My Key pain management tool
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“I can't begin to express my gratitude to Gil, Andrea and fellow meditators at the Insight Meditation Centre.
Two years ago I was diagnosed with a major neuropathic pain disorder, supposedly only treatable with high doses of opiate pain killers. The prognosis being it's only going to get worse over time and I will become more and more reliant on an electric wheelchair and personal carers. Fortunately Buddhism(therefore meditation) has always been an integral part of my life and so naturally it's my Buddhist teachers or meditation retreats I gravitate towards at the first signs of mental/physical disequilibrium.
Although the condition has impacted on my ability to physically attend my usual group meditation sittings and retreats near my home in rural Australia, I have been fortunate to have been able to maintain regular contact with the Insight Meditation Centre, California via their wonderful podcasts. This resource has been invaluable to me, especially during my long stays in hospital and navigating my way through a medical system that holds little value in the benefits of so called alternative methodologies for managing pain and maintaining optimum heath, especially if it sees the patient rejecting main stream pharmaceutical pain relief or meditating via podcasts and head phones, late into the night, when long held biases dictate that patients should wither be sleeping naturally or medicated in order to ensure they're asleep during the night shift when less staff are employed.
Despite the many challenges with medical professionals about the benefits of meditation not only to managing my condition but to my overall health and general well being, I have continued to pursue my practice, (now solely via these podcasts) and to the surprise and delight of the specialists, am still ambulant and needing very little pharmaceutical intervention.
Little did I know that two years ago,when I first happened upon this wonderful website it would have such a profound effect on my life and that my plans for the future would be planning my next meditation retreat - a trip to California to join Gil, Andrea and the others at the new Centre. They have no idea of my existence or the impact they've had on my life. Yet it's thanks to them that my Specialist is now slowly beginning to recognise the role meditation can play in the management of conditions such as mine and how hospital protocols need to be less rigid un their preconceived concepts of whats in a patient's best interest and allow patients such as myself, the opportunity to continue to practice what they believe is most beneficial to them in their plight to find relief from the worst pain condition known to man. They are now in no doubt that as a result of my daily meditation practice my pain remains manageable and my quality of life is much better then other patients with this condition. Furthermore, most of their other predictions, usually experienced by patients two years on, have not come to fruition. am yet to be hopelessly dependent on a wheel chair or in need of time carers to assist with day to day living. But probably best of all, is their albeit slow and reluctant, acknowledgement that I am still not meeting the criteria for clinical depression or the myriad of other mental/psychological symptoms, such as depression commonly experienced by patients with my condition. I was right to refuse to take antidepressants as a precautionary measure based in statistics and am now pleased I was able to resist the ongoing pressure to do so, especially when it was being presented as a means to 'assist' with my meditation. Yes, as laughable as it sounds now, being faced with such pressure to conform, especially in an environment like a hospital where you're often socially isolated and cut off from everything that's familiar, it's a lot harder to respectfully refuse such treatment. Thankfully, I was able to say 'I'll think about it' log on and select a Dharma talk and either meditate or just listen. In no time at all I would be centered once again and know what was right for me.
How does one quantify that? Five stars seems hardly appropriate nor does it convey the love and gratitude and respect I feel for every body involved with enabling me to become a part of the Insight Meditation Centre, which is indeed what I feel I have become.
With Mettta
Amy”Read full review »
Belladonnalily via Apple Podcasts ·
Australia ·
06/12/11
More reviews of AudioDharma
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“I have tried many different Buddhist podcasts and this is the best one I've found. The audio might be a little hard to hear at some points, but what is being said is wonderful. Well worth the listen.”Read full review »
queenallie03 via Apple Podcasts ·
United States of America ·
01/26/07
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“How can this be - with so many episodes, full of delightful insights, wisdom, tremendous advice for a peaceful homeostasis with the harsh reality of life - that such a remarkable, perceptive, ostentatious podcast can go review-LESS.
WAKE UP people and appreciate the TOOL for the ultimate mental...”Read full review »
R Chidiac via Apple Podcasts ·
Canada ·
06/16/09
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