June 19, 2025
Dealing with Physical Pain
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 4, Ordeals and Difficulties, pp..108-109
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/06/17/dealing-with-physical-pain-2/
Video presentations, interviews and podcast episodes are allavailable 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 SriAurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
1
00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:04,760
At some point in life, everyone
is confronted with physical
2
00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:08,880
conditions which cause pain.
What is pain exactly?
3
00:00:10,040 --> 00:00:14,080
When we speak about physical
pain in particular, we reference
4
00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:18,120
particular sensations or
impulses of an intensity that
5
00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:22,240
activates the nerves to carry
the sensation to the brain which
6
00:00:22,240 --> 00:00:25,960
interprets the signal.
Pain can be a great aid at
7
00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:30,720
certain times, as it acts as a
warning system of danger to
8
00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:35,080
provoke the mental and vital
being to action at a certain
9
00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:37,440
point.
However, when it goes beyond
10
00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:41,520
this signaling function and
either reaches an intensity that
11
00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:46,560
is difficult to bear or becomes
chronic such that it seems to
12
00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:51,320
continue without abatement, we
recognize that this is an issue
13
00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:56,000
that we must address.
Pain can be intense when there
14
00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:59,800
is some immediate injury to the
body, such as fracture of a
15
00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:03,760
limb, or when environmental
conditions become more extreme,
16
00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:06,600
such as in conditions of strong
heat or cold.
17
00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:13,760
Injuries obtained through trauma
such as gunshot wounds, bomb
18
00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:18,400
shrapnel, knife wounds or
physical beatings also create
19
00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:22,800
strong sensations of pain.
Pain can also arise through
20
00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:27,400
disease conditions, organ
imbalances, or chronic long term
21
00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:33,320
conditions of organ failure.
Women who experience childbirth
22
00:01:33,320 --> 00:01:36,880
are said to bear pain many times
the normal pain threshold that
23
00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:39,800
most people experience in most
circumstances.
24
00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:45,400
When we observe women giving
birth, their screams, cries,
25
00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:50,120
tears, and physical pressure on
loved ones provide ample
26
00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:56,280
evidence of the intensity of the
experience for the spiritual
27
00:01:56,280 --> 00:01:59,720
seeker.
The question then arises as to
28
00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:03,680
what the necessary attitude and
relation to the experience of
29
00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:08,320
pain should be so as to not have
it interfere with the spiritual
30
00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:11,800
sadhna.
One experience that Sadiqs
31
00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:16,760
report is a unique sensation of
a deep physical peace taking
32
00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:20,120
hold of the body and
overwhelming all other
33
00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:24,680
vibrations, including those that
create the sensation of pain.
34
00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:29,880
In some cases, this deep
physical peace takes on the form
35
00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:33,080
of a solid block of unmoving
material force.
36
00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:38,520
If the sodic can succeed in
attaining such a state, there is
37
00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:42,240
no pain at that moment,
regardless of the potential
38
00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:44,960
sensations that would otherwise
cause pain.
39
00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:49,440
Short of achieving this status
of immovable peace in the
40
00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:54,960
physical being, the sadak can at
least work to gain some control
41
00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:59,480
over the reaction of the vital
being and the mental being such
42
00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:04,680
that while physical pain may be
there and be experienced, it
43
00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:08,960
does not disrupt or disturb the
sadhna or spiritual practice.
44
00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:13,720
This too takes some substantial
effort and practice.
45
00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:18,320
We have an example of an
individual who worked to
46
00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:21,520
mitigate physical pain and
enhance their endurance.
47
00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:27,000
The famous escape artist Harry
Houdini used to practice sitting
48
00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:31,320
in a tub of ice to increase his
ability to withstand extreme
49
00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:36,560
cold without going into any kind
of shock and thus helping him
50
00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:41,080
with his career as an escape
artist who could withstand
51
00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:46,240
circumstances that most people
would feel as extremely painful.
52
00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:51,080
The Tibetan Yogi Milarepa,
toward the end of his life was
53
00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:55,640
poisoned by an individual who
was jealous of his prestige and
54
00:03:55,640 --> 00:04:00,520
who doubted his attainments.
Milarepa consciously imbibed the
55
00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:02,600
poison, knowing his time had
come.
