Pain that has not yet come is avoidable

[Kimberly]

What does the following sutra mean to you? Pain that has not yet come is avoidable (2:16) Answer as a student, as a teacher and as a human being!

[Beth]

This concept goes back to my post about my headaches. There is physical pain and mental, emotional pain. I believe they are very connected or united, just as yoga. I believe that my mental and emotional pain comes from struggling against reality and the facts of my life that are out of my control. So much stress is created around wanting things to be different, wanting them to be the way you imagined, or getting what you wanted and now wishing you hadn’t. Pain comes from struggling against others and their words, actions and behaviors. I take things personally and allow my ego to be affected which then causes me pain, perceived pain. In fact, I am healthy and I have an abundance of love in my life. Yet the pain I experience can be avoided by becoming curious about it. My physical pain from my headaches begin far before the pain is felt. In becoming curious about my pain, I’ve discovered that I am imagining it, that I am allowing situations, people and events to affect my mood and disrupt my understanding.

This pain, manifests eventually into a physical pain in my neck, back and head, which is so common for the Vata-Pitta dosha combination, which is what I am. I am a dead split between the two with a little Kapha of course. I realize that pain, as Kimberly said, really is in my head. For me this can be prevented because I don’t have to experience the ups and downs of life as pain, if I continue to try not to struggled against it. I can’t control much of my daily life, but I do control how I internalize everything. In my Bhakti yoga class, we are reading the Aphorisms of Love, which encourages us to reach into ourselves in meditation to discover the undying love, the unconditional love that connects all things. This love is the source love and as drops in the ocean, we are each a separate drop inside a huge sea. We are all one with each other and the ego only exists when we begin to claim things as our own.

As a teacher, I hope to provide metaphors and simple truths to my students during class as they set an intention for their practice. I want to introduce gently, the idea that pain is perceived and can therefore by avoided. I need to continue to practice this in my own life, but sharing it with others is to help all of us stop struggling against that which we do not want.

[lisaclick48]

LISA CLICK –

As a human being, I know that stress was causing my chest physical pain. My job was causing pain in my life in many ways including not taking care of myself. I was even waiting around for a man to define my worth. There were times that I was in some sort of pain in all areas of my life in mind, body and spirit. Finding Yoga saved me. Meditation and living a life of the Yamas and Niyamas jewels. Focus on creating good habits, positive feelings about myself and the world. Doing all that I can do to be my best self in all areas of my life. I believe that you can prevent illness, pain of the heart and pain of the mind by living a life of good focus. I know that I have already avoided so much pain that I shall never experience.
As a student, I have so much to learn yet as I get more comfortable in my yoga practice. I love the idea that pain is what my brain is telling me where I can think differently to push my limitations. I love the self-discovery and the self-acceptance as it removes pain from my mind allowing myself to know that JUST TO BE.…is ENOUGH! I believe that pain can be avoided based on the love of oneself, good thoughts and habits. I know that my body will be healthier as I do my daily practice and my mind is becoming more and more healthier with changing the way I think and how I see the world.
As a teacher, I will always include something in my yoga session to provoke thought in my students. An intention for their practice or sharing how pain is perceived in our bodies, in our lives. I love the idea of have a great impact on others.this is one of the greatest gifts that being a teacher will hold for me.

[msinghal]

Meenal Singhal

When Patanjali says “pain that has not yet come, is avoidable,” he does not mean that pain will not come. Pain is inevitable in human life. He means how we will endure it or suffer in it, depends entirely upon us. I analyze this sutra in two ways:

The more we invest our energy and attention to the things that give us pain, the more pain those things give us. As an example, my mother used to say, “the more you repeat ‘it is cold,’ the more cold you will feel” Her point being: the more you focus on the suffering caused by a thing or a situation, the more you will realize it in your head, and the more it will make you suffer. Things and situations are neutral: they themselves do not cause pain, or not cause pain. They must be accepted as is by cultivating Santosh and gratitude.

We must also continuously purify our minds with a dose of positive thoughts, consciously and forcefully replacing any negative thoughts. I have seen my father, as a yoga teacher, teach meditation and Shavasana by asking students to focus on the inhalation and exhalation of their breath. With every inhalation, he would ask them to think of positive thoughts and with every exhalation, he would ask to release any negative thoughts: Inhale happiness, exhale sadness; inhale health, exhale diseases; inhale peace, exhale anxiety; inhale kindness, exhale animosity; inhale strength, and exhale weakness, and so on. This practice of Shauch of the mind prepares us to mitigate future pain more effectively.

