Eliminating Pain, Understanding Fear, Demonstrating Courage The Power of Now - Episode 2

What is pain? We all experience pain. There is the physical, where we all have a modicum of control over. There is pain, which creates fear. There is use in these types of pain. And then there is useless pain: resentment, anger, jealousy, anguish, regret. These are the things that make us ineffective. They dilute our lives with distraction. They create stasis and prevent growth. They destroy. So then, what practical, proven approach avoids useless pain? Let’s consider then, two types of pain; Practical Pain and Unnecessary Pain.

Pain has a practical purpose. When we are in physical pain, our body’s telling our conscious, “hey, something is a bit off here, please tend to it.” Often we get the idea pretty quickly, and we work to neutralize the pain. “Hey Doctor, it hurts when I do ‘this.’” “Hey patient, then don’t do that.”

Practically speaking, we project potential pain when we are thinking of living outside of our comfort zone. We might have a dream, but we hesitate. We don’t pull the trigger and execute because we let the potential for pain dissuade us. First, we imagine “Loss Pain. For example, if we consider going for our MBA, we hesitant because we know we will lose our comfy, happy, stable way of life. There is “Process Pain.” We tell ourselves that the work we have to do is too much or too difficult. We do not want to face the challenge because of the potential of pain from the process. Finally, there is “Outcome Pain.” We make the sacrifices and put in the time, but what if we don’t get that promotion once we have our MBA. We project and imagine the pain and disappointment we will feel if our plans do not unfold to our expectations.

Finding the COURAGE to overcome this kind of practical pain requires us to do something that doesn’t come naturally; we need to tell people about our challenge, and we have to ask for help. That’s right. And this, my friends, takes COURAGE.

What of the unnecessary pain? Physical, Loss, Process, and Outcome pain all are part of us moving and growing for practical purposes. Overcoming these kinds of pain helps us to improve. Here is where the adage applies: “No Pain, No Gain.” Un-necessary pain his self created as long as the unobserved mind runs your life. In observing our thoughts, we can neutralize the resistance that the regret of the past and the fear of the future places on our present moment. 

“Make the Now the primary focus of your life. Whereas before you dwelt in time and paid brief visits to the now, have your dwelling place in the Now and pay short visits to past and future when required to deal with the practical aspects of your life situation. Always say yes to the present moment. What could be more futile, more insane, them to create inner resistance to something that already is? What could be more insane than to oppose life itself, which is now and always now? Surrender to what is. Say yes to life–and see how life suddenly starts working for you rather than against you.

Accept – then act. Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with, not against it. Make it your friend and ally, not your enemy. This will miraculously transform your whole life.”

The words written by Ekhart Tolle had a profound impact on my life. It’s as if the clouds cleared. Its as if all the years of calcified guilt and pain broke into pieces. As my practice of being present grew, those pieces broke further still, until now they are sand under my feet as stand tall, and embrace the Now.