“Much of your pain is self-chosen.
It is the bitter potion by which the physician within you heals your sick self.
Therefore trust the physician, and drink
his remedy in silence and tranquility…”
~Kahlil Gibran
I say all of our pain is self-chosen. And to realize the strength of the ego, the habit patterns that are the root of our suffering, is to be completely humbled, and eventually liberated. The path can lead to happiness, but it sure doesn’t feel good all of the time. The funny thing is that when it doesn’t feel good– that is when the real practice begins. And that is when it is so easy to say “This ain’t working for me.” Just clouds passing in the sky.
Love the shitstorm.
(or not)
January 13, 2009 at 11:07 am
So…and I hope you do not mind the inquiry, What is it that arises when I stub my toe?
January 13, 2009 at 11:09 am
Jordan that is a great question that only you can answer. Not sure what is arising when you stub your toe. Not sure what you are working out here, let alone myself most of the time. I am guessing, however, it feels like pain
January 13, 2009 at 12:23 pm
beautiful post!
January 13, 2009 at 1:00 pm
I think it is sometimes true of emotional pain … but the reason we recognise emotional pain is because our bodies are given a mechanism that demonstrates our physical pain. A reality of a fleshly mortal body. Without the physical, you would not recognise the emotional (or spiritual if you will). Hence the pain of a stubbed toe is real.
January 13, 2009 at 1:47 pm
As Sylvia Boorstein points out, “Suffering is optional; pain is not.” The pain that comes from a stubbed toe pales in comparison to what our mind does immediately thereafter.
I wonder about those times when the phrase, “This ain’t working for me” appears – could it be that these words are the first sign of the fact that “it” actually IS WORKING?
January 13, 2009 at 4:00 pm
I love this entry. When I read it I think of a friend of mine who is trying to break some of those habit patterns. I think I’ll send it to her. Thanks for sharing. And Barry, love the Sylvia Boorstein quote.
January 13, 2009 at 7:57 pm
Aggie–thanks for the comment. Yes pain is real. Or is it?
Barry–right on. Love the quote. I’ll be using that one. “Suffering is optional; pain is not”. makes me think of a child I was once close to…when she would fall down she would look to the reaction of her parents to see if she should cry or just get up and shrug it off. Interesting.
Chehaw–More power to your friend!
Thanks for all of your comments.
January 13, 2009 at 8:00 pm
Thanks for stopping by Axinia. I love your blog, by the way.
January 13, 2009 at 10:07 pm
I agree wholeheartedly.. Being in the middle of such deep emotional pain at the moment – I realise that it’s my choice to remain here, but here I remain! The battle that is being forged in my mind can be overwhelming at times as my ego does not want to let go and surrender.. But, I will continue and hopefully be liberated!
January 14, 2009 at 8:04 am
Keep trying Fibi! Begin again, every moment. We are your cheering section!
January 14, 2009 at 9:24 pm
When it rains shit, something good usually grows…
: )
January 14, 2009 at 9:42 pm
Pain is a way of the body letting us know that this is not for me. These a pains that give no joy. There are pain that comes with a sense of joy, sense of accomplishment, the pain that the body heals naturally. While others are merely a communicating passge between the inner self to the role we take to face the world everyday.
January 15, 2009 at 4:06 am
Some times, pain is very important to our spiritual growth. That’s the only thing that reminds us of our ego. If there was no pain, we wouldn’t recognize our ego’s and have a pretty much single minded approach in our lives!
Destination Infinity
January 15, 2009 at 12:03 pm
Val—I’ll bring my umbrella
Jeeva–thanks for the thoughtful words.
DI–amen to that. Hard to remember in the moment sometimes, however.
January 15, 2009 at 6:04 pm
“Love the shitstorm.”
Yes!