Pain is an inevitable part of life, but if that is true, why are we not taught what to do with it? Are we meant to hold on to it, as it drags us down into a bottomless hole? Are we meant to share the pain and spread it to others? If pain is so inevitable in life, is there a purpose to it?
During the course of my life, I tried various ways to ‘handle’ my pain. I ignored it. I suppressed it. I projected it. I internalized it. I avoided it. And eventually all those methods failed me. I was left with a mountain of pain that controlled and consumed my life. I then became a victim to my pain. My lense of the world became negative, hopeless and hateful. My pain had accumulated to the point where I could no longer see, feel or think of anything without its tainted touch. Eckhart Tolle explains that, “The pain body wants to survive, just like every other entity in existence, and it can only survive if it gets you to unconsciously identify with it. It can then rise up, take you over, ‘become you’ and live through you. It needs to get its ‘food’ through you though…” it is actually afraid of the light of your consciousness. It is afraid of being found out. Its survival depends upon your unconscious identification with it, as well as your unconscious fear of facing the pain that lives in you.” - Eckhart Tolle The Power of Now
There is a recurring theme that our conditioning has taught us, it is an unwillingness to see, feel and accept our pain. We are not taught how to do this nor are we taught what is on the other side of our pain consumed existence. And on the contrary we are almost encouraged to become victims, as if there is some moral superiority over others, because ‘my pain is greater than yours’. Staying within victimhood inhibits our ability to let go, to forgive and to surrender…which are all pinnacle components of transformation and peace.
“If you don’t bring the light of your consciousness into the pain you will be forced to relive it again and again… it is an insubstantial phantom that cannot prevail against the powers of your presence. It cannot use you anymore by pretending to be you, and it can no longer replenish itself through you.” - Eckhart Tolle
The Way
Comments