Pain and Pleasure (inspired by my teacher, Misa)

In our yoga class today, my dear teacher and friend, Misa, explored the concept of pain and pleasure. She asked us to do certain poses being completely aware that we would experience pain and discomfort. We were to explore our physical pain, even welcome it and feel it very deeply. 'Think about where is your pain, how deep is it, explore it,' she urged us. 'Play with it, move and adjust your body so the pain is also felt in different muscles.' Every pose that brought pain was then followed by a period of relaxation. Each time we felt pain we got to rest and recuperate. In that period we were to completely let the pain go. To erase the memory if it and not to dwell on it. 

In my practice i found the pain to be mostly bearable. But the ecstasy after the pain was especially beautiful. And i was amazed by the rapidity with which the body forgot the pain. It quickly moved into pleasure, forgiving the pain. The muscles did not hang onto the painful memory. They just released it. 

If the body can be so forgiving then so should the heart and mind. Instead of holding onto painful thoughts and memories can we take a lesson from our bodies and release the negative effects as soon as possible? It is not so much the pain, but the reminder of pain - which comes from our negative thinking that creates toxicity. 

Indeed, Misa reminded us during and after the class, that life is exactly like this. There is pain we need to face, but we should always remember that pain will be followed by pleasure. This makes the pain a little more bearable. Let us create our own pleasure by letting go of pain quickly and effectively. 

P.S. Equally true that pleasure will be followed by pain. But that is another matter and another post. The cyclical nature of pleasure and pain should remind us not to be affected too positively or too negatively by either. For the truth is that both will pass. 

Comments

[somanabolic]

someone told me that every decision we make in life is either to avoid pain or to gain pleasure. We ultimatley choose that which we desire the most. I basically agree with this statement, eg.1. I smoke because the pleasure of smoking outways the eventual pain. eg.2. You didn't ask that girl out because the pain of rejection outwayed the potential pleasure if she said yes (for those girls out there, please substitute girl for boy, or leave it girl if you wish