Breathing - God's Advil

I used to suffer from very intense migraines. I found the best analgesic (painkiller) was not any sort of external medication, but rather, focusing on my breath allowed me to transcend the pain I was feeling. How?

Sensory perception is all a thing of the past. It takes milliseconds for the pain signal to reach our perception, this means that pain is not currently happening, but rather, is always a thing of the past. By focusing on your breath you become in-tuned with the present moment, where pain cannot permeate. Some of you may think this is rediculous, but I urge you to try it. The next time you feel pain of any sort, put all of your conscious attention to the ebb and flow of your breathe. In, and out. In, and out. Focus on nothing else. When you start feeling pain again, this is your cue to re-focus your attention back to your breath.

This is very difficult, for the same reason meditation is difficult. It is hard to focus on your breath for prolonged periods. I've found this method also works for anxiety too; when you start to feel anxious about anything, focus on your breath and your anxiety will dissolve, this is because all anxiety is an artifact of worrying about the past or future (and thus not being in the present moment).

But anyway, try it, and let me know if it works for you too.

a reply to: cooperton

My wife and daughter suffers from bouts of anxiety. I'll have them try this the next time they feel a sense of anxiety coming on.
Thanks for the suggestion.

Most people recognize pain but don't experience pain. Confronting pain head on is a very good way of easing it. It's kind of like the expression "walk it off". When I feel pain anywhere I close my eyes and visualize the exact location while focusing on how it feels. Most often, the more I focus the quicker it goes away.

originally posted by: cooperton
I used to suffer from very intense migraines. I found the best analgesic (painkiller) was not any sort of external medication, but rather, focusing on my breath allowed me to transcend the pain I was feeling. How?

Sensory perception is all a thing of the past. It takes milliseconds for the pain signal to reach our perception, this means that pain is not currently happening, but rather, is always a thing of the past. By focusing on your breath you become in-tuned with the present moment, where pain cannot permeate. Some of you may think this is rediculous, but I urge you to try it. The next time you feel pain of any sort, put all of your conscious attention to the ebb and flow of your breathe. In, and out. In, and out. Focus on nothing else. When you start feeling pain again, this is your cue to re-focus your attention back to your breath.

This is very difficult, for the same reason meditation is difficult. It is hard to focus on your breath for prolonged periods. I've found this method also works for anxiety too; when you start to feel anxious about anything, focus on your breath and your anxiety will dissolve, this is because all anxiety is an artifact of worrying about the past or future (and thus not being in the present moment).

But anyway, try it, and let me know if it works for you too.

a reply to: cooperton

And afterwards, your pain level is at a 12 and you are then "chasing your pain". Those with chronic, severe pain issues will understand this.

But if it works for others...

a reply to: cooperton

I have pain all the time but most of it I ignore. beats focusing on it and it doesn't bother me as bad. abnd it deffinately beats the effects of prescription pain meds as they just kill you bowel system.

originally posted by: Ultralight
a reply to: cooperton

And afterwards, your pain level is at a 12 and you are then "chasing your pain". Those with chronic, severe pain issues will understand this.

But if it works for others...

Hell yeah! No breathing exercise will take away the kind of pain I have on a daily basis.

a reply to: ChesterJohn

You can only ignore a certain level of pain, when you have deep pain, there is no ignoring it. If pain could speak, it would scream. Even pain meds can't take it all away.

originally posted by: Night Star

originally posted by: Ultralight
a reply to: cooperton

And afterwards, your pain level is at a 12 and you are then "chasing your pain". Those with chronic, severe pain issues will understand this.

But if it works for others...

Hell yeah! No breathing exercise will take away the kind of pain I have on a daily basis.

Have you tried it?

It worked for my migraines ("with aura", the bad ones).

Honestly if it works for 1/100 people I think that's a win. there's no side effects to breathing. But I used this method on my friend who called me to watch over him while he was having extreme nauseating headaches. I calmly reminded him periodically to only focus on his breath. Afterwards, once the bout was over, he told me that the breathing focus worked wonders for him.

I found someone else who has some brief useful information on the topic:

www.youtube.com...

a reply to: cooperton

I have tried deep breathing for help with anxiety, but for spinal problems and nerve damage bad enough to be on disability, it does nothing.

I really believe in deep breathing for all kinds of things.

Think about this. How often, every day do you really take a full breath of air, filling up your lungs? For most of us it's zero. I much better would our bodies function with all the oxygen that they could get? A lot better. Just like most people are constantly, mildly dehydrated. We never drink enough water. And then how many of us never do any, I mean any kind of exercise except walking back and forth to our car. These three things are life changing!

a reply to: amazing

Yeah exactly. I would even add sunlight to that list. We were undoubtedly adapted to be exposed to sunlight, yet many people don't go outside on a sunny day without sunglasses. There is melanin (photopigment that absorbs light) within our eyeball for a reason. Pop-culture science has gotten us to be afraid of the sun.

Focus on the flow of current breath coming into the nose, descending to the lower belly and coming up the spine over the top of the head and repeat for each breath, ultimately, concentrate on the third eye, stand or sit in an open erect balanced posture with palms up and you are meditating. For the third eye visualize the sun rising above a mountain peak. There is a bit more to it than that but those are the basics.

a reply to: cooperton

a reply to: cooperton
You sir are of a strong mind and make the rest of us proud. Cancer occurs when a person's body is too acidic and the person lives in a perpetual anaerobic state. The cure is breathing people! Learn to do it right and you will unlock your natural healing mechanism. Drink a gallon of water a day for added benefits.

a reply to: cooperton

S&F, thanks for this thread.

This is very difficult, for the same reason meditation is difficult. It is hard to focus on your breath for prolonged periods. I've found this method also works for anxiety too; when you start to feel anxious about anything, focus on your breath and your anxiety will dissolve, this is because all anxiety is an artifact of worrying about the past or future (and thus not being in the present moment).

I agree wholeheartedly that there are so many benefits gained from conscious breathing practices. I stress in my yoga classes that slow deep breaths help with relaxing the body, mind and spirit. I turn to the breath many times during the day whether I'm stressed, anxious, have minor aches and pains or feel a migraine coming on (thankfully they are now few and far between). I wouldn't swear that it helps in every case and I am fortunate not to suffer from chronic pain. I do have students who suffer with arthritis, joint pain and fibromyalgia and they do get some relief once they focus on the breath.

All one can do is try it for themselves, if it doesn't work in that situation it may help in another. Never discount the power of our bodies to heal.

And I do feel for those of you who do suffer from chronic pain, I just can't imagine what you must deal with every day.

Namaste,
YogaGinns