56
00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:07,120
When the village priest showed
up to witness Milarepa's painful
57
00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:11,680
death, he saw Milarepa sitting
quietly, teaching and not
58
00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:15,600
obviously in pain.
He challenged Milarepa, who
59
00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:18,920
indicated that his body was
undergoing tortuous pain.
60
00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:22,720
The priest asked him to shift
the pain to him so he could
61
00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:27,840
experience it for real.
Milarepa, out of compassion,
62
00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:32,360
refused to do that, but
transferred a small portion of
63
00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:36,080
the pain to the door, which
started creaking and groaning
64
00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:40,760
under the intensity.
Milarepa had such a control over
65
00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:46,320
his being, his experience, his
response and his ability to
66
00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:50,400
control the physical body that
he could act even under the
67
00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:53,800
duress of that intense physical
pressure.
68
00:04:56,000 --> 00:05:01,200
Triorbindo writes Quote To bear
extreme heat and cold, it is
69
00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:06,080
necessary to have peace in the
cells first, then consolidated
70
00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:09,240
force.
Pain and discomfort come from a
71
00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:13,160
physical consciousness not
forceful enough to determine its
72
00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:18,120
own reactions to things.
The body naturally experiences
73
00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:22,240
physical pain, but the body
transmits it to the vital and
74
00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:25,360
mental.
With the ordinary consciousness.
75
00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:29,000
The vital gets disturbed and
afflicted and its force is
76
00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:32,880
diminished.
The mind identifies and is
77
00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:37,240
upset.
The mind has to remain unmoved,
78
00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:41,720
the vital unaffected, and the
body has to learn to take it
79
00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:45,160
with equality so that the higher
force may work.
80
00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:49,280
The self is never affected by
any kind of pain.
81
00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:54,800
The psychic takes it quietly and
offers it to the divine for what
82
00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:59,600
is necessary to be done.
It is a detachment of even the
83
00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:03,080
physical mind from the pain that
makes one able to go on as if
84
00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:05,960
nothing were there.
But this detachment of the
85
00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:09,440
physical mind is not so easy to
acquire.
86
00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:13,040
End Quote.
Reference.
87
00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:18,000
Srioro Bindu and the Mother
Looking from within, Chapter 4.
88
00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:22,600
Ordeals and Difficulties pages
One O 8 to One O 9.
00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:04,760
At some point in life, everyone
is confronted with physical
2
00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:08,880
conditions which cause pain.
What is pain exactly?
3
00:00:10,040 --> 00:00:14,080
When we speak about physical
pain in particular, we reference
4
00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:18,120
particular sensations or
impulses of an intensity that
5
00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:22,240
activates the nerves to carry
the sensation to the brain which
6
00:00:22,240 --> 00:00:25,960
interprets the signal.
Pain can be a great aid at
7
00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:30,720
certain times, as it acts as a
warning system of danger to
8
00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:35,080
provoke the mental and vital
being to action at a certain
9
00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:37,440
point.
However, when it goes beyond
10
00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:41,520
this signaling function and
either reaches an intensity that
11
00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:46,560
is difficult to bear or becomes
chronic such that it seems to
12
00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:51,320
continue without abatement, we
recognize that this is an issue
13
00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:56,000
that we must address.
Pain can be intense when there
14
00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:59,800
is some immediate injury to the
body, such as fracture of a
15
00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:03,760
limb, or when environmental
conditions become more extreme,
16
00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:06,600
such as in conditions of strong
heat or cold.
17
00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:13,760
Injuries obtained through trauma
such as gunshot wounds, bomb
18
00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:18,400
shrapnel, knife wounds or
physical beatings also create
19
00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:22,800
strong sensations of pain.
Pain can also arise through
20
00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:27,400
disease conditions, organ
imbalances, or chronic long term
21
00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:33,320
conditions of organ failure.
Women who experience childbirth
22
00:01:33,320 --> 00:01:36,880
are said to bear pain many times
the normal pain threshold that
23
00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:39,800
most people experience in most
circumstances.
24
00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:45,400
When we observe women giving
birth, their screams, cries,
25
00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:50,120
tears, and physical pressure on
loved ones provide ample
26
00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:56,280
evidence of the intensity of the
experience for the spiritual
27
00:01:56,280 --> 00:01:59,720
seeker.
