| Any one who has chronic pain, regardless of its | | | | bodies through exhaling. It can also bring positive, |
| physical source, feels alone and helpless. For most | | | | calming thoughts within during inhaling. Closing my |
| chronic pain sufferers there is no cure or even any | | | | eyes when a deep aching pain is troubling me, |
| effective medical treatment to relieve the suffering. | | | | concentrating on each breath to blow out the |
| Most of us turn to alternative ways to dig ourselves | | | | sensation of pain and breath in the calmness does |
| out of the deep dark hole chronic pain puts us in. | | | | not take away the pain. It does however, enable me |
| Turning to spiritual ways to discover not only ways | | | | to cope with the pain without having the impending |
| to cope and get through each day, but also ways to | | | | helplessness feeling overwhelming me. |
| nurture ourselves and find an inner source of peace | | | | Melodies of Nature |
| and comfort amidst the pain. | | | | I never realized the effect of melodies until I began |
| Finding a place of perpetual quiet | | | | to change what I listened to. A simple melody that |
| When a person with chronic pain searches for peace | | | | has helped me many days, is the melody of nature. |
| within the calamity, it is not always easy to find it. It | | | | When I am able to hear it outside from my swing, I |
| is possible, however, with practice. Finding a place | | | | often find myself becoming lost in the birds songs. |
| where the external noises of everyday life are | | | | When the weather does not permit the outdoor |
| hushed and allowing yourself to just be for 10 | | | | songs, the nature discs available now are a nice |
| minutes a day is a start. In a household full with | | | | replacement. The simple melody can carry you away |
| activity, I have found using ear plugs for my ten | | | | to a calmer place. |
| minutes of complete silence works wonders. | | | | Laughter is Medicine for the Heart |
| Breathing | | | | Suffering with chronic pain is not humorous, however, |
| When a healer explained what true breathing was, I | | | | the act of laughing can lift you. It can cleanse pain |
| was amazed at how little I knew about the simple | | | | from us and release chemicals in the mind that natural |
| physical act of breathing. Breathing can be a tool to | | | | lift our spirits. Laughter is truly a medicine for the |
| move pain, negative thoughts completely from our | | | | heart and soul. |