Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Strategic Monk

Home
Contemplative
Practices From the Inside Out: Transforming Pain Into Wisdom

Practices From the Inside Out: Transforming Pain Into Wisdom

Last updated on: December 27, 2017 at 6:12 pm by Greg Richardson

Practices From the Inside Out: Transforming Pain Into Wisdom 2017-12-27T18:12:51-08:00 Greg Richardson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

337367767_f80759202d_z

Transforming Pain into Wisdom

Pain gets our attention and focuses our minds. I have experienced physical pain which made it impossible to think about anything else. We may face emotional pain which absorbs our full attention. How can we solve problems, including our pain, when we cannot reason our way out?

People tell us pain can make us a better person, that we can be stronger where we have been broken. Does that really work in a practical, everyday way? How can our pain be transformed into strength?

We are able to transform physical pain into strength through treatment and healing. Doctors have devised extensive therapies to build strength in injured parts of our bodies.

When we are in pain it takes serious effort to find the wisdom hiding there. It is as if the wisdom is deep in the pain, not on the surface where it would be easy for us to see.

I slipped on the snow and broke my arm when I was in the sixth grade. I could tell right away something was wrong. My arm was not working the way I expected and I was in pain. Soon there was a cast on my arm which was quite itchy and allowed my broken bones to mend. After my cast came off it took me quite a while to get my arm back into shape.

I can remember wondering at the time why these things always happened to me. Why did I have to wait so many painful, uncomfortable weeks to be free of that cast?

I did not really want my pain transformed, just taken away.

In the same way, spiritual life is at work in us revealing the truths hidden deep in our pain.

Experiencing Our Pain

Spiritual life transforms our pain into wisdom without necessarily taking it away.

As we give permission for spiritual life to work in us, or even cooperate with it, we are transformed. We often think about spiritual life in terms of growing or developing strength.

Spiritual life shares some similarities with physical life. We grow and become stronger physically, just as we do spiritually. Developing healthy practices builds our physical lives as well as spiritual life.

Spiritual life transforms our pain by showing us how to experience it in a different way.

Pain often comes to us as a surprise or a shock. We do not really expect to feel pain.

When pain catches us off guard we react at an immediate level. Pain hurts and we want it to stop. Please just make it stop!

It is usually only after we get some relief from the immediate pain that we begin to listen to it. Our pain is, in fact, communicating with us.

Pain is often one of the first ways we learn important lessons. We may have learned that stoves are hot through pain, or at least discomfort. The earliest lessons we learn about the world are experiential ones.

We also learn we do not like pain, that it is something to be avoided.

Pain is a very powerful tool to teach us what to avoid. Because pain is so powerful we decide we really want to avoid feeling it. It is as if we cannot hear the lessons pain is trying to teach us because pain is so powerful. Our experience of pain becomes what we remember more than the lessons.

The First Step in Transforming Our Pain

Some pain has lessons for us about what we eat and how we use our bodies. Other pain is trying to teach us about how love and joy work. Pain may be trying to communicate the problems with taking shortcuts or wasting time.

Transforming pain into wisdom takes time. When pain gets our attention we begin to reflect about it. We may deny it exists, or try to bargain it away. Some pain makes us feel angry or frustrated, or like we are getting old.

We may feel the pain of being betrayed or abandoned. The pain we cause other people can be reflected in their eyes.

Sometimes we are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of pain in and around us.

The first step in transforming pain into wisdom is paying attention to it. It may help us to gain a little distance, to feel some relief, and listen to what pain is telling us.

We may be too afraid of pain to really pay attention. Pain is a warning and we want to get out of there as quickly as we can. It may help us to ask a few questions.

Where does this pain originate for me?

What is this pain trying to tell me?

Who is sharing the pain we feel?

Why is this particular pain especially intense for us?

How have we caused our own pain?

When will we begin to feel better?

As we explore the pain in our world, trying to listen, we begin to gain insights about it. Our reflection may be painful in itself, but take us in a helpful direction.

Uncovering Wisdom in Our Pain

It takes time and effort for pain to be transformed into wisdom in our lives. As we lean into spiritual life, it leans into us bringing new parts of us into clearer focus.

We open our awareness to the pain we experience. Reflecting on the pain in our past, or in this present moment, opens its lessons to us. The meaning of our pain, its deeper purpose, helps us see from a new perspective.

Very few people want to experience more pain, more suffering. We do not intend to add to the pain we feel, but to understand what it means.

Pain focuses our minds and gets our attention. As we listen for what pain is trying to teach us, drop by drop, wisdom is distilled in our hearts.

How is spiritual life transforming pain into wisdom in us this week?

Who helps you with the work of transforming pain into wisdom?

[Image by ayustety]

Greg Richardson is a spiritual life mentor and leadership coach in Southern California. He is a recovering attorney and university professor, and a lay Oblate with New Camaldoli Hermitage near Big Sur, California. Greg’s website is StrategicMonk.com, and his email address is [email protected].

Blog

Spiritual Practices

Previous Post

August 15, 2017

Leading Like a Monk: Stopping to Check Our Directions

Next Post

August 22, 2017 Practices From the Inside Out: Recognizing the Presence of the Sacred

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Blog Book Reviews Everything Else Guest Posts Leadership Monastic Strategies Neighborhood Pilgrimages Sacred Stillness Spiritual Direction Spiritual Practices Work

Select a Month May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

We are the tribe assigned to carry the sacred objects and serve in worship. Who are we?

Select your answer to see how you score.

The Levites The Danites The Tribe of Judah The Tribe of Naphtali