Introduction

Hello, I'm David Ison, the founder and creator of the Ison Method for

Pain Management, and I know about chronic pain. Before we get started

With using the program's method and music to help you release tension

And reduce your level of pain, I'd like to share a little bit of my

Personal story. In 1980, I broke my back in a car accident, and I

Lost the ability to move my legs. I was in terrible pain, scared and

Angry. Angry at the world, at the person who was driving the car

And angry at myself just for being in the position I was in. I was

Helpless. I didn't want to have a recommended spinal fusion operation

, And I needed to do something fast. So I began to use deep breathing

Techniques that I had learned through years of meditation practice to

Create a state of relaxation, and I noticed very quickly that this

Relaxed state diminished my pain and increased my function and my

Mobility. Through the continued use of these breathing techniques

I gradually recovered. My pain became manageable, and I could walk

Again. During my recovery, I began to imagine a type of music and

Method that would help listeners to create the same state of deep

Relaxation that I was achieving using my breath. I hoped that people

Suffering with pain would experience the same wonderful results that

I had. And slowly, over long periods of deep meditation, I began to

Hear this new music, and I started to compose. The music in this

Program is the result of all those years of study and meditation and

Creation. Its beautiful rising and falling chords are based on

Ancient, tried and true breathing patterns of meditation. Listening

To these compositional structures will help you regulate your breath

Slowing you down and bringing you into a state of deep relaxation

And then pain reduction. This music really works, so much so that

Today the Ison Method and its music has been embraced by the very

Medical establishment that offered me surgery and drugs, highlighted

By its use at the National Institutes of Health, where studies were

Performed that shows that the music does create a deep state of

Relaxation and does indeed bring about a significant reduction in

Pain and tension. And now this music and this method are available

For you. So welcome. Welcome to our pain management program, its

Music, and the Ison Method. This CD contains three sections: the

Verbal instructions that you are listening to now, some brief

Meditations and breathing exercises that you should learn and

Practice along with the music, and 45 minutes of the beautiful pain-

Reducing music, all by itself, music you can use every day to help you

Create the relaxation response, and music that will support you on

Your journey to reduce your pain and relieve your anxiety and tension

. So let's get started. Let's get started with an understanding of

What I call the cycle of chronic pain. When you're in pain, it's

Natural to hold your body in ways that produce a state of tension

Especially around the area of your injury. Holding your body like

This actually produces more pain in the long run and perpetuates

The cycle of pain. This holding also makes you limit your physical

Activities, as well as creating a state of emotional trauma. You

Experience depression, anxiety, anger, fear, and you put all of

These things together, and you're well on your way to falling into

The cycle of chronic pain. Let me explain the cycle of chronic pain

First, pain causes you to hold your body tightly. This produces a

Great deal of muscular tension so that you can protect the pain

This tension creates a type of posture, a way of holding your body

And this posture generates more tension and more pain. As a result

Of this holding and the increase in tension and pain, you begin to

Restrict your activities for longer and longer periods of time

You begin to lose strength and flexibility, and you feel less able

To do things, and you rest more and more. You kind of take to the

Bed. Then the downward spiral leads to an emotional landslide, and

You become filled with anger and frustration and heavy disappointment

, And these things bring you down even further. Then, out of

Frustration and agitation, you push yourself to catch up, trying to

Prove to yourself and to everybody else around you that

You can still do what you did before the pain started

And lastly, pushing too hard aggravates all of your symptoms

And you end up mentally and emotionally, physically

Drained, and you're discouraged, and now you're depressed

And you're incapacitated more than you were when you started

This is the cycle of chronic pain

Sound familiar?

You know what? There really is a way out of this

If you practice the meditation and breathing techniques

In the way we're going to explore in this audio guidebook

And in this pain management program, chances are you

Can significantly reduce your levels of tension and pain

One thing, though: this is a personal participation program

That means you have to do the work

We can give you all of these great

Tools, but in the end, it's up to you

Believe me, this approach works, especially if you stick with it

Really, you have to stick with it

You'll not only get your life back, you'll also find a source

Of inner peace and strength that you never knew you had

I'll tell you, if I can do this, so can you

So let's get started

You can break the cycle of chronic pain, I promise

Stick with it, and things will truly turn around

First, we should go over some important ideas

Then we'll move on to how to use the

Music to reduce and manage your pain

Let's talk a little bit about the breath and the

Importance of breathing to create the relaxation response

Controlled breathing is one of the most ancient and reliable methods

For creating a state of deep relaxation and for reducing pain

Slow, consistent, deep breathing calms the mind, it

Relaxes your body, soothes your spirit, and creates a

State of body and mind known as the relaxation response

In the relaxation response, your body

Your mind, and your spirit are calm

They're relaxed, and the physical and emotional tensions

Are reduced, and pain is really greatly diminished

Your blood pressure drops, your pulse rate slows down

And then this helps the body heal better and faster

Why?

Well, the state of deep relaxation allows the body to

Access, to focus, and then to distribute its very own

Powerful, natural, healing energy on the injured area

And as I've already pointed out, the pain management

Program's music will help your body to breathe in a way

That's been demonstrated to create this relaxation response

As you might have already noticed, the music works with the breath

Its rising and falling chords will help you regulate

Your breathing pattern, so that you'll begin to

Breathe deeply and in long inhalations and exhalations

Do this with me for a moment or two

Ready?

Breathe in

And breathe out

Breathe in

And breathe out

You see how this works? You see how easy it is?

