In my personal experience, TAME meditation technique can reduce and even block out pain. This works best for pain that is constant and predictable. And, Medical Science needs to pay attention.
Chronic pain is a widespread and debilitating problem. It affects up to 30% of the people worldwide. That number translates into a huge burden on people and their families. So far, medical science has not been able to address this issue in a manner that reduces pain without long term risks. Medicines used to treat pain have dangerous side effects when taken for prolonged periods.
We need to cast a wider net to see what could help people with chronic pain. One option is to look at meditation. There is scientific basis to support the case for meditation. Science recognises that meditation works. Meditation appears to be able to change the working of human brain in ways science does not necessarily understand. This should give us hope and also encourage more study.
Meditation techniques, as taught today, are often very different from the original one (TAME meditation) that Bhagwad Gita prescribed. This original technique if meditation should merit attention since the masters who developed it would have know a lot more about the workings of the human mind than most of us. After all, that depth of knowledge must be the reason they were able to conceptualise meditation as a means to manage the mind.
Why is TAME meditation able to counter pain
On the subject of why TAME seems to work against pain, I have two theories: Firstly, the meditation seems to strongly reduce reliance on sensory happiness (happiness based on what human senses of sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell). Happiness, that is independent of human senses, is unconditional and comes from the mind being at peace. With practice, this meditation starts re-wiring the mind to give less weight to the sensory signals. Since sensory signals include the sense of touch, the mind starts feeling less pain too.
The second theory relates to the three elements that are part of the meditation (see article). The key element that appears to make TAME counter pain appears to me to be “transformation”. The meditation technique appears to make the mind work differently. To counter pain, the sensation of pain is conceived as being placed on the exhaled breath and cast into the mind’s eye (read TAME technique article on how this is done). Alternatively, a person can surrender himself and merge into the mind’s eye with the exhaled breath and thus separate himself from the pain. Either way, the repeated act of separating oneself from the pain appears to transform the way the mind works. In its transformed state, the mind appears to separate the pain from itself.
Closing notes
Practice and make it reflexive
In my experience, the TAME meditation technique is effective against constant and predictable pain. But for it to be effective, it needs to be practiced enough to be applied reflexively by the mind. This means that as soon as the mind experiences pain, it automatically starts using the TAME technique to block it out. The mind does not wait for the person to consciously initiate the meditation technique practiced as part of TAME. This is like reacting to touching a burning surface. The hand withdraws without waiting for a conscious reaction. TAME thus becomes a natural part of the way the mind works.
In the most successful application of reflexive pain-blocking, the pain feels something like an object in the pocket. One can feel it’s there but it does not sting.
Recommended Reading
Scientific Spirituality: A scientific, experiment-based approach towards spiritualism and ancient Indian texts could serve us well.
The Advanced Meditation Exercise (TAME): This meditation technique is an incredibly powerful way to keep the mind peaceful. It is prescribed in Bhagwad Gita, the primary book of Indian spiritual heritage. It derives its power by activating three key things in us: detachment, stillness, and transformation.
Why TAME meditation appears to work better than other techniques: TAME meditation appears to be more effective than other meditation techniques because it activates three essential elements of meditation: detachment, transformation, and stillness. Meditation needs all three.
Use Meditation to counter depression and stress: Modern approaches towards depression and stress are not working as they do not understand the mind that creates them. It’s time to rethink our approach.
All spiritualism through one meditation technique? Could one meditation-breathing technique replicate most of the things taught by Bhagwad Gita, the epitome of Indian spiritual heritage?
Float above reality …. to remain always happy: Use the TAME meditation technique to keep yourself emotionally detached from ups and downs of the daily grind. This can feel like physically floating above the world. Don’t get divorced from reality, but don’t get drowned by it either.
