Beyond Pleasure and Pain

Cancer Survivors (like all humans) are often moving emotionally between feelings of gratitude and difficulty tolerating discomfort or pain. We long to hold on the the moments of pleasure and turn away from discomfort. Learning to observe the present moment helps us to tolerate and sometimes even appreciate what is happening. Short guided meditation. www.joybootsforcancersurvivors.com

 

Recommended Posts
Showing 2 comments
  • Robin Baker
    Reply

    Thank you for this posting and meditation, Kelly. I was diagnosed with lymphedema a couple of weeks ago and it wasn’t unexpected. But the call from the medical equipment man who wants to set up an appointment to demonstrate the pump has been unsettling. It is the first point in my journey that goes beyond treatment with healing hands, kind words and a chemo drug that’s not as rough on me as expected. The fragility of my condition is something that has been abstract, something I can power through. Now this throws up the fact that this illness will eventually cause limitations and dependencies. I have been judging this as a defeat but need to accept all that comes to me as part of the path of my life. So I’ll listen to that phone message, call the man back, and get the darned device. Yes, it’s a tangible sign of illness that will sit in my house (my haven). But it isn’t a proclamation of where I’m headed mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Revisiting your meditation(s) will help me to let go of that “noise”.

    • mm
      Kelly Inselmann
      Reply

      I’m glad it can be helpful. Turning towards the sensations and the discomfort instead of ignoring it or being angry at it has been such a process for me. I have lymphedema too and it was very hard to come to terms with for the same reasons you named. Having to be continuously aware of vulnerability was hard to accept. There’s also a video on this site under VLOGS called Yoga for Lymphedema of the Arm. It’s one simple exercise we do in class that I find to be helpful. Blessings to you. Keep me posted on the appointment Sat nam, Kelly

Leave a Reply to Kelly Inselmann Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.