Separation, isolation & comparison feed pain. Connection, sharing & caring eases pain. It’s a very simple formula. But like a moth to a flame we often choose the former when we feel pain. Our ego tells us to lick our wounds & run along to our little corner to deal with it by ourselves, because it’s our problem, our mess, our pain. Why would anyone else want to help us deal with this uncomfortable feeling?
It’s been proven that physical feelings of pain diminish when we feel secure, safe & supported. How often did you run into your mother’s nurturing embrace when you skinned your knee? How much more amplified is your physical pain when you are all alone in a hospital bed with no one to talk to and only your thoughts to ruminate on your suffering?
Human suffering is inevitable. Meaning, if you are human you suffer. To varying degrees & at different times in our lives we all suffer. Since we all suffer, then we can all relate, no matter how big or small the pain. No matter how big or small the pain, we can bring ease to the situation simply by listening, connecting & creating a sense of security. There is safety in numbers, knowing you’re not alone in this can make all the difference. Feeling the love & support of another, even a stranger, can be enough to ease the pain.
I’m not advocating we dump all our junk into someone else’s lap & ask them to sort through it, but I think we all need to open our eyes a little wider & see the truth in people’s words. Where can we be a little more supportive, a little more compassionate? Who can we connect with to show them they are not alone? Because we are quite literally all in this together. It’s all of us, every human being, that lives on this planet & strives to create, to learn, to grow & to sustain life on earth in a beneficial way for all. We are all on one team. So, even though other people’s pain is not your responsibility, you should feel compelled to assist when you can because before you know it, you’re going to be looking for a teammate to do the same for you.
Pay it forward. Everything you receive in life should be paid forward. If it made you happy & eased your suffering than it will do the same for someone else.
Ask for help when you need a shoulder to lean on, ask your friends how they’re doing & really listen, physically sit with a stranger who seems lonely. Watch your presence change everything. There is POWER in your PRESENCE, use it for joy, use it for good & use it often!
Earth School Lesson #7: The Emotional Body