Nancy,

It's of note how many responses this thread has generated in a short period of time. You have obviously struck a nerve, so to speak.

I forgot to say that if you're at all interested in exploring the concept of using meditative techniques in order to completely experience pain without being bothered by it, as paradoxical as that may seem, check out an article on Shinzen's website "A Pain-Processing Algorithm" which can be directly linked to here: http://shinzen.org/shinsub3/artPainP...gAlgorithm.pdf

To give you an idea of the sense of perspective, Shinzen's teacher, Jōshū Sasaki Rōshi, who at 102 is literally the world's oldest living Zen master (who's public talks I've had the priviledge of attending although never been able to study directly with him because my health does not permit me to engage in the physical rigor of a Rinzai Zen retreat) puts his role in assisting students to completely experience whatever arises in their perception, with openness and equinimity, as follows:

I am a travel agent, selling tickets between Heaven and Hell, to which you can go, indifferent as to the destination.

I apologize if anyone thinks this is over the top, but trust me, this has little if anything to do with the usual concept of religion, and everything to do with being so aware of the various aspects of experience on a second by second basis, until physical pain breaks up into manageable sensation, no more, no less.

The same concept from a Christian perspective is addressed in many places, from the writings of St. John of the Cross and in particular his Dark Night Of The Soul, to many of the 70 books of the late Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk and later priest with a PhD. in English from Columbia, who distinguished between the idea of what he called "Zen Buddhism," as that religion which which began in China and spread to Japan as well as the rituals and institutions that accompanied it, and Zen itself, something he said was not bound by culture, religion or belief. (Solitary Explorer: Thomas Merton's Transforming Journey, Elena Malits, Harper & Row 1980, pp. 106-112.)

I hope this is useful.

Mike