Meditation for pain?

Raven

Does anyone else here suffer from any sort of chronic pain? I suffer from severe (some days more severe than others) chronic pain, and it was recommended to me that meditation may help ease the mental/emotional stress that comes with that, and also help relax the physical pains in the body. Has anyone experienced this?

genkaku

Meditation does help to see pain in a revised perspective -- which is less painful. But I imagine the first thing to do would be to get a doctor's opinion.

ajnast4r

The role of mindfulness meditation in easing chronic pain is pretty well established. Here are some links that may be helpful:

http://www.nationalpainfoundation.org/articles/336/mindfulness-based-stress-reduction

http://www.amazon.com/Mindfulness-Meditation-Pain-Relief-Reclaiming/dp/1591797403/ref=pd_sim_b_1/184-2396369-2170858

if you need help finding someone local to teach you rather than a book/cd just let me know

Raven

Actually it was my doctor who got me looking to meditation in the first place. She is a GP who fully believes in a holistic approach to medicine wherever possible.

For some background: I have endometriosis - I was diagnosed as a teenager and have had 4 surgeries so far. Traditional medications don't work - they cause side effects that are worse than the pain to begin with, and some of them are dangerous.

Being in a state of constant pain is fatiguing, depressing, aggravating... you name it. I had a breakdown at my doctor's office back in the summer, and she recommended meditation to help with the mental/emotional/phyiscal toll. I meditate regularly (or I try to) but I was wondering about any specific technique or mantra or something that could help.

Raven

The role of mindfulness meditation in easing chronic pain is pretty well established. Here are some links that may be helpful:

http://www.nationalpainfoundation.org/articles/336/mindfulness-based-stress-reduction

http://www.amazon.com/Mindfulness-Meditation-Pain-Relief-Reclaiming/dp/1591797403/ref=pd_sim_b_1/184-2396369-2170858

if you need help finding someone local to teach you rather than a book/cd just let me know

Thanks! I'm going to check these out right now!

genkaku

A friend of a friend once suggested, "Maybe suffering is nothing more than resistance to pain." I always liked that suggestion. Pain is something none of us can escape. I am not trying to make light or be dismissive of the burden caused by chronic pain, but in meditation there is some growing capacity to see things more for what they are and a little less what we might wish them to be.

Jeffrey

I heard a few things from my teacher. Taking pain as an object of meditation can make it feel more intense. Like genkaku says it is resistance to pain that causes the suffering, otherwise it is just sensitivity. Its insight that 'catches' the thoughts of the pain as outside of you that is ravaging you. That is wrong thinking as the pain is no other than your awareness. And as your awareness it is none other than 5 skandas which are all false perceptions as a self. I would sometimes try to practice this way 'catching' the thinking. And sometimes just get a distraction.

ownerof1000oddsocks

Ideally, lack of resistance would mean being able to relax and fall asleep (and this is sometimes the case). More often it calls out for attention so it becomes motivating. Walking it off sometimes works more than rest; sometimes rest is needed but regardless it's very tiring.

One thing of note- and I'm sorry if this sounds cliche- is that it will pass and if it's not alright it's not the end. That's my future self saying: 'it's worth it! Keep going' Telling myself something is very, very wrong does not help. if my body is freaking out, it's probably par for the course.

Also tempting to start asking for help from a god or an angel, especially when I have no power over the pain, but this can be a source of psychological torture as I come round in a circle finding nothing more than the contents of my own mind. Here I am both a prisoner in my body, in my pain, and a prisoner of my own mind- all very self absorbed.

On the plus side I suppose I am a better person for it, where everyone is getting angry in the hustle and bustle Here I am thinking: 'You don't have an actual problem! Don't make a mountain out of a molehill! Surely you take for granted the powers you do have!'

If I had the power to take away your pain and be with you (Raven) I would. Sadly I'm not a Doctor, nor an angel. Perhaps not feeling alone is a ramshackle refuge of sorts, or something more stately.