How do we know that something is wrong? Our wounds announce themselves. Like a cut that has dirt in it. Maybe we cut ourselves weeks ago and forgot to clean it out. We forget about it. The wound becomes infected and, days or weeks later, wound forgotten, we accidentally bump against the spot in the shower. Ouch, sharp pain and then that old and forgotten wound begins to throb. This pain, this awakened throbbing is the uncleaned and neglected wound’s call. When we “hear” the call, when we look to the source of that call, we notice that the site of the wound is red and swollen. It calls for tending.
Wounds to our psychology, wounds to our bio-psycho-spiritual development, to the wholesome unfolding of this treasure, this instrument that we are, are no different than the forgotten cut and the dirt that keeps it from healing.
These wounds announce themselves in various kinds of breakdowns in our relationship with ourselves and others.
Pain is the strangely articulate voice of some part of us, profoundly, mysteriously, and reliably intelligent, telling us that something needs tending.
Let us pay attention to what hurts, what is not working and therefore creating suffering. If we pay attention, then our suffering serves. If we ignore the pain, then, we suffer unnecessarily.
