The Many Splendid Gifts of...Pain?

After I uploaded the above photo (of a new and lovely lily in our backyard), I realized that my lower back and left ribs were getting pretty sore. Even as little as one month ago, I would have ignored this and just kept working, pushing through, pushing myself, pushing my body. Pushing.

But not any more. This time, I listened to this obvious and very loud signal from my body. I got up from the computer -- GASP! -- and went downstairs for a brief but effective water and yoga and cat kissing break.

This is one of the gifts of my recent pain: a paying attention to myself that I have never bothered with before.

It has taken a lot, though, for my body to get my attention. Poor body!

I have suffered from lower back pain and a million other varieties of pain pretty much all my life. This is the physical evidence of early life abuse -- written upon this body in volumes.

Taken as normal, I have just worked through, around, and with it.

Yet, I know the power of my will and mind: I have gotten rid of migraines and depression without the aid of allopathic medicine.

Allopathic medicine would diagnose my pains and troubles as Fibromyalgia. Does this help me? To have a diagnosis? At first, I thought no, I don't need that. (I am also stubborn and hate labeling myself like this, afraid I will become the label.) But recently, I've come to learn that the diagnosis can lend a level of respect to how I care for myself.

My lower back pain has recently gotten extra bad. I also have other classic Fibro sites of pain: ribs and sternum.

Allowing myself this diagnosis has led to discovering muscle trigger points and how much the massage of these specific points can help me to heal.

So, ironically, pain has taught me to respect my body more than any amount of flexibility and stamina and trim thighs ever has in the past.

What else has pain taught me?

I need regular periods of rest. I know, I know, this should be obvious, basic human knowledge, but how many of us ignore it? Rest...away from the computer. Breathing in fresh air. Listening to the birds. Watching the birds. Petting a cat. Cuddling in the evening. Staring at the moon. Rest.

On the other end of that scale, I need regular periods of movement. Again, this should be obvious, but how many of us drown in computer land every day, never bothering to come up for air. And when I say movement, I mean MOVEMENT. I start my day, pretty regularly, with a bike ride to get the blood flowing to the limbs and the gray matter. I take walks, little mini yoga breaks during the day. Then late afternoon, every day, I either dance my ass off or do some serious Kundalini yoga. MOVE MOVE MOVE.

My pain is always better during this kind of movement and it lasts for a while...until I am called to move again.

I must listen to my body. I can do just about any yoga you put in front of me. I am flexible and strong. But that does not mean that I should do any yoga put in front of me. I am learning to really listen during my practice. My body is very clear about what it wants and needs. I just usually ignore it.

Water is the Elixir of the Gods.


Good food is more important than the "right food." Suzie the foodie recently posted about Food Elitism, and she is onto something. All these rules?! What are they really for? Are they for our health, really, or is something else going on?

Because I'll tell you something really important I have learned: my body knows what it needs in terms of nutrients and sometimes, a lot of times, it's not politically correct.

Also, there is a nutrient called JOY that a lot of us are missing by imposing so many rules.

The new rule is that there are no rules. How about that?

Posture counts! Sitting all scrunched up at the computer? Pain. Sitting on a sofa that is too soft? Pain. Standing with your head jutted forward? Pain. There is a great posture primer on this Ravi and Ana DVD. Very Alexander technique and I am learning so much from these few minutes.

My moods really do affect my pain. I am recognizing that if I hold in anxiety or any kind of anger, it makes my stomach hurt. Yep, never noticed that before.

What about you? Has pain ever taught you anything splendid?


(Photo & Text Credit: Christine C. Reed, blisschick.net, 2009)