Hi,

I've been doing for a couple of weeks Mahasi Sayadaw noting out-loud. So far, I'm happy with the practice.

There's a question I like to post: how to proceed when there's a persistent pain in the body? In my case, it's either the throat or the chest. It's not something that can be amended correcting the posture, I've already tried that. The point is acknowledging the pain, I try to decompose it in tinier sensations: vibrations, itches, burns, tightness. When there's no pain, I've been able to note for example like a first layer of a general vibration and a second layer of tiny itches arising and passing every second. But when there's pain, if I concentrate the focus on the area, the tension increases and so the second layer cannot be seen.

My first reaction is to think that if I'm doing something that builds tension, then it must be wrong. And that instead, I should open the focus to all the body and follow the pain in the periphery. By doing this, the pain lessens a lot but doesn't disappear completely. In this case, sensations in other parts of the body arises constantly, so I cannot go beyond the first layer of sensations where the pain is. I can just note pain and jump to another sensation.

What should I do? Keep the focus on the pain no matter what? Is there a way to focus in it and not build in more tension? Or should I open the focus to the whole body instead?

Thanks for your help.

It's hard to say. If there's lots of pain to the point you can't note other sensations because your brain is reacting so badly then I would do what I could to lessen the pain (doctor, medication, etc) and practice in different positions to find the one with the least pain. I have knee difficulties so I sat in a chair instead. The Lotus position was not an option. I can meditate while laying down as well. Other than that if you can continue with the practice make sure you accept and surrender to what is which is what the practice does. What matters is that you don't give up because of the pain.

Thanks Richard. I won't give up but surrender to what the pain shows.

I've found Shinzen Young's take on how to deal with "intense pain or pressure". Please press in the his site the Q&A section and go to question 24 .

This may be useful for other fellow posters:

I found that when lying in bed, I have to use three or four pillows, so that the throat and chest are sank. Otherwise, the pain/ache/discomfort is even more at the front-line. So, it's more like laying at an angle, perhaps little less than 45º degrees. With this position the pain goes away. If when in standing / walking meditation, you can bypass the pain focusing the breathing in the sides, in a wave-like up-down motion , like a jellyfish, activating the floating ribs.

Another useful thing I found is that when in (half)-Lotus, the pain/ache/discomfort lessens a lot if applying Vipassana, you just focus in the pleasant sensations it has. It may seem strange to say thay, but maybe you could find pleasantness in warmth-coolness sensations. Can't really be sure, but perhaps it's an indirect way of activating Metta to the area.