Two Approaches

When talking about the mind, it's useful to use analogies:

We can think about chronic pain like money in a bank account. In this analogy money represents energy. When we go into the red and overdraft on our account is when we begin to experience chronic pain. The more we overdraft, the higher the fees (increased pain).

Now, as soon as we overdraft, our financial advisor (subconscious mind) gets notified and begins to set up all sorts of protections in order to prevent us (conscious mind) from continuing to spend. However, our financial advisor charges us for his services which pushes us deeper into debt. Further, he may also put so much pressure on us that we, without being aware of it, frantically start spending even more money, entering into a downward spiral.

What everyone wants in this situation is to get out of the red and be free of pain. For many, even though they did overdraft at the beginning, they actually have enough funds to get out of debt if they would stop paying their financial advisor and can get out of their downward spiral. In terms of chronic pain, this can be thought of as the equivalent of simply de-stressing for awhile.

However, there are those of us that even if we stop investing in our financial advisor, we still don't have enough funds to get out of debt. Or we might fluctuate back and forth (remission/relapse) across that break even point for years. For us, half measures and quick fixes won't be the answer; we need to go DEEP into our finances to resolve this.

When it comes to chronic pain, symptom management and pursuing a cure are oppositional in approach. Symptom management is attempting to escape the pain and relies on de-stressing. The path to a cure is about engaging our pain. While wanting to escape the pain can provide quick results compared to the arduous journey of a cure, it is only a short-term solution. With my advice, I am speaking to the hard cases and to those who are interested in a cure. I will stop here for now..

 

Many on this forum have developed the intuitive realization that our pain is signaling for our attention and that there is great potential for growth and healing when we bring our pain into conscious awareness. I want to emphasize that this is an intuitive understanding, not an intellectual one. The intellect, which can be hijacked by the subconscious "protector" will always come up with reasons to avoid pain.

So, with this clarity, we can see that even though the intention of the subconscious mind (SM) is to protect us, it is actually working against us. The more familiar we become with the SM, the more we realize how much it has/is working against us. Even more, it is very effective at hiding this and continuing to exert control over us.

The first thing we want to do is to reclaim our free-will and regain conscious control. The SM is in control as long as we are on autopilot (unconscious) but by practicing being self-aware, mindful, and alert, we can take the reigns, allowing us to make better, long-term choices regarding our health.

This process is not complicated; the value is in sustaining it. You simply bring your awareness inward and become self-aware. Then in the next moment, you do it again. And in the next moment, you do it again. Over and over and over. It is a pain-staking practice, but it is the foundation, the starting point on the road to curing chronic pain. When you find yourself in pain and feeling frustrated, before making any decisions, try to come back to this process first. This is your home base.

 

Remember, our financial advisor (SM) only shows up when we are in debt (in pain). For some people, they can practice mindfulness for a short time and de-stress to the point in which they get above that break even point, and both their pain and SM go away.. until the next time they are in pain. This is why you see testimonials of quick and miraculous recoveries no matter which treatment was involved.