Compassionate Mindfulness

[allyann]

Has anyone used Compassionate Mindfulness as a therapy to help secondary depression and deal with pain? I am investigating it at the moment and it seems that there has been quite a lot of scientific study on this Buddhist philosophy.

-allyann

 

[voner]

allyann,

In my Experience, Mindfulness practice did not help reduce my pain, but it certainly helped me cope with my pain. It's can help you reduce tension, and that might help in other ways, including pain. Give it a try and best of luck. You're exploring a route that can certainly help you understand and cope with your situation.

 

[golden]

yes. When i had serious, serious pain , unbearable I used pain as my path. I learnee zen meditation. and compassionate mindfulness also included the taking on the pain of the world meditation and so on. I completely lost my fear of the pain.

I also learned self hypnosis (on the basis that if people can have surgery on hypnosis alone -it may help me)

I was totally drug intolerant and so i also learned how to put myself to sleep. I was still aware of the pain but it became manageable.
Meditating on pain and all the layers of 'sensation' lol was ultimately extremely helpful.

I havent had that sort of pain in many many years.

 

[allyann]

Thank you voner and golden. I am looking at it more as a coping strategy

 

[moblet]

Yes. I taught myself to do it, mostly to maximise awareness of my capacity and quality of rest, with the goal of functioning as highly and sustainably as possible. Only a few years ago did I learn that it was a tenet of Buddhism. I've since taught a couple of others to do it, and just this month found out through a support group newsletter that someone is teaching it for a living.

When you saying "coping strategy" do you mean "enduring the sensation of pain without climbing the walls"?

 

[golden]

I had a wake up called a few weeks ago when my hormonal cycle and pain got really bad. I realised how rusty i had become. This made me start from scratch again. The best health period i had included the time when i practiced compassionate mindfulness.

My NHS G.P. told me I should teach people breathing for a living but i havent quite mastered (or become proficient/adequate ) enough at it yet ....

Forced laughing is another of his prescriptions


I like mindfulness because as far as i am aware it is NOT manipulative technique but instead seeks to free the mind.

I have been struggling to understand why i have such enthusiasm for this and other esoteric methods and such aversion to C.B.T. - but I think this is the reason, plus it seeks to merely plaster over positivity or lies or split the self up into a 'head' that will order the rest around. Cognitive Behaviour.

Now I am trickle charged to a minimum level, finally, i may travel to this course. Thanks moblet , i did consider it several years ago.
But got annoid at their token concessionary reductions when someone was on no income at all and too sick to claim benefits - I found they lacked compassion lol

 

[allyann]

When you saying "coping strategy" do you mean "enduring the sensation of pain without climbing the walls"?

Yes exactly!

 

[allyann]

I did CBT some years ago before I came down with ME/CFS. It was good at the time as I had Adjustment Reaction Disorder and it did help me stop ruminating all the time. The downside was I taught myself to rationalise everything away and in the process not to deal with issues as they came up. I also have trouble with being compassionate with myself as I still put everyone ahead of my own feelings and needs.

 

[moblet]

I also have trouble with being compassionate with myself as I still put everyone ahead of my own feelings and needs.

I've heard and seen that before Are you also using this strategy to do things like:
- Minimise your own problems
- Distract yourself from your own problems
- Maintain a feeling of control?

Do you have a plan to break out of that?

What intellectual and emotional responses do you currently have to pain?

 

[Lillybelle]

Hi allyan,
Just read your blog. What a brave person to have a baby with cfs/FM. I have practised mindfulness meditation intermittently for the last 15 years (recognising early that I had what buddhists call a "monkey mind"). I attended a Buddhism for beginners meditation (free) at a Buddhist temple in Melbourne for a couple of years and then did some further study with them.

The basic practise is just mindfulness meditation. You can evolve to compassion meditation and pain management once you have the basics. Otherwise it can become too overwhelming, too many focusses and underachieving on all compassion, concentration and pain management.

This is particularly the case with cfs, as contrary to popular belief, meditation is single pointed focus or concentration. Not a blissout state (or not in buddhist meditation anyway) Using the breath as the focus is usually the best start. I do use meditation to send me off to sleep though but its best effects are seated with a straight spine.

Re pain management. Have you ever thought of getting a foam roller and/or trying pilates with a physio who understands cfs?

 

[Lillybelle]

PS. Can you let me know which doctor(s) you've seen in Melbourne?
Have you tried any medication besides antidepressants, for example Modafinil?

I was finally diagnosed after 17 months like this and having evry scan, blood test, oscopy known to human kind. If you dont want to post here maybe you can pm me.