Basic Self-healing Meditations for ME/CFS

I practise self-healing meditation every day. I choose to believe that we are all a part of a universal field of energy and that we have the ability to influence this field. I believe that a meditative state can reconnect us to this energetic level of existence and allow us to consciously exert an influence.

I understand that many of you may be turned off by this notion; however I would ask you to consider the power of the placebo effect. If just believing that you are taking a helpful medicine can get you better, imagine what benefits can be gained by positively applying your will.

I know that I always feel a lot better after my morning T’ai chi and meditation. I may limit myself by not believing that self-healing meditations will provide a miraculous overnight cure, but I do believe in the power of positive thinking and that self-healing meditations can contribute in a positive way to all the other things that I do to deal with this illness, to get myself better. At the very least I am still benefiting from the relaxing effects of meditation, but maybe I am also, little by little, helping my body regain its natural healing ability! Isn’t it worth a try?

The basis of self-healing meditation is rhythmic breathing. Rhythmic breathing is based on the complete breath which should be comfortably mastered before adding the element of rhythm. Once you are comfortably breathing rhythmically, you can add the element of distributing and directing vital energy for self-healing. Here’s an edited exert from my book:

Rhythmic breathing:

First of all take your pulse to get an idea of your natural rhythm. The easiest way to do this is to place your fore finger and middle finger together and lay them on your neck, to the side and just above your Adams apple, pressing lightly. Whilst taking it count up to 6 and repeat over and over until you have the rhythm in your head.
Then match your complete breath to this rhythm, breathing in for the count of 6 retaining the breath for the count of 3, breathing out for the count of 6 and holding your lungs empty for the count of 3.
If you have a particularly slow or fast heart rate this rhythm might not be comfortable so you might want to count to 4 or 8 instead. Aim to keep the counting at the rate of your heart beat and then holding for half the number of counts in between inhaling and exhaling.

Once again make sure this is comfortable and not forced. Over time you might be able to extend the number of counts as you learn to breathe more slowly and deeply but do not rush this process!

Distributing Vital Energy (prana)

Lie flat on the floor completely relaxed with hands crossed just underneath your breastbone
Start rhythmic breathing. Once you have a good rhythm focus on the following:
On the in breath, will that you are drawing in an extra-large amount of vital energy from the universal supply. (It doesn’t matter if the idea of a universal vital energy doesn’t seem real to you, just try to imagine a life giving, healing energy force. Pretend that it exists! Imagine yourself living in a world of fiction or that of a favourite cartoon character or superhero!)
On the out breath command that this vital energy is distributed all over your body: to every part; every organ; every muscle; every nerve, every artery; every vein; every cell; every atom of your body.
Imagine this vital energy invigorating and strengthening the healthy workings of your body.
Create a mental picture of great amounts of this vital energy being drawn into you during every inhalation and being distributed throughout your body during every exhalation. Your whole body is being energised and reinforced by it, from the top of your head to the tips of your toes. Perhaps you can see this energy as colour, precious and sparkling: diamond white, gold, platinum or any other colour that seems right to you. Maybe you can sense the vibration of this energy or imagine hearing a bee like buzzing. Maybe you can summon up a sense of soothing warmth. Use whichever sensory image that is most powerful for you.
As each exhalation distributes this energy around your body imagine it pushing out any diseased state, imagine anything harmful being replaced by this positive life force.

Aim to be effortless and calm in this meditation, there should be no sense of forcing anything, aim to stay extremely relaxed. Allow the huge amounts of vital energy to be easily accessible to you. Your will does not have to be forceful, paying attention will be enough.

Focused Self-healing

The principles are very similar for this meditation; instead we focus on distributing the vital energy to the specific parts of the body that needs to be healed:

Breathe rhythmically
Whilst inhaling, will that you are drawing in a large amount of vital energy.
Whilst exhaling, focus your attention on the part of you that needs healing, imagine that the extra vital energy is focused on this part energising and stimulating it.
Imagine that with every exhalation more vital energy is pumped into this area forcing out and replacing the diseased condition
To help you focus on an effected part you might find it helpful to imagine shining a spot light on it.