You're already on your way to letting

Go of tension and reducing your pain

By using the music and meditations presented in this audio guidebook

Every day, you will easily and confidently create the pain-

Reducing relaxation response, and you should experience increasingly

Reduced levels of pain and an improved outlook on your situation

Very important, as this next idea is very important, too

When we're in pain, we constrict our muscles and close

Down our emotions around the area of discomfort and trauma

This tension perpetuates the pain, it

Keeps it going, and it needs to be released

It's really simple

When the physical and emotional tensions

Are released, you'll reduce your pain

Releasing physical and emotional tension takes some practice

The body and the mind react to physical and emotional

Trauma and pain by acquiring protective and

Awkward postures, and these postures become habitual

Over time, these postures dramatically contribute

To the generation and perpetuation of chronic pain

This is why we use the breath to create the relaxation response

And I think you're coming to see that deep breathing

Naturally releases tension, and the music will help you do this

Another important part of personal pain

Reduction is movement and exercise

Stretching, walking, yoga, tai chi are all excellent techniques for

Reducing pain and getting you back into the stream of lifeYou use

The music in this program while you're doing your movement routines

The breathing pattern you have learned to practice using the music

Will increase the effectiveness of the movement exercises you're

Performing and actually motivate you to stay with the program

Alright, let's start talking about using the music

I'll start with some suggestions that will help you get started and

Then move into working with the music's pain reducing properties

First thing is, it's important that other household members

Your family, your loved ones, are all aware of your decision

To do this work and that they support you in your efforts

Ask them for their help

They can do this in a lot of ways, primarily by

Respecting the time periods when you're doing your

Work and by not disturbing you during these moments

Explaining what and why you're trying to do what you're

Doing creates an understanding on the part of your loved ones

When they understand, they will respect the time period that

You are requesting and give you loving support for your efforts

And of course, you should tell your doctor and your

Pain management team that you're using this program

Include them on this part of your journey

Remember, they're there to help and will surely embrace

This natural and drug-free way of relieving your pain

Next, make sure that you set aside the time to do this work

This is your time and you need it

It's so important that you do this part

Making this commitment gives you the energy you

Need to carry on in times of distress and pain

This is when you need it the most

Give yourself permission to take the time you need

You can listen to your music when you're lying down

Sitting in a chair, or relaxing on your couch

We find that playing the music during the

Night while you sleep is very effective as well

Small thing, please don't use this program while you're driving

Or while you're working or while you're using your computer

Set aside a time every day to do at least one

Round of these pain-reducing listening exercises

Keep up the work

Go step by step

Don't rush

Allow yourself the space and the time to do this work

It really will make a difference

Stick with it

The more you do it, the better it gets

It's that simple

Stick with it and you'll see excellent results

Now here's something that you should be aware of

When people start to go deeper into their inner awareness

They often discover deeply hidden emotional and well

Spiritual issues about themselves and they want to run away

From these feelings and keep them hidden and covered over

Anxiety, anger, fear, and all of their various

Guises will make themselves known to you

It's natural for you to feel uncomfortable

With these initial experiences

The second CD in this program has specifically been

Designed to help you work through these emotional issues

And then moving back and forth between these two CDs

Is a really good idea and I encourage you to do that

So, stick with the program and use

It to process these difficult issues

As time passes, you'll actually look forward to

Working with this stuff and by doing so, you'll

Create a freer and happier space in your own mind

If you run into issues that you cannot seem to resolve

It's really okay to talk it out with someone, a family

Member, or a person on your pain management team

The point is, don't be afraid to ask for help

And lastly, please don't fall prey to the

Destructive energy of creating expectations

Unlike taking drugs, this type of personal pain

Reduction work usually takes a while to settle in

If you start out thinking that you'll be completely

And instantly cured after a few days of breathing

Exercises, you'll set yourself up for a certain failure

Be happy with little changes at first

More is on the way, I guarantee it

Keep practicing and you will see results over time

The music in our pain management program will support you on your

Personal journey toward a relatively pain-free functional condition

And it can inspire you to stick with your pain management routine

It's very important for you to take charge of your situation and

Stop looking outside of yourself for answers and for assistance

This is not to say that you don't need

And deserve all the support in the world

You do and please know that there's

Nothing wrong with asking for support

Asking is good

However, when you are directly involved in your own therapeutic

Process, your mental outlook will dramatically improve

You'll experience a motivating sense of purpose, a calm and settled

Mind, and deep feelings of accomplishmentPersonal satisfaction and

Fulfillment and these feelings will carry you through the hard times

And you know more than most that there are hard times

Well, there you have it

Try this approach

You have nothing to lose and everything to gain

Don't be afraid to talk to your family, they can really help

Just by opening up to them about what you're going through

A lot of pressure is lifted from your shoulders and from theirs

Let them in, let them help

The same thing goes with your chronic pain management team

Let them know how you're feeling about things, about life in general

And about how you are responding to their efforts

Make suggestions, they're at your service

And lastly, love yourself

You are, in the end, the keeper of your

Own sense of happiness and fulfillment

A strong sense of self-love will get you through almost anything

The next section features the meditation and

Breathing techniques that I have found to be the most

Effective for reducing pain and relieving tension

Work with them, they really help

And remember that the second CD in this program

Has been designed to help you through the difficult

Emotional issues that come with chronic pain

Please spend some time with that part of the

Program, it's just as important as the physical

Thanks for spending this time with me

And I wish you all the best in your pain reducing journey

And really the journey to your higher, more essential self

I encourage you to make a strong commitment to stay with this work

You'll be glad you did

Now, let's get started

Here's a meditation exercise that will bring you

Into the relaxation response and guide your breathing

So that you naturally and easily reduce your pain

This meditation will lead you through the process of learning how

To use the music and your breath to create the relaxation response

Please use this meditation as many times as you wish so that

You become comfortable and familiar with using the method

And then, for an even deeper experience

Use the method with track three

45 Minutes of uninterrupted music

Okay, ready?