"Much of your pain is the bitter potion
by which the physician within you
heals your sick self."
~Kahlil Gibran
When life energy moves through us without obstruction, we are in perfect harmony.
If we have pain somewhere in the body, it is wise to pay attention to it, because pain is a sign that something is out of balance. It warns us that something within the body isn't quite right. It's easy to lose sight of the fact that pain is there to serve us. If we only seek to alleviate pain by suppressing it, we have not addressed the fundamental cause of the pain. Pain is functional because of the signal it gives.
Pain is an indication of the presence of stagnation, a restriction of the free movement of life energy through the body. When you feel those initial twinges of pain, it is wise to think of them as a signal from the body that there is a blockage and some attention is needed. I find that if I pay attention and I immediately apply self-help and do some simple yoga and focus on my breath rhythm, the pain melts away.
Most of us however ignore these initial twinges. We wait until we are sure that we are in pain and then we seek to suppress the pain with Over The Counter Medications. When these medications cease to "erase" the pain, we wait until the pain is constant and unbearable, then we finally pay attention to the signal and seek help.
Our practice helps us to be aware of the signal, and teaches us what to do to address the cause and to return to balance, harmony and wellness. Simple jsj self-help holds along with the systemic approach in our yoga practice can help us to develop a new relationship with pain, to learn to listen to the messages of the body and to shift the stagnation and restrictions to restore ease to the body and to bring balance and harmony throughout all of the systems of the body, mind and spirit. Generally speaking, the longer we live with pain, the longer it will take to release it. Our practice is a long game practice. While results can sometimes be seen right away, we want to make sustainable progress over a long period of time. With regular and consistent practice, we can create change in our bodies, a return to balance is within our reach.
"Pain is such an uncomfortable feeling
that even a tiny amount of it is enough to ruin every enjoyment."
~Will Rogers
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