Dec. 16, 2024
Dealing With Pain
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Powers Within, Chapter XIV Power Over Illness and Pain, pp. 118-119 This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/12/13/dealing-with-pain/
Video presentations, interviews and podcast episodes are all available on the YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@santoshkrinsky871
More information about Sri Aurobindo can be found at www.aurobindo.net
The US editions and links to e-book editions of Sri Aurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
1
00:00:01,840 --> 00:00:05,760
If we look at the mechanism of
pain, we find that wherever
2
00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:10,520
there is an injury, disease, or
stress on a part of the body, a
3
00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:14,280
vibration starts there.
In many cases, what medical
4
00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:19,120
science would call inflammation,
that triggers a nerve impulse to
5
00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:23,480
send the signals to the
receptors in the brain where the
6
00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:27,080
impulse is then interpreted and
experienced as pain.
7
00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:31,320
Pain management works to
interrupt this series at one
8
00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:37,000
spot or another along the way.
Sometimes cold is applied at the
9
00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:40,960
source of the pain.
This tamps down the inflammation
10
00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:45,240
and the vibration that the area
is creating to send up the nerve
11
00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:49,000
fibre.
Steroids are sometimes injected
12
00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:52,880
at the local site to accomplish
more or less the same thing.
13
00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:57,640
Acupuncture, for example,
disrupts the stream of the
14
00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:01,360
vibration flowing along the
nerve effectively print,
15
00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:04,040
preventing it from reaching the
brain.
16
00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:08,920
Topical anesthetics work to
deaden the impulse, while
17
00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:12,400
general anesthetics tend to shut
down the conscious awareness on
18
00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:15,280
the other side of the process in
the brain itself.
19
00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:21,040
Hypnosis therapy similarly shuts
down the awareness on the side
20
00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:25,280
of the brain reception.
Pain relievers can be of several
21
00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:30,520
types including non steroidal
anti-inflammatory aids which
22
00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:34,520
reduce the inflammation and the
resultant experience of pain.
23
00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:40,160
They can also be of the opioid
type, which attach themselves to
24
00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:44,280
the brain receptors and thereby
prevent the signal from being
25
00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:48,920
experienced by the brain as the
receptor is already occupied.
26
00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:53,160
What is interesting about all of
this is that the body itself
27
00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:57,800
produces its own form of opioids
in the form of what are called
28
00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:01,280
endorphins.
These act to block the brain
29
00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:05,200
receptors and are generated by
the system internally.
30
00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:10,800
They also attach themselves to
the brain receptors, replacing
31
00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:13,480
the experience of pain with one
of well-being.
32
00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:19,520
They help reduce stress, relax
the being, and block pain all at
33
00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:22,240
once.
They can be generated through
34
00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:26,880
exercise such as the well known
phenomenon known as runner's
35
00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:31,800
high or dancing or other forms
of pleasurable movement,
36
00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:37,600
meditation, negative ions such
as are generated by waterfalls
37
00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:43,760
or lightning, or pleasurable
music, reading or focus on any
38
00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:46,040
field of interest among other
things.
39
00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:49,480
Endorphins increase tolerance to
pain.
40
00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:53,960
What is interesting here is that
they supply a link to the method
41
00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:58,040
described by the mother here.
The more we concentrate on the
42
00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:02,200
pain, we are tuning our
awareness to it and it gets
43
00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:06,240
accentuated.
We tighten up, increase stress,
44
00:03:06,640 --> 00:03:09,840
and let the pain receptors in
the brain become flooded with
45
00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:15,080
pain signals to the extent that
we can shift the attention and
46
00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:19,480
awareness away from these pain
signals and even concentrate on
47
00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:22,240
things that otherwise are
positive and enjoyable
48
00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:26,120
experiences.
We give the body the opportunity
49
00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:31,960
to shift the tuning away from
the pain signals and allow the
50
00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:36,400
stress level to come down and
the endorphins to block the pain
51
00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:40,880
receptors.
Obviously, pain can develop at
52
00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:45,320
various levels of intensity and
the more severe it becomes, the
53
00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:48,560
more difficult it can be to
manage it effectively.
