How to Meditate with Chronic Pain
For some of us, sitting still and meditating feels out of reach not because of any emotional or mental anguish, but due to physical pain. Some of us live with chronic pain that ranges from mild to intense. It makes you feel that sitting quietly will only exacerbate the issues, not help them. But today in our mindfulness lesson we will learn how to deal with pain and perhaps even use it as a tool for exploring the body during meditation. Pain is a concept just like anything else we feel, and how we use it and deal with it will create a habit in us. Pain and resistance can only create suffering, so today we are going to encourage you to explore any of your nagging pains in your body to bring greater awareness of yourself and the moment.
Begin your meditation as you have been, or if you are new to mindfulness due to chronic pain, be sure to look at some of our past lessons here. Sit in a way that is comfortable for you and start with your mindful breathing. When you are ready, close your eyes and begin to feel your body. Feel the blood coursing through your veins, feel the pulsing of your heart in your wrists or temples, take note of your temperature. Are some of your body parts warm, are some cold? How do you feel comfort wise in this room, in this place, in this time? Simply be in the moment and when you feel the pains in your body coming up shift your attention towards them, not away. Focus on the pain and resist the urge to find a more comfortable position. Don't worry, we are not seeking to torture you, but let's take a moment and experience the pain in our bodies before addressing it.
Where is the pain in your body? Is it a common pain you feel? When do you normally feel it? Is the pain hot or cold? Does the pain feel like compression, stretching, vibration, pulsing? Is the pain linked to your heart beat or your blood flow? Does the pain travel to other parts as its time in your body elongates? Make note of all these sensations and when you are ready shift your position to a more comfortable one. Now that you are in a comfortable place, how does that painful spot feel? What does relief feel like? Again, is it warm or cold, pulsing or vibrating, do you tingle or feel emotion from the end of the pain. Explore the feelings of pain leaving your body.
Perhaps in the new position the pain is returning but in a new place. Explore this pain and subsequent relief in the same way. We can explore our whole bodies this way, allowing ourselves to experience the pain and relief in the moment. Though these may not be sensations we long for, if it is something you are feeling in your meditations, know that it is something that can be used and explored. Pain has a way of bringing ourselves into the moment, in a way no other sensation can, so in a way it is an amazing tool to utilize at the beginning of mindfulness. Pain shows us just how long a second, a minute, an hour is. Use these feelings to bring yourself in the moment, but do not let yourself suffer. Mindfulness is about feeling everything our bodies are feeling in the moment as it is happening, it is about addressing emotions and reactions to emotions to learn ourselves, but it is never about suffering. Mindfulness hopes to end suffering via acknowledgment of everything that occurs around us and within us.
When you are ready, return your thoughts to your breath and find a peaceful way to sit and be. Focus on your body and the moment and now allow yourself to shift your positions as needed to find comfort, all the while knowing that that discomfort is part of your human experience as well and teaches you about your body and its place in the world. Thank your body and your nerve receptors. Thank the pain that signals you of danger. If at any point during this meditation the pain becomes too overpowering and no amount of shifting can alleviate it, allow yourself to end your meditation early. Know that even a few minutes of mindfulness is useful and that as you extend your practice you will only improve. Forgive your body for chronic pain that may seem nonsensical. Forgive yourself if your pain is caused by past decisions that have left you with a lifetime of consequence. These are all parts of the experiences of life and they are all part of what makes your body unique and your experience in this space and time, only yours. If sitting truly causes issues you can also experiment with these meditations standing up or laying down. There is no right or wrong way to hold your body in these exercises. But at the same time, do not be afraid to explore your pain or discomfort even briefly. Explore your pain and explore your relief equally and truly feel your moment.
How have you used your awareness of pain or discomfort in your life prior to this exercise? What has pain taught you in the past? Reach out to us at info@bullionite.com with your comments and questions.