Recoiling From Pain Intensifies It

Recoiling from pain is futile.  For me, trying to do so actually makes it worse.  It significantly intensifies it.

This goes for any kind of pain--physical, emotional, mental or spiritual.  But in this instance, I am referring to physical pain--the kind that brings deep suffering on every level of existence.

Part of the problem is that I unconsciously resist pain.  This is an automatic and very unconscious response from me.  I don't like feeling pain.  Resisting it always comes first for me.  

In the resistance, I begin tensing up my muscles and my joints in some kind of unconscious effort to brace myself to surmount and bear the pain.

It is not easy to stay conscious and aware that I am in pain avoidance mode. Usually I discover it when I am feeling even more pain and I do a "body check," and I realize that my entire body is now into the resistance of the experience.

It is completely natural to want to avoid things that feel so uncomfortable.

A total mind-blower to me is my discovery that by mentally directing my attention into the center of the pain, facing it, focusing on it, allowing it and accepting it, alters it in a positive way for me.  

This seems very illogical to me.  But I am here to tell you that sometimes it is the only thing that brings relief.

Perhaps the relief comes from not adding the extra tensing and anxiety to the already difficult experience to bear.

I am not sure.  But I know that for me, relief is in the heart of the pain.  That doesn't necessarily mean that acceptance and allowing makes it go completely away.  But it surely does bring some peace and liberation from the depths of the suffering.

Try it!  What have you got to lose?  Maybe some pain!!

Love and Hugs,
Barbara

© Copyright 2009-2015, Transformation Of A Mystic | Barbara F. Manning. 

All Rights Reserved

 Thank you Google Images, for the Commercial Reuse of your Images!

 

Rocking Through the Thunder Storms!

As a child my mother used to rock me in the big rocker in front of the big picture window, watching the lightening flash and listening to the thunder pound. She did this with me and my brothers because we were terrified of the storms.  

In time I grew to love thunder and lightening storms...because they were a time of great closeness with my mother.   This nurturing and comforting place was not something my mother shared much as I was growing up.  But when thunder and lightening visited, she became the most soothing and cuddling mother!

We all need cuddling from time to time.

For some of us, we can no longer just go to our mother for this kind of support.  For some of us, Mom is no longer in the physical.  For others, it is just not feasible or we feel too vulnerable about our neediness.  Or, maybe we didn't have a mother that was able to nurture at all.

I have discovered that I have my own "Inner Mother" inside of me.  I have found that I can "go within," in a meditation state, and with my intention being to nurture me and love me, just as my mom once did with me.  In this way, I become my own parent and I parent myself!

What a discovery to find that this is possible!  

I am grateful!

Become the mother that you lost or that you never had or that is not available to you when you need her.

  

Nurture and take care of you!

Do the best job possible for you!  You deserve it!

Feel the closeness and KNOW beyond any doubt that you are held and you are perfectly safe and loved--any time that you need it or want it! 

Most importantly, let it be Okay that you need it or want it!  And then, work to allow yourself to receive it!  It is WONDERFUL!  And it is so worth the spiritual work to learn to allow ourselves to receive the good things in life!!  

(Thank you Getty Images, for the use of this photo)

Happy Self-Nurturing!

Love & Hugs & Blessings,
Barbara

Copyright 2012. Transformation of a Mystic. Barbara F. Manning

Stand Up for Yourself!

If we wish to grow to our fullest potential, we must trust that where and to what our soul leads us is the highest good for us, always--even when it looks like a scary place!

No matter what your mind and your fears are saying about what is coming up for you, listen to your gut, your heart, your soul and move forward as you are being guided!

Trust and surrender to the process and the outcome.  All is being divinely guided and is what you are here to do!

Always fight injustice and stand up for yourself in the best and highest ways available to you!  Then release it and allow the Universe, God, whatever you call that power greater than yourself, to work things out to your greatest benefit.

It always does!

 

Groom Mine, Nevada, belonging to my family since 1889.

Copyright 2012. Transformation of a Mystic. Barbara F. Manning