Awakening the Senses: Guided Meditation for Aphantasia

In this meditation, designed especially for those with aphantasia*, we'll focus on exploring the richness of sensations and feelings within us, without using visual images. But, whether you experience aphantasia or not, everyone is welcome to join!
This practice celebrates our different ways of thinking and feeling, helping us to connect to ourselves on a deeper level.

*Aphantasia, a facet of neurodiversity, is a condition where individuals lack the ability to visualize mental images, relying on other senses for perception and memory. This diverse cognitive experience highlights the varied ways in which individuals navigate and understand the world.

Transcript

Welcome,

I'm Tanya and in this meditation,

We'll explore a sensory focused practice that supports those with aphantasia.

This is a condition where some lack the ability to form mental images or visualize things in their mind's eye.

In this practice,

We'll embrace the beauty of your inner world through feelings,

Sensations,

And emotions while respecting and honoring the unique way your mind processes information.

Through this practice,

We'll explore the depth of what you can feel and experience within,

So whether you experience aphantasia or not,

This practice will help you connect with your inner self in a unique and enriching way.

Our minds are wonderfully diverse,

And neurodiversity celebrates all the varieties of cognitive experiences that exist.

Aphantasia is just one facet of this diversity.

Remember that this meditation is a personal journey,

And there is no right or wrong way to experience it.

Let's begin.

You might prefer to sit cross-legged on the floor,

Recline in a chair,

Or even lie down.

Close your eyes if that feels comfortable for you,

Or you can keep them open with a soft gaze in front of you.

Let's start by consciously shifting our focus towards our breath.

The sensation of each inhalation as a calm energy,

And every exhalation as releasing and softening of whatever is calling out to you in this moment.

Maybe it's some tension in your shoulders or belly.

Maybe you need to take a few moments to shift how you're sitting or lying down.

This is your moment to settle in a bit more into your space,

Into your body,

Allowing whatever surface you're on to hold you and support you in the best way possible.

Draw in a slow,

Deep breath through your nose,

And as you inhale,

Feel your lungs expand,

Revitalizing each cell in your body with fresh oxygen.

Pause and hold at the top for just a moment,

And breathe slowly out through your mouth like you're blowing out a candle.

Inhaling a slow,

Deep breath through your nose,

Pausing at the top as long as you can comfortably hold it,

Before letting go of this breath slowly through your mouth like you're blowing out a candle.

Take a few more breaths like this at your own pace.

Inhaling through the nose,

Expanding your chest,

Pausing at the top,

And exhaling slowly through the mouth,

Blowing out a candle.

Allow your breath to return to its own rhythm now,

It might have slowed a bit,

Maybe it increased a little bit,

Just let it be.

An integral part of this practice is learning how to listen to your body and respond kindly to yourself.

Allow your attention to go toward any physical sensations you're experiencing now in this moment.

If you feel anything,

If you notice anything,

And if you don't notice anything,

That's fine too.

We're just noticing this form of grounding brings us a little bit further away from the thinking mind and a little bit further into our bodies.

Just noticing what's calling out to you for attention.

This sensory exploration isn't about changing anything,

It's just about cultivating an awareness and finding our own unique way to be at peace within our physical body.

Notice now where your body is resting on the surface beneath you and just be conscious of where your body is touching that surface.

What textures are there?

How does that texture feel against your skin?

How does this interaction connect you with the environment that you're in?

Is the surface soft?

Is it firm?

Is it warm?

Is it cool?

Next,

Becoming aware of the weightiness of your body.

Just noticing how gravity anchors you to the earth,

Creating a sense of stability and safety.

And no matter what,

This gravity is always supporting our existence.

Notice any points where your body is contacting the surface beneath you.

Maybe your feet are touching the ground,

Your hands are resting on the chair,

Or next to your sides on the floor.

Just feeling these points as conduits between yourself and everything around you,

Connecting you.

Just acknowledge and appreciate the support beneath you.

This support is a gentle reminder that while we move and live and play above ground,

We are always held secure by the earth beneath us.

Now we'll shift our attention back to our breath,

Noticing the sensation of air as you inhale through your nose,

And the warmth of your breath as you exhale,

Your chest and belly gently rising and falling with each breath.

And as you breathe in and out,

Let your breath be your anchor to this moment.

It's a bit like a dance,

A rhythmic movement within your body.

This dance of our breath is all about feeling and not seeing.

You're not watching it.

You're experiencing it as a dance of sensations,

Feelings,

And awareness within you.

