Energy Meditation for Healing Yourself After Illness, Injury, or Surgery

One of the most amazing things about the human body is that it can heal. That’s easy to forget when we are sick or injured, but the human body is truly filled with miraculous self-regenerating powers. It knows how to detoxify, how to repair wounds, and how to fight off illnesses. We’re like superheroes with the power to heal: We just do it a little more slowly than we see in the movies.

The immune system works intimately with the nervous system, and stress is notorious for suppressing our internal healing powers. When we are stressed, the body is in fight or flight—the body thinks there is a threat that must be faced. The body will always prioritize survival, and it takes a lot of energy to get ready to fight or run away. So functions like digestion and the immune system take a back seat.

Partly because of the link between health and stress, energy practices may be extremely effective at encouraging the body’s own healing process. Doing energy work may sound strange, distant, or even woo-woo, but there’s plenty you can do at home, it doesn’t cost anything, and it won’t hurt.

Energy practices can be particularly effective for pain relief, even with chronic pain conditions. They can also boost the immune system and possibly even help whatever treatments you are taking (medicine, physical therapies, etc.) work more effectively. Energy work can also encourage deeper, healthier sleep, which helps everything. It might be worth working with a good energy healer, as touch and connection can bolster our immune systems as well, but you don’t really need anyone else to do some of the simpler practices. Here’s one you can try right now.

Energy Meditation for Self-Healing

Sit or lie down comfortably in any position that works for you. Take a few deep breaths, and settle into stillness.

Take a moment to focus on the ground beneath you. Allow your body to rest and relax into the support beneath you.

Now focus on an image that feels good to you. Healing white light, a cascade of cool water, or warm transformative fire are all good options. Focus on the energy of love—your love for others, your love for yourself, and/or the love of those who want the best for you. Allow this love to infuse the image of the energy surrounding you.

Breathe deeply, and direct this energy to the part or parts of your body that are feeling the injury or illness the most. Bathe that area in loving, calming energy. Breathe the love in, and breathe whatever you don’t need out of your body. Do this as long as you would like, looking for feelings of calm, relaxation, ease, and gentleness. Don’t expect the uncomfortable sensations to disappear, just soothe them as if you could give them a loving hug.

After some time, take a moment to ask your body what it needs. If these sensations could talk, what would they tell you? Does this area need rest? Water? Movement? Attention? Pain medication? Quiet? There’s no right or wrong answer. This is simply a moment where you open yourself to take requests. If there’s something your body needs, give it that if you can and if it’s safe to do so.

Close your meditation with a nice deep breath and thank your body for talking to you. If you received any requests from your body, if you can, honor those.

Feel free to repeat this meditation often—daily, if you are recovering from something acutely, and if you find this meditation feels good. Keep taking your medication or doing other therapies. The hope is that if you add this practice, your recovery will be quicker and easier.

Follow this guided meditation for healing from illness or injury.