Breathing and Pain
/Have you ever noticed, when you are pain that you stop breathing?
You might take in a quick breath and then freeze and unconsciously hold your breath. You might notice a clenching in your throat or in your gut. As your body reacts to the stress of the pain, the overall tension in your body increases and your sympathetic nervous system ramps up.
Your instinct to flee or fight feels inevitable as pain floods your awareness.
Even as I write this and recall moments I have tensed up against pain, I recognize the response initiating in my own body. Slow down and breath, dear one, I gently remind myself.
Gentle Breath Awareness for Pain
Pain is scary, we don’t want to touch it.
It is disorienting and inhibits any clear thinking. In our panic we want it, somehow, to just go away. We tend to guard against it and try to pretend it is not there.
Unfortunately, neither of these instincts is very helpful. In fact, hardening against pain only amplifies your experience of it.
The increased tension in your body actually triggers an increase in the pain signal to your brain- “maybe if I scream louder you will hear me” is your body’s response when you ignore it. (The “gates” that regulate pain, vagus nerve)
It may be counterintuitive but relaxing around pain is one of the most effective ways to reduce its intensity.
But how, you might reasonably ask, do I relax when I am in pain???
That may feel like an impossible ask. And yet it is possible, and even rewarding, to soften around pain and lovingly turn our attention towards it rather than pull away.
Two of my favorite tools when navigating pain are self touch and breath.
By touching the places that hurt and relaxing our breathing we can have a direct impact on our experience of pain. We can de- escalate “fight or flight “(our sympathetic nervous system) and activate “rest and digest” (our parasympathetic nervous system). We can create an opportunity to respond with love rather than react in fear. Gentle breathing stimulates the vagus nerve and encourages a relaxation response in our nervous system.
A simple breathing practice
Find your roots
Begin by finding a comfortable place to sit or stand. If you are in a quiet room where there are not people moving around you can even lie on the floor.
If you are in a busy waiting room or at work find a place where you won’t be disturbed. The posture you choose- standing, sitting, lying down- is less important than your overall comfort.
Bring both of your feet on the floor. If you can, take off your shoes so your feet can feel the ground beneath you. Rest your hands on your body so you can feel their warmth and weight.
I like to bring one or both hands to rest on my chest. Here I can feel my body moving as I breath. The weight and warmth of my own hands is soothing. If you know you will not be disturbed, close your eyes. Otherwise, soften your eyes and rest your gaze on your hands. You are giving your awareness gentle tactile pathways to pay attention to your physical experience and attune yourself to your body.
2. Feel Your Breath
Begin to tune your attention to your own breathing. Is air moving easily in and out of your body or are you holding your breath?
Can you locate in your body where you are gripping and holding your breath? Can you gently hold that area in your awareness as if you were holding a small frightened animal?
If it is comfortable for you, soften your mouth and breath through your nose. Notice the sensation of air moving into your body. Notice the temperature of the air and the way it stimulates the tender skin inside your nostrils. With your awareness, follow the air as it moves down your airways into your lungs.
Notice any areas of tension accumulating in your body as you inhale. Soften your awareness into these areas as you exhale.
3. Holding Space for Sensation
Once you have begun to settle your awareness in your body and in the rhythm of your breathing you can begin to turn your attention towards where you feel pain. Where is the pain in your body?
Can you locate the sensation with your internal body awareness? Travel your awareness towards the pain. You may notice you feel resistance to approaching the pain so move slowly and gently the way you would approach a hurt animal.
You might hold your awareness at a comfortable distance around the pain- close enough to hold the pain in your awareness but not so close that you are overwhelmed.
Allowing Clarity
Coming closer to your pain may bring up strong feelings- fear, grief, even anger. Can you allow these feelings to surface and move through you? If you feel comfortable doing so, bring your hands to the area of your body where you feel the pain. Can you feel the warmth and weight of your own hands?
As you inhale bring warmth and love to where you feel pain. Imagine that your breath, carrying love, can flow into the pain.
Soften your body and your attention around the pain as you exhale.
Pain, like all physical sensations is a wave.
It may feel like it will last forever but it will ebb and flow. As you soften around your pain does your experience of it change, even a small amount?
Navigating the art of avoiding pain, and the need to attend to it.
Breath is the most direct, gentle, and inevitable way to do that.
Active & passive