Disconnecting Mind From the body

Spirituality
#1

I’m working with pain patients. I use yoga and yoga nidra and it seems to help.

But I’m just wondering if there are some other VALID techniques to disconnect body and from the mind. Cause the mind is the one that perceived pain. I would think that this kind of temporary disconnection would create a relieve from pain.

Maybe protyahara would be the on eof the techniques. BUT How would you use protyahara in this case? Is there a technique for Withdrawal of the physical pain sensation?

Thank you all :heart: :heart: :heart: :heart: :heart: :heart: :heart: :heart:

#2

First, my sincere compliments to you for doing such good work. Yoga is a right tool for reducing (even eliminating) pain that costs nothing and comes with no side effects.

Pratyahara is not a technique; it is a state that one reaches after successful practice of yama-niyama, asana and pranayama done concurrently. This is an essential practice, but it takes time and one in pain doesn’t have any.

Pratyahara occurs when mind is taken away from thought-making process that uses sensory data as raw material. Pain is sensory data. Mind is energy and when it is withdrawn the sense organs become redundant and ineffective. Sense signals continue to arrive, but no cognition takes place. This is theory.

On the practical side, the simplest form of mind is ‘attention.’ (Mind is not an organ and it moves to anything where attention rests.) Mind is generally outbound but will be localised where pain is. A few of the following things can be tried:

  1. Divert mind energy from gross/ physical (where pain is) to more subtle target (away from pain) like breathing. Eyes should be closed to shut out powerful optical sensing. Breath should be sensed as coming in and reaching all inside the body and then going out warmer. Breathing should be slow, full and inluding the diaphragm.

  2. For more common pain like joints etc, there should be specific stretching asanas. (Experts like InnerAthlete can elaborate)

  3. Meditation can be used for re-mapping the brain. Typical practice is to concentrate on a candle-flame, then slowly close the eyes and concentrate on the lingering image of the flame and take it in imgination from the pain causing part of the body to a healthier one. This can be improvised in many ways.

  4. Mudras: Configurations of fingers bring sure and amazingly speedy relief. (Proven by self-experience) There is information available in books and on internet.

  5. Cleansing of energy knots: pain many times occurs due to lack of prana energy since it is blocked away. Faster breathing exercises and bandhas can be effective in restoring proper flow of prana.

#3

thank u Suhas,

do u think that for successful pain management one have to realize that the body and the mind are separate, and if the body hurts, mind does not have to accept the impulses?

would you think that visualizations might be handy? “i’m a cloud… clouds do not have leg that is hurting” … is this kind of visual is the “I’m that” concept?

#4

Mind’s intrinsic quality is to flit. To take mind away is easier, to keep it away is tough. So, I guess real-life visualizations should be more effective since mind is comfortable with known images and symbols.

So, visualizing a “cloud” should be more effective if the person is shown a picture of cloud or perhaps a doctored picture of the person and the cloud together. This is speculation and will be interesting to see if it works.

Awareness of body mind separation comes through visualization that “I am mind”, the ‘body’ is worn by mind like we wear a jacket and mind moves the body like a puppet. This becomes very effective.

#5

have just run into some old hypnosis book… same thing… working with pain. The book says that is works by disconnecting the “site” of pain from the mind that perceives and processes the pain signal…it is offers visualization and relaxation techniques…BUT I"M SURE THERE IS More to it! will keep looking…
thanks for all your suggestions…

#6

This is an interesting connection that you have made, CityMonk, between Pratyahara and pain management. If you look at the recent thread in this forum on Pratyahara, you will see that there[I] are[/I] practices associated with Pratyahara, and one in particular is relevant to this discussion. That is the resting of the attention on different parts of the body, in order, ascending and descending, in connection with stopping the breath. If I were you, I would try it and see if [I]you[/I] think it might be helpful to your patients. In my experience, the stopping of the breath doesn’t have to be prolonged. It can be momentary, such as at the end of exhalation.

