

To create something new.

We can repeat this gesture,

This word or phrase multiple times a day,

Reconnecting with this vision on a daily basis until it becomes our reality.

May this practice restore health,

Harmony,

Fulfillment,

And deep peace in your life.

We might take a few slow,

Deep breaths here as we close the practice.

Whenever you're ready,

You can open your eyes if your eyes were closed.

And remembering that you can return to this practice,

Repeat this whole practice or do parts of it.

Or just remember your gesture,

Your word,

Multiple times a day,

Nurturing health and harmony in body,

Mind and spirit.

Many blessings to you.

Thank you.

Reviews

That was wonderful! Helpful for my mind relax , for my Crohns tummy and spinal stenosis. Always so tired and this helped me today. Thank you so much Theresa - thank you for the healing love and light and support with this meditation 🙏🏽❤️✨

wonderful. such a gentle loving way you’ve created this meditation. feels like a warm soothing comforting safe blanket. grateful thank you 🌸💕🙏🏻

I loved the gentle kindness of sending healing light to all the different areas of my body, especially the gut biomes (which are such an essential component) thank you 🙏

Wonderful healing imagery! Just what I need on the days I find harder than others … be in my body, be grateful for my body, envision my body’s greatest health! Thank you for your guidance through this meditation!

This is a truly beautiful experience. I am so glad that I found it. Thank you 🙏

I really enjoyed this practice. It’s just what I needed today. Thank you.

The best meditation for restoring balance to a weary body, melting tension, and inviting healing. Allowing what is while embodying wholeness - such a holistic approach and deeply healing. Much gratitude 🙏🏼 Thank you for sharing your gift.

Five stars are not enough. This meditation is a gift for those of us with chronic illness - a masterful combination of science and compassion to help us heal mind, body, and spirit.

I have been in an extended crash and was hitting a wall of fatigue today. This meditation was exactly what I needed to stop and rest. I will be sharing this with others who I know will also benefit.

Heartfelt gratitude for this practice; I will be returning to it often.