54
00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:53,200
The very intense vibration
simply overwhelm the system.
55
00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:57,600
In that case, shifting the
awareness or even blocking the
56
00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:00,160
awareness becomes more
challenging.
57
00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:05,600
In his writings, Sri Robinda
describes the intensity of the
58
00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:10,800
vibration of either pleasure or
pain as being beyond what most
59
00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:14,880
people are capable of handling,
and that is due to the
60
00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:19,040
narrowness of the conscious
awareness that is receiving and
61
00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:21,200
trying to process these
vibrations.
62
00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:26,600
By widening the consciousness,
the capacity to handle intense
63
00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:31,280
vibrations is increased and thus
the negative reactions are
64
00:04:31,280 --> 00:04:35,360
reduced.
An example of this was provided
65
00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:39,160
by Milarepa, the renowned great
Yogi of Tibet.
66
00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,880
He had been poisoned by a
jealous priest.
67
00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:46,800
The priest challenged him to
transfer the pain to him so that
68
00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:50,920
he could see that Mila Reppa was
actually experiencing pain.
69
00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:55,600
Given that he was acting quite
calm and discoursing normally at
70
00:04:55,600 --> 00:05:00,680
the time, Mila Reppa indicated
that out of compassion he would
71
00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:04,160
not do that as the priest would
not be able to bear the pain
72
00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:07,880
level.
But just as an example, he would
73
00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:12,120
transfer a small portion of the
pain to a nearby door, which
74
00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:14,800
began to creak and strain under
the pressure.
75
00:05:15,840 --> 00:05:20,040
Milorepa was able to receive the
intense pain accompanying a
76
00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:23,520
lethal dose of poison through
the wideness of his
77
00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:28,320
consciousness and ameliorate its
impact on the individual body,
78
00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:31,640
life, mind he was occupying at
the time.
79
00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:38,920
In that way, the mother notes
quote, there are minor methods
80
00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:42,840
of stopping pain and they have
smaller results.
81
00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:47,520
They are not very easy either.
That is the knowledge of the
82
00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:51,360
power to cut the connection
between the suffering part and
83
00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:55,760
the recording brain.
One cuts the connection, then
84
00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:59,600
the brain does not register.
That's what one does.
85
00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:03,000
What the doctors do with
anesthetics, they cut the
86
00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:06,480
connection of the nerves between
the spot that's ill and the
87
00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:09,600
brain.
So the brain no longer perceives
88
00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:14,640
anything or it is reduced to a
minimum, and it always comes
89
00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:17,280
back to the same thing one way
or another.
90
00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:21,360
And all this calls for an occult
power or a training.
91
00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:24,880
Some people have it
spontaneously.
92
00:06:25,600 --> 00:06:27,600
There are not many of these,
very few.
93
00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:32,320
But obviously without going so
far, there's one thing that one
94
00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:35,680
can try to do.
It is not to concentrate on
95
00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:39,320
one's pain, to turn the
attention away as much as
96
00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:44,080
possible, not think at all of
one's pain, think as little as
97
00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:49,560
possible, and above all, not be
concentrated on it, not to pay
98
00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:53,600
attention.
Oh, I'm in pain, then it becomes
99
00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:57,000
a little worse.
Oh, I'm in still greater pain.
100
00:06:57,720 --> 00:07:02,480
Then it becomes still worse like
that because one is concentrated
101
00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:05,000
on it.
And this is the mistake one
102
00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:10,440
always makes to think, be there,
attentive, awaiting the sign of
103
00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:13,200
pain.
Then naturally it comes.
104
00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:16,760
It comes increased by the
concentration of the attention
105
00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:21,040
given to it.
That is why when 1 is not well,
106
00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:25,160
the best thing to do is to read
or have something to read.
107
00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:29,520
You see, it depends on the
condition 1 is in, but if one
108
00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:33,840
can turn 1's attention away, one
no longer suffers.
109
00:07:34,520 --> 00:07:39,040
End Quote reference.
