Testimonials
So Far
Chronic pain significantly affects the body and mind, impacting relationships and daily activities. At Nasya’s Breath, we aim to help empower individuals by reconnecting with themselves and nature for a better way of living with pain. We undertook a 5-week pilot with volunteers suffering from chronic pain to test a workshop that combines education, creativity, mindfulness, and forest bathing.
What People Are Saying
These testimonials come from participants who live with chronic pain. The results, according to those who participated, have been nothing short of transformative.
Roger, a war veteran who initially approached the workshops with scepticism. "I was sceptical, but thought I'd give it a go," he admits. “However, after a session of quiet time and meditation, something remarkable happened. I opened my eyes, and I was pain free,” he recalls.
While the length of time he would remain pain-free was uncertain, the experience ignited a spark. "I had a moment of being pain free," he says. The experience proved profound. “These workshops have been the best thing that has ever happened to me, I have never felt more connected to a group of people, Bea is a natural and has blown me away! I have found myself after all these years, I know where I need to be, outside in the woods." For Roger, the workshop was more than just pain management; it was a rediscovery of self and a call back to our desperate need to connect with nature. Roger's pain tool scored showed a huge reduction in pain after the trial.
Tom, a dangerously depressed and anxious man, who was envious of those in the grave, had completely isolated himself and felt he didn't have anything to live for, pain had taken his engineering career, his driving licence and his friendship, the truth is “they all get sick of hearing about pain eventually.”
Tom looked sad and hardly spoke in the beginning, however by the end of the workshops he was smiling, and felt he had found hope again, and something worth living for. He said, “Thank you for taking a chance on me, I think I feel happy, which is something I haven't felt in years.” Trever went on to say, “these workshops have shown me that despite the pain, I can still find joy and something worth living for.”
Caroline, a nurse who’s had to give up her career due to crippling pain, echoes this sentiment, expressing immense gratitude for the experience. “Im so grateful," she says, "I felt seen beyond the pain, for more than someone with pain. This course has done me the world of good." She highlights the comprehensive approach, noting that she’s "going away with more awareness, knowledge and skills in not only how to manage pain better, but I also feel more connected to myself and the trees." The program's success lies in its ability to address not just the physical pain, but also the emotional and spiritual dimensions of suffering
Dee struggles to articulate the full impact of the experience, saying, "There are no words to give justice to how incredible this opportunity has been. I’m so grateful, my pain has reduced, and I feel more able to manage it, I also feel inspired to spend more time in nature and use what I have learnt to make changes in my life.”
These testimonials offer a powerful message of hope for those struggling with chronic pain. They demonstrate the potential of combining mindful practices with the restorative power of nature, offering not just pain management, but a pathway to self-discovery, connection, and a renewed appreciation for life. They suggest that by looking inward, gaining powerful knowledge and reaching outward to the natural world, individuals can find the strength and resilience to navigate their pain and reclaim their well-being.
Carly’s story is particularly inspiring. "Emotional," she describes, sharing the incredible news, "I have been able to stop taking all of my pain killers!" The tools she learned provided tangible benefits, allowing her to reclaim aspects of her life that had been overtaken by pain. “This has helped me not only with my pain, but with building emotional and psychological resilience. It’s taught me to recognise that I am not powerless, it’s given me my agency back in managing my health and well-being”.
What Next
From our learnings and participant feedback, we are excited to be working towards our second phase - trialling the 10-week workshop, which is due to commence July 2025. We are proud to say that we’ll be running this project with our local NHS provider through the Nature Pain Project. If you are interested in taking part please contact us.