Introduction & Guidelines– You will need at least 25-30 minutes for this exercise. It is a formal practice that focuses in the refinement and precision of our mindful concentration. This is a very beneficial practice to help us see and sense pain sensations of the body- and to notice that our aversion or avoidance responses to them- are actually distinct from the pain itself. This exercise is best approached when you’re experiencing some form of physical pain- whether subtle or more intense. By attending to our present sensations of pain and discomfort, we ultimately reduce the relative anxiety for the experience to be unremitting. With mindfulness, we come to accept our condition- and as acceptance increases our resistance and suffering decreases. More often than not as psychological stress decreases we experience a reduction in muscle tension, which typically exacerbates physical sensations of pain.

Practice– As a formal meditation practice, find a quiet space free of interruptions. Begin with noticing your breath cycle… in and out of the body for at least 10-15 minutes – either in the rising or falling sensations of the abdomen, or the sensations of air entering and leaving the nostrils at the tip of your nose. During this exercise- and as best you can- try to simply observe the breath with as much curiosity and precision as possible. Notice the texture and quality of each breath- the simplicity, complexity, and variation.

When ready and settled- gently shift your focus to wherever you feel the most discomfort in your body. The sensations may be subtle or intense. Here and now, the intent is to allow the breath to settle into the background and to bring any painful or uncomfortable sensations to the foreground.

As best you can, gently bring your attention to the general area of the pain. Try to stay relaxed and settle into the physical sensations. Try to carefully observe their nature and the quality of the sensations (i.e. burning, tight, dull, sharp, etc.). Once you’ve identified what’s happening, narrow your attention to focus in on the particular part of your body where the pain is most intense.

As challenging as it may be, try to stay with this area of pain- bringing an attitude of curiosity and precision to the discomfort- similar to that brought to the breath. The intent here is not the change or manipulate the sensation, but to see it clearly. Notice how the sensations vary subtly from moment to moment. See if you can discern through observation that the “pain” is actually a series of momentary sensations streamed together by the mind.

If the pain is intense, you may find that the mind begins to recoil from the physical sensations. If this should happen, you might want to bring your attention back to the general area of pain or even back to the breath for a while, before returning your attention to the focused site of discomfort. The “urge” to get up and stop this activity may be very prevalent with initial sittings. In the presence of this “urge”, try to remain mindful as best you can and see if you can notice exactly where in the body you feel the urge. See how the urge to get up or stop is distinct from the pain sensations themselves. The breath is a very effective vehicle to surf the waves of urgency.

As you continue to sit with the pain sensations, notice any thoughts that arise in the mind. It might be helpful to simply label them- like “fearing” or “worrying”, etc. The intent here is to notice that the thoughts come and go independent of pain sensations. Continue being with the pain sensations for the next 10-15 minutes.

When ready, gently bring your attention back to your breath for a couple of minutes. Simply note whatever may be present, and stay with your breath.

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