Shrioro, Bindo and the Mother
110
00:07:39,440 --> 00:07:44,400
Powers within, Chapter 14.
Power over Illness and Pain,
111
00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:47,280
pages 118 to 119.
00:00:01,840 --> 00:00:05,760
If we look at the mechanism of
pain, we find that wherever
2
00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:10,520
there is an injury, disease, or
stress on a part of the body, a
3
00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:14,280
vibration starts there.
In many cases, what medical
4
00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:19,120
science would call inflammation,
that triggers a nerve impulse to
5
00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:23,480
send the signals to the
receptors in the brain where the
6
00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:27,080
impulse is then interpreted and
experienced as pain.
7
00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:31,320
Pain management works to
interrupt this series at one
8
00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:37,000
spot or another along the way.
Sometimes cold is applied at the
9
00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:40,960
source of the pain.
This tamps down the inflammation
10
00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:45,240
and the vibration that the area
is creating to send up the nerve
11
00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:49,000
fibre.
Steroids are sometimes injected
12
00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:52,880
at the local site to accomplish
more or less the same thing.
13
00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:57,640
Acupuncture, for example,
disrupts the stream of the
14
00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:01,360
vibration flowing along the
nerve effectively print,
15
00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:04,040
preventing it from reaching the
brain.
16
00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:08,920
Topical anesthetics work to
deaden the impulse, while
17
00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:12,400
general anesthetics tend to shut
down the conscious awareness on
18
00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:15,280
the other side of the process in
the brain itself.
19
00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:21,040
Hypnosis therapy similarly shuts
down the awareness on the side
20
00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:25,280
of the brain reception.
Pain relievers can be of several
21
00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:30,520
types including non steroidal
anti-inflammatory aids which
22
00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:34,520
reduce the inflammation and the
resultant experience of pain.
23
00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:40,160
They can also be of the opioid
type, which attach themselves to
24
00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:44,280
the brain receptors and thereby
prevent the signal from being
25
00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:48,920
experienced by the brain as the
receptor is already occupied.
26
00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:53,160
What is interesting about all of
this is that the body itself
27
00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:57,800
produces its own form of opioids
in the form of what are called
28
00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:01,280
endorphins.
These act to block the brain
29
00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:05,200
receptors and are generated by
the system internally.
30
00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:10,800
They also attach themselves to
the brain receptors, replacing
31
00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:13,480
the experience of pain with one
of well-being.
32
00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:19,520
They help reduce stress, relax
the being, and block pain all at
33
00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:22,240
once.
They can be generated through
34
00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:26,880
exercise such as the well known
phenomenon known as runner's
35
00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:31,800
high or dancing or other forms
of pleasurable movement,
36
00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:37,600
meditation, negative ions such
as are generated by waterfalls
37
00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:43,760
or lightning, or pleasurable
music, reading or focus on any
38
00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:46,040
field of interest among other
things.
39
00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:49,480
Endorphins increase tolerance to
pain.
40
00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:53,960
What is interesting here is that
they supply a link to the method
41
00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:58,040
described by the mother here.
The more we concentrate on the
42
00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:02,200
pain, we are tuning our
awareness to it and it gets
43
00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:06,240
accentuated.
We tighten up, increase stress,
44
00:03:06,640 --> 00:03:09,840
and let the pain receptors in
the brain become flooded with
45
00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:15,080
pain signals to the extent that
we can shift the attention and
46
00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:19,480
awareness away from these pain
signals and even concentrate on
47
00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:22,240
things that otherwise are
positive and enjoyable
48
00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:26,120
experiences.
We give the body the opportunity
49
00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:31,960
to shift the tuning away from
the pain signals and allow the
50
00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:36,400
stress level to come down and
the endorphins to block the pain
51
00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:40,880
receptors.
Obviously, pain can develop at
52
00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:45,320
various levels of intensity and
the more severe it becomes, the
53
00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:48,560
more difficult it can be to
manage it effectively.
54
00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:53,200
The very intense vibration
simply overwhelm the system.
