#604 Mindfulness Solutions to Chronic Pain

     “All of us know on some level that pain is an inevitable part of the human condition, even if we sometimes shun that realization or pretend that we ourselves are immune to it. What is less well known is that there are many ways available to us to actually meet chronic or persistent pain and work with it, such that it does not inevitably have to lead to unending suffering and the complete erosion of a satisfying life. But when we are actually in the clutches of pain, whether it be primarily somatic or emotional (and it is invariably a mix of the two), and traditional medical approaches have not led to reliable relief, any way to go through the pain to an oasis of respite seems virtually inconceivable. In such moments, it is all too easy to fall into despair and depression.”                         Jon Kabat-Zinn PhD

       Gardner-Nix, J.  “The mindfulness solution to pain. Step-by-step techniques for chronic pain management.” New Harbinger Publications Inc, Oakland CA, 2009.