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Excruciating pain tormented Mrs. Cindi Buenzlis pelvic cavity. After recently becoming
bedridden by the pain, she would no longer dismiss it as a result of her recent past or endure it as a
temporary inconvenience. Finally, the emergency room greeted her helplessness. Doctors entered
the room. They proceeded to inform Mrs. Buenzli that she could undergo surgery in ten minutes.
The surgeons would slice open her body and cut out the gnarled cyst hiding within. However,
Mrs. Buenzli paused. Was forcefully removing her pain the only way to relieve her suffering?
No. Instead, Mrs. Buenzli made a choice; she turned to the less traveled path of holistic, natural
healing. She returned home and adapted a healthier diet and sleeping pattern. Mrs. Buenzli also
began practicing mindfulness through restorative yoga poses followed by journal entries analyzing
her results. Meanwhile, Mrs. Buenzli routinely visited the hospital where ultrasounds monitored
her cyst. The pain slowly subsided, and her infirmity shrunk until it vanished (interview).
Fifteen percent of American adults, like Mrs. Buenzli, are sucked into the vortex of severe,
chronic pain (Steiner 1). However, as Mrs. Buenzlis situation shows, the body and brain are
powerful healers, equally as effective as medications or surgeries which may hide suffering
without addressing its root. The key to healing physically and mentally lies in shifting focus from
pain, and emotions associated with pain, to mindfulness in every act of life (Hanh, Power 22).
Mindfulness may heal in many ways, including aiding conventional medical methods and
uncovering the power of each breath.
According to Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh and Harvard director of Health Promotion and
Communication Dr. Lilian Cheung, mindfulness is the practice of being fully present in each
moment (Savor 16). Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, creator of the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine,
Healthcare, and Society at the University of Massachusetts medical school, further defines

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mindfulness as voluntary attention to the present moment without judgment on thoughts or
feelings (Kabat-Zinn, What Is Mindfulness 16; Weintraub 45).
In connotation, mindfulness unites body, mind, and spirit to generate holistic healing.
Mindfulness utilizes the power of the present moment as an opportunity to convert suffering into
peace for the present and future (Kabat-Zinn, What Is Mindfulness 16). An ancient story tells of a
man riding hurriedly through a town, distress in his eyes. A curious bystander shouts, To where
are you traveling?
The rider answers, I do not know; ask the horse! This story symbolizes the lack of
control many feel in their livesperhaps they are riding an unstoppable horse of painas if
helpless in their own lives. Mindfulness unleashes the bodys ability to regain control of life
(Hanh and Cheung, Savor 15).
Mindfulness generates a reflective minda clear pool of water undisturbed by jealousy,
fear, worries, or even constant thoughts vying for attention (Hanh, Peace Is Every Breath 44).
This calm, nonjudgmental reflection identifies emotions and feelings by name: this painful
sensation, this anxiety, or this helplessness. Recognizing feelings and emotions is the first
step in unleashing the human bodys ability to heal. Through viewing all aspects of suffering,
mindfulness can relieve pain in a broken body, broken mind, or broken heart (Hanh, Peace Is
Every Breath 45).
The ultimate question is How? How can an act of non-doing produce such powerful
magic? A still, beautiful atmosphere is necessary for mindfulness to be effective, right? Wrong.
Mindfulness is most effectively implemented into everyday actions to keep the mind and body at a

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continuous equilibrium. Sitting, walking, or eating mindfully creates awarenessand thereby
healingin life.
Mindfulness in the sitting position perceives physical pain in a unique way, welcoming and
accepting the unpleasant sensation without avoiding it. The mind often copes with suffering by
creating a brick wall to block the pain into dark, hidden corners. However, through examining
pain as a sensation instead of blocking or removing it, the body and minds ability to process
physical pain grows (Kabat-Zinn, Catastrophe 65). In fact, chronic pain patients who diligently
practice mindful meditation actually learn to reinterpret pain signals, rather than escaping them
(Khalsa 78).
Reinterpreting pain signals can also occur through walking mindfully. Mindfulness in
walking is directing attention to every step, and, like sitting meditation, letting thoughts flow in
and out without criticism. These thoughts may be full of anxiety or stress, or perhaps they cause
obsessive planning over lifes next chore (Kabat-Zinn, Catastrophe Living 68). While one is
walking, thoughts are observed without suppression or judgment, then attention is refocused on
the present momenteach step, each breath, and the wonderful privilege of independent
ambulation, or the ability to walk. Thankfulness then drives every step, further dissipating stress
and anxiety (Kabat-Zinn, Catastrophe Living 114).
Eating is another vital act of life, yet it ironically doubles as a widespread cause of anger,
helplessness, heart failure, and even death. America suffers from an abundance of unhealthy food
which, when eaten, releases dopamine in the brain. The dopamine is a hormone that causes
happiness, creating an association between joy and foods full of sugar, trans fat, and salt (Hanh
and Cheung, Savor 20). The long term effects of overeating unhealthy foods include obesity,
diabetes, heart disease, and ultimately, pain and suffering (Hanh and Cheung, Savor 21).

