"When EEGs (ElectroEncephaloGrams)
show a brain wave pattern of 9 to 12 cycles per second, the subject is
said to be in alpha state, usually described as relaxed,
peaceful,
or floating."
I slipped on an icy patch of sidewalk, over-extending my left thigh
muscle. Man that hurt! Muttering a few choice expletives deleteds to
no-one in particular, I headed
home
to
sit
or lie down, and apply a heating pad and / or icepack, hoping quick
action
would ensure a rapid relief. It didn't. Weeks later my thigh was still
tender and sore. It hurt even when I
sat
very still. The discomfort began referring to the muscles around it
until the entire left side of my body was uncomfortable as well. I
bought some OTC (Over The Counter)
medication
for pain relief (Tylenol, Motrin). But nothing worked. I was not a
happy camper.
When I ignored the pain, the muscles
tightened up.
It actually made things worse. I tried everything: slow, limping hikes,
yoga stretches,
hot showers etc. Nothing worked.
My thinking
even evolved to seeing if I could will away the pain - you
know,
intend
that it be
gone?
I wasn't successful at willing it away, but in my experiments with
seeing if I could control it, I noticed that if I stopped
resisting
it ie if I stopped trying to will it away, if I just let it be,
it relaxed dramatically. That was
the breakthrough
for me: even though I wanted it
gone,
when I stopped wanting it
gone,
it diminished dramatically
(paradoxically).
I noticed that when I just let it be, my leg relaxed, indeed my
entire body relaxed. I was in a state I've experienced
from time to time when I've tried
deep meditation.
It's called alpha state. So that became my practice: when the
pain became intense, I would relax my body, not
resist
it at all, and just let it be. That invoked alpha state, like
peacefully
floating in a warm, healing bath - during which the pain subsided. As
long as I didn't
resist
it ie as long as I let it be, exhaling deeply, invoking alpha state in
and around my leg, the pain
miraculously,
magically
diminished. I was elated at this discovery (to put it mildly).
There was just one problem: it didn't last very long. It
was more than that, actually. It was: I didn't notice when it stopped
lasting. What I saw happening was when there was pain in my leg, I
invoked alpha state, the pain subsided ... and suddenly I realized
it had started again. I seemed to have some say in the onset of
alpha state. But when the pain was back, and I had to invoke alpha
state again if I wanted relief, it was clear I had no say in when it
stopped.
When I re-invoked alpha state ie when I realized it had
disappeared
(said more accurately, when I realized I wasn't invoking it anymore), I
simply assumed that's the way it is with alpha state: invoked, it
provides instant relief until I forget to continue invoking it, at
which time (whenever I realize it's
gone
again) I have to invoke it again. I tried, but I haven't found any way
to have alpha state, once invoked, stay in place like pain does. I
invoke it, it relieves the pain, then I notice it's
gone,
and I have to invoke it again. In my experiments with alpha state, I
haven't found any way to have it persist once I invoke it. There
doesn't seem to be any way to have it stay invoked all by itself. It's
its nature to be impermanent. If I don't re-invoke it again when it's
gone,
it doesn't last.
In all my experiments with alpha state, I've noticed that I'm
habituated to respond to pain with discomfort, withdrawal, complaint,
and
resistance.
I'm now experimenting with it to see if I can lay down some new habits
in response to pain - like invoking alpha state
directly
and immediately. That would be nice.