“Pause. Breathe. Here, now.”

And the woman spoke, saying, Tell us of Pain.

Your pain is the breaking of the shell

that encloses your understanding 

Even as the stone of the fruit must break,

that its heart may stand in the sun,

So must you know pain

And could you keep your heart in wonder 

at the daily miracles of your life 

your pain would not seem less wondrous than your joy

Poem: “On Pain”, Kahlil Gibran (from the Prophet)

Pain is unpleasant, often unbearable. No one wants to be in pain. Many times though, pain protects you; it alerts you to take care of yourself before you get injured. It’s like the lighthouse that sheds light in the dark so that the captain is cautious.

Yet, pain can be overwhelming. You are willing to do anything to stop it, and the more you try, the more it intensifies. As a result, not only the body but also the mind starts to hurt. You desperately want a way out. Future anxiety, worries and stresses pile up; one thought builds on the other and you quickly end up into a vicious cycle that amplifies your pain.

Mindfulness meditation can be of great help in that respect. During the 8wk training, you learn to approach your pain tenderly and distinguish between your primary suffering (the actual sensation of pain in the body) and the secondary suffering that’s made up of all the thoughts, feelings and emotions related to your pain -because ultimately, what you call pain is a combination of both.

And here’s some Mathematics related to this:

Pain X Resistance = Suffering

The automatic reaction of resisting pain can make it worse. But if you make a pause, sense your breath as it flows in and out of your body, cease your resistance to your pain, then you will see your secondary suffering evaporate. 

And what about the actual pain? You can discuss the biology and medical treatment of your pain with your doctor. With mindfulness meditation, you will learn to approach your pain with friendliness and curiosity, accept it, let it be, take true care of yourself, and enjoy life with its wonders and distresses, its joys and sorrows, and its bittersweet nature, without being embroiled in its unavoidable difficulties.

“It wasn’t easy, but I had no other option. My fibromyalgia overruled my life. Now, it’s a fraction of what it was. I feel in contact with myself, with life. I still have on my fridge the post-it note: SLOW DOWN. BREATHE. SOFTEN. HERE, NOW” – Anne.