Mind over matter. What an interesting phrase. How often do we allow ourselves to become consumed by the matter? Perhaps the matter is physical pain or emotional pain. So often we turn to the local pharmacy or the designated cupboard in our home stocked full of first aid. We choose a pill with the highest strength and pop a couple in our mouth and forget about the pain until it returns a couple hours later and we resume the same regime. This regime seems somewhat monotonous. No wonder people build up immunity to certain drugs if they are constantly taking them.

Again, I repeat mind over matter. The human mind is amazing! The capabilities of the mind are enormous and often disregarded. As wonderful as the present health technological advances are perhaps we rely on them too much rather than our own God given abilities when it comes to dealing with pain. People throughout all time have endured much discomfort without the help of drugs. The question is how do you do it?

First, you must change your perspective of pain. If you tell your body you are in pain then you will feel pain. As a kid I often didn't want to go to school so I would entertain that my head hurt or that I felt sick and eventually I began to feel real symptoms enough to convince my parents that I was too ill for school. Just as an Olympic athlete believes himself into winning the race we can determine how much pain we feel. It's all about mind over matter.

Think of pain as pressure. Think of the most intense pressure you have ever endured and give that a 10. For me delivering a baby is my 10. When you are feeling sick or have a headache rate it according to your number 10. I get frequent headaches and although they are inconvenient and can cause discomfort they are no way close to my 10, I properly only give it a 1. Can you see how having a different perspective can help you cope with your discomforts?

Breathing is essential to relieving pressure and discomfort. Often a discomfort is established due to lack of oxygen. Muscles are frequently staved of oxygen due to inefficient breathing and not enough water consumption. I have suffered with irritable bowl syndrome for many years. I used to feel like a slave to the discomfort within me until I decided to breathe through the pressure. I educated myself about my anatomy and would visualize my large and small intestines contracting and releasing in order to push the waste through my body. As I learned how to listen to my body I could pick up the rhythm of my intestine digesting and I would send oxygen to those organs which allowed them to expand and perform more efficiently. This doesn't mean I don't feel anything I just feel pressure that I can control.

When one looses control of their body that is when pressure disappears and PAIN is ever present. A renewed perspective and deep supportive breathing will fuel you with an increased ability to deal with pressures many discomforts.