'Mindful people' feel less pain • Hacker News Board

Re: 'Mindful people' feel less pain

#11

Post by prostoalex » Fri, Sep 07, 2018, 7:03 PM UTC

thedirt0115 wrote: post #3

ericand wrote: post #2

If I understand correctly, they say that meditation deactivates default mode and this has a positive impact on pain tolerance. Interestingly, there is lots of discussion on the importance and value of default mode for creativity and other things. Are these at odds or have I misunderstood?

I had never heard of "default mode" before this. Do you have any suggested reading on the topic, especially around creativity?

This provides a good context https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/02/09/trip-treatment

Re: 'Mindful people' feel less pain

#12

Post by HiroshiSan » Fri, Sep 07, 2018, 7:04 PM UTC

mcculley wrote: post #5

Mindfulness meditation taught me something that Haruki Murakami describes well about running: “Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.”

Is that true if your being tortured by someone other than yourself? I've seen the picture of the monk who set himself on fire while meditating in protest.

I wonder if suffering is only optional if you inflict it on yourself.

Re: 'Mindful people' feel less pain

#13

Post by gmoore » Fri, Sep 07, 2018, 7:05 PM UTC

https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/is-mindfulness-meditation-s...

Re: 'Mindful people' feel less pain

#14

Post by cammil » Fri, Sep 07, 2018, 7:07 PM UTC

HiroshiSan wrote: post #12

mcculley wrote: post #5

Mindfulness meditation taught me something that Haruki Murakami describes well about running: “Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.”

Is that true if your being tortured by someone other than yourself? I've seen the picture of the monk who set himself on fire while meditating in protest. I wonder if suffering is only optional if you inflict it on yourself.

According to many accounts, suffering is indeed optional, and with some training within your power to control.

Re: 'Mindful people' feel less pain

#15

Post by [deleted] » Fri, Sep 07, 2018, 7:08 PM UTC

trukterious wrote: post #10

My experience is that stopping and paying attention to a stubbed toe makes it more bearable than yelling and hopping around the room.

[deleted]

Re: 'Mindful people' feel less pain

#16

Post by m3mpp » Fri, Sep 07, 2018, 7:08 PM UTC

Pain is also linked to fear, so more mindfulness, less fear and less pain. Some people, while physically training can inflict extreme pains on their bodies, but without any fear whatsoever, so they're ok, even enjoying it for some, "working hard!"

Re: 'Mindful people' feel less pain

#17

Post by ryandrake » Fri, Sep 07, 2018, 7:14 PM UTC

> "Mindfulness is related to being aware of the present moment without too much emotional reaction or judgment," said the study's lead author, Fadel Zeidan

I've always thought of the word "mindfulness" as one of those vague, new-age nonsense terms, like "psionic body energy" and "ethereal consciousness". Even given the above quoted definition, I still have no idea what it means. Does anyone know what is an example of mindfulness, or an example of the opposite? I don't know anyone, besides maybe Alzheimer's sufferers, who is actually unaware of the present time.

EDIT: Thanks everyone for the many replies. I think the variety of different answers speaks volumes about this topic.

Re: 'Mindful people' feel less pain

#18

Post by gagege » Fri, Sep 07, 2018, 7:16 PM UTC

ryandrake wrote: post #17

> "Mindfulness is related to being aware of the present moment without too much emotional reaction or judgment," said the study's lead author, Fadel Zeidan I've always thought of the word "mindfulness" as one of those vague, new-age nonsense terms, like "psionic body energy" and "ethereal consciousness". Even given the above quoted definition, I still have no idea what it means. Does anyone know what is an example of…

Sounds like stoicism to me.

Re: 'Mindful people' feel less pain

#19

Post by RickS » Fri, Sep 07, 2018, 7:17 PM UTC

ryandrake wrote: post #17

> "Mindfulness is related to being aware of the present moment without too much emotional reaction or judgment," said the study's lead author, Fadel Zeidan I've always thought of the word "mindfulness" as one of those vague, new-age nonsense terms, like "psionic body energy" and "ethereal consciousness". Even given the above quoted definition, I still have no idea what it means. Does anyone know what is an example of…

I find Sam Harris to be helpful here. He's an athiest intellectual and speaks a language closer to HN than hippies.

https://samharris.org/podcasts/chapter-one/

ctrl-F "mindfulness" if you don't want to read the whole thing, though I'd suggest it.

Even better, this is also available as a reading on spotify. He's got a really soothing, compelling voice. Worth a shot.

Re: 'Mindful people' feel less pain

#20

Post by aschearer » Fri, Sep 07, 2018, 7:21 PM UTC

ryandrake wrote: post #17

> "Mindfulness is related to being aware of the present moment without too much emotional reaction or judgment," said the study's lead author, Fadel Zeidan I've always thought of the word "mindfulness" as one of those vague, new-age nonsense terms, like "psionic body energy" and "ethereal consciousness". Even given the above quoted definition, I still have no idea what it means. Does anyone know what is an example of…

Normally people's attention is being drawn back and forth by various stimulus. "I have to schedule a meeting. I should reply to this email. What am I going to eat for lunch?" And so forth. If you meditate you will see there is a constant flow of these types of thoughts.

Being mindful means sticking your attention to direct perception. Somehow, you resist applying labels or analyzing things. Instead you just experience them as they are.