The Message of Pain

Sometimes, life’s greatest gifts have the shittiest wrapping paper.

What if your pain held a sacred message for you? One that would set you free if you were able to fully acknowledge it. Imagine what the world would be like if you were able to welcome pain and negative emotion with presence and calm, knowing that it had something to share with you.

Show Notes

Important Quotes:

• “The Buddha compares being afflicted with bodily pain to being struck by an arrow. Adding mental pain (aversion, displeasure, depression, or self-pity) to physical pain is like being hit by a second arrow. The wise person stops with the first arrow.” -Bhikku Bodhi
• “When we’re upset we tend to make events seem more harmful or threatening.   Cognitive therapists describe this as “catastrophizing”. The Stoics question how unbearable pain is by asking themselves whether they’re capable of enduring worse.” -Ryan Holiday
• “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” - Joseph Campbell 
• “Your pain is a teacher. Resist it no more. Allow it to be the very catalyst that deepens your personal insight and wisdom. Let your pain become the focus of your meditation.” -Brian Thompson

Key Takeaways:

• Life long Zen meditation practitioners requires a significantly higher level of painful stimulation to feel the same amount of pain to age matched non meditators.
• Indifference may prevent excessive or unnecessary pain, but it is self love and compassion that allows you to recover from it

References:
- All In The Stance: https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/wellness/2003/08/26/all-in-the-stance/6a9f6db1-454c-401e-9af1-a0886b58fbeb/
- Stoicism and Pain Management: 4 Techniques Practiced By Marcus Aurelius: https://dailystoic.com/stoicism-and-pain-management/
- The Zen of Dealing with Chronic Pain: http://www.zenthinking.net/blog/the-zen-of-dealing-with-chronic-pain
- Pain Free: A Revolutionary Method for Stopping Chronic Pain: https://www.amazon.com/Pain-Free-Revolutionary-Stopping-Chronic/dp/0553379887/ref=pd_lpo_1?pd_rd_i=0553379887&psc=1
- Egoscue Method: https://www.egoscue.com/
- A Different Approach To Pain Management: Mindfulness Meditation | Fadel Zeidan | TEDxEmory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLQJJDrbj6Q&t=292

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