When we inhale,

There's a sensation of coolness and expansion within us as the air fills our bodies and this sensation is an experience of touch and awareness,

A reminder that life is happening right here,

Right now,

Within you.

With each exhale,

There's a release,

A softening that spreads throughout your chest and your belly.

It's like a gentle,

Reassuring sigh reminding you that everything is okay and you can feel the ebb and flow of this internal dance of your breath,

A continuous rhythm that carries you through all the moments of your life.

The beauty of our breath dance really lies in its simplicity.

It doesn't rely on the outside world,

The things that we can see,

Hear,

Or touch.

It's a dance of pure sensation and presence inside of us.

It's our constant companion.

Our breath is a reminder that in every moment,

We are the rhythm of life itself.

Let your awareness of the sensation and presence of your breath dance come with you as we transition now to scan our bodies,

Beginning at the top of our head,

Bringing our attention to our scalp.

Notice any sensations here,

Maybe a slight tingling or the feeling of your hair against your skin.

Just allow your awareness to linger here for a few moments.

Now let your attention drift down to your forehead.

Notice any sensations in your brow,

Maybe a sense of relaxation or maybe a little bit of tension.

Feel the area around your eyes and your temples,

Just acknowledging any sensations that arise for you.

Moving down to your cheeks and your jaw,

Just becoming aware of the muscles in your face.

Are they tense?

Are they more relaxed?

Notice your tongue.

Is it relaxed inside your mouth or is it tense?

Just observing without trying to change anything.

And if you do change something,

That's fine too.

Shifting our focus now to our neck,

Just feel the subtle weight of your head,

The curve of your neck and the sensation of your breath moving in and out of your throat.

Moving your attention now to your shoulders.

Notice any tightness or ease that's in these muscles.

Maybe can you soften them a little bit?

Moving our awareness now to the arms,

Starting with our upper arms.

Feel the weight of your arms against the surface you're resting on.

Move down to your forearms and wrists,

Noticing any sensations in your hands and fingers.

Are they warm?

Are they cool?

Can you feel a faint pulsing maybe of the energy moving through your body?

Moving back up now to the chest and your upper back,

Staying with the rhythm of your breath.

Feeling the gentle dance and the rise and fall of your chest as you inhale and exhale.

Shift your awareness now to your torso and your lower back.

Feel the expansion of your belly with each inhale and the softening that accompanies each exhale.

Moving your attention down to your hips and pelvis,

Just noticing where your body is contacting with the support beneath you.

Moving our focus now to our thighs and our knees.

Just feel the muscles in your leg,

The sensations around your knees and the weight of your thighs against the surface.

Slowly moving our attention down to our calves and our shins.

What sensations do you feel in your lower legs?

Do they feel grounded?

Maybe there's even a lightness to them.

No right or wrong here,

Just noticing.

And moving our awareness now to our feet.

Feeling the sensations of the soles of our feet,

Our toes,

The tops of our feet.

Are they tingling?

Are they cold?

Are they warm?

Now embracing your entire body from head to the tips of your toes,

The tips of your fingers.

Just taking a few slow breaths in and out.

Just a few more moments to really connect to that grounding feeling.

Scanning our body is about connecting with our inner self through the power of sensation presence and awareness.

Taking an inhale to bring your awareness back to the present moment,

And a slow exhale out.

If your eyes are closed,

Allow them to softly open,

Welcoming in the world around you.

And take a few moments to really reorient yourself to your surroundings.

If you can resist the urge to jump up and move on to the next thing right away,

You'll often be surprised at how just a couple of extra minutes of reflection added on to the end of your meditation can really make a big difference in the rest of your day.

Thank you for embracing this practice with an open heart and an open mind.

Whether you experience aphantasia or not,

Your inner world is rich with nuances and subtleties that deserve recognition.

I encourage you to return to this meditation as often as you are called to it.

Each time you come back,

You're offering yourself to the gift of presence,

Understanding and self-care.

Every time we meditate,

It's a different experience.

And with this practice,

Each time you're creating a more profound connection to yourself.

One that's rooted in self-compassion and openness.

May you continue your journey with kindness,

Curiosity,

And love.

Reviews

Lovely meditation. As a person who's neurodivergent this is what I needed - reminding me that there's no right or wrong way to meditate. Thank you

Thank you so much for creating this meditation for those of us who have Aphantasia. It was beautiful and effective. I hope you will create more meditations that don’t rely on visualizing and you will tell other teachers about Aphantasia. ❤️🙏🏻

This worked for me as a quite remarkable way, I am highly sensitive person too.