As a teacher, I would like to be that kind of guide, who can be a positive role model for my students. But first, I must be a student myself of these philosophies: of practicing contentment and positivity.

[regmarlew63]

As a student, this sutra will be helpful to me in the ways I approach the circumstances of living all my days. I feel, that if I approach living life as a student, meaning always searching to learn from all things and people I encounter along the way, there will always be a lesson there that will grow me. In growing through doing and trying and sometimes failing, it will be enriching to me when the uncomfortable situations arise, instead of being painful. This meaning has an emotional component to it.
As a teacher, this sutra has a more “physical” component and meaning. That which is, by being observant, and watchful of my student’s actions, reactions and energy they are displaying. By being connected to them in this way I can offer modifications. Trying to deliver to them the instruction they are wanting and will benefit from with a healthy approach to their own needs.
This sutra, as it applies to being human, means to be respectful. Respectful of others, respectful of the earth, respectful of all living things. By living with respect, and honor, and gratitude, I generate kindness, love, and goodness. These beautiful qualities will flow back to me at some point, bringing with them blessings. Even in difficulties, these things will lift me up closer to my Divine power. Understanding that we all experience things that are painful, and that pain usually comes from being uncertain, fearful, and surprised by unexpected circumstances. If we do our best to trust that these pains will pass, and good will always come from it all, then, it is all worth it!
Regina Lewis

[betshellhaas]

Pain that has not yet come is avoidable. As a student, I am understanding this Sutra as a form of positive thinking. All disease, illness and pain originates in our aura and if we dwell on that thought or idea too long, we manifest it. I am on a path to recognize my negative thought patterns and change them into positive ones. Negative thought patterns can be so deeply ingrained in us that it can be a very long process to undo. However, with consistency, determination and yoga it can be done.
As a teacher, I want my students to be aware of this. Some students may already be dealing with a pain they have had for years. I want them to know they do not have to deal with it the rest of their lives. I truly believe yoga (and massage) can help individuals to live a pain-free life, whether their path is managing it or preventing it. Not only are we addressing this from a physical standpoint but also from a mental one. Pain can be mental and so by practicing yoga we are allowing the mind to focus on something else. Allowing the mind to take a break and clear could be the answer to an individual’s pain.
As a human, society embeds in us that we need to focus on the negative situations, thought patterns and pain. It is so hard to step away from that negativity because we see it everywhere. It is easy to watch TV instead of doing yoga. It is easy to complain about the pain instead of doing something about it. It is easy to think negatively about yourself but do nothing to change it. This is where yoga comes in. When you are not sure what to do to make you feel better, do yoga. When you feel that pain coming in and you think should I go to yoga today? YES! I have recognized in my own body that when I experience acute pain, fatigue or sadness and I show up to yoga, I feel so much better. It has actually relieved me of acute back pain!
My intention is for myself to live pain-free and to let others know they can live that way too.

[KHuttsell]

This quote defines the yoga mindset that we strive for in our lives and our practice.

Pain will always be part of our human experience. We often believe that to be happy we should not have or feel any pain. When we begin to feel pain, and cannot find a way to embrace it, we may find more destructive behaviors to deal with our feelings.

If we could begin to embrace that pain is a feeling that is meant to be felt just as much as joy and happiness, then would we still classify it as “pain?” Or would pain be just be seen as part of our natural human feelings that we have the ability to move through.

I have found that the Yamas & Niyamas have given me a roadmap to working through the things in life that may cause the feelings of pain I have; the daily competition between people, the loss of people we care about, the negative news that bombards our media. As I see these things occur, I work toward settling myself with the understanding that I cannot control these things. I can only control my reactions – and ultimately, allow the feelings to move through me and acknowledge them.

My own goal is to maintain mindfulness as I work through my struggles. I find that my practice alleviates the racing thoughts and the constant thinking about anything and everything. Any yogi can recall those teachers who aided her practice by allowing her to truly let go of her mind’s distractions. Many teachers have shared this gift of mindfulness with me during their classes. I hope to bring this same gift to my students

~Karen

[sally200]

Pain that has not yet come is avoidable

Student- seeking clarity (sutra 2.3) into confused values, identity excessive attachments, awareness of dislikes and insecurities is part of our yoga journey, both on and off the matt. As we become clear headed as a seeker of these wisdoms we will prevent the pain.

