Can meditative practices really help you experience less pain? A recent article in Time Healthland discusses the results of a study that suggest that people who practice Zen meditation (zazen) tend to be less sensitive to pain. I was intrigued by this article, having practiced zazen for a number of years, as well as meditative practices that are part of yoga and Reiki.
Zazen, like many other meditative practices, focuses on remaining present and observing everything that is occurring internally and externally, without judgment. The study demonstrated that although the meditators were functionally aware of experiencing pain, their practice trained the part of their brain that would register it as “bad” or “painful” to not overreact.
Meditation of any type is an excellent tool for increasing mindfulness, reducing stress and improving overall well-being. Meditation is now being prescribed by doctors to help people relax and lower their blood pressure, but I’m excited by the idea that it may be a viable option for pain management. Pain is often an emotional reaction to stimulus, and is perceived as something “bad.” Being able to observe the pain without emotional triggers setting in may make it easier for people living with chronic pain conditions to be able to manage their symptoms more effectively with fewer medications or interventions, and improve the overall quality of life.
According to the study, “While the pain centers in the meditators’ brains lit up, the areas of the brain responsible for higher-order processes like cognition, emotion and memory were understimulated….We think that they feel the sensations, but cut the process short, refraining from interpretation or labeling of the stimuli as painful,” said lead author Pierre Rainville, a researcher at the University of Montreal, in a statement.”
I can personally attest to the effectiveness of this type of mindfulness for minimizing and managing pain sensations. About 15 years ago, my gallbladder became infected and I suffered a very serious attack that eventually sent me to the hospital for emergency surgery. I was in debilitating pain for many hours before someone was able to transport me to the hospital. I remember lying on the couch, just focusing on my breath and observing how the pain would come and go in waves. It was then that I realized that the pain was something that had its own rhythm and there were breaks that provided momentary relief. Although I was not necessarily in any less actual physical pain, I was able to sit and “be” with it until I could get to the hospital.
I had a very similar experience when I was in labor with my daughter. I was in labor for over 30 hours with my daughter, with no epidural or other medications. I was awake the entire time. I went into that state of watchful awareness, and allowed myself to experience the sensations without becoming overwhelmed by them. It was an exhausting labor, and as it turns out, the baby’s head was face-up, rather than down, which puts more pressure on the sacrum during the contractions. Yet, during all of that, I generally felt calm and centered. It was just me observing my breath and the movement of the baby as she was working hard to enter the world. Since then, I have strongly advocated for pregnant women to learn meditative and yogic breathing to help them be more empowered and manage discomfort more effectively during labor.
So, how does this relate to Reiki? One of the benefits of Reiki practice is that over time, it deepened my meditation skills. Miako Usui, the founder of the system of Reiki, incorporated a number of different meditative practices (Gassho meditation, Hatsurei-Ho and Tanden Chiryo-Ho, among others) in order to heighten awareness, build and increase sensitivity to energy (Ki.) A Reiki session often feels like a meditation, since the practice is one where we are not “doing” anything other than being present with the energy and the recipient who is connecting with it.
When performing self-treatment or treating others with Reiki, we should strive for being present to the movement of Ki. We can simply observe any sensations that may arise, without judgment. This makes it possible for us to develop discernment, which clues us in to subtle information useful in providing a more effective Reiki treatment. Maintaining mindfulness during a Reiki self-treatment gives us more clarity into how we may be influencing certain physical or emotional patterns causing us pain or discomfort.
We can sometimes get in our own way and limit the potential for healing (for ourselves and others) by labeling and expressing judgment for what we may be experiencing. Pain is the body’s way of telling us that something physical, emotional, mental or spiritual needs to be addressed. This is actually a positive thing, even though it may not feel good. However, allowing that part of the brain responsible for higher-order processes to run rampant puts us in pain lock-down, which is counter-productive. If we can train the mind not to overreact through meditative practice, we can then determine and address the root cause without becoming victim to it and its after-effects.
(Photo credit: gtall1 on Flickr)
Dana Young | 
12 29th, 2010| 
I am pleased to offer training in Komyo Reiki, a form of traditional Japanese Reiki, the weekend of January 22-23, 2011 from 10 AM – 5:30 PM both days at Candler Park Chiropractic in Atlanta, GA. This training is limited to Reiki Masters only, but I will also begin training in individual levels of Komyo Reiki this year. (Please contact me if you are interested in learning the First and Second Degree teachings.)
