Method Name:  Mindfulness Meditation

Description:

   One way to alleviate pain through meditation is to go fully into the pain.

   By placing your total attention on the pain, it will -in many cases-become merely a sensation, without the negative sense of pain associated with it.  In some cases, the sensation may even turn into a feeling of bliss.

   This approach will quite likely provide only temporary relief.  However, in certain cases the healing attention directed to the painful area may dissolve the pain for longer periods or even permanently.

   Here is a simple meditation for doing this:

   1.  Sit comfortably with your spine reasonably straight.  If you are in too
        much pain to sit, then lying flat on your back is fine.

   2.  Breathe naturally and remain somewhat mindful of your breathing
        throughout the exercise.

   3.  Gently direct your attention to the painful area.

   4.  With relaxed attention, stay focused on the painful sensation.

   5.  Without straining to concentrate, go as deeply into the painful
        sensation as you can.

   6.  Remain focused like this for anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes.

   7.  If your attention wanders off, gently bring it back to the sensation.

   This helpful meditation method was provided by Jim Malloy of The World Wide Online Meditation Center.  Visit www.meditationcenter.com for more information on meditation.

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