The Shaolin monks of China are famous for fighting skills and acrobatics, but above all, for their ability to somehow manage their senses.

 

Does this really not hurt or do they just not mind the pain? To prepare themselves for their grueling acts, the monks use one of the oldest forms of pain control—meditation.

 

“We have to focus 100 percent. We need willpower to channel our Qi, our spiritual energy. When we meditate, we channel this spiritual energy throughout our body.”

 

Meditation starts by changing how the body works: The heart slows, pumping less blood; the muscles relax. Relaxed muscles means[1] less tension, which means less pain.

 

But the strangest effect occurs in the brain. Astonishingly, although the brain is still alert, meditation lessens the emotional reaction to pain. It’s like turning down the volume. So when pain sensations hit, they have little effect. That’s how the monks can tolerate what for anyone else would be extraordinary pain.