I'm reading the book You Are Not Your Pain, which has been reviewed in another section of the forum by Canadabum. It seems that, if followed consistently, the exercises in the book could lead to a major reduction in pain. Where I have some difficulty is finding the right sitting position for doing them: the book says that "whatever sitting posture you choose - in a chair, kneeling on the floor or sitting cross-legged - the key to finding a comfortable posture is the angle of your pelvis." With AF, it's hard to find it.

Has anyone in the forum done the exercises and the meditations?

I am glad that you are exploring this technique for dealing with pain and would love to hear how it goes for you.

My understanding of meditation is that you want to be in a comfortable yet controlled position such that you don't fall asleep or let your body go limp. If you can't sit at all it is 100% ok to meditate while standing or lying down. In fact there is a form of meditation called walking meditation...and yoga is basically a form of a moving meditation. It is more important to focus on the mind than the body and the idea behind the sitting position is to create a posture that allows for that focus.

Excellent question - to validate these ideas I would encourage you to send the organization related to the authors your query. Also check out other sources on meditation techniques like pema chodron and Jon kabat zinn.

All best - Canadabum

Thanks for your response, Canada. Yes, the authors point out that the meditations are above all meant to be carried out in a comfortable environment and posture, so that there's a minimum of interference with the observation of the mind - though the emphasis for sitting is on a straight back. So far I think I find it easier to do the meditations lying down!

I've only just begun to read and work with the book, and it's going to take me some time to find my way in it. I already feel that my pain is lessened even by just listening to the meditations, so that's a hopeful sign. The hardest part, as I see it, will be sticking at the exercises - probably one needs to develop a daily routine, otherwise there is a danger of attention drift.

The distinction between Primary and Secondary Suffering has been a real eye-opener for me, and has already helped me to alter the way that I relate to my pain. So much of the torment has to do with how one interprets the pain, how one tends to expand and distort it with negative mental and emotional imagery, and the struggle to overcome that is really what this book is all about, I think.

Incidentally, it was via your forum posts that I discovered the book, so I need to say thank you for that.

Perhaps I will write to the authors regarding the applicability to AF of some of the exercises. But first I want to explore the meditations in their book, which I find more absorbing than some others I have read recently. That does not apply to the wonderful books of Pema Chodron, of course - I haven't yet read any by Jon Kabat Zinn.