This relaxation script is for reducing menstrual pain, cramping, pelvic pain, or endometriosis symptoms.
Choose a position where you can start to relax. Lying down is best. Make yourself as comfortable as you possibly can. You may want to wrap up in a blanket with a heating pad or hot water bottle if you are cold.
Take a few slow, deep breaths. In…and out…
In…out…
Breathe slowly in…and slowly out…
Continue to breathe slowly and deeply, letting your breaths calm and relax you.
Take a moment to notice how your body feels, and notice where your body is the most relaxed. Is one arm more relaxed than the other? How about your legs? Which leg feels the most relaxed? Which muscles are the most loose and relaxed right now?
Look for relaxation as you mentally scan each area of your body and notice which muscles are pleasantly relaxed.
(Pause)
Notice that as you breathe deeply, the relaxed areas might get a little bit bigger…and your muscles may relax further…little by little…ever so slowly letting go of tension.
(Pause)
Now as you relax even more deeply…notice how your body feels. Notice the level of menstrual pain you are experiencing at this moment. If no pain is present, just continue relaxing. If you do notice menstrual pain, simply be aware of the pain without trying to change it just yet.
Pelvic pain can be very difficult to deal with, and if the menstrual pain is severe, take a few breaths and try to relax into the pain. The pain will not last forever. Every moment that passes is a moment that you are getting through this and getting closer to relief. Just breathe…relaxing even if pain is present…just being aware of how you are feeling…aware of the pain…but letting it go…
You can use the power of imagination to change your pain. Let’s see if you can imagine the pain as feeling ever so slightly different. It’s okay if the pain does not feel any less at first. Let’s just try to imagine the sensation being a little bit different.
Imagine that instead of pain, a slightly different sensation is present in this moment. Imagine a feeling of pressure in the pelvic area. Imagine that calm pressure is pleasantly pressing on your body like a gentle weight. Imagine what it would feel like to replace the pain with a feeling of being tightly wrapped in a compression bandage, wrapped right around your lower torso. Imagine a feeling of pressure…gentle, calming pressure.
Now you may want to imagine a different sensation…such as temperature. Choose warmth or coolness, whatever sensation you can imagine in place of the menstrual pain. What would it feel like to have a gentle cool or warm feeling instead of pain? See if you can imagine every detail of what this warm or cool feeling would be like. How much of the pain sensation are you able to replace with warmth or coolness? Imagine…
Take a few calming breaths now as you relax…and let your mind drift for a few moments. You don’t need to do anything at all right now but relax…rest…
Well done. Gently bring your focus back now to using your imagination to deal with menstrual pain. Imagine a feeling of numbness. Calm, tingly, and so pleasantly numb in the entire abdominal-pelvic area. Anywhere pain had been, imagine that the sensation you detect is instead a pleasant, numb, heavy feeling. So completely numb…so relaxed…
Imagine what numbness feels like. Allow your imagination to create a complete picture of how it would feel to be so pleasantly numb. Imagine that any pain you felt before is instead a feeling of numbness…imagine exactly what the numbness would feel like.
Imagine the feeling of numbness all the way to your lower back…to each hip…up to your abdomen…relaxing over your entire lower body…
(Pause)
Now, if you want to, simply relax. Give your mind a break. Drift…relax…
(Pause)
Your mind can focus on something else completely…relaxing by focusing…taking a break by concentrating just on breathing…such a peaceful form of concentration and so deeply relaxing as you focus completely on the next breath you take.
Notice only your breath. Watching each breath as it comes and goes. Allow all your mental focus to concentrate on each single moment in time as a breath enters…and leaves your body. Notice your breath. Think about each breath. Passively observe every breath without the need to think about anything at all.
Breathe.
(Pause)
Relax for a few more moments…pleasantly calm and relaxed…
When you are ready, you can finish this relaxation exercise by becoming fully awake and alert or by drifting off to sleep. You can choose how to end this relaxation to deal with menstrual pain. I will count to five. If you choose to reawaken, wake up more and more until you are fully alert and feeling good when I reach five, or if you choose to go to sleep, allow yourself to drift off to sleep with each number.
1
2
3
4
5
