Over the past year, I have found myself increasingly intrigued by the power of meditation. Years ago, I would have scoffed at such a notion, with images of people sitting on the floor in a cross-legged position, perhaps uttering some strange sound…and for what purpose?

I have to admit that my eyes have recently been opened to the many inherent powers that come with meditation. It can positively affect you in mind, body, and spirit. I also know that the practice of meditation is a great way to deal with and combat pain, and when it comes to lower back pain (or any pain, for that matter!) it may very well be worth your time and energy to give this modality a shot!

Meditation combined with visualization is a great way to control and reduce your pain. Pain sufferers typically harbor some sort of anger or resentment over the painful parts of their bodies, and this increases the mental stress and muscular tension associated with that emotion.

While approaching the meditative technique, it is best to view your pain with caring intention and not with anger or blame. By practicing the following meditation, you will no only loosen the physical and mental tensions around your body parts that hurt, but in doing so, circulation can increase, which will bring oxygen and other nutrients necessary for healing to those tense areas.

Practice this particular meditation for about 10-15 minutes each day. Find a quiet space in which to do this.

1.) Focus on what part of your body feels the pain and/or the stress.
2.) Inhale slowly and then imagine space and light surrounding that pain. Allow the pain to float freely in this area of space and light.
3.) Exhale slowly, making an “ahh” sound and gently move the part of your body that is in pain in tiny increments.
4.) Continue inhaling and exhaling slowly. With each exhalation, move the area of pain in a different direction. Notice if any of these movements alleviate or reduce the pain. Imagine the space around the area of pain getting larger.
5.) Instead of pressuring your pain to go away, simply visualize it freely floating into the space and light.

Finally, learn to talk to your pain. Strange at first, when you talk to your pain, it can help you to understand the issues and emotions that might be causing it in the first place.

It is best to engage in this meditation when you are relaxed. Don’t get impatient, either. It may take several attempts before you feel any results. Just keep at it daily, and prepare to be amazed.

(Information for this article was obtained at http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0NAH/is_1_33/ai_95909854/?tag=content;col1. with contributing information from occupational therapists Jane Gatanist and Alyssa Frey of New York City.)