@skier, thank you for telling us about your meditation practice. Note that it is called a practice.....meaning of course that we must keep at it. I belong to a sangha that practices mindful meditation every week throughout the year. We have 3 and 4 days retreats also and our next one is in August. I think that mindfulness actually changes the thoughts in our brains. In particular, a guided body meditation lets us evaluate the condition of our bodies just so we are aware of areas where we can make a difference in pain levels.

Recently, I was in the hospital for a few days and found that my mind was able to make positive adjustments to the situation. I was surprised at how calm I was even with pain and discomfort. I also practiced my mindful speech. Is it kind, is it true, is it necessary? These three questions are the guides for mindful thoughts and spoken words.

May you be free of suffering and the causes if suffering.
Chris

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