Brief Meditation for Chronic Pain

 Written by Helena Lorenz, M.S.W, LMSW

Licensed Master Social Worker

When I first started my journey with mindfulness and meditation 7-ish years ago, I struggled the most with body scan meditations. In a typical session, the instructor would ask us to mentally scan our bodies and try and distinguish any particular areas which might be holding on to pain or tension. We were asked to then pay special attention to these areas throughout the practice in the hope that we could direct our mindful energy towards healing and relieving these aches. As someone with chronic pain, this exercise was a nightmare for me.

Try and focus on one source of pain? My whole body was pain. Being forced to examine my body for negative sensations, I found discomfort everywhere in spades and became completely overwhelmed. Every joint and nerve in my body longed for relief that I knew I could not give it, and I became entirely disengaged from the meditation.

One of the hardest parts about living with chronic pain or chronic illness is the often antagonistic relationship it forces us to have with our own bodies. We feel like we are at constant war with our physical forms, one part of us longing for peace and one part of us pulling toward suffering. This war becomes so tiring that we sometimes decide to disengage entirely, feeling like the only way to stay sane is if we start to see ourselves and our physical forms as separate entities.

I am in no way close to the finish line here, but for several years I have been in the pursuit of bridging this separation and re-uniting my body with my mind. I’ve been trying to live out the belief that just because I have chronic illness doesn’t mean I have to be resigned to a half-life, only feeling like fragmented parts of a person. I trust that I can be a whole cohesive person, in tune with my mind, body, and spirit, even in times of pain and strife.

One piece of this journey towards wholeness has been adapting meditation to better suit my needs, and my hope is that these adaptations will help serve others as well. Below, I have a modified body scan meditation for those who experience chronic pain or illness, for those who feel disconnected or detached from their beautiful, life-giving bodies. I hope it can provide some temporary peace for those who need it.

Find a comfortable position either seated or laying down. Make the space your own by gathering soft pillows or cozy blankets, and maybe turning on some soft music or nature sounds. Close your eyes if you feel safe to do so.

 Start off with a long, slow inhale, and a long, slow exhale to get your mind focused and relaxed. Repeat this slow, deliberate breathing for at least 5 cycles.

Once your breath has settled into a nice, even pace, start to grow in delicate awareness of your body. Begin to find a space on your body that feels neutral. I promise that there is at least one small spot that feels stable at this moment. Maybe it is the tip of your nose. Maybe the soles of your feet. Maybe the top of your scalp. Maybe even your eyelids. Settle your attention on that neutral spot for a moment.

Now, I want you to imagine that a soft light is starting to emerge from that spot. This light can be any color of your choosing, letting the color embody and emit a sense of peace. Maybe a rich forest green, or a light sky blue, whatever comes to mind.

Now, we are going to imagine that with each exhale, that light is going to grow a little stronger and spread a little wider. Our powerful breath allows the circumference of that beautiful light to grow and radiate to other parts of the body. Our inhale provides the light with fuel and our exhale allows it to spread a sense of peace and neutrality throughout our tired bodies.

Continue deep breathing and picturing the spreading of the light until your entire body is aglow.

Once we feel a satisfying sense of calm, we take another big breath and with our eyes remaining closed, we start re-incorporating light movements. Maybe wiggling toes, gentle shrugging of shoulders, or slow rolling of wrists. Whatever feels comfortable and natural at this time.

Slowly re-open your eyes, and let your body and mind reawaken and return to the present refreshed.

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