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Restless Leg Syndrome or Restless Head Syndrome?

cnairnecnairne
edited June 2010 in Buddhism Basics
Hello lovely people.

I am diagnosed with Restless Leg Syndrome, which effectively makes it hard to sit still/sleep/relax due to pain and discomfort in my legs, arms and back. Now as you can imagine this makes meditation somewhat challenging (though I don't let it stop me).

I mentioned this to the teacher at my meditation class and he snorted, telling me there is no such thing as RLS, and in fact I have Restless Head Syndrome.

Thoughts?
[Deleted User]

Comments

  • NiosNios Veteran
    edited June 2010
    Haha!

    I think your teacher has a good sense of humour!

    Try walking meditation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinhin
    http://www.zenspace.org/site/Meditation_Walking.html

    Nios.
  • SherabDorjeSherabDorje
    edited June 2010
    RLS is real and treatable. Walking meditation is a good suggestion, as far as I know. My understanding of RLS is that it should only bother you late in the day, but it's definitely real.
  • cnairnecnairne
    edited June 2010
    I have a rather terrible case of it you see. Meditation has helped me cope with it. I used to get angry, upset and short tempered when the pain and discomfort was bad. I tried medication and it didn't help much. I am learning that the pain isn't what makes me angry, the anger feeds the pain. If I accept there is nothing I can do about the pain it stops bothering me quite so much, and in turn my legs, arms and back become less 'restless'.

    Instead of acting the victim of my body, I am trying to control of how my mind reacts to my body. Pain is just a feeling after all. I hope I am on the right track with all this...
  • NiosNios Veteran
    edited June 2010
    You are on the right track. A few months ago I trapped a nerve in my hip meaning I could no longer sit for meditation. Instead I had to learn no kneel.
    Sometimes, things happen in life and we have to learn to adapt. Accepting change is part of buddhism. Hoping things stay the way they are is part of suffering.

    Keep up the good work. :)
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