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Mindfulness in eating is complete awareness of each bite of foodthe smell, the taste, the
texture. Part of mindfulness is simply slowing down. The other part is fully appreciating and
feeling thankful for the privilege to enjoy food rather than suffer starvation (Hanh and Cheung,
Savor 39). Thankfulness and attentiveness through mindful eating decrease anxiety and stress,
which increases self-acceptance, confidence, and peace. Simultaneously, eating mindfully initiates
an awareness of what and why one eats, encouraging healthier food choices, and therefore a
healthier, less painful life.
Mindfulness in everyday actions is certainly beneficial, but not completely necessary.
Mindfulness can also heal simply by bringing nonjudgmental attention to the present state of
being. This awareness technique has shown fascinating developments supporting the theory of
neuroplasticity (the brains ability to rewire itself in response to an unpleasant experience).
Evidence also supports that ones genetic expression, or epigenetics, is able to positively change
through awareness of thoughts, actions, and feelings (Anderson email; Sairam email).
The concept of awareness altering physical pathways in the brain may seem ridiculous;
however, physical healing through mindfulness is not a wish in the wind. Neuroscientists at the
University of Wisconsin in Madison are researching the physiological aspects of mindfulness and
have unearthed evidence that this theory helps relieve physical suffering (Herzog 41). The true
question is how, and to what extent, can the mind affect the body?
The minds power is the most important aspect of mindfulness for healing. Without the
mind, one could not focus on each breath, each step, or each bite. Without a healthy mind,
physical ailments would overwhelm the body with anxiety, depression, and negativity (Gawler and
Bedson 273). Health demands balance between the mind and body, as well as liberation from
psychological suffering (Gawler and Bedson 268). Mindfulness generates tranquility and balance,

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which are vital elements of mental and physical healing, as well as the prevention of future
illnesses (Gawler and Bedson 271).
A powerful example of the minds function is human emotion. Mindfulness allows
acceptance and recognition of emotion without labeling it good or bad. This permits emotions
to be released rather than stored (Hanh, The Miracle 93). In some ways, the mind acts as a glass
wall between emotional imbalance and reality. It allows one to observe painful thoughts and
feelingsoverwhelming stress, sorrow from a romantic breakup, hurt from self-criticism
without entering the experience. Acknowledging each emotion without a fight produces the power
of tranquility during the climax of emotion (Hanh and Cheung, Savor 17). Mindfulness with
emotions creates equilibrium and releases the fear burying unwanted feelings (Gawler and Bedson
272).
While it may appear unlikely that emotions are so deeply intertwined with the body,
evidence exists that the body reacts to what it perceives as true (Khalsa 13). For example, when
fear or stress invades the brain, adrenaline floods in, and the body erupts into fight or flight
mode. Adrenaline in response to fear or stress allows the body to sprint faster than ever before or
lift objects heavier than thought possible. Whether there is actual danger (a bear chasing its
victim), or the mind simply perceives the danger (the victim thinks a bear is in pursuit), the brain
will excrete sympathetic hormones causing heightened physical abilities. This connection, via the
hormones produced by the brains hypothalamus and pituitary gland, allows mindfulness to calm
the parasympathetic nervous system (the bodys natural relaxing mechanism) by viewing stress
and negative emotions in a detached manner (Bjornson and Bjornson interview). Mindfulness is
the bed an exhausted man sinks into as he finally allows the days worries and his tired muscles to

