Each session in SOFT BEGINNINGS comprises two parts: Gentle Moves to ease your body and a Meditation. Sessions can be done on a yoga mat propped on pillows in bed. If you are resting in bed, you may like to fold a bath towel to form a 10-15 cm/ 4-6 inches wide rectangle and place it lengthways behind your spine as extra support. Please set up in a space where you are cosy but not hot. Dress comfortably. Lie or sit as suits you best and get snugged in with cushions, pillows and folded blankets; these can go under your knees, behind your head, under your feet or wrists. However, you feel supported. Each session theme is in the Companion Guide, offering you some ideas and management strategies in a narrative form to enjoy alongside the movements and meditation. I suggest reading before doing the session, but again, the choice is yours.

Sam will present the meditation. She suggests you have a blanket or rug handy, as your body may cool during the meditation.

Hydration helps the body with circulation and fascial health. Please remember to drink water in the hours before and after our sessions.

If you need to drink water during a session, swap blankets or cushions, or wriggle or change position to be even 7% more comfortable, please do. Be ready to rest often during the session. You might even snooze which is fine too as it is a nice way to relax and you can always re-listen to the session if you choose.

The sessions are offered as a degustation of ideas for you to select from. To help you prepare, please think about the following four questions:

1. WHERE ARE YOU ON THE CORGI SCALE?

It is good to take a moment to understand your energy before starting a session. The Corgi scale has been designed especially for people with ME/CFS, so we don’t need to think too much about numeric scales or words or anything. We can just choose which corgi aligns most with how we are feeling.

Do you know which corgi you feel like today? Take a moment, give yourself a breath in and a soft sighing breath out (or some other grounding pause), then look at each photo slowly.

2. WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING REGARDING ACTIVITIES, HEALTH, AND STRESS?

Please consider what you are usually able to do within a day and how much energy you can allocate to trying new things today. Is today feeling like a relatively good day in this context? Or not so much? Have you been busy or stressed? Do you have a sniffle, or is it hot? These things could lessen your available energy, so it is helpful to enhance your preparation by factoring them in and adjusting your expectations.

If you feel have 2 min of activity to add in, for example, that is great. Lie comfortably, relax, and listen out for what sounds like a good activity for you to spend those valuable 2 minutes on. You can use the remainder of the session to practice two highly regarded skills viz regulating by relaxing and seeing how much you can do without exacerbating symptoms.

Research is showing finding “uplift” (minor pleasant sensations) is an added benefit to pacing – perhaps you can find something you particularly enjoy in the session today; you might also feel a sense of accomplishment for getting yourself set up and being involved.

3. ARE YOU READY TO SAVOUR RESTS AND SUBTLETIES?

We can practice gentle actions, AND we can practice saying, “A rest would be beneficial now,” and taking and savouring that rest. You are always welcome to rest at any point during the session.

Other subtle options include doing tiny, barely perceptible movements, imagining the movements, or just letting the sounds keep you company for a while.

If you think about how elite athletes are coached to visualise their activities, perhaps you could benefit from imaging movements. If you are someone who doesn’t visualise, that is fine too, as people using the sessions and just listening have found that restful, too.

Practising how relaxed you can be in your limbs, tongue, jaw, torso, hands, and feet can also be useful if you prefer relaxing to one of the suggested movements.

If you would like further information on rest, please see the 4 Types of rest in the COPING STRATEGIES.

4. ARE YOU MONITORING HEART RATE VARIABILITY?

Heart Rate variability has been associated with fatigue severity and is now measurable on phone apps for people who have chronic illnesses. An example is found at makevisible.com, where the developers themselves have Long COVID and a variety of other energy-limiting conditions. Some people with ME/CFS choose to add this objective data to their own perceived sense of well-being and the Corgi Scale. Remember to decide for yourself what suits you well today and lessen your activity level anytime you need to keep the program sustainable for you.

Below are some examples of ways to enjoy a session of SOFT BEGINNINGS. Which one suits your body and your circumstances today?

Corgi Scale for ME/CFS