How can I fully feel very uncomfortable physical sensations, or physical pain or anything very intense and very difficult to feel without any resistance? What I notice is that I unconsciously tense and I don't know how to stop that. Also don't know how stop wishing that the physical discomfort would go away and there would just be comfortable or neutral sensations. Can you help me with this?
Hi Brian. First, I'm sorry to hear you've been experiencing this. A lot of spiritual teachers will say things like, "Just BE with the discomfort. And if that becomes resistance or tension then BE with the resistance and tension. Don't do anything with it or try to get rid of it." I'm not going to lie though: that's not always easy (if it ever is). When I was experiencing severe depression as a monk in India (yes, monks get the blues, too!), I did a practice called Tonglen. This means "giving and receiving" in Tibetan. What I would do is, whenever I felt the depression taking over, I would imagine taking the depression of ALL beings who ever felt, feel, or will feel depression upon myself. "May the darkness and depression of all beings ripen upon me so they can be free of it." Then I imagined light emanating from my heart to all those beings saying something like, "May all beings feel happiness and unbounded joy without limit or end." Much of the time, I would still feel the depression within my body and mindstream but there would be a sense of deeper meaning to it: like at least it wasn't all for nothing. It took the pressure off of me to feel like I was the only one in the world who ever felt this way. But sometimes (more than a few times) I would feel the depression lift and feel the freedom and joy creeping in for myself as well. This is a powerful practice for all kinds of suffering.
Well said Chris!
Thank you!
How can I fully feel very uncomfortable physical sensations, or physical pain or anything very intense and very difficult to feel without any resistance? What I notice is that I unconsciously tense and I don't know how to stop that. Also don't know how stop wishing that the physical discomfort would go away and there would just be comfortable or neutral sensations. Can you help me with this?
Hi Brian. First, I'm sorry to hear you've been experiencing this. A lot of spiritual teachers will say things like, "Just BE with the discomfort. And if that becomes resistance or tension then BE with the resistance and tension. Don't do anything with it or try to get rid of it." I'm not going to lie though: that's not always easy (if it ever is). When I was experiencing severe depression as a monk in India (yes, monks get the blues, too!), I did a practice called Tonglen. This means "giving and receiving" in Tibetan. What I would do is, whenever I felt the depression taking over, I would imagine taking the depression of ALL beings who ever felt, feel, or will feel depression upon myself. "May the darkness and depression of all beings ripen upon me so they can be free of it." Then I imagined light emanating from my heart to all those beings saying something like, "May all beings feel happiness and unbounded joy without limit or end." Much of the time, I would still feel the depression within my body and mindstream but there would be a sense of deeper meaning to it: like at least it wasn't all for nothing. It took the pressure off of me to feel like I was the only one in the world who ever felt this way. But sometimes (more than a few times) I would feel the depression lift and feel the freedom and joy creeping in for myself as well. This is a powerful practice for all kinds of suffering.
@@gatewaytothelimitless Thank you. It sounds like loving kindness practice. I appreciate your reply.