Pain and Meditation

When any part of our body is injured, we feel pain. The injury could be a flesh wound or due to the blockage of the blood circulation system or an interference to the smooth functioning of the nervous system or a tooth ache or sore throat, etc. There are many reasons which injured the body and subsequently the mind.  Doctors will prescribed us pain killers which blocks the flow of the pain  or numb the nerves which caused the pain. If the medication wears off, the pain will return.

If we get too use to pain killers and became over dependent on it which will reduced its effectiveness and impact in controlling pain, then a heavier dosage is given to ensure the same impact. Doctors have advised patients that meditation can help to reduce pain and control its impact. How can  meditation help in the control of pain.

In meditation, we use the mind to control of thoughts of pain. The body sent messages of pain to the brain and the brain interprets the message and sent out the signal of pain. If we can control our mind and intervene or intercept the messages and divert it or neutralized it before the message is sent back to the injured area which release a  message of pain.

There is simple story which illustrate the effectiveness of mind control over the feeling of pain. Once, a young monk was meditating  and his meditation was interfered by the ringing of a church bell near by.  He was agitated and he ran to the senior monk to complain that he cannot concentrate.  The senior monk asked him why is he concentrating on  the sound of the bell.  The young monk was puzzled and did not understand the explanation.  The senior monk told him that if he stands in a highway full of traffic , what will he do? Will he go against the traffic or would he flow with the traffic and enjoy the flow. The young monk finally understand that it is our choice.  We can direct our mind to other more serene or beautiful sound instead of focusing on the sound of the bell.  Why can't we tell our mind to focus on other things.

Another point to illustrate the power of the mind is that when a car overtakes you from the left and cuts into your lane. Your immediate impact is to be angry with the driver because he threaten your safety and endanger your life. If you take the focus away  from the car and driver and instead look at the trees and flowers by the road, you anger will subside immediately and you will release that this is another mad man on the rush.  Similarly, when we can control our mind and move it away from the area of injury or pain, the pain will be very much reduced  and you will not need a heavier dosage of pain killers.

Our Mind is like a dancing monkey and if we can tame it  and control it  by stilling our mind and focusing our thoughts to stillness, we will have a lesser painful life irrespective of what type of pain it might be. Great meditators smile in the face of pain and dance in times of adversity.

Focus on your beautiful breath through meditation and draw rejuvenated energy into your body and enrish your mind.  The pain will disappear by itself.

Namaste.