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melt away. In this, he allows his body to heal through relaxation and the release of uncomfortable,
resistant emotions (Khalsa 125).
Many scientists argue that mindfulness directly heals pain. However, The Center for
Investigating Healthy Minds has performed studies with conflicting results. The Center concluded
that long-term mindfulness practitioners may find pain relief through the release of tension or fear
surrounding the pain, rather than releasing the pain itself (Anderson email). Mr. Ramesh Sairam, a
psychiatrist at Common Ground Meditation Center, noted, Mindfulness is not an independent
modality of treatment for most physical ailments, but an important component of the overall
management plan, especially in the chronic phase of the illnesses (email).
Studies support using mindfulness as an aid to other medical treatments. Elderly
individuals suffering from chronic back pain began practicing mindfulness in a clinical setting
sponsored by National Institutes of Health. Results showed that the nonpharmacologic treatment
in addition to preexisting treatments improved sleep patterns, mood, and pain-coping skills
(Morone et al. 2).
Whether mental or physical, pain relief blossoms through the greatest teaching of
mindfulnessbreathing. Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D., conductor of medical mindfulness
meditation workshops, writes that breathing is the only human act that can be voluntarily and
involuntarily controlled. This is due to two sets of muscles working with the lungs, one allowing
voluntary inhalation and exhalation, and the other controlling the involuntary breathing process
(Khalsa 55). Most people tend to breathe automatically, taking shallow breaths due to muscular
and emotional tension (Weintraub 124). These breaths only fill the upper half of the lungs, pulling
air into the chest rather than down into the stomach (Khalsa 64).

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Many illnesses have roots in involuntary breathing. When the body lacks sufficient
oxygen, it fails to adequately supply the autonomic nervous system with support in healing and
restoration. This can lead to asthma attacks, congestive lung problems, heart disease, and mood
disorders (Khalsa 64). Low oxygen levels in the blood also have a negative effect on the liver,
damaging the pump that propels deoxygenated blood to the heart with every beat. Without proper
breathing, this mechanical suction slows, causing the liver to swell with blood. Digestive issues
may arise when the liver lacks the oxygen and circulation it needs for the alimentary canal (Khalsa
61; Kabat-Zinn, Lipworth, and Burney 64). Unfortunately, approximately one-third of the worlds
population breathes so poorly that lack of oxygen generates illness (Khalsa 64).
Becoming more mindful of voluntary breaths and using deeply oxygenating breathing
techniques can heal the infirmities caused by lack of oxygen. These techniques often take
immense concentration and attentiveness. For example, the breath of fire, a pattern of fast, deep
breaths as if one were exercising heavily, has proven to increase physical endurance, heighten
stress resistance, and balance the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems (Khalsa 71).
The breath of fire also expels toxins from the body and increases energy, while releasing
physical tension often surrounding physical pain (Khalsa 65). Dr. Khalsa treated one male patient
whose heartburn pain gradually disappeared as he practiced deeper breathing (61). Whatever
breathing technique is used, it elevates oxygen levels in the body to aid healing, altering brain
waves and stimulating nerves in the abdomen (Khalsa 25).
Research is beginning to touch the surface of the bodys healing ability. However, many
good men and women have fallen into a trap set by the swirling vortex of suffering because they
have not learned of the power of internal healing. Perhaps they inhale a meal while planning the
next step on the road to success or hurry to the next destination without fully appreciating each

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step in the moment. Many people, like Mrs. Cindi Buenzli, try to excuse their pain, afraid that
healing is always justslightlyout of reach. Many have learned to push aside their fear and
suffering or wrap it neatly into a box and store it in the darkest corners of their minds. But what
happens when the earth shakes, and the boxes come tumbling down?
Help is not beyond reach. Hope is not outside the realm of reality. Life, through
mindfulness, may once again grant the power of self-control to her subjects. According to Mrs.
Buenzli, the magic of mindfulness is in diligent practice (interview). Magic is embedded into
experiencing the full joy of eating and the thankfulness of having a body capable of ambulation
with every step. Power is released in the capability to seize the daythe hourthe moment,
through every breath. In experiencing every moment without judgment, the beaten body, mind,
and heart can find medicine for the roots of the break.
Perhaps one day the world will recognize the healing ability locked in the human body and
mind. Perhaps one day doctors and scientists will prove the exact neuroscience behind the effect
mindfulness has on the quality of life. Or perhaps the power of the mind and the power of the
present moment will forever remain one of the great mysteries enveloped in the human body, only
unleashed by those who seek healing.