55
00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:57,600
In that case, shifting the
awareness or even blocking the
56
00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:00,160
awareness becomes more
challenging.
57
00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:05,600
In his writings, Sri Robinda
describes the intensity of the
58
00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:10,800
vibration of either pleasure or
pain as being beyond what most
59
00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:14,880
people are capable of handling,
and that is due to the
60
00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:19,040
narrowness of the conscious
awareness that is receiving and
61
00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:21,200
trying to process these
vibrations.
62
00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:26,600
By widening the consciousness,
the capacity to handle intense
63
00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:31,280
vibrations is increased and thus
the negative reactions are
64
00:04:31,280 --> 00:04:35,360
reduced.
An example of this was provided
65
00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:39,160
by Milarepa, the renowned great
Yogi of Tibet.
66
00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,880
He had been poisoned by a
jealous priest.
67
00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:46,800
The priest challenged him to
transfer the pain to him so that
68
00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:50,920
he could see that Mila Reppa was
actually experiencing pain.
69
00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:55,600
Given that he was acting quite
calm and discoursing normally at
70
00:04:55,600 --> 00:05:00,680
the time, Mila Reppa indicated
that out of compassion he would
71
00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:04,160
not do that as the priest would
not be able to bear the pain
72
00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:07,880
level.
But just as an example, he would
73
00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:12,120
transfer a small portion of the
pain to a nearby door, which
74
00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:14,800
began to creak and strain under
the pressure.
75
00:05:15,840 --> 00:05:20,040
Milorepa was able to receive the
intense pain accompanying a
76
00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:23,520
lethal dose of poison through
the wideness of his
77
00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:28,320
consciousness and ameliorate its
impact on the individual body,
78
00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:31,640
life, mind he was occupying at
the time.
79
00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:38,920
In that way, the mother notes
quote, there are minor methods
80
00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:42,840
of stopping pain and they have
smaller results.
81
00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:47,520
They are not very easy either.
That is the knowledge of the
82
00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:51,360
power to cut the connection
between the suffering part and
83
00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:55,760
the recording brain.
One cuts the connection, then
84
00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:59,600
the brain does not register.
That's what one does.
85
00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:03,000
What the doctors do with
anesthetics, they cut the
86
00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:06,480
connection of the nerves between
the spot that's ill and the
87
00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:09,600
brain.
So the brain no longer perceives
88
00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:14,640
anything or it is reduced to a
minimum, and it always comes
89
00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:17,280
back to the same thing one way
or another.
90
00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:21,360
And all this calls for an occult
power or a training.
91
00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:24,880
Some people have it
spontaneously.
92
00:06:25,600 --> 00:06:27,600
There are not many of these,
very few.
93
00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:32,320
But obviously without going so
far, there's one thing that one
94
00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:35,680
can try to do.
It is not to concentrate on
95
00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:39,320
one's pain, to turn the
attention away as much as
96
00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:44,080
possible, not think at all of
one's pain, think as little as
97
00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:49,560
possible, and above all, not be
concentrated on it, not to pay
98
00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:53,600
attention.
Oh, I'm in pain, then it becomes
99
00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:57,000
a little worse.
Oh, I'm in still greater pain.
100
00:06:57,720 --> 00:07:02,480
Then it becomes still worse like
that because one is concentrated
101
00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:05,000
on it.
And this is the mistake one
102
00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:10,440
always makes to think, be there,
attentive, awaiting the sign of
103
00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:13,200
pain.
Then naturally it comes.
104
00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:16,760
It comes increased by the
concentration of the attention
105
00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:21,040
given to it.
That is why when 1 is not well,
106
00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:25,160
the best thing to do is to read
or have something to read.
107
00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:29,520
You see, it depends on the
condition 1 is in, but if one
108
00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:33,840
can turn 1's attention away, one
no longer suffers.
109
00:07:34,520 --> 00:07:39,040
End Quote reference.
Shrioro, Bindo and the Mother
110
00:07:39,440 --> 00:07:44,400
Powers within, Chapter 14.
Power over Illness and Pain,
111
00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:47,280
pages 118 to 119.