Preparation for Surgery

You are about to prepare for your procedure.
To do so, you will become familiar with the healing process leading up to recovery, so that you can approach everything with calm and ease.

Lie down in a position that feels stable and comfortable for you. Adjust your cushions so your back, head, and neck are well supported. Don’t hesitate to fine-tune your position to ensure your head aligns with your spine. Your head rests gently at the top of your spine. Feel a deep sense of relaxation in that area. Your neck loosens, and calm flows down your spine and spreads into every part of your body, through your nervous system.

Now that you are comfortably settled, look up at the ceiling and find a spot that’s easy to focus on. It doesn’t matter which one—you’ll naturally choose the right one for you. As you listen to my voice and gaze at this point, notice the small changes in your vision. The point becomes clearer while everything around it grows misty and blurred. You might feel a slight tiredness in your eyes; they may become a little moist, making you want to blink. Each blink brings comfort and relaxation, flowing through your entire body, which grows heavier—just like your eyelids.

As you feel this relaxation and gentle fatigue, it becomes more and more comfortable simply to close your eyes. When the moment feels right, let them close, and observe what happens as your eyelids shut. Perhaps you feel a familiar sensation of daydreaming, yet you remain awake—alert to what matters to you and indifferent to what doesn’t. The sounds, voices, and noises around you no longer disturb you. They fade into the distance, allowing you to enter more deeply into this state of calm, wrapped in a gentle warmth.

Let yourself be cradled by the steady rhythm of your heartbeat. Feel the warmth move through your body, which is now at the perfect temperature. You feel safe, and your body slowly synchronizes with your breathing. Notice how easy it is now to focus on your breath. With each exhale, breathe out any tension that might still be present. Emmanuel Coccia, in his book Metamorphosis, describes breathing this way:
"To breathe is to savor the world. The world offers itself through the breath, and the breath is the very flavor of the world. Breathing is not merely an act of animal survival, but the form and rhythm of the world of which we are an inseparable part."

"Breath is the first activity of any higher being, the only movement that exists for its own sake. Our life begins with a first breath and ends with a final one. To live is to breathe, and to embrace the whole substance of the world in that breath."

With every exhale, allow gravity to release the weight of your body onto the surface beneath you—whether it’s a bed or a couch. Let it take in any remaining tension. Breathe into it. Your heartbeat becomes more and more steady. It keeps its rhythm, supporting the healthy oxygenation of your relaxed body, nourishing your cells, which cleanse themselves with every intake of oxygen. This process continues automatically—you don’t have to do anything. Your blood pressure lowers, aligning naturally with your state of calm.

Notice how increasingly easy it is to rest your attention on your exhalation. With each breath out, let the weight of your body settle into the surface. Feel how comforting it is to let your back rest, how good it feels to be heavy and to fully sink into your weight. Each breath out welcomes you into this heaviness—you surrender to gravity and allow yourself to be held. You know nothing is expected of you right now.
The only thing you need to do is continue observing your breath, which supports your body and allows your conscious mind to freely participate in the healing process.