Coping with intense physical pain has been the narrative lately for me. Time seems to move much more slowly during this time as you wait for waves of pain to encircle you. You start to wonder- when will this end? And then your mind starts spiralling and taking you on a most depressing narrative. How does one stop the narrative? Lately listening to Joseph Goldstein on the Insight Hour podcast I have found some encouraging words.
Rather than struggling to stop the pain 'feeling' just be with it. Be present in this moment. Don't think about what will this feel like tomorrow. Just feel what is arising now. And yes -it may be quite awful. I find evenings are the worst. I turn to Plum Villages mediations then which offer a sense of distraction. However you go back to your breath and you start to be grateful for your feet which allow you to walk, then move to various body parts and find more gratitude. This embracing of the gratitude for your intestine at first felt a bit strange but then slowly you realize how grateful you are. This gratitude allows you to be present in the moment but also allows you to open up and appreciate those feet of yours which take you so many places!
Reiki has also been helpful during this time. It helps speed up the healing process and when it is midnight and you can't sleep then it is a great time to practice some Reiki which helps you relax and eventually fall asleep.
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