Meditation vs The Monster

Image Credit: ©Kelsey Rein

Living along side CPS takes skills and strategies. Sometimes distractions as a temporary tool can be helpful in dealing with relentless pain.

Sometimes tweaking meds help. We all have different ways to deal with it. Meditation can be an effective way to deal with the mental pressures we face.

I would say the first few years with CPS have been the hardest. I have lost work, my mind at times and have grieved for the man I was before chronic pain became a part of my life.

The forced changes have driven me to depression and anxiety about the future. But on the plus side I have now emerged out of the darkness stronger and wiser.

We all need tools in our box to deal with the mental pressure. I have avoided medications to treat my moods and anxiety. Personally I do not find them useful in the long run. They only mask the problem which can be narrowed down to one simple cause for me – resentment, suppressed and not dealt with.

I need to consciously deal with my mental state from moment to moment. My wellbeing rests on my ability to face stress and negative emotions without being affected. I have enough to deal with having chronic nerve pain, so how I mentally live beside the monster matters. To myself and my family.

I found freedom from the mental fire through meditation.

Meditation pulled me out of depression. By separating from the negativity and fear I was harbouring I began to see with clarity the real problem I faced with CPS. The frustration and anger at my condition that was dragging me into an emotional whirlpool of overthinking and overreacting to the pain. The stress of which was turning up the volume of my suffering.

The more negative I became, the higher my pain levels went. The key to living with the monster was to stay mentally sharp. The benefits of mindfulness meditation are now well documented. A large portion of the work I did with the pain clinic was to look at meditation as a way to cope with the stress. Most mental health treatments here in the UK are also based around mindfulness. The exercise I use is free, non religious and incredibly simple.

I can’t do much about my pain – but I can do something about my attitude towards it.

Non contemplative meditation is one way to overcome overthinking. By separating from thoughts and emotions we are less inclined to get dragged into that negativity. In the light of consciousness we have a protection against it.

There is a real freedom of spirit that comes with this very special state of conscious awareness. When we are not lost in the negativity of thinking, in the present moment we find ourselves less frustrated and irritable. We begin to react to life with patience and tolerance.

It is a place where the pain turns down and we can consciously manage it. There are many types of meditations available but nothing quite like this unique mindfulness practice. All it takes is a willingness and an open mind.

If you are in a constant battle with your mind and your pain and need the noise to turn down. Try this free meditation exercise. If you are willing to commit to 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes before you go to bed, you will be in better position to mentally manage the pain. Because in the long run, between the monster and mindfulness meditation – meditation wins every time.

https://schwarzhoffmedia.com/non-contemplative-meditation/

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