Introduction to a Simple Practice
When you’re living with chronic illness — whether it’s CFS, fibromyalgia, or LongCovid — life often becomes a cycle of managing symptoms, bracing against crashes, and trying to find relief in a world that feels too fast and too full.
But what if healing didn’t mean doing more? What if it began with something much quieter – a gentle reset.
Your nervous system might feel like it’s stuck in overdrive, swinging between exhaustion and anxiety.
This practice is a way to soften the edges of this moment. To step out of mental spirals. To find something steady inside yourself. And yes — it’s simple. You can begin wherever you are, even if you’re lying down right now.
Resting into the Present Moment
There’s a quiet strength in learning how to rest in the now — not in a forced way, but with gentle curiosity. For many who live with chronic fatigue, pain, or chronic anxiety, the idea of presence can feel abstract or even inaccessible.
Spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle invites us to notice the relief and change we can experience in the smallest of moments — a breath, a sensation, a pause. So in this post, I am sharing with you one of his simple, steady practices to support this.
The Instant Reset Practice: Five Steps
This five-step practice is inspired by Tolle’s work and adapted for those with chronic illness or heightened sensitivity. You don’t need to sit upright or concentrate deeply. Just begin where you are.
Place a hand on your heart.
Let yourself feel the warmth or weight of your hand. No need to change anything.Bring your awareness to the breath.
Gently notice the inhale and exhale, without trying to change it. Let it be natural.Say inwardly: “This moment is enough.”
Let the words settle in. You’re not trying to fix anything at this moment— just be here.Feel into your body.
Shift awareness into your hand on your heart. What sensations can you feel? Coolness, warmth, tingling, or nothing at all?Name one small comfort.
A soft blanket. A tree outside. A single flower. Let that small thing remind you that beauty still exists.
That’s it. Stay here for a few breaths or 1–2 minutes. Or longer, if it feels good.
The Science of Presence and Healing
Modern neuroscience continues to affirm what many have experienced intuitively: that cultivating presence, especially with a quality of acceptance, has measurable effects on the brain and nervous system. When we pause and tune in — without trying to fix or resist — something profound begins to unfold:
Neuroplasticity is activated: the brain starts to rewire itself, creating new patterns of safety and calm.
The Default Mode Network — often linked to overthinking, self-criticism, and rumination — becomes quieter.
The Parasympathetic Nervous System takes the lead, allowing the body to soften out of fight-or-flight and into restoration.
A 2021 study published in Psychoneuroendocrinology found that even brief mindfulness-based practices, when grounded in acceptance rather than judgment, led to decreased cortisol (stress hormone) levels and improved emotional regulation. These results show that it’s not just about a level of awareness — it’s about responding to our inner world without judgement. When we soften the approach, the healing response deepens.
Integration & Next Steps
You don’t need to do more. You’ve already done something beautiful — you showed up.
If this practice brought you even the smallest shift, here are a few gentle ways to keep exploring:
💗 Read the Book Summary: Practicing the Power of Now.
A simple introduction to Tolle’s teachings, written especially for you.
💗 Try a Guided Meditation
These meditations are made especially for nervous system regulation, and you can begin with just a few minutes.
💗 Book a Mind Body Spirit Coaching Session
You don’t have to do this alone. If you’d like personalised support, you can explore booking a session here →
Let this practice be a turning point — not because everything changes, but because you chose to meet yourself in a new way.
Even a single breath, held with presence, can become a pathway to healing.
With love and care,
Amari 💗
