Date: 04/12/2025 04/13/2025
Location: Star Lake Meditation Center
Teacher: Shilin Long
Sitting Meditation
How to Dissolve Pain During Meditation
Pain during meditation is common and natural. It does not mean failure; it simply shows that the body is adjusting to stillness. The key is not enduring pain with force but learning to observe, relax, and transform it with awareness.
1. Understanding the Source of Pain
1. The body is not yet used to sitting still
Muscles and joints need time to adapt to sustained posture.
2. Incorrect posture creates pressure points
Misalignment may put weight on the knees, ankles, or lower back.
3. Mental resistance amplifies physical pain
Rejecting pain creates tension, which intensifies discomfort.
2.The Right Attitude: No Resistance, No Suppression, No Avoidance
1. Do not treat pain as an enemy
Approach it gently without fear or aversion.
2. Allow pain to exist
Recognize it as part of the meditation experience.
3. Do not rush to move the body
First observe the pain before adjusting posture.
3. Observing Pain: Turning Discomfort Into Awareness
1. Clearly feel where the pain is
Notice its size, depth, and intensity.
2. Observe how the pain changes
Pain fluctuates—pulsing, shifting, strengthening, or weakening.
3. View pain as sensation, not “me”
Shift from “I am in pain” to “there is pain,” and intensity decreases.
4. Physical Adjustments: Easing Pain Without Breaking Meditation
1. Make small adjustments
Slightly shifting the pelvis or raising the knee may reduce strain.
2. Use supportive props
Cushions, knee pads, or sitting against a wall can relieve pressure.
3. Choose a posture suitable for your body
Full lotus, half lotus, Burmese sitting, or chair sitting are all valid.
5. Dissolving Pain Through Breath: Let Breath Soften the Body
1. Let the body sink during exhalation
Each exhale releases tension and reduces discomfort.
2. Bring attention back to the breath
Steady breathing naturally relaxes the body.
3. Surround the pain with soft breathing
Breath softens the sensation rather than suppressing it.
6. Transforming Pain Mentally: From Resistance to Acceptance
1. Release the expectation of “perfect pain-free sitting”
Expectations increase frustration.
2. Acceptance transforms pain
When resistance stops, pain loses its grip.
3. Deep calm eventually dissolves the pain
True dissolution comes from awareness and relaxation, not force.
Conclusion
Pain in meditation is a valuable teacher.
Through observation, gentle adjustment, relaxation, and mental transformation, pain can be dissolved and transformed into clarity and stability.
Pain is not an obstacle—it is an opportunity to understand body and mind more deeply.
