Universally people want to reject pain and wish it away. Whenever I work with someone in pain, a part of me wishes that I could just make their pain go away. Pain serves a purpose though: pain causes us to change, to slow down. It restricts our movement, changes our routines, forces us to find different patterns to explore, compels us to focus on unexpected aspects of our lives, bodies, and experience that otherwise we wouldn't necessarily choose.
Through working with many people in pain, I am often reminded about and impressed by the transformation and healing that can take place due to pain. Pain often has complex origins that defy simple explanations and remedies, and has aspects related to all dimensions of our being: physical, mental, and spiritual. It is important to see that the obstructions that appear in your path and the pains in our bodies, are meant to be there for your learning and growth. It helps to trust the process, to let go of the results and see the potential openings that come about when we allow our bodies to feel pain.
For example, in the yoga practice, when we are hurting, we are forced to learn how to practice more gently, to become more humble and less ambitious and goal oriented. Pain also forces us to deal with frustration and the arrogance of thinking that our little conscious mind knows exactly how to go further along our path. We become more caring, more open and vulnerable, and with letting go of our attachments, happier with less.
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