#7

Thank you, Asuri, khumbaka actually is a very good idea!

I have looked at the protyahara thread… but as Suhas mentioned, protyahara requires years of practice… and I’m kinda looking for a “quick fix” now, some techniques that can be used without yogic background.

#8

City Monk,

Many of my students suffer from chronic pain, especially my Wednesday evening class. We fondly have named that class “The Wounded Warriors”. I have a couple suggestions:

  1. Vipassana Meditation can be quite effective in giving the student the means to identify and uncover a correlation between body aches/pain and their emotions/thoughts. Becoming aware of this correlation is very much an “aha” moment for them. Awareness is the key.

  2. Many years ago I came across a meditation practice called Healing Triangles. I use this during Shavasana and my students love it and I’ve sound it to be very effective. I’ve modified it over the years to incorporate some additional healing techniques. If you are interested, let me know and I’ll share it with you.

When we are in pain, we tense up because well, because we are in pain. We as teachers, can help the student heal by inducing a deep sense of relaxation. As I tell my students, while asana practice is healing in and of itself, Shavasana is where we allow our bodies to rest and receive the healing benefits of the practice.

It’s wonderful that you are working with students in pain!

#9

Thank you Lotusgirl…
seems like there is no “quick fix” :))

I’ve never heard of Healing Triangles, what is it? seems like some sort of visualization if you can do it in savasana:) Can you please share it in here?

#10

CityMonk,

Healing Triangles are very effective. I found this technique in the book, “Yoga RX” by Larry Payne and Richard Usatine, MD. I’ve modified it over the years. Here it is:

In Shavasana, after several minutes of allowing them to settle into stillness and as I put it, “turn off the outside world”, they are ready to begin when I see no movement.

Imagine there is a triangle beginning at your forehead, emanating down your right side to your right fingertips, crossing to your left fingertips and back up to your forehead. See the points of light that make up this first healing triangle and the lines that connect the points of light. Beginners find it difficult to maintain this image, the bottom line of the triangle in particular. But with practice, it becomes easier. Ask them to keep this image before them and then have them bring their awareness within the triangle. Notice any color, vibration, sound or movement within this first triangle. Pause for several breaths. I then guide them through visual relaxation of body parts within the triangle. Example would be, “relax your fingers and feel your fingers uncurl a bit, and so on.” Now repeat silently our healing mantra, “I am healthy, I am whole and I am balanced” three times allowing it to resonate within the triangle. Pause for several breaths. Now, release the first healing triangle and come back to the breath. Allow time for several breaths.

Now bring back the first healing triangle and keeping that image before you, we bring up a second. This second healing triangle begins at your navel, emanating down your right side to your right foot, crossing to your left foot and back up. See the points of light that make up this second healing triangle and the lines that connect the points of light. You now have 2 healing triangle before you. Pause for several breaths. Notice any color, vibration, sound, and movement within this second healing triangle. Again, I guide them through body relaxation within this second triangle area beginning with the lower abdominal area progressing down toward the feet. Repeat healing mantra 3x’s. REturn to the breath.

Bring back the first triangle. Bring back the second. Keeping these images before you, we bring up a third healing triangle, beginning at the crown of your head, infinity point, and emanating down your right side, crossing below your right foot to your left and back up. See the points of light that make up this third and final healing triangle and the lines that connect the points of light. This third healing triangle surrounds the first 2 and solidifies the healing. From the crown of your head, to the soles of your feet, the body is completely relaxed, still and receptive to healing. Repeat healing mantra again 3 x’s. Allow a pause for several breaths. Have them release one triangle at a time beginning with the third. Have them rest for several minutes before reawakening the senses and the physical body.

This usually takes at least 15 minutes. There is no music played. Allow them to stay within each triangle for a couple minutes before asking them to release it coming back to the breath. And as I said, it is difficult to keep these images, but encourage them to try. Eventually it becomes easier.

Good luck and let me know if you need any clarification with the above.

#11

Thank you lotusgirl… this is an interesting technique