Teacher- It is our duty to enlighten the students to seek, and understand what attaches them to pain, get clear on those things, and how to anticipate or reduce the effects. And avoid all together. As stated in Sutra 2.16, the practice of Yoga has as it’s purpose the reduction of effects that are painful to us by increasing our clarity. Giving them Yoga knowledge, help them set intention for practice, but awareness is the key.

Human Being- what we take in daily sets us up to expect pain, that living with pain is just how it is. And if we do not have it, we say boy we are lucky. What if we turned that around and adopted, I can be pain free, because I have a clear understanding of what causes my pain and I have learned to anticipate it and many times avoid it.

[LAD92761]

This sutra is beautiful. It should be painted on a board that we see everyday as it is a gentle reminder of how to envision life as a human being. When I was younger and a couple of times called in sick to work, I remember after leaving the message how I felt, crappy, sick, bad. It was because I convinced my mind to “play” sick while leaving the message and then it stuck in my mind and body subconsciously until I convinced my mind that I had made up the feelings. Your mind is an amazing place that can be manipulated for good or evil. So as a student, if I’m feeling painful events or thoughts brewing, my yoga practice is teaching me that I need to engage my mind to help me through it. I actually last Monday was feeling some “crap” bubble up and in a split decision scheduled a class to get to my mat and work my mind back to where it needed to be. Pain is avoidable if you practice.

As a teacher, the words that I wish to share with my students is “you are exactly where you are supposed to be.” Hearing this as a student always calms me. Also I want to always remind my students we come to our mat to practice, and we are practicing how to live our life off the mat. Remembering these words can help train our mind how to react when pain is lingering.

[CindyHurst]

As a student:
Yoga has taught me acceptance and to trust in the Universe. By accepting, I am stronger and able to go with the flow of life’s ups and downs. I can only control my reactions. How or if I suffer is my choice.

As a teacher:
I want to help my students to find clarity and contentment, not just the physical benefits of Yoga. The translation of this Sutra states that “the practice of Yoga has as its purpose the reduction of effects that are painful to us by increasing our clarity.” Further in the chapter, Asana and Pranayama are described as methods to help reduce the obstacles to clarity. By teaching the postures in combination with the breath, I hope to help my students to start their journey; to find their Yoga practice.

As a human being:
I have to accept rather than obsess about what is going on in the world. Finding trust in the Universe and providing an example to others of what I believe to be right living.

[EmilyD]

Emily

From a Western medicine perspective, I think this means that if you follow health guidelines, you are less likely to become sick in the future. An example is how we eat. If you eat the wrong foods and quantities for an extended period of time, there is a long list of health issues that can follow: diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, joint pain, heart issues, etc. If we want to prevent these issues, we have a greater chance if we eat healthy and exercise.

From an Eastern approach, it is more than just “eat healthy and exercise.” Eastern medicine gives us guidelines for keeping our mind, body, and spirit aligned.
1. Ayurveda, while I’ve just dipped my toes into it, gives us a more body specific plan of how to eat and schedule our daily lives for optimum health. What I’ve read makes sense for my dosha, and I’m looking forward to digging deeper into this topic.
2. And personally, I know if attend yoga and do massages on a regular basis, I reduce my frequency of muscle, head, and back aches. I think this is because it helps with my stress level, as well as keeping the muscles loose. I like that I am taking less Advil and seeing the chiropractor less often.
3. And finally, I have a Reiki story that fits this sutra perfectly. I had a reiki session scheduled, and when I arrived, I was asked what I want to work on. This was only my third or fourth session, so I’m still figuring out how it all works for me. I shared some physical ailments I’d been dealing with for about two weeks – headaches, dizzy/foggy brain, digestion to name a few – and then we started the session. By the end, I was told that only my heart and crown chakras were open. This is new for me. Usually, only my solar plexus chakra is blocked. So I came home and did some research on what blocked affects blocked chakras have on the body. Guess what…it was everything I had listed. Within a day and a half, I was feeling back to normal. After this, I believe that if we keep our chakras open, we can avoid some of the aches and pains that are “normal” for our society.

