I'm in Pain...is that True?

Here's a tip I have just discovered, pain is not all it seems!  Katie is fond of asking her clients, as they sit there writhing in anger ..."You are angry...is that true?"  Her suggestion to us all is that we have our emotions so well labeled we don't ever check to see if they are real, or imagined. 

This may seem ridiculous except that on closer examination I have discovered it to be true.  This week I have seen my yoga practice deepen to a whole new level simply by asking myself, while contorted in the most ridiculous positions, 'I'm in pain, is that true?'  One of the most loathsome of all poses is Pigeon, it's one of those positions whereby I feel that my hip will rip like a chicken leg off its socket and I will be left, on the floor, with floppy legs and eminent death.  So whilst in this most excruciating of poses I asked myself about the pain.  I simple noticed and delved into the sensations and the feeling and the actual physical 'whatness' of it all.  I noticed a most remarkable thing, it was actually quite enjoyable!  Once I got past the fear and the thought of 'my leg is going to rip off!' I noticed that the sensation was tingly, intense, heaty, deep, and then I noticed it started to move and glow and I could feel it pulsing and almost expectant.  I kid you not, I was most impressed.  Whilst delving into the sensations I noticed my fear left and I simply stayed in the position, and deepened the position, with no problem.  I could also hold it for the commanded time without flopping into a one-sided heap.

Since discovering that yoga pain is actually just a tingly, intense, heaty sensation I have been able to do a whole bunch of poses I could never do before - how bizarre is that!

So, next step is to shift this Inquiry into bigger emotions like anger and sadness.  I have noticed with sadness I am often mistaking the feeling of compassion for sadness.  When someone tells me a 'sad' story I may feel like I am sad too, but when I really look - I am actually feeling love.  Anger is the same, while I'm having one of my temper tantrums, what am I really feeling?  Tingly head, pulsing blood, constricted throat muscles...hmmm...interesting...look how the body reacts when I think 'I am angry'...I wonder where it goes next? 

Next time you feel an intense emotion, delve into its sensation and let me know, what is it really?

Comments

[Dayah]

Hi Elaine,

Thank you for the post. Your feed came just at the right time. I made a decision and I thought that I would feel released, light and free. But instead, I feel sad; like a lump in my throat, strain above my left eyebrow, tightness of the cheek to smile and heavy on the shoulders.

I feel sad... is that true? Maybe I need a piece of chocolate, or two. :)