Meditation: The Gift Of Pain

A Meditation In Transmuting Pain.

Pain can enter into our lives as an occasional visitor, or sometimes, as a constant companion. It is part of our human condition, but understandably often misunderstood, and nearly always unappreciated.

If you care to allow yourself to be guided, in this meditation, we will go on a short journey to discover what your pain might be trying to tell you.

I want to remind you that there is no right or wrong way to feel an emotion. During this meditation, if you find yourself pulled out to focus on an insight, or to cry, or you just need to take a break, then feel free to pause and return later when you feel more able to.

And of course, as always, if you do find yourself feeling overwhelmed, or panicked by the unexpected intensity of your emotional response, be aware that there is a twenty-four hour helpline, ready to talk with you, free and confidential, at 866-903-3787 or online at mentalhealthhotline.org.

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If this invitation intrigues you—I suggest that you pause here… gather yourself, your thoughts, your physical comfort, and to bring them together to your favourite, comfortable space—where you feel safe, soft, and supported.

As with other meditations in this SoundBooth series—this is available as both an audio mediation (above), and a written piece (below) that you can record in your own voice for personal use.

And now, let us begin.

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I invite you to lay back, in as comfortable position as you are able to. Most of the time we perceive the feeling of pain as something to avoid, but today we are going to let it just be what it needs to be. Just for a short time.

We are going to allow it to be as angry, or as quiet, as it needs to be.

We are going to let it speak, to tell its story.

While your body is slowly relaxing, muscles releasing, we are going to put a special dial in place. This dial has numbers on it, from ten all the way down to zero. And this dial is connected directly to the source of your pain, and you control the dial.

As your body continues to relax more and more, I want you to visualize this special dial, and maybe you can see the connections that lead from it to the area of your pain.

The pain is afraid that you will use this dial to silence it completely, but we can reassure the pain that we will only use it to reduce the intensity of the feelings. We only want to manage the level so we can hear the message. So we can finally hear. The pain wants you to hear.

So, as your muscles are deeply releasing and relaxing, your body more and more comfortable, drifting, relaxing, releasing, see yourself yourself slowly, gently, turning that special dial.

See that you can turn it up and feel the intensity more acutely, and then you can turn it down and notice the intensity gets less and less. You might notice the intensity of colour or the brightness of the area gets less and less. You might notice that as you turn the dial lower, you might even begin to forget where the pain used to be.

As your body drifts, so do the feelings, the feelings and the body, drifting, dissipating, disconnecting.

As you drift into deep relaxation, continue to adjust your dial to you desired level.

If your pain used to shout, maybe now it is just talking, maybe even quietly whispering. We want to hear the message. That message is important.

Drifting deeper and deeper into that soft relaxation, until you are ready to hear the soft message.

Now that the pain is quiet, calm, ready to tell you why it is here. Listen carefully to it, as it quietly explains why it has been trying to protect you, trying to care for you.

Listen to what it needs from you.

And while you listen, you might feel your own feelings come up. Maybe you have some anger, or resentment, maybe just some sadness.

Allow those feelings to well up and move through you.

Those feelings are important in the moment, they are valuable, and they are to be let go once felt, once fully acknowledged.

Continue to listen until it has said all it needs to.

Wait, quietly drifting, until it has given you the gift of its message.

Hear why it has needed your attention to be brought back each time to you body, back to your home.

Learn from it as it tells you that it is more than just a feeling. That it is as much a part of the body as you are. That it wants the best for you and your body.

Learn its purpose, and its goals.

And if the pain raised or lowered its voice in the excitement of being heard, turn your dial as you need to.

And when the pain is done speaking, take a moment to speak back to it. To explain your needs.

Now is your turn to help it understand, as the owner of your body, the director of your life, you get to explain your needs, with care and compassion.

Now sit together, in understanding, in respect, in love.

Maybe it will leave now that you have heard its message, now that you understand its purpose.

Maybe it will return now and then as a reminder, if you have forgotten the message.

Maybe it is satisfied that you care about the body as much as it does, and for now, its work is done.

Whatever the outcome of your conversation, whatever you have both learned—thank your pain now, for doing such an amazing job taking care of your body.

Let it know that you will leave the dial attached, and in future, you may lower the intensity, lower the excitement, only so that you can better hear its voice should it ever need to speak again.

With that, simply allow yourself to drift back into relaxation.

Now slowly, begin to feel the strength and vitality returning to the fibers of your muscles. Feel your supple, soft muscles fill with life. Feel your awareness returning to your safe, supportive space.

As your eyes begin to open, mind becoming aware of everything around you, body returned to normal.

Just lay quietly and gently consider what you learned.