I’ve found that pain is usually a messenger. Now sometimes of course it’s just random, but often if you look closer it’s the result of some unconscious imbalance in your life.
For instance, let’s suppose you’re having neck and shoulder pain on one side. Often our natural reaction would be to resist and try to avoid the pain. Maybe we want to just take medication or have a drink. “Just make it go away!”
But what is the real cause of the pain underneath...? Do you have a habit of carrying a heavy bag on that side? Notice your physical stress responses...does that shoulder tense up when you’re triggered in anger or fear? Pay attention to your sleep habits...do you sleep more often on one side or the other? If so, ponder why? 🤔 Is it really more comfortable to always sleep on the left side vs the right, or are you trying to convey a message of hurt or resentment to your partner by keeping your back to them in bed all night long?
Just notice - what is your pain trying to tell you?
I think that pain is like any other sensation; it simply desires to be recognized. This is sort of an evolving insight that I've been developing during meditation practice, so it isn't 100% clear to me yet.
Sensations arise, hang around for a while, and then pass away. So chronic pain in this context would be a series of sensations that one hasn't acknowledged to the point that it has piled up layer by layer. The the body becomes blind to these sensations since we keep telling it to ignore them. This causes all kinds of miseries at the deepest level of our being to manifest in seemingly unrelated ways that we attribute to all kinds of nonsense.
By observing the pain closely we begin to understand that it was trying to bring your attention to it, teach you something and then it blips out of existence like all phenomena - as it is empty of any inherent duality. :)
Very well said @nuthman Energy in the body is there to tell us to take notice, understand why, and release our judgements of it. I love that you said it is empty of any inherent duality!!!!!
Yeah it's interesting when you are told this sort of thing over and over by teachers and then start to see it on an experiential level. It becomes almost comical at some point how much we cling to things that ultimately have no substance.
Pain is a great example! Most of the suffering that we attribute to the pain is actually our fear and mental constructs multiplying until we are overwhelmed. That blew my mind the first time I was able to see pain as a sensation. That one is not always easy! Hehe
I so agree, we really love to hang on to our duality and belief structures. It is an interesting journey learning to see them all for what they really are. LOVING LIFE.
First and foremost pain lets us know we're alive. Second.... what causes physical pain? Inflammation in different stages. Where does all this begin?.... Diet. Love what you do and enjoyed!
It does wake one up and remind us that we are alive. :) I’d argue with you that it’s always physical diet. Often shitty diets are exacerbating inflammation causing pain, yes. but I have friends who have the world’s most physically pristine diet, and yet are in a great deal of physical and emotional pain based on their mental stories that are stuck in. Sometimes I suppose it’s our mental diet causing the pain
Yes, mental and emotional play their roles as well. The next time these thoughts or emotions come into play "release" them as they aren't serving in a good way. Forgiveness is not about the other person it's about one's self. Were all here to learn, experience and move on. Dwelling on the past or future messes up our short films we are here to create in the "now." For me though diet is huge within this realm. Do your friends eat any meats? Very acidic to the body. We also have to be careful of anything we "use" such as skin care products, toothpaste, etc as it too enters the body. Navigating these things is a pain in the ass as our society and keepers either don't get it with the products they offer or get it very well and it's all here by design? Either way easier said than done right? A constant battle for me as well but I'm in a good state these days...........
Thanx for sharing your valuable thoughts and making us aware
I've been dealing with IBS for almost a year and of course the belly pain that comes with the pack of its symptoms and not even a doctor that I've talked with has ever told me anything about food. It was always something about my stress, my fears, my compulsive thinking. Always something mental, not physical so I do believe that pain that has no outer cause has definitely one from inside. One that only us can deal with.
By the way...long time no see :)
Right...definitely one from inside. Sorry to hear of your suffering. Pain can be a powerful motivator to seek relief of it/resolve those inside causes.
It has been a long time... I come and I go. I know consistency is best, but this is just how my individualization seems to operate. 😉
sometimes, the pain isn't rooted in a deep seated issue.
sometimes, its the new kitten running down the stairs, under my feet, and me diving sideways, to avoid landing on him, and instead of all my weight on him, it's all on the edge of my foot.
Doc calls it a severe medium sprain. Doesn't want to call it a severe sprain.
I call it, a few days off my feet in bed, and almost two weeks hopping/limping.
It's a good thing he's cute.
(not the doc)
Sometimes a sprain is just a sprain. Or is it...?
Truth is that The sprain could be attributed to your attachment to not hurting the kitten, to your identity as a kind human, and to wanting to keep said kitten around to enjoy its playful adorableness.
It’s not that these are good or bad things mind you. Just that The pain always reveals something about us.
In future, I will try to be more mindful of avoiding hurting said kitten, and be more in touch with my own need to feel less pain....
.... Nah!
Kidding... True what you write, though... the pain is merely a reminder of other aspects of my own life!
Meanwhile, Tucker lives on to make another attempt on my life next time we meet on the stairs!
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OMG..
Great post.. 👍
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Such an interesting way to evaluate physical pain as a spiritual conveyance of need for change or to pay attention to life choices on the daily.
i'm here just for the pictures ...
I value your honesty ✌🏽
I have a serious amount of neck pain from nursing in my job.. it effects me here because I am tall!.. but when I dig deeper into the root cause, it's because I am using the wrong methods of movement :] .. I react to the situation before thinking it through because I want the patient to feel trust in me, as a result my neck really hurts at night when trying to sleep.. I need to think in the moment more!
Are you saying that you’re tall and when working as a nurse you try to connect with your patients by leaning your head down?
Yes , for sure. From bending to meet on same level and from lifting. Always hurts my neck. So painful x
That’s so perceptive if you to know you’re causing the pain from your body language responsive. That pattern is probably a hard one to change but maybe with your awareness?
very hard to change indeed, the lady I was communicating with has since passed away.(3 days ago 💔) In recent months the only way I could look into her eyes while speaking to her was to do this, as she had some problems with her neck, in the end, that resulted in her neck been unable to support itself in a straight position.
So, I guess I am glad that you she did not feel that all communication was lost as a result of this 💔