The question then arises as to
28
00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:03,680
what the necessary attitude and
relation to the experience of
29
00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:08,320
pain should be so as to not have
it interfere with the spiritual
30
00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:11,800
sadhna.
One experience that Sadiqs
31
00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:16,760
report is a unique sensation of
a deep physical peace taking
32
00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:20,120
hold of the body and
overwhelming all other
33
00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:24,680
vibrations, including those that
create the sensation of pain.
34
00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:29,880
In some cases, this deep
physical peace takes on the form
35
00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:33,080
of a solid block of unmoving
material force.
36
00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:38,520
If the sodic can succeed in
attaining such a state, there is
37
00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:42,240
no pain at that moment,
regardless of the potential
38
00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:44,960
sensations that would otherwise
cause pain.
39
00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:49,440
Short of achieving this status
of immovable peace in the
40
00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:54,960
physical being, the sadak can at
least work to gain some control
41
00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:59,480
over the reaction of the vital
being and the mental being such
42
00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:04,680
that while physical pain may be
there and be experienced, it
43
00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:08,960
does not disrupt or disturb the
sadhna or spiritual practice.
44
00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:13,720
This too takes some substantial
effort and practice.
45
00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:18,320
We have an example of an
individual who worked to
46
00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:21,520
mitigate physical pain and
enhance their endurance.
47
00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:27,000
The famous escape artist Harry
Houdini used to practice sitting
48
00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:31,320
in a tub of ice to increase his
ability to withstand extreme
49
00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:36,560
cold without going into any kind
of shock and thus helping him
50
00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:41,080
with his career as an escape
artist who could withstand
51
00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:46,240
circumstances that most people
would feel as extremely painful.
52
00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:51,080
The Tibetan Yogi Milarepa,
toward the end of his life was
53
00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:55,640
poisoned by an individual who
was jealous of his prestige and
54
00:03:55,640 --> 00:04:00,520
who doubted his attainments.
Milarepa consciously imbibed the
55
00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:02,600
poison, knowing his time had
come.
56
00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:07,120
When the village priest showed
up to witness Milarepa's painful
57
00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:11,680
death, he saw Milarepa sitting
quietly, teaching and not
58
00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:15,600
obviously in pain.
He challenged Milarepa, who
59
00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:18,920
indicated that his body was
undergoing tortuous pain.
60
00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:22,720
The priest asked him to shift
the pain to him so he could
61
00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:27,840
experience it for real.
Milarepa, out of compassion,
62
00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:32,360
refused to do that, but
transferred a small portion of
63
00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:36,080
the pain to the door, which
started creaking and groaning
64
00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:40,760
under the intensity.
Milarepa had such a control over
65
00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:46,320
his being, his experience, his
response and his ability to
66
00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:50,400
control the physical body that
he could act even under the
67
00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:53,800
duress of that intense physical
pressure.
68
00:04:56,000 --> 00:05:01,200
Triorbindo writes Quote To bear
extreme heat and cold, it is
69
00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:06,080
necessary to have peace in the
cells first, then consolidated
70
00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:09,240
force.
Pain and discomfort come from a
71
00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:13,160
physical consciousness not
forceful enough to determine its
72
00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:18,120
own reactions to things.
The body naturally experiences
73
00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:22,240
physical pain, but the body
transmits it to the vital and
74
00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:25,360
mental.
With the ordinary consciousness.
75
00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:29,000
The vital gets disturbed and
afflicted and its force is
76
00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:32,880
diminished.
The mind identifies and is
77
00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:37,240
upset.
The mind has to remain unmoved,
78
00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:41,720
the vital unaffected, and the
body has to learn to take it
79
00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:45,160
with equality so that the higher
force may work.
80
00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:49,280
The self is never affected by
any kind of pain.
81
00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:54,800
The psychic takes it quietly and
offers it to the divine for what
82
00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:59,600
is necessary to be done.
It is a detachment of even the
83
00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:03,080
physical mind from the pain that
makes one able to go on as if
84
00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:05,960
nothing were there.
But this detachment of the
85
00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:09,440
physical mind is not so easy to
acquire.
86
00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:13,040
End Quote.
Reference.
87
00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:18,000
Srioro Bindu and the Mother
Looking from within, Chapter 4.
88
00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:22,600
Ordeals and Difficulties pages
One O 8 to One O 9.