In meditation, give yourself a LOT of time to get used to the tension-relaxation-tension-relaxation cycle.
It often feels like pulling out the thorns, so go easy on yourself. Resist the temptation to say things like, “This isn’t helping; it’s making me worse!” (Although it’s easy to feel that way at first.)
I once had a whole series of vaccinations before traveling in equatorial Africa, and some of them made me feverish for days. But it’s a hell of a lot better than getting the full-blown disease.
In meditation and in life, it’s better to pull out the thorns than leave them to fester!
And it’s better to give your body a chance to explore more elegant ways of dealing with stress, rather than staying in Alarm Mode for long periods of time.
As you can see, meditation is NOT one single state, but rather a continually changing inner-theater of quiet/explosive/erotic/placid/turbulent intensity, in which each breath brings drama, catharsis, rebirth—and yes, even healing.
Take time to tune up.
Meditation feels different each time you do it.
Each breath, each moment of meditation is different from the next as your body rests up, revitalizes itself, and tunes up for action.
The more you cooperate with this process, the more the vaccination quality we discussed above will work for you.
You will become more skilled at handling the stresses you are facing; be they long hours, aches and pains, too many tasks to juggle, or a medical condition.
Should you find a moment to meditate each day, you will soon realize that here -- at last -- is the deepest quality of rest you have ever experienced. And as your body gets used to it, you will feel yourself healing very gently and gradually, on a deep level.
