Words From The Master - 28 April 2008

Pain can lead to enlightenment

Pain is a basic necessity of our lives; in the absence of pain we may start styling our faces and limbs as we do our hair everyday! Pain is a sign of our body wisdom and renders us integrated humans.

Emotionally and mentally, pain arises out of our resistance to the present. Such pain is additive and creates a negative energy field around us that we can refer to as the ‘Pain Body’.

Emotional imbalance disturbs the physical body; sexual repression leads to back pain; a sense of bearing high responsibilities causes shoulder pain; when you are in unfriendly company your body seems to shrink.

Pain calls for our attention; because attention is energy.

We invite pain upon ourselves through a lack of moderation in whatever we do, and often enjoy the pain as it brings us attention.

It is established that a human being can stay alive without food for 90 days but could develop serious mental trauma if he or she is not paid any attention to for 14 days.

To sustain ourselves, we create a low energy pool of ailments, and gladly suffer cold and cancer.

Pain and dis-ease are often substitutes for a lack of attention. They are signs that we are desperately seeking, begging and demanding attention.

The next time you experience some pain, try this. Lie down in a dark room with your eyes closed and focus upon the point of pain to the exclusion of all else.

As you experience the point of pain, drop the notion of ‘pain’ from your mind. Focus all your attention at this spot and soon you will find it shrinking.

Concentrate further and you find that the pain has disappeared and in its place you experience pleasure; pain and pleasure are the same sensation with different tags. Your awareness of pain has caused it to disappear and bring in the positive energy of pleasure.

When you examine the phenomenon of pain deeply, you realise that you are not the body. No pain can affect the real You. When you overcome pain, you experience the rare freedom arising out of non-attachment.

You then exist as an Atman, an enlightened Master. Pain can be the gateway to bliss, your key to enlightenment.

When you transcend both pain and pleasure, which are both one and the same, you experience bliss, which is perfect harmony, inner silence and total peace.

To live life without pain and suffering, become aware of the emotion of pain. Then accept the present — the here and now.

Awareness with acceptance is the way out of pain and suffering. Suffering is important, in life, for growth. When you understand suffering, you will realise how unnecessary it is!

Meditation is the key to that awareness and acceptance.