Skip to main content

Pain Barrier…

This is a topic to which reams of paper and terabytes of storage space must have been already devoted. Probably the pain barrier would have been discussed, in a wide dispersion of paradigms [incl. medicine, sports, emotional growth, self evolution, societal moulding, organizational growth etc] and contexts. Even though there is nothing new to share, let me share it still. Well, hopefully from a fresh window [looking glass!!] – if not anything else.

The more I am fortunate to experience pain, the more I am enamoured of its self annihilating and life giving [re-generative] capacities. Experiencing pain and the expression ‘fortunate’ is a queer association - aint it? Well, what I mean by this – looking at pain [physical, emotional whatever] as it is in its intrinsic form and not the manifestation of pain [consciously or sub-consciously]. Sub-consciously every pain [physical / emotional] in its root is a fear of decimation.

Often times, the inability to look at it intrinsically and connecting just to the innate fear – only helps to reiterate and revalidate both the perceived cause and effect of the fear. That is the very reason perpetuate a certain set of pain, fears and concomitantly self imposed constraints ad infinitum. That is the crux.

They key is to get out of this cycle. A few times, especially while exercising, I could see the beauty of the pain – when seen as it is. In just the particular part which is causing it [where it is being caused] – a muscle, a bone or a nerve. Not letting it transmitted to the head or some other part of the body through our nervous system [arguably one of the most advanced systems of our body]. In such moments, one is able to rationalize – that this pain is mundane. It certainly doesn’t have ability to decimate. And there are thousands of examples of people having shouldered it successfully in the past. So sure I can do as well, probably better. This wee bit of rationalization or any other such personalized talking helps in de-fanging the pain.

Lo and behold!...Next time around, ‘chole gacche’….and next time around, one will have extended the frontier of ones pain. That extends one’s ability to take stress or rather not consider the same load as ‘stress’. Physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual – you name the dimension and the mechanics of self growth are exactly the same.

The Pain Boon. Take it or leave it.

August 11, 2010
Bhubaneshwar

Ps: Munni/Usha – as I wrote the stuff on instincts there were Fb comments, which I hadn’t responded to. I reaslise the same ques are relevant here too. The ans as I undertand is – such learning / internalisation has to be necessarily experiential. And as you would be aware, there are many simple [stepwise] techniques available to observe the self [Vipassana is certainly one of them.]. These are as easy or as tough and require less [not more] diligence that to pass well any degree/certificate exam. Not to mention the diligence/perseverance required to crack state level/national level exams.

Pps - Hope I didnt sound didactic..;)

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Dura Pahada Sundara [Far-away Mountains are Beautiful]

I realize how seriously we take a place we visit specifically to see it – an event in itself, and how much taken for granted are those places that we can hop in an out with regularity and ease. Interestingly I had never wrote or thought of writing about Puri or Konark or Cuttack. Places for which reams have been and can be written. The history, the culture, the cuisine and the local chutzpah [espl. Puri / Cuttack]. Even more interestingly, I have never pondered enough on these places and their unique niceties to have them simmering in my cerebral consciousness. They are somewhere deep there sedimented at best; and at [likely] worst, I do not have the desired ammunition to do justice to write anything substantial. Probably, I will have to resort to the frivolous flourish of the might of the language as a cover. A point to note - I have never seen the Bali Yatra [Cuttackis don’t faint please]. The Puri beach and temple I have always felt is my backyard [so had the taken for granted attit

Foreign Universities in India: Boon or Bane?

    Dr. Partha S Mohapatra (Originally written in March, 2010)   The cabinet yesterday gave its nod to the “Foreign Universities Bill”. I first read the report on Wall Street Journal about the Indian Governments’ intention to open up the higher education sector to foreign universities [Delhi Seeks to Admit Foreign Universities,  Wall Street Journal June 11, 2009 ].  Subsequently, I read similar reports in other newspapers.  Most of the se reports make a compelling story to allow foreign universities to operate in India. The main argument that is made is on following premises: i)      It will save India about $4 billion in foreign exchange [“Leading foreign institutes may soon be here” Economic Times , 11 Sep 2006”]. ii)    India loses because of brain drain when brilliant people go abroad and study and stay there. iii)   We need foreign investments because the government does not have money needed to invest in higher education and private sector is unwilling

For a religion or a product, an open door policy will work best

In the recent past, we have been witness to catchy rhetoric with regards to religious conversion. Strident calls to banning conversion, Ghar Wapsi, Love Jihad et al. I would like to stick my neck out and say almost everyone, right (‘bhakts’), left (‘liberals’), centre (government), has missed out on the most balanced perspective. A person has a right to choose a city and country different from his parents, he or she can also change his or her name given by the parents, what is wrong with the person choosing a religion different from he or she was born with. Religion is an experiential product. Products thrive when they are responsive to customer feedback. We go to five-star hotel to get pampered, if we are unhappy with the service we may not return. If the hotel has a problem with service quality, then over a period of time it will lose substantial business; then either it will buckle up based on customer feedback or will go out of business. That is exactly relevant for a re