The Healing Potential of Pain

From physical to mental to emotional, humans are able to experience an astounding variety of sensations that can be broadly classified as pain.

Most of us have been taught that pain is a sign of danger or injury, and that it must be avoided at all costs. In some acute instances this is indeed true, but if we’re willing to shift our perspective a bit we can begin to see that most of the time pain is simply a form of communication.

Pain can show us where we’re stuck and bring our awareness to parts of the body/mind that need attention. In the Kaiut Yoga Method we view pain as an important messenger, showing us where we are restricted and the parts of ourselves that are ready to be healed.

While pain is simply the messenger, it’s also important to note and become familiar with the different types of pain one might experience in the body. This is key, because there are some pains that could point to an unsafe situation. As a general rule that’s anything that feels sharp or stabbing, often showing up in the knees or shoulders.

That said, most of the painful sensations experienced in a Kaiut Yoga class (often showing up as cramps or a deep ache) are actually quite beneficial, and are the result of unlocking something that has long been stuck.

If you’ve taken any of my classes you’ve heard me talk about the enormous potential hidden within our restrictions. You’ve also heard me acknowledge that the way to uncover that potential is by going into the restricted place, spending time there, and eventually unlocking the mobility that has long been dormant.

Regaining our mobility and uncovering those locked up places is some of the most impactful work we can do, and it's also some of the most painful.

We tend to assume that progress should equal less pain, but when it comes to the joints, progress, at least for new students, usually means more pain and perhaps also more emotional intensity. This is mainly because we have many nerve endings in and around our joints.

When we release a restriction that’s been there for a long time, it causes waves of sensation as neurons start firing in a new way. Where there was once minimal to no sensation, there is now sensation, because the restriction has been released, and the connection between that part of the body and the brain has been reestablished.

Pain can also be present because when restrictions are released, the body must adapt to a new structure, or mode of operation. One example of this is someone suffering from migraines. Many students have found relief with consistent Kaiut Yoga practice, but once the migraine pain goes away, they often begin to experience neck pain. This isn’t wrong or bad, it’s simply the body adapting to the realignment of structures in the neck and head area. With time and consistency, the neck pain usually goes away as well.

When we’re in the midst of a painful experience, it can be hard to remember, or accept, that the pain is just communication. It’s a sign pointing us in the direction of the problem, not the problem itself. Luckily we have a variety of tools, like yoga and meditation, that help us get quiet enough inside ourselves so that the message from our pain can come through.

Instead of reacting immediately to every uncomfortable sensation, we can learn to approach those experiences with more curiosity, discernment, and patience. When we do, pain becomes more than something to endure or escape, it becomes an opportunity to better understand ourselves and, ultimately, to heal.