What challenges me is chronic pain. I was diagnosed with a condition about 5 years ago. There is no cure. Their are recommended treatments to help lessen the pain associated with the condition, but none of them will reduce the pain completely. I followed the guidelines – an anti-inflammatory diet, manual lymphatic drainage daily, a supplement regiment, exercise, and wearing compression garments – but the pain was still present. The only way to decrease the pain was to have a specialized surgery. Today, I feel good, but I worry that as time passes the effects of the surgery will lessen and I will be right back where I started. Based on the knowledge we have of the condition to date, I don’t know that I can avoid it returning, bringing with it the pain and discomfort.

[heatherfly]

(sorry this is late!)
Pain that has not yet come is avoidable. This talks to me about present moment awareness. It is so common to live in a state of worry-about-pain. Worry-about-pain is suffering. And this has our mind in an imagined future where pain is disturbing us, while our body is here in this moment. Pain is not the same as suffering. But worry-about-pain brings a feeling of anxiety, panic, helplessness and a sense of being braced against. These feelings don’t have biological markers to identify pain, nonetheless these feelings intensify the pain that is there, can limit or dictate the actions we take and therefore play a part in shaping our life to accommodate or try to avoid future pain – these effects cause another kind of pain, regret, grief. We can’t avoid pain in life. We can learn not to live in constant anticipation of pain, though. So, pain that has not yet come reads to me as pain-that-has-not-yet-come or anticipated pain or worry-about-pain. It is the busy-ness of a mind trying to avoid or mitigate a future discomfort.

As a student, i will practice present moment awareness, notice what my body IS saying, not what it MIGHT say if i try to go deeper or try something new.

As a teacher, i will work on my own presence so i create an energy and invitation to students to be fully here, listening to themselves closely instead of bracing against what they fear they might experience.

As a human i meditate and employ curiosity and gentle awareness of when worry-about-pain both physical and mental/emotional is creating a disparity between what i really want from a moment and how i engage with it.

[dooley]

This discussion question has been a challenge for me to answer. I have written several answers and then deleted them. I first started thinking that the pain is not specific in dealing with what kind of pain. I was thinking physical, mental, and chronic pain. I also was looking at the obstacles he describes in Sutra 2.3 misapprehension, confused values, excessive attachments, unreasonable dislikes, and insecurity, and when I read the description for each it helped clarify a few thoughts I was having on pain and how it can be anticipated and avoidable.

When we do yoga we are training our mind to think in a different way. We become more clear on some of the obstacles we face. I have always believed in mind over matter just didn’t really know how to make it work to reach that potential on having my mind set to go through these obstacles/pain. We have to set our minds to distinguish what is perceived from what perceives. What is perceived includes the external objects, the mind, and the senses. We need to be have our mind and senses open to the objects around us to help us perceive the pain that may follow the obstacles. So if you have chronic pain you would need to be open minded with the senses to help control the level of pain you know is coming and prepare the means necessary to help you deal with the pain. I believe this also applies to other types of pain. Once we have our mind/senses aware of what is ahead we can makes those adjustment to prepare.

I believe as teachers once we start to make progress in understanding the obstacles and preparing the mind/senses to help with those obstacles we can bring this into our class and relates to our students to understand there will be obstacles in life and we can face those painful obstacles with a positive mind and attitude. Whether we are our on our mats or off. This could be achieved through learning to breath to relax the mind but also to be present in the moment

Diana

[melross1]

Pain may not be avoidable, but it is manageable. As the primary caregiver of parents who suffered from chronic pain I watched them both manage their pain with their minds. They were both in more pain than most of us could imagine or bear but they believed that a positive attitude could take them places that nothing else could. They left that with their children and grandchildren. A negative attitude will give you nothing but pain and suffering. I think yoga gives us that strength through a positive mind and attitude. We learn to leave the negative things behind us where they need to be or “let that shit go.”

When we meditate we clear our minds of everything. We open ourselves to the world and we let new things in, those new things should be pure, happy, and positive. Keeping the pain away. This doesn’t mean we will always be 100% pain free, it means our pain will be manageable an less. Maybe we can choose our pain, we can have our hearts hurt a little less. We can breath in love and breath out the ‘crap’ and just let it go. That’s where I’ve founds less pain. I still have fibromyalgia but the aches and pains are a little less because I don’t dwell on them as much. I think about the positives of the day and my life when I meditate. I still suffer from migraines and take daily meds, but my break thru meds are fewer because I practice self care more often. As a person I think self care including meditation, massages, yoga, journaling, just watching the sun rise and set or looking at the stars are all important in avoiding pain both mental and physical.

[Author]

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