How to Meditate for Pain Relief

Meditation comes with several positive effects. One of these effects is pain relief. Though meditation won’t remove the source of the pain, it will make you feel like you have more control over it, thus making it feel less painful. Here’s how to meditate for pain relief.

1. Sit comfortably

The first step to any meditation practice is getting comfortable. Most people choose a position either on the floor, on the bed, or in a chair. You could also choose to stand up or lay down.

It does not matter what position you are in. The thing that matters most is that you are comfortable. You don’t want to find two minutes into the meditation that you need to move.

Another important aspect related to your sitting is your posture. Make sure that your spine is not compressed or bent in an awkward way because this may make your meditation uncomfortable or even painful.

2. Focus on your breath

Now that you’re comfortable, begin to pay attention to your breath. You can begin by breathing naturally, but start to lengthen your breath with every exhale. Strive to make the exhale longer than the inhale.

You can ensure that the exhale is longer than the inhale by counting your breath. Try to inhale for four seconds, hold for five seconds, and exhale for seven seconds.

In addition to counting your breath, try to pay attention to how it feels. Try to imagine the breath coming in your nostrils, going down your throat, and swirling around the rest of your body.

3. Target your breath to the area of pain

As you’re paying attention to your breath, begin to imagine that the air is going specifically to the area of pain; target the breath to the area in pain. This may sound weird at first, but it will eventually help to make the muscles relax in that area, which will result in less pain.

4. Imagine the pain leaving your body

Since you are focusing the inhale to the area in pain, you should also focus the exhale away from the area. As you exhale, imagine the pain leaving your body with the air.

Concentrate on the areas that feel good. If your left foot hurts, concentrate on how well your right foot feels. Then spread that good feeling throughout your body.

Repeat this for as long as you would like.